scholarly journals Danish Post-Secondary Students Use Public Libraries for Study Purposes

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
Julie McKenna
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
The Public ◽  
Student Information

Objective – To determine whether and how Danish university and higher education students use public libraries for study purposes. Design – Online survey. Setting – Post-secondary students in Denmark. Subjects – 1,575 students in university-level programs or other higher education programs (vocational three-to-four-year programs) in Denmark. Methods – A sample of students was drawn from the national database of students by selecting every student born on the 15th of every month (approximately 4,900 students). A letter describing the study and with an invitation to fill out an online questionnaire was sent to all students in the sample. There were 1,694 valid responses (approximately 35% response rate). Students following short vocational programs were deemed to be under-represented and these subjects were omitted from the analysis of this report, which reflects the response of 1,575 students. The online questionnaire gathered demographic details (gender, age, educational institution, study topic, study year, geographical location, access to the Internet, etc.) and used 110 questions or statements to gather information about student information-seeking behaviour related to study purposes. These included use of the physical library and satisfaction with services, use of search engines, awareness and use of library Web-based services, study behaviour, and participation in information literacy activities. Main results – For the purposes of this study, “academic library is used as a generic term covering university libraries, research libraries, educational libraries and all other kind of libraries outside the field of public libraries” (p. 278). The survey results confirmed many of the previous international reports of student information-seeking behaviour: 85% of students use the academic library for study purposes; fewer than 10% of all students are able to cope without any library use; students in technology and engineering, the sciences and arts, architecture and music have a higher rate of non-use of their academic libraries; a large percentage of students access the electronic resources from home; the physical library is still considered important to students; Google is used extensively and is nearly the exclusive choice for search engine. The public library is used for study purposes by about 58 percent of all students with the highest use (76%) by students in higher education institutions (HEI); students of education, social topics and psychology are very frequent public library users. Female students in HEI were the most frequent users of the public library independent of study subject or year, or any other demographic variable. Seven per cent of students rely exclusively on the public library for study purposes and first-year HEI students in the subject areas of education, social topics and psychology are over-represented in this group (which additionally has less Internet access from home than the other students). Students perceive nearly all aspects of service in the academic library as superior; HEI students rate ambience, electronic resources and speed of inter-library loan provision in the public library as higher than the academic. University students give a low rating to the collections of public library, although the students use the public library principally to supplement the collections available in their academic libraries. Another high use of public libraries by HEI students is for inter-library loans placed through the national resource sharing system. Public library reference services are used often by only one per cent of students and only two per cent use the public library on a regular basis for “study related group activities.” Conclusion – Students use physical libraries to a great extent to support their studies and students have embraced digital access to collections, especially access from home. Google is the most heavily used search engine and is used by nearly all students; use of Google complements and supplements library use. Nearly 60% of all students use public libraries for study purposes and to supplement the collections of their academic library, but they find that the public library collections are insufficient to meet their needs. The inter-library loan policies of public libraries are more lenient and accommodating to student needs and may drive the high use of public libraries. Students form a large constituency of the public library user population and they generally rate most aspects of service as substandard to those of academic libraries. There is a call for review of the public library’s role in meeting the information needs of students, and in particular, those of HEI programs who are most dependent on the public library.

scholarly journals How Adult Fiction Readers Select Fiction Books  in Public Libraries: a Study of Information-Seeking in Context

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kamy Ooi
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Book Clubs ◽  
The Public ◽  
Book Choice ◽  
Internet Radio ◽  
Book Selections

<p>This study examines from the viewpoint of twelve adult fiction readers, who are members of book clubs, how they go about selecting fiction books to borrow from the public library. The methodological approach taken was a qualitative one in that each participant took part in an individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interview. The central premise of the study was that information seeking occurs in a context and must therefore be understood as influenced by context. In attempting to understand how adult fiction readers select their books then, the study examined a variety of contextual factors that influenced book choice. Personal characteristics such as mood and lifestyle were found to have an impact on book selections. Family and friends, and peers from book clubs, also played important roles in participants' book choices. The mass media, including the Internet, radio, television and the printed press also impacted participants' choice of books. Radio, in particular, was a popular source among participants. The study also examined the role that the public library played in fiction readers' book choices. It was found that while the public library provided a range of readers' advisory tools to assist fiction readers in their book selections, not all the tools were helpful to the study's participants. Library staff also played a largely invisible role in participants' book choices. Implications for public library services are discussed in the study.</p>

scholarly journals How Adult Fiction Readers Select Fiction Books  in Public Libraries: a Study of Information-Seeking in Context

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kamy Ooi
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Book Clubs ◽  
The Public ◽  
Book Choice ◽  
Internet Radio ◽  
Book Selections

