Purpose: The aim of the study is to compare the perceived benefits of public libraries and their structure in the major areas of life between Finland, Norway and the Netherlands Design/methodology/approach: The data was based on representative samples of Finnish, Norwegian and Dutch adult library users. In Finland a mail survey was used and in Norway and the Netherlands web surveys were used for data collection. The distribution of the proportion of those benefiting from the library in various areas of life at least sometimes was compared across countries. The structure of benefits was compared across countries by factor analysis. Findings: The results showed that the level of the nineteen benefits observed was considerably higher, and the range of benefits remarkably broader in Finland compared to Norway and the Netherlands. It is likely that the greater supply of library services in Finland compared to the other two countries explains the differences in benefits derived from the public library. The study validated the measurement instrument for the perceived overall outcomes of public libraries. Research limitations/implications:Comparing only three countries is too limited for producing valid results on the relations between the supply of library services and their use and the benefits derived from that use. Analysing these associations in a larger sample of countries would create reliable results also for policy making. Practical implications: The policy implications of these findings are discussed. Originality/value: This is the first across-country comparison observing perceived benefits of public libraries across major areas of life.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the perceived benefits of public libraries between five culturally different countries: Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, South Korea and the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The data were based on representative samples of Finnish, Norwegian, Dutch, Korean and American adult library users. In Finland a mail survey was used and in other countries web surveys were used for data collection. The distribution of the proportion of those benefiting from the library in various areas of life at least sometimes was compared across countries. The pattern of benefits was compared across countries by forming four outcome indexes from the 19 benefit areas. The differences in the outcomes between the countries were explained by demographics and library use variables. Findings – The intensity of perceived benefits differ considerably, with the Finns and Americans reporting a higher level of benefits than the South Koreans, who in turn derive more profit than the Norwegians and the Dutch. The large difference in library supply between Finland and other countries may explain the differences in the perceived benefits in part of other countries but the USA. Research limitations/implications – The study covered only some socio-economic and library usage factors as independent variables explaining the variation of benefit patterns. A more thorough analysis of library supply between the countries may explain some differences in perceived benefits. Practical implications – The policy implications of these findings are discussed. Originality/value – This is the first across-country study comparing and explaining the patterns of perceived benefits between culturally different countries.

Public libraries in the Netherlands face growing scepticism about their value to communities and society at large. The digitization of media, information and communication gives rise to questions about the library’s function, as it still is based mainly on physical service provision. Furthermore, the current economic recession causes local, regional and national governments to critically question every euro spent on cultural institutions. In this climate, there is a growing need for public libraries to show their worth – not only in an economical, but also in a more sociological sense. As standardized measurements for these values are still lacking, a research program was started to develop these outcome measurements. In this paper, we sketch the rationale behind this program and the steps the Netherlands Institute of Public Libraries is taking to develop a measurement instrument geared at validly and reliably demonstrating the societal value of public libraries. Results from the first stages of the research program will be presented: a theoretical framework of the (possible) impact of libraries on Dutch society, based on the findings of a literature study and qualitative research. The findings help us identify and conceptually enrich five domains of possible impact: cognitive, social, cultural, affective and economical. This outcome framework will guide the development of a measuring instrument.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure reliability and validity of the Scoring Rubric for Information Literacy (Van Helvoort, 2010).Design/methodology/approach Percentages of agreement and Intraclass Correlation were used to describe interrater reliability. For the determination of construct validity factor analysis and reliability analysis were used. Criterion validity was calculated with Pearson correlations.Findings In the described case, the Scoring Rubric for Information Literacy appears to be a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of information literate performance.Originality/value Reliability and validity are prerequisites to recommend a rubric for application. The results confirm that this Scoring Rubric for Information Literacy can be used in courses in higher education, not only for assessment purposes but also to foster learning.