Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate whether library public forums, which are conducted as a part of the library’s information services, affect users’ perception of libraries. We analyzed the variations in users’ perception of libraries based on their participation in public forums held by the public libraries. Data was collected through a survey of users from the Seongbuk Public Libraries in Seoul, which hold public forums. It was discovered that users’ perception of public libraries varied depending on whether they had attended the library’s public forums or not. The study revealed that users who participated in library public forums had a better understanding of the public libraries compared to those who did not. Specifically, users who participated in public forums exhibited a deeper comprehension of the library’s roles, higher trust in the library, and a greater willingness to visit the library. In addition, we found that users acknowledged the importance of public forums in libraries and expressed a high level of interest and willingness to participate in them. Based on these findings, we discussed the implications of library public forums on users’ perception of libraries and highlighted the need for information services that are based on public forums.