scholarly journals Fertile Ground: Assessing the Public Library as a Context for Preparing Youth for Community Engagement

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-29
Author(s):  
Kenneth R. Jones ◽  
Terrence J. Delahanty
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
The Public ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Fertile Ground ◽  
Library Staff

Libraries provide settings where youth can experience positive development. However, many young people and their families do not access the potential these institutions afford their communities. In addition, library staff are seldom presented with opportunities to work more intimately with young people visiting the library. This article provides data on library staff and their feelings toward youth and their experiences interacting with young people in their local libraries. The findings of the study reveal that library staff members have an array of perceptions toward young people and how youth can be affected.

Public libraries and public primary school literacy: a Kenyan case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 689-701
Author(s):  
Peter Mose
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
School Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Teachers And Parents

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain how public libraries have been instrumental in early child school literacy teaching and learning. Most African public schools do not usually afford enough core textbooks and supplementary readers.Design/methodology/approachThis was a qualitative case study in Western Kenya amongst public library staff members, public primary school teachers and parents of library children clients. The following questions were addressed: What is the book situation in public primary schools in the study site? What school-type literacy-related services are offered by the sampled public library? and What are library staff members’, teachers’ and parents’ feelings about the public library services offered? Observations, interviews and document studies were used to collect data. Data were analysed thematically.FindingsPublic schools do not have enough core textbooks and the situation is worse for supplementary readers; the public library branch studied offers critical school-type literacies to school children both at the library building as well as at public schools registered with it; and library staff members, teachers, and parents express positive feelings about the services offered.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a case study whose findings might not apply to the larger situation and the study did not confirm actual literacy benefits of the library services amongst school children by, for instance, conducting literacy tests. The findings are, however, an index to the possible situation in the macro context.Practical implicationsThe relevant stakeholders should find ways of co-opting public libraries as associates of public schools in literacy teaching. This relationship is not straight forward in Kenya.Originality/valueThe findings reported are from original research.

scholarly journals Change in store? An investigation into the impact of the book superstore environment on use, perceptions and expectations of the public library as a space, place and experience

2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (88) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Helen Cartwright
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Community Resource ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
The Public ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Perceptions And Expectations ◽  
The Impact

The book superstore is promoted not just as a place to buy books but also as a community resource in which to read, learn and socialise: traits that have in combination traditionally been the preserve of the public library. This study investigates the impact of the bookstore environment on public library space. The attitudes and behaviours of library and bookstore users were examined through focus group interviews and a self-completed questionnaire. Clear areas of overlap in the functions of the two sites were found, as was evidence of age and income-related splits in use and perception of bookstores and libraries. Results suggest attention should be paid to the beliefs and behaviours of young people and middle-income earners (the groups most noticeably increasing their use of the bookstore) and to the desired balance of education and recreation in the image and nature of the public library.

scholarly journals Shifting the Sands of Summer Reading

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne De Groot
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Reading Program ◽  
Reading Programs ◽  
Reading Interests ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Summer Reading ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Summer Reading Programs

This study investigated ways in which summer reading programs (SRPs) support children’s recreational reading interests and habits and help to promote reading and literacy throughout the summer months. The primary research question was: How do children, parents, and library staff experience their public library summer reading program? This paper will present selected findings from the study related to children’s reading experiences in school and during the summer, reading games and incentives, and designing summer reading programs that emphasize the social aspects of reading. Findings from this study suggest that school and public libraries should consider moving away from traditional summer reading programs that include reading games and rewards and focus instead on providing children, their parents, and library staff members with greater opportunities to interact with books and reading, and one another, throughout the summer.

