POTREBE I ZADOVOLJSTVO KORISNIKA BIBLIOBUSA GRADSKE KNJIŽNICE ZADAR.

Purpose. The aim of this research was to determine the information needs and reading habits of the users of the mobile library services of the Zadar Public Library, as well as their satisfaction with the existing services and the choice of library materials available at the mobile library service. The purpose was to gather user feedback in order to support the continuation of the services that are important to the users, with the possible further service improvements. Approach/methodology/design. The research included a questionnaire that was distributed to 100 mobile library users of all ages during the summer of 2019, and two interviews with the information services librarians that were conducted during the summer of 2020. The sample included the users from the islands and coastal areas that are served by the mobile library no. 2 from the Zadar City Library. Findings. Pupils and adults are the two main groups of mobile library users. The pupils borrow more multimedia, entertainment, and sports books, and they read children's books, while the adults borrow more fiction and non-fiction books. The adult users, who are employed or retired, stated that they were mostly satisfied with the choice of books, while the pupils were completely satisfied. The users were completely satisfied with the information services librarians. These librarians take care of user recommendations and availability of library materials because they are well aware of the needs of the regular library members. Research limitations. The sample did not include the mobile library service no. 1, which serves mainly the inland of the Zadar County. The research was conducted during the summer, and most of the mobile library stops that are next to the schools were empty because of the summer holidays. Practical implications. Further improvement of library services and acquisition of new library materials can be carried out on the basis of the user suggestions and their satisfaction with the availability of library materials. Social implications. An insight into the needs of the mobile library users in rural areas enables further work on equalizing access to information in both rural and urban areas. The high user satisfaction confirms the irreplaceable role of the Zadar Public Library mobile library service in the county settlements that do not have stationary libraries. Originality/value. Considering that there are very few similar surveys in Croatia related to mobile libraries, the methodology and the results of the work can serve other mobile library services as an example of good practice when they wish to examine the needs and satisfaction of users in order to improve the services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]