NON-USERS OF THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY IN TORUŃ – RESEARCH ON THE REASONS FOR NOT USE LIBRARY RESOURCES AND SERVICES BY STUDENTS OF NICOLAUS COPERNICUS UNIVERSITY IN TORUŃ

Thesis/Purpose of the article – This article presents the results of research concerning the reasons why students of Nicolaus Copernicus University (Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika, UMK) do not use the resources and services of the University Library in Toruń (BU), conducted in the academic year 2022/2023. Method – The research was conducted using a diagnostic survey method. The questionnaire contained 13 questions relating to the use and non-use of BU resources and services, as well as of other types of libraries, the adequacy of services provided by the BU, methods of obtaining materials in the learning process and for completing the study program, reading preferences, and the general attitude of the respondents towards library institutions. Conclusions – Due to the small sample size, the research results are not representative. Nevertheless, they can serve as an important signal for academic library managers or as a starting point for further (especially applied) research. Furthermore, the conclusions drawn from them correspond to the findings of other researchers in the literature. They demonstrate that the main reasons for not using the library are a lack of need, the possibility of obtaining materials from other sources (including the Internet), and a lack of knowledge about the services offered by the library. While non-use of the BU correlates with non-use of libraries in general, it is not a consequence of a negative attitude of students towards library institutions. Students’ reading habits show that not using libraries does not translate into a low level of reading. Moreover, the analysis of the research results shows that, according to UMK students who are active users of the BU, the current offer is sufficient and adequate to their needs.