Outreach services of public libraries for disadvantaged communities

The marketing of library resources and services is a vital activity in any library, particularly public libraries. This activity is essential for enhancing the visibility of public library resources and services to users. The present study examines users’ perceptions regarding the use and marketing of public library resources and services in Mysore City. The objectives of the study include identifying the format of public library collections, understanding the use of public libraries by various communities, determining the methods or modes used to learn about library resources and services, assessing users’ satisfaction levels with the quality of services, and exploring reasons for the limited use of public library services. A survey research method was employed, and a questionnaire was administered to 830 users of 20 public libraries in Mysore City. The study achieved a response rate of 88%. The findings indicate that the majority of respondents were male (524, 63.1%). Approximately 81.9% of respondents reported visiting public libraries daily, and 99% of respondents stated they visit the library to prepare for competitive examinations. The highest number of respondents identified books as the primary format of library resources. “Reference Service” and “Periodical and Magazine Section” were the most preferred services, with mean scores of 4.76 and 4.35, respectively. “Word of Mouth” and “User Orientation Program” were the most frequently used methods by respondents to learn about public library resources and services, with mean scores of 3.93 and 3.84, respectively. The study concludes that public libraries should systematically classify and organize their resources to facilitate the intensive use of library resources.

Public library programs and services offer opportunities to help immigrants navigate daily life in unfamiliar surroundings and a new language. For example, language classes address the social determinants of health as they encourage social participation and community ties and help develop friendships. The purpose of this research was to conduct a narrative literature review to understand how immigrants use public libraries and how public library services influence the social determinants of health for immigrant populations. Keyword searches were conducted on five databases to identify research papers that met the inclusion criteria: empirical studies published in English between 2000 and 2020 related to immigrants' use of public libraries. Thirty-one articles were included in the analysis. Thematic coding identified cross-cutting themes within the sample using the framework of the social-ecological model. Immigrants commonly use public libraries for programs (e.g., language learning), collections (e.g., borrowing books), and services (e.g., asking librarians questions). Immigrant patrons often reported satisfaction with library programs, services, and collections in the language of the host country. A frequent criticism was the relevance and accessibility of collections in their heritage language. In addition, library staff demographics often did not reflect those of immigrant patrons. Health-enhancing benefits associated with library use included increased confidence and self-esteem, cultural integration and preservation, trust and relationships (e.g., making friends), community awareness and engagement, and political integration. Future research and practice areas include collaboration between public health and library professionals to develop library programming that maximizes health and well-being among immigrants.

The focus of this paper is on an understanding of social exclusion/inclusion: the concept and how a specific public library service, namely the City of Swan Public Library service, has responded to this social issue. The terms social inclusion/exclusion are explored and clarified from an international, Western Australian State Government, and public library perspective. This is followed by a brief overview of Western Australia as an Australian state, and how public libraries operate based on a partnership with the State Library of Western Australia and Local Government. The City of Swan Public Libraries are described in some depth and also portrayed in their local setting namely the City of Swan, a city of extensive growth that offers a unique environment of both rural and urban areas. The concept of social inclusion is then applied to the City of Swan Public Library service and how the library service addresses social inclusion within its physical environment, policies, operations, future planning, programmes and services. This includes the results of a Library Non-user Survey that was conducted in 2001. The aims of this survey were to: ascertain why non-users within the City of Swan do not make use of the library facilities; explore why past members were not using the library services; examine the effectiveness of library promotions; and investigate the access to and usage of the Internet. The paper concludes with a list of the potential social conditions of which public libraries need to be aware in their strategic planning activities so that community members are not excluded from participating and accessing the public library service.

