Poetry on the Walls: A Cultural and Literary Reading of the “Ithra” Library Inscriptions

ABSTRACTIn spite of the growth of digital information and the resultant questioning by some of the value of public libraries, library usage data indicate there were 497,600,000 more visits to public libraries in 2013 than in 1993. Why do people still visit public libraries in the digital age? While many factors drive people to visit public libraries, one thing that public libraries offer that cannot be duplicated online is physical space. Over the decades, library space has been the glue holding the library universe together even as the specific activities that take inside libraries have evolved. While public libraries do an excellent job of promoting their important role in providing access to information, educational resources, technology, and a host of valuable services, they must also promote the value of public library space itself. This requires more than trotting out numbers; it requires telling compelling stories of how public library space is used and reminding the public that the kind of spaces public libraries provide are, in fact, a vanishing resource. The post-911 tightening of security in public buildings of all sorts—coupled with the increasing privatization of what were once public spaces—has left public libraries as perhaps the last remaining indoor public spaces where an individual can remain from opening until closing without needing any reason to be there and without having to spend any money. Public libraries should promote the uniqueness of their spaces in much the same way that National Parks promote the unique spaces they preserve and make available to the public.

We shall soon be nothing but transparent heaps of jelly to each other

Social media and social networking sites have become a vital part in everyone’s daily life and users of social networks are increasing. This study aims to review and highlight the importance of public libraries presence on social media, and public libraries crucial awareness on online marketing to market their various services, raise awareness and create a community according to each social media platform being used . This study focuses on helping public libraries in Saudi Arabia that lack the true understanding on how to implement social media as a part of their marketing plan, use social media features to create an online community and connect with their patrons to comprehend the basic marketing tools used online, and the benefits of public libraries online social presence and review previous public library marketing implementations and methods through social media and social networking sites in building a community. Using a content analysis methodology, we reviewed the definition of marketing, marketing tools, social networking sites and previous library methods implemented on social media and the benefits of creating an online presence for libraries. We also highlighted the limitations facing libraries and an efficient method of social media engagement analysis. This study’s results indicate that public libraries in Saudi Arabia can enhance their online presence on social networking sites by implementing the correct content marketing method for each social media platform and the importance of training public library staff on the usage of social media to satisfy customer needs and therefore build a connection with patrons online which further more builds a community. organization, representation, realization and protection of interests and rights of citizens

Objective – To discover the factors that influence frequency of high school students’ usage of public libraries.
 
 Design – Structural equation modeling (SEM) using the person-in-environment (PIE) framework to test latent variables and direct and indirect relationships between variables. 
 
 Setting – Public and school libraries in the United States.
 
 Subjects – Three datasets: Educational Longitudinal Study of 2002, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), provides data about individual students; Public Libraries Survey of 2004, then conducted by NCES, provides data about public libraries in the United States; and Summary Files 1 and 3 of U.S. Census 2000, provide neighborhood-level demographic data.
 
 Methods – Using ArcGIS, the researcher prepared and linked three datasets. Data were analyzed using factor analysis, regression, weighted least squares, and path analysis in order to test relationships between variables exposed in three large datasets.
 
 Main Results – Frequency of public library use by high school students may be influenced by several factors, including race and/or ethnicity and access to resources like school libraries, home computers, and public libraries with adequate service levels.
 
 Conclusion – Increased funding for public library spaces and resources may be warranted by the finding that high levels of public library service may increase high school students’ use of public libraries, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Many US-based public libraries experience an influx of semi or unsupervised children and teens in their spaces afterschool. Though some public libraries have adopted after school homework centers and invested in other library-staff led programming, little is known about how school-aged children are collaborating together to shape shared public spaces under looser adult supervision and direction, using their various social and cultural identities to define the space they are in. This proposed study utilizes Placemaking theory and will be bounded by one recurring, unstructured, drop-in afterschool public library program for children. Insights from this study could potentially point to how, if at all, children are creating community, learning from each other, and engaging with the world in loosely supervised public spaces away from family and school, potentially informing better design of the library as a public space for children. Findings could also illuminate ways for informal learning practitioners to create more meaningful connections with children in afterschool spaces, support positive peer culture formation, and facilitate opportunities in a way that supports children’s autonomy free of the more neoliberal constraints of a formal school setting. This works-in-progress poster is specifically soliciting feedback regarding issues of consent and assent for research with latchkey children in public library spaces.

