scholarly journals Public Librarians Reflect Belief in Intellectual Freedom through Collection Development Activities

2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Melissa Goertzen
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The State ◽  
Intellectual Freedom ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Online Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Public Librarians ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Political Variables

A Review of: Oltmann, S. M. (2016). Public Librarians' Views on Collection Development and Censorship. Collection Management, 41(1), 23-44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01462679.2015.1117998 Objective – To examine public librarians’ perspectives on censorship and intellectual freedom in relation to collection development activities. Design – Survey combining questions from previous studies by Moody (2004) and Harkovitch, Hirst and Loomis (2003) with additional questions regarding intellectual freedom and demographics. Setting – Public libraries in the State of Ohio. Subjects – 251 directors and librarians responsible for collection development. Methods – The researcher created a survey in Qualtrics, a software that supports online data collection and analysis. It contained thirty-two structured and open-ended questions and took approximately 15-25 minutes to complete. To recruit participants, an explanatory letter and survey link were sent to every public library director in the State of Ohio. Directors were also asked to share the survey with librarians under their leadership who were responsible for collection development. To analyze the data set, cross-tabulations were run to identify statistically significant correlations between demographic and community variables. Main Results – The response rate was 43% (108 out of 251). Participants agreed with the American Library Association’s (ALA) definition of intellectual freedom, and to build collections that neither promote nor suppress specific ideas or beliefs. Only 3.7% of respondents reported decisions not to purchase materials due to fear of negative feedback from the community. Nearly 40% of participants reported conflict between personal and professional values at some time. All said that this dilemma had no bearing on professional collection development decisions. Contrary to anecdotal evidence that suggests librarians in rural or conservative communities are less likely to purchase controversial materials, the researcher found that community and political variables were not statistically significant; across the board, participants were most concerned with building balanced, well-developed collections. Gender, however, was statistically significant in terms of pressures felt to restrict access to materials; male librarians reported a higher number of instances where they felt internal or external pressures of this nature. However, as the number of male respondents was relatively low (15 out of 108 participants), the researcher did not draw concrete conclusions as to why this discrepancy exists. Conclusion – Study findings demonstrate a strong professional allegiance to intellectual freedom as defined by the ALA. In a practical sense, the participant group applied the principles of intellectual freedom to collection development activities regardless of demographic, community, or political variables.

scholarly journals Survey Applies Public Collection Development Librarians' Support for Intellectual Freedom to Collection Process

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 245-247
Author(s):  
Laura Costello
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
External Pressure ◽  
Intellectual Freedom ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Professional Beliefs ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Library Funding

A Review of: Oltmann, S. M. (2019). Important factors in Midwestern public librarians’ views on intellectual freedom and collection development: Part 2. The Library Quarterly, 89(2), 156-172. https://doi.org/10.1086/702203 Abstract Objective – To explore how librarian attitudes regarding intellectual freedom and demographic factors influence collection development decisions.  Design – Online survey. Setting – Public libraries in the Midwestern United States. Subjects – 645 collection development library professionals employed in public libraries. Methods – An electronic survey was distributed to 3,018 public library directors in nine Midwestern states and completed by the library professional primarily responsible for collection development (Oltmann, 2019, p. 6). The survey had a 21.37% response rate. The survey focused on intellectual freedom in the management of collections and probed the participants for their experiences and influences in making collection development decisions. The survey also asked participants to make hypothetical purchasing and holdings decisions for library materials based on a short description of the material. Main Results – Participants indicated that they used a variety of different tools for the selection of materials including patron requests. Of the participants, 45.7% indicated that their library had a policy, practice, or metric to assess the balance of their collections, while 54.3% indicated that their libraries did not have policy or method in place for ensuring that their collection was balanced. Of the respondents, 73.4% felt that local community values should be considered in collection development decision, but 62.3% said that this should not be the most important factor in decisions. Overall, the political leaning of the community did not have an impact on participants’ alignment with the ALA's stances on intellectual freedom. Most respondents (73.4%) felt that government library funding bodies should have an influence over collection development decisions. Some respondents indicated they felt internal pressure from other library staff or the library board to purchase particular materials (28.1%) or relocate materials (14.1%). Respondents also indicated that they felt external pressure from their communities to purchase (32%) or restrict or withdraw (19.1%) materials. In the hypothetical purchasing scenario, most librarians indicated that they would purchase the majority of items. Some participants (39.8%) felt tension between their personal and professional views on intellectual freedom. Conclusion – The first part of this article found that holding an MLS degree had a significant impact on participants' stance on intellectual freedom and alignment with the American Library Association (ALA) principles. This part indicated that they also felt greater pressure to withdraw, acquire, and manage particular materials in their collections and felt more tension between their personal and professional stances on intellectual freedom. Age, gender, duration of work, and community political affiliations significantly impacted only some of the participants' responses. Overall, there was general support for intellectual freedom and alignment with the ALA principles; however, 40% of respondents indicated tension between their personal and professional beliefs about intellectual freedom. 