Democracy, digitisation and public libraries

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Skøtt
Keyword(s):  
Digital Media ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
National Library ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Media Types

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate what democratic challenges the digitisation of the public libraries in Denmark has entailed. Using the concepts from a national library professional strategy from 2012, an analysis of 9 librarians’ experiences with digital dissemination in practice is conducted. Design/methodology/approach The paper is a part of a larger research project called “If digitisation is the answer, then what was the question?”. This sub study builds on the semi-structured interviews with library staff members, case-descriptions of two central providers of digital public library materials, as well as literature studies of missions, vision and strategies from different public library policy institutions. To frame the study, a literature review has been conducted. Findings The author detects the presence of several incompatible conditions in digital dissemination. These conditions are predominantly of an organisational nature, potentially containing major consequences for citizens’ free and equal access to information, knowledge and culture. Among other things, the Danish public libraries risk substantiating an already existing and problematic polarisation between technologically capable and incapacitated groups of people. Originality/value The digital transformation of society has only just begun. Therefore, it is important to examine the consequences of the transition to digital media types for central cultural institution such as the public libraries. The present study is an early and minor contribution to the illumination of a process requiring many more and large-scale studies.

scholarly journals FORMATION OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY MODEL IN THE CONDITIONS OF UNITED TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES OF THE SOUTH OF UKRAINE

2021 ◽  
pp. 12-20
Author(s):  
Irina Burmis
Keyword(s):  
Information Technologies ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Services ◽  
The South ◽  
The Public ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Library Network ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Comprehensive Study

Purpose of the article. The analysis of the specificities of formation of the public library model in the conditions of creation of the united territorial communities (UTC) of the South of Ukraine. The methodology of the research is based on the complex of general methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization, and modeling) and approaches (system, socio-communicative, modernization). The scientific novelty of the work is to conducta comprehensive study of the possibility of choosing libraries of Odesa, Kherson, and Mykolayiv a certain profile and their own path of development in the formation of UTC as centers of legal and regional information in the form of centers of public initiatives, socio-communication platforms, multimedia mobile libraries or multicultural centers. Conclusions. Suggestions that are based on the comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed models of reforming the library network are made regarding the development of the optimal model of functioning of public libraries in the South of Ukraine, which provides for the following important elements. Firstly, automation, that is based on the development and implementation of the newest information technologies, which, in turn, activates the material and technical base modernization, organization structure, and the library staff training; providing new services or products. Secondly, renovating the activity and staff management methods. Thirdly, providing stable financing to UTC possibilities, applying marketing and advertising technologies of library activity popularization according to the UTC functioning. Next, saving the valuable stuff resource and technologies in library staff’ work. Then, organizing the UTC public library work as the informative intelligent center, cultural and leisure space, that is discovered on the Chornomorska library example. Finally, the introduction of non-stationary library services on the basis of the Law of Ukraine«On territorial communities’ cooperation». Key words: public libraries, the South of Ukraine, united territorial communities (UTC), modernization,model, profiling.

scholarly journals What Are the Opinions of New Zealand Public Library Staff on Ebooks?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Megan Adelle Percy
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Median Response ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
The Past ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Strongly Agree ◽  
Level Of Agreement

<p>RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to discover the opinions of New Zealand public library staff on ebooks. While there are studies on opinions on ebooks, there is less emphasis on public library staff. Ebooks are becoming more and more popular and how libraries implement them will impact on the future of libraries. The aim of this study was to discover what library staff liked and disliked about ebooks and how they feel about ebooks in public libraries. METHODOLOGY: Invitations to participate in a survey about ebooks were posted on two email discussion lists, PUBSIG, for New Zealand public library staff, and NZ-Libs, for New Zealand library staff. Additionally, an invitation was emailed to all staff members of Wellington City Libraries. Data were collected using an online survey consisting mainly of Likert-type statements that respondents indicate their level of agreement to. These statements were adapted from previous studies done on ebooks. Respondents were not required to answer every question. RESULTS: There were 202 responses. 63% (127) of New Zealand public library staff surveyed have read at least one ebook in the past year. 93% (188) Agree or Strongly Agree with the statement that it is important for public libraries to offer ebooks. 57% (105) Agree or Strongly Agree with the statement “I enjoy helping patrons with technical questions about ebooks or ereaders”. Respondents think that the portability of ebooks and the ability to customise ebooks is useful. Most library staff surveyed think the increasing popularity of ebooks is good for libraries. The median response to “My library has a great stock of ebooks” was Neither Agree nor Disagree, with the majority of respondents agreeing that ebook licensing terms restricts the stock of ebooks available at their library. IMPLICATIONS: Library staff think that offering ebooks is important for libraries. However, libraries implementing ebooks need to ensure staff are ready to help patrons with ebooks. Ebook licensing terms are perceived as restricting libraries’ ebook stock, for libraries to be successful at offering ebooks the licensing situation may need to change.</p>

