scholarly journals Cross-Generation Analysis of e-Book Consumers’ Preferences—A Prerequisite for Effective Management of Public Library

Information ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Viktor Prokop ◽  
Jan Stejskal
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Logistic Models ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Library Management ◽  
Information Preferences ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
To Receive

Nowadays, with the growing importance of providing digital services, public libraries offer a wide range of e-books. However, current studies show that reading preferences vary across countries, and identifying e-book demand is therefore difficult. For these reasons, this article focuses on different groups of e-book readers (pensioners, students, economically active) and on factors affecting their attitude to reading e-books, willingness to receive new library services and willingness to pay for them. For the purpose of this analysis, we are using unique data from an online questionnaire survey among readers of the Municipal Library of Prague in 2019 and own binary logistic models. The results show how e-book genres, information preferences and devices for reading e-books primarily affect selected groups of e-book readers. The unwillingness of e-book readers to pay for library services is also evident, especially among students. In the last section, we propose some practical implications that could help to library management and possibly attract more e-book readers from different groups.

User perception on library services and information resources in Kenyan Public Libraries

2012 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles N. Nzivo
Keyword(s):  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Information Resources ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Library Management ◽  
Fundamental Information ◽  
Kenya National Library Service ◽  
Search For Information

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide information on how public libraries and information services in Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) are perceived, by examining adult users, with a view of improving service delivery and enhancing the effective management of public library services.Design/methodology/approachSurvey methodology using questionnaires was adopted to solicit required information from 112 respondent adult users and data were analyzed using SPSS version 14.FindingsThe paper shows that KNLS library services and information resources are very positively perceived by most respondents. KNLS libraries are: comparatively better off than universities and other public libraries; are predominantly focused on print documents (books) as preferred sources; readers' mostly begin their search for information on a particular topic; general reading and research purposes and information resources equip users with appropriate knowledge.Research limitations/implicationsThe study focused on adult users in internet‐serviced libraries within the KNLS and thus may not be used to generalize about users of all public libraries in Kenya.Practical implicationsThis paper attempts to provide KNLS public libraries with fundamental information about adult users' perspectives of services and information resources. Though the services and information resources are positively perceived, the library management has room to improve and maintain current levels of perception.Originality/valueThe paper is of value because understanding of users' perceptions is vital for services and information resource improvement.

Library services enriching community engagement for dementia care: The Tales & Travels Program at a Canadian Public Library as a case study

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062110651
Author(s):  
Jiamin Dai ◽  
Joan C. Bartlett ◽  
Karyn Moffatt
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
People With Dementia

Growing dementia-friendly library services are contributing to community-based dementia care. Emerging community programs in libraries and museums provide notable opportunities for promoting engagement and inclusivity, but these programs have yet to receive in-depth assessments and analyses to guide future research and practice. This paper presents a case study examining a social and storytelling program for people with dementia run by a Canadian public library. It investigates two research questions: How can public library programs contribute to community-based dementia care? And what are public libraries’ strengths and challenges in running programs for people with dementia? The study involves participant observations of the program and semi-structured interviews with people with dementia, caregivers, and program facilitators (librarians and Alzheimer Society coordinators). Through thematic analysis of fieldnotes and transcripts, the study reveals how this inclusive platform supports engagement, fosters relationships, helps caregivers, and reaches broader communities. This research further uncovers the librarians’ diversified roles as demonstrated through their collaboration with professionals, preparation and research, and facilitation of the sessions. This paper advances librarianship research on enriching community-based dementia care, including furthering inclusivity and engagement and extending accessible library services. By analyzing library programming for the dementia community and assessing its strengths and challenges, the paper highlights librarians’ awareness of the community’s evolving needs and their collaboration with other professionals. It offers practical insights on useful resources and emerging best practices that will hopefully inspire other initiatives in which information professionals can help improve the well-being of vulnerable populations.

scholarly journals The Socioeconomic Profile of Well-Funded Public Libraries: A Regression Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Michael Carlozzi
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Factors ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
State Level ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Library Funding ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Socioeconomic Profile ◽  
Socioeconomic Data ◽  
To Receive

