Using Q methodology in public library research: a worked example

Abstract

This paper presents the first known use of Q methodology to investigate perceptions of public library services. The authors introduce Q and guide the reader through its application, using a worked example of a recent study of user and non-user views of public libraries in England. Against the backdrop of growing concerns about closures and funding cuts, the findings demonstrate participants’ reservations about the increasing diversification of public libraries and their services. Reasons are suggested for the underuse of Q in public library research, and an assessment is made of its potential value to explore perceptions of library services.

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Item Type:	Article
Authors/Creators:	McKenna-Aspell, J.-L. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2821-3924 Birdi, B. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0002-7989
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information:	© 2025 The Authors. Except as otherwise noted, this author-accepted version of a journal article published in Public Library Quarterly is made available via the University of Sheffield Research Publications and Copyright Policy under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Keywords:	Library non-users; library users; public libraries; public perceptions; Q methodology
Dates:	Submitted: 7 April 2025 Accepted: 18 July 2025 Published (online): 3 August 2025 Published: 3 August 2025
Institution:	The University of Sheffield
Academic Units:	The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Social Sciences (Sheffield) > Information School (Sheffield)
Depositing User:	Symplectic Sheffield
Date Deposited:	11 Aug 2025 15:16
Last Modified:	11 Aug 2025 15:20
Status:	Published online
Publisher:	Informa UK Limited
Refereed:	Yes
Identification Number:	10.1080/01616846.2025.2538392
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID):	oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:230258

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Using Q methodology in public library research: a worked example

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