<p>This study examines from the viewpoint of twelve adult fiction readers, who are members of book clubs, how they go about selecting fiction books to borrow from the public library. The methodological approach taken was a qualitative one in that each participant took part in an individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interview. The central premise of the study was that information seeking occurs in a context and must therefore be understood as influenced by context. In attempting to understand how adult fiction readers select their books then, the study examined a variety of contextual factors that influenced book choice. Personal characteristics such as mood and lifestyle were found to have an impact on book selections. Family and friends, and peers from book clubs, also played important roles in participants' book choices. The mass media, including the Internet, radio, television and the printed press also impacted participants' choice of books. Radio, in particular, was a popular source among participants. The study also examined the role that the public library played in fiction readers' book choices. It was found that while the public library provided a range of readers' advisory tools to assist fiction readers in their book selections, not all the tools were helpful to the study's participants. Library staff also played a largely invisible role in participants' book choices. Implications for public library services are discussed in the study.</p>

User Information Needs in the Public Libraries in India

2019 ◽  
pp. 25-53
Author(s):  
R. Perumalsamy ◽  
Sri. P. Kannan
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Local Center ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The Public ◽  
Seeking Behavior

The researcher has chosen the topic for the purpose of the study in consultation with research supervisor. The public library is the local center of information, making all kinds of knowledge and information readily available to its users. The services of the public library are provided on the basis of equality of access to all, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, nationality, language, or social status. Public library is a non-profit organization maintained for public use. The thesis comprises of information needs and information seeking behavior of the user of south Tamilnadu, from various angles, the information dissemination services existing in south Tamilnadu and the role played by the district central library in this regard. In public libraries we have the users with different age groups of people right from children to old persons.

scholarly journals Information literacy instruction in public libraries

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Miriam Louise Matteson ◽  
Beate Gersch
Keyword(s):  
Information Literacy ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Effective Instruction ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Instructional Interactions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Librarians

Extending from existing research on how public libraries offer information literacy (IL) instruction through classes or programs, the purpose of this research was to explore how public librarians provide IL instruction through individual interactions with patrons. US public librarians recorded their impressions of instructional interactions over a five-day period using an online diary instrument. Key findings were that public librarians incorporate a range of IL concepts in their interactions with patrons, across a wide variety of expressed information needs, with most of the instruction directed toward helping patrons plan their information tasks, access information, and judge information. Secondary themes showed that although librarians believed strongly in the value and importance of providing instruction, individual and situational factors presented barriers to effective instruction. This research contributes to an understanding of how IL instruction in public library settings differs from school and academic library settings and raises some questions around the need for instructional resources focused more specifically around the needs of the public library to facilitate effective instruction.

Globalization, modernization and functionality of the public library system in Nigeria

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 426-440
Author(s):  
Patience Uzezi Otolo
Keyword(s):  
Technology Use ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Library Users ◽  
Public Library Users

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find out: the functionality of public libraries in the provision of needed information resources; the impact of the use of modern electronic gadgets as the level of patronage; the influence of old technology use on libraries; and the globalization effect on the user behavior toward public libraries. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted the descriptive survey design since the opinion, perceptions and observation of public library users were examined. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 185 respondents. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The instrument was validated by research experts in the area of test and measurement and in library and information science research. A reliability test was carried out using 25 academic library users in Delta State University, Abraka, to establish a coefficient of 0.87 using Cronbach’s α. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for research questions while the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis and linear regression analysis were used to test hypotheses. Findings Public libraries in Nigeria are functional and accessible. There is inadequacy in modern information and communication technology devices that aid information provision and dissemination, Globalization and modernization has negatively impacted the patronage of public libraries. The influence of deterritorialization has influenced the user attitude toward regular use. Globalization has made time and space much more closer, thereby reducing contact and interaction between library staff and users in the public library system. Globalization and/or modernization has brought not only challenges to public libraries, but also opportunities to exploit. Research limitations/implications The findings of the study were drawn from one sampled area to represent the entirety of the country. The respondents were public library users who were found using public libraries; therefore, less time was allocated to answering research instrument, thereby potentially and probably not responded to with utmost concern. Practical implications Public library functionality will be deterred if necessary actions are taken to improve the quality of service provision. There will likely be a reduced patronage of public libraries if users do not get the most recent information as supposed. There is already a negative effect of globalization and modernization on the functionality of public libraries. There is an urgent need to update and modernize public libraries across the nation for effective and efficient service delivery. Social implications Globalization has led to the reduction of interpersonal and social interaction which is supposed to promote friendliness between public library users and the staff. It also promoted the use of modern technologies such as telecommunication devices, information disseminating gadgets in homes while inhibiting public library patronage time and space is now been maximized for the benefit of library users who are distant from the public library location in as much as information has become accessible at their fingertips. Originality/value This research was carried out by the author (Dr (Mrs) P.U. Otolo) and is fully individual. All authors cited are duly acknowledged.