Abstract Objective – This study aimed to explore the well-established link between public library funding and activity, specifically to what extent socioeconomic factors could explain the correlation. Methods – State-level data from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners were analyzed for 280 public libraries using two linear regression models. These public libraries were matched with socioeconomic data for their communities. Results – Confirming prior research, a library’s municipal funding correlated strongly with its direct circulation. In terms of library outputs, the municipal funding appeared to represent a library’s staffing and number of annual visitations. For socioeconomic factors, the strongest predictor of a library’s municipal appropriation was its “number of educated residents.” Other socioeconomic factors were far less important. Conclusion – Although education correlated strongly with library activity, variation within the data suggests that public libraries are idiosyncratic and that their funding is not dictated exclusively by the community’s socioeconomic profile. Library administrators and advocates can examine what libraries of similar socioeconomic profiles do to receive additional municipal funding.

scholarly journals Propaganda, Censorship, and Book Drives: The Newark Public Library in World War I

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
George Robb
Keyword(s):  
World War I ◽  
Significant Role ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
World War ◽  
Reading Material ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
War Effort ◽  
Women Librarians

This article examines the activities of the Newark Public Library during World War I as a means of highlighting the significant role American libraries played in promoting the nation’s war effort. During the war public libraries were usually the most important information centers in their communities. They distributed books, pamphlets, and posters in support of a wide range of government initiatives, they organized war-related exhibits and classes, and they collected vast amounts of reading material for libraries at military camps. Newark’s chief librarians, John Cotton Dana and Beatrice Winser, oversaw many such patriotic initiatives, but they also became involved in more controversial campaigns to employ women librarians at military camps and to resist wartime calls for censorship of unpatriotic literature.

Exploring the Integration of Indigenous Knowledge Into Public Library Services With an Inclusive Intent Using a Critical Theory Lens

2020 ◽  
pp. 266-285
Author(s):  
Maned Mhlongo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Critical Theory ◽  
Indigenous Knowledge ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
Multiple Case

Despite legislative and regulatory frameworks that have paved the way for transformation and inclusivity of public libraries in South Africa, there seems to be little or no integration of indigenous knowledge (IK). The exclusion of IK from public library services has potential to counteract efforts towards the provision of inclusive services. This chapter demonstrates how critical theory was used as a lens in a multiple case study that explored the integration of indigenous knowledge (IK) into services of public libraries in South Africa. Looking at the articulation of IK, services that are provided to ensure inclusivity, and issues that impact on IK integration in public libraries, semi-structured interviews were conducted from purposefully selected heads of provincial library services in South Africa. Thematic analysis was used. Using critical theory to frame the analysis, findings indicate understanding of aspects of IK including its oral nature. A paucity of engagement with IK as an aspect of inclusive service provision was noted.

scholarly journals Evaluation of the Effective Factors on Social Interactions in the Design of Public Libraries

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-410
Author(s):  
Reza Askarizad
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The Other ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Effective Factors ◽  
The World ◽  
Controversial Topic ◽  
Inferential Analysis

Nowadays, the interaction of people in the world is deemed a controversial topic and consequently, the creation of an appropriate context for interacting with individuals is one of the issues that is considered by architects in many designs. In this research, it has been endeavored to consider the factors affecting social interactions in the design of public libraries through the descriptive-inferential analysis. The results of this research reveal that in the architectural spaces that have been designed with open-configured plans, spatial integrity and sociability will increase. On the other hand, the factors such as depth and the level of privacy are also reduced. Therefore, in designing a public library with an approach toward social interaction, there should be a variety of open and closed-configured spaces in the plan that allow users to choose the space they optionally want and in which they would enjoy in their own presence by choosing their own activities.

How Public Libraries are Keeping Pace with the Times: Core Services of Libraries in Informational World Cities

Libri ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Born ◽  
Maria Henkel ◽  
Agnes Mainka
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Knowledge Society ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Services ◽  
World Cities ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
The Times ◽  
Changing Role

Abstract In a survey of 31 informational world cities, we investigate the state of the art public library core services. For this study, we applied the core service catalog developed by (Mainka, A., S. Hartmann, L. Orszullok, I. Peters, A. Stallmann, and W. G. Stock. 2013. “Public Libraries in the Knowledge Society: Core Services of Libraries in Informational World Cities.” Libri 63 (4): 295–319. 10.1515/libri-2013-0024), counted the services offered by the libraries and compared findings with the results from 2013, allowing us to calculate a score for each library and rank them accordingly. An overall improvement of the range of services was observed, with North American libraries taking the top three positions in the ranking. To get a clearer picture of the challenges facing libraries today, personal interviews were also conducted with (chief) librarians, especially concerning developments such as maker spaces, increasing demand for information literacy instruction and the changing role of physical library space. The results presented in this paper highlight best practice examples of library services in prototypical cities of the knowledge society.

