Motives that Drive Students to Use the School Library in Taipei Municipal Mingchuan Elementary School

A Field Study

Abstract

In the past twenty years, most studies of elementary school libraries were about how the library was used. However, little research regarding why students would like to visit the library and what are their favourites in the library has been carried out. The purpose of this study is thus to understand the motives and impact factors of graders library use at school library. This study adopted the qualitative research in a semi-structured in-depth interview and a participant observation research. The interviewed objects are sixteen 3~6 graders who borrowed books or media frequently from the school library. The studies showed being curious, feeling bored, desiring to be recognized, seeking topics of their own interests, getting respect, finding fulfilment, enjoying leisure-time, getting better scores, getting virtual rewards, pleasing parents, and peer competition are eleven main motives that drive students to use the school library. There are some impact factors can affect the library use including library factor and non-library factors such as: the abundance and attractiveness of collections; the independence and distance of premises, the comforts of interior space; the equipments including network, light, air-conditioner, and audio-video facilities; the competence and friendly support of the librarian, the reading activities, and longer opening hour. Moreover, the schoolwork, the significant others, spiritual space, etc. are also important.The analyses found that the function of the school library lies not only on reading, circulating and searching, but also being a place for leisure and social activities. That is a successful school library is not only a library, but also a living room at home. Ideally, the school should enhance the positive linkage between the students and the library as well as the librarian should be a facilitator to connect them. On the other hand, the librarian should encourage students read enthusiastically by making library as a warm, convenient, and comfortable environment. As a result, the student would like to be a long-term patron of the library.