Home schoolers and the public library

Abstract

This research project examines the issue of whether library's in the Auckland area meet the information needs of home schoolers. There are no New Zealand studies examining this issue. Ten home schoolers were interviewed using a semi-structured interview approach. Grounded theory is the theoretical approach used in this study. This study found that on the whole libraries in Auckland are meeting the information needs of this group of home schoolers. However, there are a number of services such as the introduction of library tours, lessons on the use of the catalogue and other databases and library display's on home schooling and the work of home schooled children that the respondents would like to see introduced by the public library. It was found that few public libraries in the Auckland area have special programmes or services for home schoolers.