Merton Council conducted its first comprehensive survey of the Home Visits Library Service users. The results published show a phenomenal satisfaction level with the service. Over 80% of clients view the HVLS as a lifeline and 99% are ‘very satisfied’ with the service overall.
As some Merton residents are unable to get to a library due to physical difficulty or illness, the Home Visits Library Services brings the library to them.
Client satisfaction is exceptionally high, with 92 – 100% of users rating the service ‘very good’ for overall choice of material, staff knowledge and helpfulness and service reliability.
Family sagas and historical fiction are the most popular requests, with nearly 70% of users requesting this genre of books.
Councillor Maurice Groves, Cabinet Member for Community Services said:
“The Home Visits Library Service does an excellent job bringing the library to people in their homes.”
If you would like to join the Home Visits Library Service, please phone 020 8640 0468, or write to Home Visits Library Service c/o Mitcham Library, London Road, Mitcham CR4 2YR
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Notes to editor:
The Home Visits Service brings books to residents’ homes on a regular basis. The team speak to residents about the kind of books that they want and bring the books to their home every 4 weeks. There are large print and ordinary print books available as well as community language books.
There are currently 150 HVLS users in the borough, 69% of users completed the survey.
The HVLS clientele consists mainly of females, white in ethnic origin, aged between 81 to 90 and suffering from poor mobility.
A small majority of users first heard about the service from friends, with the next most common methods being from a library and from leaflets.
90% of users do not know how to use a computer, and the main reasons for not using one are not having a computer, not needing to use a computer and not being able to afford a computer. 15.5% of users would be interested in lessons on how to use one if the HVLS were to provide them.