Art librarianship in Denmark

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Lollesgaard
Keyword(s):  
Professional Training ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
National Archive ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Art Departments

Art libraries in Denmark mostly fall into one of two categories: art departments’ in public libraries, and research libraries attached to colleges, universities, and museums. Librarians in research libraries are in many cases scholars in their own right, while library staff at the Kunstakademiets Bibliotek are responsible for the Bibliografi over dansk kunst (sadly not published since 1981) and for Danish contributions to the BHA. The Royal Library and some art libraries hold collections of visual resources and of archival materials; in addition, there is an autonomous national archive of Danish artists, Weilbachs arkiv. An art librarians’ section of Bibliotekarforbundet (the Union of Danish Librarians), Kunstfaggruppen, was initiated by art librarians in public libraries, but is open to other art librarians too; Danish art librarians also work together within ARLIS/Norden. Professional training in Denmark is largely confined to general librarianship; art librarians in public libraries tend to be trained librarians with a personal enthusiasm for art, whereas librarians in research libraries are in some cases graduates but are not necessarily trained librarians. While the public library system took advantage of standardization, automation, and networking, the research libraries could not so readily embrace change, but two recent initiatives are beginning to bring libraries of all kinds together — DanBib, the Danish online union catalogue, formed in 1995 by merging the two separate databases for public and research libraries which both originated in the 1980s, and Kulturnet Danmark, a government-sponsored scheme involving the Internet.

Library makerspaces in China: A comparison of public, academic, and school libraries

2020 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 1209-1223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fenfang Cao ◽  
Shuheng Wu ◽  
Besiki Stvilia
Keyword(s):  
Academic Libraries ◽  
School Library ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
School Libraries ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Type Data ◽  
Physical Spaces

This exploratory study identified and compared the organization, services, challenges of and motivations for makerspaces in public, academic, and school libraries in China. Although there is a significant body of literature on makerspaces in libraries, this study is one of the first ones that provides a comparison of library makerspace organization and operation by library type. Data was collected using paper and online surveys from 158 librarians. Supporting learning was the most frequently identified motivation for establishing a makerspace by all three categories of librarians. While makerspaces in academic libraries were mostly operated by library staff, school libraries more evenly relied on teaching staff, volunteers, library staff members, and paid instructors to operate their makerspaces. Makerspaces in public and academic libraries were funded mostly from the libraries’ budget, while school libraries were funded more by other units on the campus and institutional or individual investments. The most frequently selected technologies were 3D printing and modeling technologies, and makerspaces in academic libraries were better equipped than makerspaces in the other two types of libraries. Group study rooms and learning commons centers were the most frequently occurring physical spaces in academic and public library makerspaces. School library makerspaces differentiated themselves by offering wooden crafts centers more often than other library makerspaces. While participants selecting budget limitation and inadequate equipment as barriers to implementing makerspaces was not surprising, public and academic librarians also often cited the lack of professional instructors. Based on the findings, several suggestions were offered to the practice of planning and operating a makerspace in libraries such as bringing together internal and external funding to support makerspaces, consolidating the required physical space of makerspaces and the existing space arrangement of libraries, and developing additional training programs to address the problem of a lack of professional instructors.

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.

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