Services to the housebound in Adelaide’s metropolitan and regional public libraries: current practices and future needs

Abstract

The author examines the evolution of the current Australian demographic and its implications for the delivery of public library services. The ‘baby boomers’, the generation born between 1946 and 1961, are the next cohort to be seriously in need of housebound services, and the characteristics and likely needs of this group are considered with particular reference to the public libraries of Adelaide. This case study report presents the findings of interviews conducted with 14 public libraries in metropolitan and regional Adelaide who currently provide a library service to their housebound patrons, including both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to gather data. The chief method used was open-ended interviews conducted with the librarians responsible for the provision of this service at each of the participating libraries.