ABSTRACT
The development of the Needs Based Library took place in three phases: Open to All (2000–2005); Working Together (2005–2010); the Needs Based Library (2010–present). Historical materialism shaped the Needs Based Library Strategy, Structures and Systems (or Base), which in turn determined the Organisational Culture (or Superstructure). The defining characteristics of the Needs Based Library are described within a three-level Analytical Framework: Marx, Maslow and Management. Empirical evidence is used from six case study libraries to illustrate the key features of a Needs Based Library.
