User Studies in Connection with the Development of a Decentralized Library Network

This paper examines the development of university departmental libraries in Scandinavia, and traces the influence of the German seminar libraries. This has led to the establishment of a number of library networks. Financial restraints have resulted in a number of studies of departmental library networks, with a view to possible rationalization. This paper describes studies of the attitudes of library users, at Chalmers University, towards computerization of literature resources and cooperation between the main library and the departmental libraries. It was shown that users were apprehensive of centralization and negative to any increase in administrative processes. At the same time computerization of literature resources was regarded positively. In view of these attitudes, and the increasing availability of computer equipment on the campus, it was suggested that the development of a coordinated decentralized library network based on the needs of users, could lead to considerable rationalization in the handling of literature resources at Chalmers.