Bibliotherapy, as an interdisciplinary field, is undeniably heavily researched on a global scale, yet there are relatively few studies, especially empirical ones, devoted exclusively to the problems of public libraries, while those that would focus only on the services provided by librarians themselves, excluding cooperation with specialists in the field of health promotion, have been undetected at all. The concept, typology, methodology of bibliotherapy and specialists, who can provide services in this field, especially the scope of librarians’ possibilities, are still being discussed in multidirectional works of bibliotherapy. The article presents the results of a quantitative empirical study based on the synthesis of multidisciplinary bibliotherapy research, which allowed to determine the librarians’ own possibilities to provide biblio­therapy services, revealing the state of bibliotherapy services provision in Lithuanian public libraries in 2022. In addition, the article provides a comparative analysis of this study and secondary sources, which showed the evolution and development possibilities of the provision of bibliotherapy services in Lithuanian public libraries. It was found that in most libraries, at least one bibliotherapy service is provided by their own staff. Out of them, slightly more than twice (both qualitatively and quantitatively) of services are attributable to passive bibliotherapy, exclusively covering an intrapersonal level of communication, based on recommendations of books to be read, which is traditionally more characteristic of these institutions, rather than those to be associated with its active variety, which includes an individual interaction of a reader with a librarian inspired by the read book, or a group one - with the members of the book club led by them that integrates an interpersonal level of communication as well. However, as shown by the comparative analysis of the results of the quantitative research of the same object of 2022 and 2011, the active bibliotherapy, which promotes the interaction of readers, is also becoming popular in Lithuania as the functions of libraries expand in the direction of socialization. This is largely in line with global trends. Summarizing the data of the latest research presented in the article and previous secondary sources, it can be stated that in the early 21st century, library bibliotherapy began to be developed at the formal level, and after the development breakthrough recorded at the turn of the first and second decades it has already established itself as a service provided by Lithuanian public libraries. The librarians’ attitudes towards it are positive, the motivation to expand the range or scope of bibliotherapy services is increasing. Although librarians both independently and institutionally, usually through projects or occasional trainings deepen their knowledge in this field, yet its lack is still mentioned, and in particular, the lack of practical skills necessary for organizing more formal active bibliotherapy activities, which leads to a lack of confidence in their own abilities and induces them to limit themselves to the role of an event organizer with a guest lecturer. As one of the ways to solve this problem, long-term institutionalized training in bibliotherapy is mentioned. It is available to those who want to improve in this field and to expand library bibliotherapy services, which help to implement the traditional functions of book repositories and reading promotion and more advanced, globally relevant functions of community gathering and reader education.

Cancer patients experience severe health issues and the resulting emotional and psychological complications; therefore, in addition to medical treatment, they also need emotional/psychological support. Bibliotherapy is one of the possible ways of support. The study is aimed at developing a concept of bibliotherapy for cancer patients and providing practical recommendations for service organizers. It uses a targeted information search on bibliotherapy services in Lithuanian public libraries and a questionnaire survey. The concept of bibliotherapy is based on the theories of nursing, social work and library of science. Bibliotherapy services for cancer patients can be provided in primary health care settings or public libraries. The bibliotherapy service in libraries must be conducted in cooperation with medical professionals. The bibliotherapy service, which can be didactic/informative bibliotherapy (recommended reading lists), personal development bibliotherapy (reading services in public libraries), and reading groups (clubs), can be organized in public libraries or in institutions that provide emotional/psychological support. A number of reading clubs with elements of bibliotherapy have been introduced in Lithuanian libraries. A similar service has been identified for a target group, i.e., cancer patients. On the one hand, naming the target audience of the club may traumatize the potential beneficiaries of the service, and on the other hand, it allows for better dissemination of information and better access for patients. Cooperation between institutions is needed to enable patients to learn about bibliotherapy and to have more confidence in the service.

This research paper explores alternatives to the mobile library service in providing a public library service to rural communities in England and the impacts of best value, public library standards and social inclusion policy on provision. A questionnaire survey was completed by librarians in public library authorities in England with rural hinterlands. The data derived were supplemented by follow‐up case studies. It was found that achieving social inclusion objectives and the results of best value reviews were the greatest motivating factors for much of the development of alternative library service delivery in rural areas, and that village halls were the most popular place for co‐location of library services. ICT was felt to have impacted positively on rural library service delivery and its use was demonstrated in co‐location facilities and learning centres. However, some authorities fail to consult users and non‐users in rural locations. This paper provides public library practitioners and researchers with a picture of public library service provision to rural area communities and shows the impact of Government‐driven policy. It appears that there is varying appreciation by public library authorities of rural communities’ distinct nature.

Public Libraries have changed beyond anyone's predictions in the past ten years and are at a vital stage in their historical development. This timely book is the first stand-alone text to examine the role and services of the UK public library in the 21st century context. The book discusses the nature and functions of the modern public library service, from its beginnings as the street-corner university, through its delivery of state-of-the-art services and beyond. At the heart of the book is a passionate argument for the professional and public significance of the public library service in the UK. The chapters include: introduction - the public library: the modern context; history of the public library in the UK; the traditional role of the public librarian; the promotion of reading; the promotion of other literacies (information and ICT literacies); special services (including disability services, ethnic services and other specialist operations); the coming of the people's network; measuring value and performance; marketing and branding; ethical issues; and, the future of the public library. Of interest to students and researchers of library and information science, as well professionals in public libraries, this book is an advocacy tool for an essential service consistently under pressure.

It is well known that knowledge is the source of modern economic growth, but the roles of library and information services on sustainable economic growth had not been well established. Thus, a case investigation was designed to identify the roles of library services in public libraries with the population, education, and income as a comparison on sustainable regional economic development. Such an investigation was based on organically combining correlation calculation, principal component calculation, and linear regression calculation. Results prove that some library services in public libraries have the highest contribution to the first principal component. It also demonstrates that the first principal component explains 85.0%, 95.0%, and 64.2% of the variation in the normalized gross regional products of Jiangsu Province, Hunan Province, and Gansu Province in China, respectively. Library services in public libraries, the population, education, and income appear to have a similarly important effect on sustainable regional development. Component score coefficients and linear relationships between the principal components and regional gross regional product can be used together to investigate the relationship between library services and sustainable economic growth. The proposed method provides new ideas for evaluating the roles of library services in sustainable economic growth.