Estimation of GDP from public library usage: Turkey sample

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 153-171
Author(s):  
Semanur Öztemiz ◽  
Mustafa Agah Tekindal
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Var Model ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Causality Test ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integration Test ◽  
Library Users

PurposePublic libraries are institutions that provide information services to all citizens in a country and support the development of lifelong learning, awareness and creativity. All these provide an advantage for having a developed economy and being a developed society. This study aims to reveal the interaction between the gross domestic product (GDP) and public library usage in Turkey. The study also purposed to increase awareness of the economic benefits of public libraries.Design/methodology/approachIn the study, a vector autoregression (VAR) model and co-integration techniques were used. Johansen co-integration test was used examining the long-term relationship between the variables. Due to the variables moving together in the long term, the vector error-correction model was preferred instead of the VAR model, as a result.FindingsAccording to the causality test results, GDP was found to be affected when there was a change in the number of library users. According to the Granger causality test result, a change in GDP was also found to have a significant effect on the number of library users. All these indicate an interaction between GDP and public library usage in Turkey between 2001 and 2017.Social implicationsThe revealed interaction between GDP and the number of public library users can be useful for policymakers who are making decisions to develop public library services and to increase GDP.Originality/valueThe interaction between public library usage and GDP can be seen such as an unlikely combination. However, this study presented a mutual interaction between public library usage and GDP. The findings of the study will be of a great importance in developing countries to be motivated to make public library services better.

scholarly journals Free and for all? A comparative study of programs with user fees in North American and Danish public libraries

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 103-115
Author(s):  
Noah Lenstra ◽  
Mia Høj Mathiasson
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
User Fees ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Cross National

PurposeAs a research topic within the field of LIS, programs in public libraries are underexplored, and the question of user fees for programs has not previously been addressed.Design/methodology/approachThis article compares data collected from two individually conducted studies of public library programs in North America and Denmark to enrich our understanding of user fees in relation to programs.FindingsThe comparative analysis shows both similarities and deviations regarding the levying of fees for library programs. While paying a fee to attend a program is rather normal in Denmark, it is more of a fringe idea in North America.Research limitations/implicationsBy exploring a previously understudied facet of contemporary public librarianship, this article opens up new avenues for inquiry regarding how the relative accessibility and availability of programs relate to theoretical discussions about programs as public library services.Practical implicationsThis article provides library managers with needed information about how to conceptualize the roles of programs as public library services.Social implicationsAs programming surges to the fore in contemporary public librarianship, the levying of user fees has social implications in terms of social equity and the public library ethos of free and equal access for all.Originality/valueThis article is the first study of user fees for public library programs, as well as among the first cross-national comparisons of programming as a dimension of public librarianship.

scholarly journals The importance of legislation in the provision of national and public library services in Zambia

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Zulu ◽  
Mpho Ngoepe ◽  
Nampombe Saurombe
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Library Service ◽  
National Library ◽  
The Past ◽  
Service Legislation ◽  
National Libraries ◽  
Made In

Legislation plays an important role in the provision of national and public library services. In Zambia, however, libraries that perform the functions of national and public libraries are operating without a legislative mandate. As a result, there is fragmentation of library services as there is no single institution which performs all the functions of a national library service. Although several efforts have been made in the past to enact national library service legislation, no Act of Parliament has been passed to date (2015). This study provides empirical evidence depicting the benefits of having legislation in the provision of national and public library services. The study identifies institutions that perform functions of national and public library services in Zambia. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires administered to public library staff and interviews with senior government officials and executive members of the Zambia Library Association and Zambia Library Consortium. The study recommends that appropriate legislation that puts together the functions of public and national libraries under one institution be enacted in Zambia as soon as possible. Failure to transform this pattern will jeopardise the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.

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