The attitudes and behaviour of users of the Documentation Unit of the Pan-African Institute for Development, West Africa, Sahelian Region (PAID-WA-SR) have been systematically recorded since 1982, with the aim of investigating the effects of users' attitudes on the management of the Documentation Unit. From a study of evaluation sheets completed by users every time they visit the Unit, and also from personal observation, it was possible to identify three main groups, namely, regular users, intermittent users and occasional users, who display three different types of attitude, i.e., participative, delegative and 'snobbish'. Deeper understanding of these general attitudes can enable documentalists to respond more effectively to the information needs and problems of their clients.