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.

정보격차 해소를 위한 정보접근의 평등권이 사회적으로 중요한 이슈가 되고 있으며, 특히 정보소외계층인 장애인의 삶의 질과 문화적 향수권에 대한 사회적 관심이 점차적으로 높아지고 있다. 도서관도 이러한 사회적 추세에서 예외일 수는 없으며, 장애인에 대한 도서관의 서비스는 그 지역사회의 공공 서비스에서 핵심이 되어야 한다. 본 연구에서는 국가적 차원에서 장애인을 위한 도서관 서비스의 표준화 정책을 개발하는데 있어서 참고하여야할 정책방향을 제시한다. To bridge digital divide, the nation's information services should be focused their attentions on people with disabilities. According to this philosophy, the public library's services for people with disabilities should be main streamed into its regular services. Providing equitable access for people with disabilities to public library's resources, facilities, and services, the standard library services policy or guideline should be developed as soon as possible. A draft in this papers may be helpful to a policy maker for public library services for people with disabilities

Previous articleNext article No AccessPublic Library Service in the Middle WestG. Flint PurdyG. Flint Purdy Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Library Quarterly Volume 8, Number 3Jul., 1938 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/614275 Views: 1Total views on this site Citations: 2Citations are reported from Crossref PDF download Crossref reports the following articles citing this article:Charles A. Seavey Measurement and evaluation of U.S. federal depository collections, Government Publications Review 18, no.22 (Mar 1991): 147–155.https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9390(91)90055-3Virgil L.P. Blake JOINING CITY HALL, The Bottom Line 1, no.22 (Feb 1988): 22–26.https://doi.org/10.1108/eb025111

This article reports the findings of a survey of more than 100 Australian outer regional and remote public library managers. Public libraries in these areas serve more than 2.5 million Australians, representing an important yet under-researched topic. Using an online questionnaire, with a response rate of more than 40%, we asked public library managers in rural Australia about the services provided by both fixed-site and mobile libraries (where applicable), as well as online and other outreach services. Questions also covered the value, issues and challenges of respondents’ library services. Findings suggest that while rural libraries perform some similar functions to their more urban counterparts, and share some challenges, they are especially valued by their communities in the absence of alternative services and social outlets, making the library even more of a key facilitator, potentially, of social inclusion and community interaction. Respondents also noted an increasing demand for IT services and digital literacy support among their users, a need sometimes at odds with the challenge these libraries face maintaining up-to-date technical infrastructure.

The use of competitive intelligence (CI) to market library services is a call for re-organisation of public university libraries. CI is an organisation mechanism that facilitates the transforming of competitive information into practical actions. The advent of technology in the educational services is gradually reducing users’ patronage to the library. This call for librarians to map out strategies of retaining the value of libraries and keep their patrons, In line with this, this study examined adoption of competitive intelligence in marketing of library services in public university libraries in Southwestern Nigeria. Related literatures were reviewed to have in-depth knowledge about the new trends that can enhance library marketing and promote library services. As a result, public library need to embrace innovative marketing approaches and leverage digital technologies, by so doing public university libraries can effectively promote their services and resources, thereby maximizing their impact on the academic community. Successful marketing is crucial to promoting university library services and optimizing their influence on research, teaching, and learning. Leveraging diverse communication channels, and understanding the requirements of library users should be paramount to librarians. It is very important that marketing strategies be continuously evaluated and adjusted to guarantee that library services continue to be pertinent and flexible in response to the changing requirements of the academic community.

Homeless library customers often face barriers to equitable library use. This study examined homeless library customers’ perspectives on general and targeted public library services, and social inclusion. Findings presented in the paper come from a qualitative phenomenological study comprising semi-structured in-depth interviews with seven self-identified regular library users of a public library in Christchurch, New Zealand, who were experiencing homelessness at the time of the study. Findings report on a diverse range of information needs and motivations for visiting a public library. Participants viewed the public library as a safe, warm, and quiet place in which to relax and escape difficulties related to experiencing homelessness. The results reflect changes in the role of public libraries and in the expectations of customers, and discuss a need for targeted library services in the form of specialist gatekeeper roles such as that of a community liaison. This study evaluated the effectiveness of general and targeted library services from users’ points of view, providing insights which could be used to inform the design of relevant information policies and services.

Teaching the History and Organization of Libraries: The Coronavirus Pandemic as an Opportunity to Study Public Library Reopenings