Survey compiled

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our COVID-19 library services survey. We received 88 responses.

Key findings

A few of the key findings were:

• During lockdown people most missed the general experience of visiting the library spaces and the community connection this provided, the ability to browse casually, and the expertise of library staff.

• What users want from the library has not changed, or only changed temporarily, as a result of the pandemic.

• Nearly 40% have never used the library’s digital or outbound services.

• Almost all respondents who used in-person services / experiences before the pandemic have returned to this since the library reopened.

• Most respondents (86%) don’t have pandemic health related concerns about accessing services or programs in person.

You can find the full details in the survey report which is now available in the document library or by clicking here.

Next steps

It has been valuable to hear from the community that while their needs were and will be different while COVID-19 remains a part of our reality, the effect on library usage is largely considered temporary. For library operations this means that our high-quality customer service and programming should continue to meet the needs of the community into the future.

However, COVID-19 has made it clear that the library is able to do more. While we provide people with internet access and computers, many people in the community need much more support in order to learn to use these successfully, so a key focus for us will be to address the digital divide more broadly. We can also increase access to the library and Fremantle History Centre collections through programs, exhibitions and online, ensuring that information and knowledge can be discovered and used by the public.