This paper discusses the education context and English teaching and learning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The paper is organised into five main sections. The first section offers a brief glance at the social, religious, economic, and political context in KSA. The second section provides an overview of the education system in KSA, which includes a brief explanation of the history of education, a discussion of the role of government in modern education, and a description of the administration of education in the country. The third section presents information about English teaching and learning in public and higher education in KSA, while the fourth gives insights into the challenges and difficulties students face when learning English. The last section focuses on the importance of learning English in KSA.

A Kingdom of Possibility

Background/Objectives: To identify the determinants of the practice of e-commerce in the full province. Methods/Statistical analysis: This study used 16 of previous researches as reference. The study was conducted on a sample of members of the full conservative society. The researcher used the descriptive analytical method to suit this study. • The existence of a relationship between the applications of e-commerce and the customs and traditions of the Saudi society in the province of Al-Kamil. • A statistically significant relationship between e-commerce applications and the comparative advantages and competitiveness of the organization. • There is an inverse relationship between the application of the information and the sale and purchase of products and services. The article recommended the following important issues: • Adopting the technology education policy for the members of the society in Al-Kamil governorate to demonstrate the importance of electronic commerce through training and education programs in professional and administrative institutions, with the aim of spreading technical awareness in educational and academic institutions in accordance with customs and traditions. • Resolving the obstacles facing the spread of e-commerce in non-civil societies by providing fast Internet, and raising awareness ofthe importance and benefits of e-commerce and keeping abreast ofthe global developments in the process of marketing products through the Internet. Findings: Instagram application is one of the best and most popular free applications used by users to share and share photos on the Internet, giving users the ability to take photos and video clips, and then share them through the various social networks and the network it. Last month, Windows Phone lacked many features and options, such as shooting videos, alerting users to people in the photos, and not allowing users to take pictures through the application. The researcher finds a set of recommendations calling for taking into account as a future work to be done by others:- • Adopting the technology education policy for the members of the society in Al-Kamil governorate to demonstrate the importance of electronic commerce through training and education programs in professional and administrative institutions, with the interest of spreading technical awareness in educational and academic institutions in accordance with customs and traditions. Improvements/Applications: Saudi Arabia is one of the societies of the modern world seeking technological revolution. For decades, Saudi Arabia has witnessed a great turnaround in the transformation of a technical society based on the advantages of communication technology in particular and modern technology in general in all fields. The concept of e-commerce since it has become a real reality, we must deal with it, but there is a significant reluctance in the practice of electronic commerce using applications, especially the application of the interest in the society of the province of full one of the provinces of Saudi Arabia. The benefits of Instagram are so many advantages that many people are aware of these benefits and are helping them make money. As well as the potential for social growth and development within this social network, it is also possible to attract ever-increasing numbers of followers. Best of all is the possibility of sharing tastes and preferences as well as ideas that contribute to the development of trends and trends and thus reach the desired target audience. Keywords: Al Kamil Governorate, Electronic Applications, E-Commerce, iPad, Instagram, Information and Communication Technology ICT, Sources of Information Collection, Twitter, ANOVA and SPSS.

