Mapa de empatia em biblioteconomia: potencial de uso para a melhoria do Serviço de Referência e Informação

Abstract

As technology advances and user profiles change, libraries strive to improve their services to better meet customer needs. Innovations are essential to face current challenges and ensure the good performance of organizations, requiring the introduction of new tools and solutions in different situations. This study analyzes the profile of users of the Setor Norte Sector Library, using the "Empathy Map" tool, with the potential to improve the Reference and Information Service. The main justification for this research lies in the fact that the Empathy Map offers new perspectives for studies aimed at improving the services offered by libraries, even enabling the formulation of new theories in this area. The application of the tool was conducted at the Setor Norte Sector Library, involving users who agreed to participate in the research. The research is characterized as descriptive and exploratory. The use of the Empathy Map enables a more in-depth analysis, allowing a more intimate understanding and greater proximity between individuals and spaces that promote intellectual and human growth. In the context of the Reference Service, considered the library's gateway, empathy emerges as a crucial factor that directly influences the quality of this service. The Empathy Map has the potential to be applied in libraries in order to identify users' difficulties in a more authentic way. By offering the opportunity for open-ended responses, it allows for a broader expression of users' thoughts, which differs from other questionnaires that limit responses to a predefined pattern. Therefore, the research concludes that the Empathy Map facilitates the recognition of the user as an agent of change who can give their opinion and point out improvements to the information unit.