Current topics in LibQUAL plus (R) studies: the paradigms of the informative and the social-maker library and the gender issue as reflections of the social reality

The purposes of this article are four: to analyze the main differences between the best valued dimensions of three studies on users satisfaction based on LibQUAL+(R) and carried out in university libraries of Spain, Argentina and Chile: to analyze the differences of the gender issue (men and women); to determine whether the differences on gender are statistically significant; and to discuss about the results in the specific field of libraries, as a reflection of the social reality in general. The results show that, in Spain, users are less satisfied with the dimension of the library as a space while in Latin America there is a lower degree of satisfaction about the control of information. The highest degree of satisfaction is found, in all the three studies, in the dimension related with the affective value of the service. Women in Spain show less satisfaction and a higher demand than men in the affective value of service. In addition, statistically significant differences were found in the analysis of the averages by gender. The results are discussed considering the reviewed literature and two paradigms are defined for libraries: the informative and the social-maker libraries, considering the satisfaction rates by gender as a reflection of the social reality. The main limitation of the article is that it is based on three specific studies. On the other hand, its main value and originality is that it can be considered as a starting point for further research on the gender issue in the field of libraries and their services.