This research into the participation of local self-government bodies in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries in the formation of Ukraine’s public library space is crucial given the need to study the factors that influenced the creation of Ukrainian book culture, national consciousness, and state-building. This study aims to characterise the role of Ukrainian zemstvo self-government bodies in the establishment of the Ukrainian public library space during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The research methodology is based on the principles of scientific rigour, historicism, sociocultural and modernisation approaches, as well as general scientific (induction, logic, analysis, synthesis) and specifically historical methods: narrative, historical-genetic, and structural-functional analysis. The cultural and educational development of the Ukrainian village by zemstvos, a component of which was their public library work, from the 1860s until the fall of the Russian Empire, was a major direction of activity of these self-governing institutions, upon whose success the national progress of Ukrainians depended. In this sphere, the foundation was laid for the future public space of the Dnieper Ukraine. The establishment, at the expense of zemstvos and through their organisational efforts, of public libraries with broad, free access for all village residents, alongside the development of rural schools, was the alpha and omega of peasant Ukrainian life at that time. It shaped the region’s book culture and elevated the social activity of the largest social class. Thanks to the democratic zemstvo intelligentsia, during the revolution of 1905-1907, demands were made to increase the network of rural libraries, cooperation between zemstvos and Prosvitas expanded, and the Ukrainian printed word became more entrenched. The emergence of peasant republics in 1905, one of which was in Sumy, where peasants published a newspaper declaring the tsarist authority abolished, against the backdrop of zemstvo achievements in expanding the network of public libraries and education, demonstrated that the early 20th century marked an intensification of public library development in Ukrainian villages. This period also saw the maturation of the national consciousness among peasants and laid the groundwork for the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917-1921, a pivotal stage in Ukraine’s state-building efforts. The study of this topic will contribute to understanding the role of local self-government bodies in the functioning of Ukraine’s public library space under modern conditions, national identification among Ukrainians, and their consolidation in the face of hostile invasions

PurposeThe research examined Scottish public libraries and the libraries' response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020–2021. The research focussed particularly around the way that the libraries helped to support community resilience and cohesion during periods of lockdown. The study considered issues around the closure of services in March 2020, digital services, the loss of physical library spaces and governance models. The research presents the voice of service managers rather than being a user study. The research was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UKRI (United Kingdom Research and Innovation), as a part of the council's scheme to provide response to the pandemic of 2020.Design/methodology/approachThis was an exploratory study examining how Scottish public library services responded to the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Three methods were deployed in the investigation. First, the gathering social media and other web-based content from library services over the months March–September 2020 (amounting to over four thousands snips of content) were analysed thematically. Second, 19 semi-structured interviews with service managers across Scotland were conducted. These were recorded, transcribed and analysed. These elements formed the cornerstone of the research but were supported by a short survey distributed to all public library services in Scotland focussed on e-lending during lockdown.FindingsFindings are presented in respect of the lessons to be learnt from the closure of physical services and the migration to digital only provision, the contribution made to supporting communities, health and well-being, the importance of the balance of physical and digital library services around governance models for library services, as well as around the process of reopening services. This research explores how staff responded to this unparalleled situation, how the staff maintained close relationship with the communities the staff serve, what services themselves learnt through lockdown, and how the staff's management practices adapted. The findings present voices from Scottish libraries during 2020.Research limitations/implicationsThe research presents a snapshot of activities during a period of fast-moving change. The research, therefore, presents a snapshot of March–December 2020, which is, however, an extremely important snapshot. The first lockdown was perhaps most interesting to study from a research perspective because the authors witnessed, real-time, how the staff responded and reacted (with lessons learnt and applied in subsequent regional or national lockdowns later in 2020 and in the 2021). The second lockdown and subsequent periods were outside the scope of this research.Practical implicationsRecommendations are offered around the need for a national conversation about digital content provision in public libraries and the exploration of possibilities of a national approach, the role libraries have as digital enablers (in supporting effort to overcome the digital divide in society), the crucial nature of continued strong advocacy for public libraries, the importance of the library as a physical space, and on how to maintain the flexibility, agility and autonomy which emerged during lockdown.Social implicationsThe research presents strong testimony about the social value of public libraries as free, safe and public spaces within communities. It also highlights the continued digital divide which exists in many places and the important role that public libraries have in being digital enablers for many members of the public. The closeness of library service staff to users is strongly evidenced in the testimony from managers as is the need for parent organisation (local authorities or in culture or leisure trusts) to recognise more fully the breadth of services the public library provides and how these are “essential” for many users.Originality/valueThe value and distinctiveness of this research lies in the fact that the research captured the voices, thoughts and perceptions of Scotland’s public libraries during the period of lockdown in 2020. The evidence gathered suggests important conversations are required around equity of e-lending provision, the role of libraries as digital enablers, the balance between physical and digital provision and around the ways libraries are managed (directly by local authorities or in culture trusts). The research affords lessons for public library provision beyond Scotland with many issues being transferable to other contexts.