Immaterial labour, public librarians, and third-generation public libraries

2016 ◽  
Vol 117 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 186-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siobhan A Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Future ◽  
Public Librarians ◽  
Policy Arena ◽  
Blind Spots

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to draw attention to one specific upper-level government policy document in which a discourse of perpetual innovation and customer service is promoted, and the kinds of questions such discursive interventions raise for the future of work in public libraries; and second, to demonstrate the explanatory potential of the concept of immaterial labour for questions relating to emerging labour processes in libraries. The concepts of “prosumer” and Web 2.0 are included as discursive resources of relevance to any discussion of immaterial labour. Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents a critical discourse analysis of a public policy visioning document for public libraries in Ontario, Canada, with reflections on related literatures. Findings – The concept of immaterial labour provides an additional analytic tool suitable for questions of relevance to public librarians and library scholars. Within the government text under review which deals specifically with the future of the public library to 2020, the identity of the public librarian is alarmingly absent. Conversely, the library patron as a producer and consumer is privileged. Research limitations/implications – Failure to attend to the broader policy arena within which the public library resides creates dangerous blind spots for public library professionals, educators and researchers. Practical implications – This paper demonstrates the value of a discourse analysis for uncovering the ideological dimensions of policy documents, while simultaneously modelling the method using the kind of policy text commonly produced in governments around the world. Social implications – This paper shows how failure to attend to the broader policy arena within which the public library resides creates dangerous blind spots for the public library community. Originality/value – This paper contextualizes the immaterial and volunteer labour of the public library user as producer/consumer in the context of the future of the frontline professional and waged librarian.

Russian Electronic Resources in Collection Development of the Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galina A. Evstigneeva ◽  
◽  
Galina V. Krylova ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Science And Technology ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Russian Language ◽  
Remote Access ◽  
General View ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Electronic Resources ◽  
The Status ◽  
Definition Of

The Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology has traditionally been and is currently acquiring Russian language paper materials by receiving deposit copies from the Russian Book Chamber. The concept of pervasiveness of a deposit copy dictates the need to use external digital resources – electronic libraries, archives and collections, electronic library systems. Acquiring of all of these sources of information depending on their access features and specifics of library services also meets the definition of «collection development». The article provides a general view of the collection of the Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology and the ways of its development. Specific examples show the status of some library materials available online. Reasons are offered in support of using remote access electronic resources as well as widening the variety of library materials and making subscription models more flexible.

The economic crisis and public libraries in Greece

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 216-232
Author(s):  
Anna Maria Mouza ◽  
Athanasios Taousanis
Keyword(s):  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Qualified Personnel ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Local Actors ◽  
Public Librarians ◽  
First Time

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of Greece’s economic crisis on public librarians’ obligations. Design/methodology/approach In total, 43 public library managers completed a questionnaire regarding 116 librarian responsibilities. Managers evaluated these responsibilities considering their importance, difficulty, and frequency. Regarding difficulty, a two-way analysis of variance was applied to examine whether there exists a significant difference among duties’ categories and libraries’ classifications, considering their number of users and materials, and whether the perceived difficulties were connected with the economic crisis. Findings The results reveal that public librarians face many difficulties due to workload and increased responsibilities resulting from the lack of qualified personnel both in library and computer science. Difficulties also arise from the inability to meet some operational needs because of reduced funding. Practical implications Contrary to these unfavorable conditions, many new opportunities and challenges have emerged, including the implementation of new practices and actions (volunteerism, donations, cooperation with local actors) to effectively cope with the new threats. Originality/value This is the first time that job description has been recorded and used to outline the duties of Greece’s public librarians. This is particularly useful to develop libraries’ strategic planning and to assist all human resource practices to increase efficiency, especially during the period of financial crisis. Further specific duties were also proposed to enhance the librarians’ effectiveness under the new working environment, focusing on the required processes for their successful completion.

scholarly journals The Impact and Effect of Learning 2.0 Programs in Australian Public Libraries

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Stephens ◽  
Warren Cheetham
Keyword(s):  
World Wide ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Service ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect

Abstract Objective – With adoption of the program world-wide, the Learning 2.0 model has been lauded by library professionals as a mechanism to educate library staff and transform libraries. This study, part of the 2009 CAVAL Visiting Scholar project, seeks to measure the impact and legacy of the model within Australian public libraries to understand what benefits, changes and effects occur. Methods – A national Web-based survey for those who had participated in a learning 2.0 program. Results – The national survey had 384 respondents, and a total of 64 respondents were identified as the public library staff data set for this article. Public library staff reported success in the program and described feelings of increased confidence, inclusivity, and a move to use emerging technologies as part of library service. Conclusion – The analysis yields the following thematic areas of impact and effect: personal practice is enhanced with knowledge and confidence; impact is mainly personal, but organisational changes may follow; the library is using the tools to varying degrees of success, and organizational blocks prevent use of tools. These finding offer evidence that Learning 2.0 programs can have a positive effect on library staff and subsequently on the organization itself.

