Spatial Analysis of the Public Library Network in Slovenia

Abstract

The article presents the project Spatial Analysis of the public library network in Slovenia; the approach, related work, methods used, main findings, impacts, and transferability to other environments. The network of public libraries in Slovenia is quite well developed and consists of slightly over 1,000 service points, i.e., local libraries, their external service points, and bookmobile stops. Public libraries are one of the pillars that preserve the Slovenian language and enhance the local social life. The travel distance to the nearest library is highly important, even more when taking into account social gatherings, access to online databases, and 203 participation in educational and other meetings. Spatial analysis has been performed by using the methods of geographical information systems. A part of the project is also the development of a lightweight Web geodatabase/geoprocessing tool for the planning of library services. Library administrators could directly and easily use the tool for daily and strategic planning to analyze in detail the spatial level of the sociodemographic characteristics of the potential users in the vicinity. The findings have shown significant differences among regions, recommended improvements of the library network, suggested the refinement of the role of the library services according to the perceived needs of the local people, and confirmed the importance of the mobile libraries for rural and remote areas.

A new decade of uses for geographic information systems (GIS) as a tool to research, measure and analyze library services

“…Malec (2012) uses GIS to identify gaps of library services in a coastal region of Slovenia using data based on library physical and mobile locations and population distribution. Vodeb and Vodeb (2015) use GIS technologies to conduct a spatial analysis of the Public Library Network in Slovenia, analyzing the spatial accessibility across the country to expose underserved areas, identify driving times to libraries from patrons' residences.…”