There is a strong connection between public spaces and the quality of residential areas. Public spaces are essential elements for enhancing the livability of a city. However, not all public spaces are successfully playing its role in this case. Using Dammam city, Saudi Arabia as a case study, this paper examines how public spaces can impact the quality of life of its residents. A survey on a sample of residents of eight central districts of the city was conducted to explore their satisfaction with public residential spaces and its impact on their lives. Most respondents are reportedly considering changing residences due to the problems with current neighborhood public spaces. The result of this survey revealed that public residential spaces in central districts of Dammam need improvement to provide a better living environment to its residents. This study proposes some suggestions and recommendations for the relevant authority

This research aims to study the definition of the crime of unauthorized access to information systems and to highlight the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in combating it. Since this crime is closely related to cybercrimes, and given the novelty and significant evolution of cybercrimes in the modern era with the development and spread of the Internet, the threat of cybercrimes in various forms and types has increased. This has led to a concerted international effort to combat these crimes and address their infiltration and spread in all countries of the world. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has made intensive efforts to combat cybercrimes and has worked on developing legislative systems to keep pace with methods of combating all cybercrimes. The study adopted an analytical approach to the texts of the Saudi Anti-Cyber Crime Law, as well as a comparative approach to similar laws and legislative systems, aiming to reach conclusions and recommendations related to the study. The research addressed the extent of the development of legislative systems and the efforts made to combat cybercrimes at the international level in general and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular. The research then discussed the definition of the crime of unauthorized access to information systems by dividing the study into two main sections. The first section focused on the development of legislative systems in combating cybercrimes, which the study addressed through two subsections: the first subsection provided an overview of international efforts to combat cybercrimes, and the second subsection discussed the development of the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in combating cybercrimes. The second section dealt with the definition of the crime of unauthorized access to information systems, divided into two subsections: the first subsection covered the concept and philosophy of the crime of unauthorized access to information systems, and the second subsection distinguished between the crime of unauthorized access and related offenses.

Senses of Place: An Architectural Historian Before and During COVID-19

Librarians and a small group of community representatives are responsible for public library governance in the U.S. Librarians and a board of trustees appointed by a local government collaborate to make key decisions for public libraries, while other members of the community have less influence over the governance of public libraries with limited methods, such as letters and public comments in board meetings. However, what should community members and library staff do if there are conflicting opinions about public library services within their community? Sometimes these kinds of dissents initiate a public controversy that involves a series of disagreement events among actors in public spaces. Each actor, such as boards of trustees, library staff, local government officials, community members, and patrons, participates in a controversy with asymmetrical power, which eventually affects the development and end of controversy. This case study investigates material challenges, which have been the most controversial issue in current U.S. public library history, in order to examine public library governance through controversies in which various actors exercise their power. A series of material challenges in a public library system in Louisiana are being examined based on their board minutes, local council minutes, news articles, social media posts, along with interviews with key actors. This study contributes to the understanding of public library governance and material controversies embedded in communities that shape public libraries.

Dental malpractice lawsuit cases in Saudi Arabia: A national study