Open Doors: library cross-sector co-operation in Bristol, UK

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-118
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Ann Chelin
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Service ◽  
School Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Project Outcomes ◽  
Set Up

Purpose – This paper outlines the aims, activities and outcomes of a project to pilot a reciprocal borrowing scheme between public and academic libraries using existing cards, i.e. public library cards in the academic library and university ID cards in the public libraries. Design/methodology/approach – This is a case study providing practical information about the establishment and promotion of the service, and recounting the feedback from surveys of participants, prospective users and library staff. Findings – The project outcomes indicate that the reciprocal use of existing library cards between institutions and public libraries in a geographical area: was relatively simple once set up; was appreciated by all those who participated; had few teething problems; had had no appreciable impact on the availability of academic stock to University of the West of England (UWE) students; increased public library and academic library usage by target groups, e.g. school students 16 years and over, enabled the public library service to provide a significantly better offer of resources to its community, especially those who needed access to specialised stock, not normally available in a general public library service. Originality/value – The partnership between LibrariesWest (led by South Gloucestershire Libraries) and UWE Bristol Library Services is not unusual. However, the approach taken, i.e. to allow borrowers to use their own libraries’ cards without any data sharing between the respective systems, is fairly unique. The processes involved and the evaluation of the scheme are of value to other prospective partnerships where organisations are geographically aligned.

Information Seeking in a Global Context. The Creeping Influence of Economic Globalization & Corporatization: Neoliberal Discourse in Canadian Academic Libraries

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Courtney Waugh
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Academic Libraries ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Economic Globalization ◽  
Institutional Discourse ◽  
The Public ◽  
Global Context ◽  
Institutional Values ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Key Sites

Strategic planning documents are "key sites to institutional discourse" and reflect the public face of the library. This research explores the extent to which Neoliberal discourse permeates the strategic plans of three Canadian academic libraries, and examines how they are responding to global economic and political pressures. Through content analysis, the tension between libraries as a public good versus libraries as commodity is examined. Within this context, the disconnect between librarian core values and changing institutional values is also explored.Les documents de planification stratégique sont des « sites clés pour tout discours institutionnel » et reflètent le visage public d’une bibliothèque. Cette recherche tente de prendre la mesure dans laquelle le discours néolibéral imprègne les documents de planification stratégique de trois bibliothèques universitaires canadiennes, et examine comment ces institutions répondent à la montée et à la diversification des pressions économiques et politiques mondiales. En utilisant l'analyse de contenu et un regard critique, cette recherche exploratoire examine la tension entre la conception de la bibliothèque comme bien public et sa conception comme produit de marchandisation.

Reversing the gaze on race, social justice, and inclusion in public librarianship

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Amber Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Structural Racism ◽  
The Public ◽  
Race And Class ◽  
The Gaze ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Historical Times ◽  
Diversity Studies

While contemporary revisionist narratives frame the public library as a benevolent and neutral community resource, it has existed for over two centuries and has a deeply shaded past. Particularly, public libraries played key roles in projects tied to the industrialist mission of states and the education of select social groups during key historical times. In no uncertain terms, these were inherently racist and colonial projects in which libraries helped proffer socially constructed and politically motivated ideas of race and class. This work draws on relevant and important work in anti-oppression studies, Black studies, critical diversity studies, and Critical Race Theory (CRT) to trouble contemporary revisionist perspectives in public librarianship to show how they further entrench monocultural normativity and structural racism. It also draws on scholarship in anti-racism studies to reimagine possibilities for public librarianship that genuinely reflect its core values of equity and justice.

The e-book war in Denmark

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-105
Author(s):  
Lisbeth Worsøe-Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Book Market ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Commercial Market ◽  
Book World ◽  
Traditional Understanding

The aim is to investigate how digitisation and in particular e-books have changed relations between private players and public institutions within the Danish book world through a case study of eReolen, a private-public partnership functioning as common platform for public libraries’ lending of e-books in Denmark. Traditional and new models of the book world are discussed as the basis of understanding relations between the players. A new way of analysing the field outlined by literary sociologist, Professor Johan Svedjedal, is adopted. The main conclusions are that the lending of e-books has disrupted the traditional understanding and interaction between the public library system and the commercial book market. In addition, the Danish library system through the partnership has taken on a new function in relation to the commercial market, namely acting as the engine in building a market for Danish e-books.

scholarly journals A public library cannot live on books alone: A lesson from history

IFLA Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Șerbănuță
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
System Development ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Communist Regime ◽  
Information Control ◽  
Totalitarian Regime ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Archival Documents

For almost half a century Romania was under a totalitarian regime. In times of severe censorship and information control the communist regime promoted public libraries. This paper will present the main phases of the public library system development and discuss how the state’s emphasis on providing large collections of books influenced library services. As part of an oral history project, this paper will use memories of people who worked in public libraries of various sizes in the 1970s and the 1980s, archival documents and secondary sources to contribute to a more nuanced discussion about the recent history of Romanian public libraries. What were the phases of the development of the national library system and how important was the library collection for the institutional survival of the public library? The paper will also discuss the collection development policy and contrast it with the impoverished professional development within the library system.

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