The effect of Z-library design on the user: Case study of school libraries in Kocaeli province

Z-Libraries, which have been established since 2014 in the schools by the Ministry of National Education, are prominently different from the classic school libraries with their particular elements. Z-Libraries have changed the perception of the classic school libraries by their colourful and modern design, technological substructure and various games. The present study aims to answer whether Z-library design has an effect on students. For this purpose, classic school library users were involved in the study as well, and 4 Z-libraries and 5 classic school libraries in Kocaeli province were assessed comparatively. 315 students have participated in the survey. In the conducted study by description method, to collect data, questionnaire technique was used. The collected data were analysed using SPSS. As the summary of conclusions, the Z-libraries to a large extent are established based on the technical specifications, colourful and modern design are the prominent elements which make the Z-libraries entertaining, Z-libraries are used more often than classic school libraries, the Z-libraries usage area and shelf lengths are convenient for the users, the users' perception of library have changed and their desire to study has increased. Keywords: Library, Z-Library, Developed Library, Library Design, School Library