Measuring performance and impact of rural community-led library initiatives in Thailand

Reports the results of performance and impact evaluation of three community-led library initiatives in Central Thailand. The methodology included both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Point of exit interviews with library users were undertaken to gather their opinions on library collections, performance and impact. The constraints faced by community dwellers in using the libraries were also identified. Interviews with community leaders were conducted to gain their perspectives on the problems and how library services could be improved. The results showed that small-scale community-run library services have the potential to make a positive impact on community development. The results also yielded several implications for community-based libraries in Thailand, including how their services could be improved to have even greater impact on the communities they serve. A model for community libraries is provided which can be replicated to speed up rural development in Thailand and beyond.