Strategies for Effective Outreach Services in Public Library: A Qualitative Study

The study attempts to outline the strategies for effective outreach activities which public libraries usually undertake at their end to promote the library's resources and services beyond the conventional practices and accelerate the number of users and usage. It has also tried to assess the impact of outreach on public libraries' collections and services and the library's overall environment. The current study also identifies the need to organize outreach programmes in the public library arena with the necessary argument. The present study has followed an embedded approach of mixed-method design in terms of addressing briefly the views of librarians, associated with government-sponsored public libraries of West Bengal, and their work practices at this juncture. The study also discusses, in brief, the major challenges that are faced by public libraries while organizing such outreach programmes in their capacity.