Redeploying public librarians to the front-lines: prioritizing digital inclusion

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 370-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siobhan A. Stevenson ◽  
Caleb Domsy
Keyword(s):  
Customer Service ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Digital Inclusion ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Librarians ◽  
Public Librarian

Purpose This paper aims to draw attention to the quiet, if inadvertent, disappearance of the front-line public librarian, as libraries make difficult organizational choices in the struggle to survive the relentless pressures to cut costs on one side while supporting a market ethos of customer service on the other. Design/methodology/approach Informed by the preliminary findings of a pan-Canadian study of labour in large urban public libraries and a review of professional and academic literatures dealing with contemporary service trends, four models/proposals [(1) participative, (2) community-led, (3) managerial/leadership and (4) digital inclusion] are critically reviewed with respect to their positioning of the front-line professional librarian. Findings The paper concludes with an argument in favor of one of these proposals because it supports the relevance of public librarians in service to their communities while remaining true to the democratic aspirations of this vital public service within our increasingly complex information societies. Research limitations/implications The implication of this work is that by drawing our attention to the contradictions inherent within contemporary and popular library initiatives, the disconnect between formal education and professional practice is highlighted, thus providing a foundation for new empirical research into the changing nature of waged work (professional and non-professional) in public libraries. Practical implications Failure to situate the professional public librarian strategically and unambiguously within the rapidly evolving roles of the public library has implications for LIS educators, employers and, as significantly, current and future students. Social implications Despite the high rates of connectivity among Western nations and the increasing sophistication of their populations, the digital divide persists among a growing urban and rural underclass. Building, maintaining and promoting a strong and accessible municipal information infrastructure, one could argue, is what public librarianship is all about. Originality/value This paper’s identification and critical review of the four dominant service models proposed for the present public library represents the first time that these literatures have been assembled together and critically interrogated for their implications for the work of public librarians. Given the importance of the question “what is the future role of the public library”, a critical analysis of the key contenders is a necessary exercise, as is shifting the subject of the conversation away from the customer and onto the professional public librarian.

scholarly journals Intellectual Freedom and Inclusivity: Opposites or Partners?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Deborah A. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Intellectual Freedom ◽  
Meeting Room ◽  
Library Community ◽  
Public Meeting ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right

A commentary on a recent controversy in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, when a speaker considered to be transphobic was allowed to book a meeting room at Vancouver Public Library. The library defended the right of the speaker to her freedom of expression, though certain conditions were placed on the event and the library publicly distanced itself from her views. The library has experienced a fractured relationship with the transgendered and gender non-confirming community since the event which it is attempting to mend.  This article is an exploration of the arguments on both sides in the library community and beyond and of the larger questions about the use of public meeting rooms and freedom of expression in the 21st century. It is also about the personal journey of the author, an advocate for both intellectual freedom and LGBTQ+ rights, and her conversations to those attempting to find a new definition of what constititutes intellectual freedom.

scholarly journals Kulturformidlingens transformation - folkebibliotekernes formidling i en digital tid

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-32
Author(s):  
Bo Skøtt
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Cultural Activity ◽  
Digital Conversion ◽  
The Public ◽  
Digital Documents ◽  
Usage Frequency ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Definition Of

The aim of this article is to investigate how the digital conversion that currently takes place in public libraries in Denmark, affects the perception of those cultural dissemination activities that result from the work with documents. My starting point is that the digital conversion means an increase in digital documents and that the characteristics of these documents differ so significantly from analog documents that it potentially means changes in both the practical handling and the conceptual universe associated with the designation, identification, and definition of practice. The study is conducted as a literature survey, where Johan Fjord Jensen (1988), Dag Solhjell (2001) and Jens Gudiksen (2005) constitute the theoretical framework and where eight public libraries’ digital strategies from region Midtjylland are analyzed on the basis of a heuristic approach to the discourse concept. The conclusion is that the eight digital strategies do not explicitly refer to concepts that traditionally denote the cultural activities of the public library (e.g. 'enlightenment' and 'cultural activity') but that these concepts are thematized and understood in new and more transmissive terms such as 'accessibility' 'usage frequency' and as 'need', 'consumption' and 'demand'. This happens because the eight strategies consider technology and the use of technology superior to content, which makes the strategies more part of the public libraries' legitimization work and less a part of the facilitation of people’s common actions in late modernity.

Public libraries, public access computing, FOSS and CI: There are alternatives to private philanthropy

First Monday ◽  
2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siobhan Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Digital Divide ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Public Access ◽  
The Public ◽  
Bill Gates ◽  
Gates Foundation ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Technology Grant

In January 2007, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) announced its second multi–year technology grant program for America’s public libraries. The purpose of Phase II, Keeping communities connected: The next step is to help public libraries sustain the public access computing infrastructure laid down during Phase I. Now, as then, the goal of the program is to bridge the digital divide. But it is a digital divide as defined by Bill Gates and not the public library community. Situating Gates’ philanthropy within a critical policy frame, this paper considers two alternatives to Gates’ problem definition of the digital divide, and how knowledge of these might benefit those communities served by public access computing (PAC) services as found in public libraries. The two specific alternatives considered come from the Free Software Foundation (FSF), and Community Informatics (CI). Significantly, both social movements promote the potential of free and open software as an important part of any solution. Finally, the public library literature is reviewed for patterns in the community’s use of FOSS, and the argument is made for its use in the delivery of PAC services.

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