Librarians In Public Libraries Research Articles

Art librarianship in Denmark

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.

Internetworking an urban community: A longitudinal study of approaches to introducing adult new users to electronic information resources

Using four test groups, the study compared the efficacy of different approaches to introducing urban adults, including librarians in public libraries, to Internet resources. Models tested included two training period lengths (cursory and in-depth) and two computer interfaces (text-based and graphical) to Internet resources. Two post-test assessments were administered to determine effects of approaches tested on participant skills and attitudes. Findings suggest that the interface used does not significantly affect the users' ability to find information on the Internet. However, longer training did produce better searching, at least initially. User confidence in using a range of tools varied for each resource. Follow-up assessment indicated that differences in user attitudes among the groups decreased over time.

Decentralization and Professional Librarians in Public Libraries : On the Legal Obligation to Secure Professional Librarians in Order to Receive Subsidies from the State

Decentralization and Professional Librarians in Public Libraries : On the Legal Obligation to Secure Professional Librarians in Order to Receive Subsidies from the State

The chief officer/ councillor relationship in British public libraries

Explores the relationship between the chief librarians of public libraries and members of their local authori ty councils, as a crucial element in the management of these public libraries. Factors affecting this rela tionship include: political pressures; power balances; personal agendas; the prestige of the officers; status of library services within the authori ties. Reviews and discusses Bob Usherwood's investigation of public library politics and governance ( Public library politics: the role of the elected member: Library Association Publishing, 1993) and complements his work through an examination of the counterbalancing point of view; that of the officers, based on a PhD research project which explored the opinions of UK and Canadian chief library officers on censorship. Results indicate that for UK chief librarians, politics is acknowledged as the key element in their relationship with councillors, and that officers consider acuity of political knowledge and intuition to be crucial management components. Party politics and public image were acknowledged as predominant influ ences for many councillors, and offi cers were very much aware that politicians of different political per suasions might promote different roles and stock selection policies for the public library.

Children's and Young Adult Librarians:

The Yolith Omnibus Bill passed during he WHLIS in July 1991, includes oprovisions for six separate grants for children's, school, and young adult services in libraries. Funding cuts have made developing alternate sources of revenue vital for the survival of existing librarv services and the develooment of new ones. Are children's and young adult librarians trained in writing grant proposals? Are children's and young adult librarians writing grant proposals to receive alternate funding? These two questions were the basis for a research study undertaken at the University of Texas Graduate School of Library and Information Science. A questionnaire was mailed to sixty-two children's and young adult librarians in public libraries in both small and large library systems in Texas to determine if these librarians were writing grant proposals, and if not, why not. This article reports the results of the questionnaires in detail and begins a discussion of the following questions: Is there a need to create a clearinghouse to supply libraries with information on grant availability? Should instruction in the writing of grant proposals be included in library school curriculum?

How Public Librarians View Latchkey Children

This study investigated the attitudes of children's librarians in public libraries in northeast Ohio toward latchkey children and the quantity and types of programs designed for them. Survey results indiciation that, in most cases, unattended children are using libraries as a safe place to stay while the parent(s) are working. While librarians see them as a problem, they also think that their libraries should do more to accommodate them. The majority feel that programming should be a community effort, but only a small minority report such involvement. Findings also indicate a definite need for policy development regarding latchkey children in public libraries.

Scarcity of Children's Librarians in Public Libraries.

Scarcity of Children's Librarians in Public Libraries.

The Library World Volume 52 Issue 4

THE Library Association has begun the Centenary of the Public Libraries Acts' celebrations with an attractive booklet which, we suppose, is now in the hands of many, if not most, of our readers. We are to have, we understand, an official, documented history which should be worthy of the occasion; that may come later. The booklet, however, A Century of Public Library Service, should be made available in every library. To be effective it should go into every household—a manifest impossibility on any means at the command of the Library Association, since the booklet itself puts the registered borrowers alone at twelve millions, and if there are five people to a household, nearly two and a half million copies would be required. If it goes to every service point that will involve 23,000. These figures illustrate the difficulties of our publicity. The machine is too vast for all its parts to be reached. We suppose it will go to every librarian and every member of a library committee—about 6,000 copies—and that may be a good plan, although that would be sending it to those who are, we hope, converted. As for the book itself, it follows the lines of the paper read by Mr. L. R. McColvin at Eastbourne last year; it tells our history; shows by graph and figure the vast increase in supply to meet demand; deals successively with the various parts of the service; and surveys the future. Its value is as an assessment of book stock, staff and relative success and failure and the relation of these to the resources, financial and otherwise, of libraries. In 1949 we are spending £1,650,000 on books, if our calculation at 2s. 9d. per borrower is correct. This, for the whole population—say 45 millions—is not lavish. These and many other useful points are indicated. The work is for domestic consumption, to serve as a basis for self‐examination. On the physical side it is attractive, is printed on plate paper, which brings out brightly the twenty‐five illustrations and a graph, which show pleasant samples of libraries and readers. As a curious point we find no sign in any of the pictures that there are men librarians in public libraries.

The Library World Volume 37 Issue 7

THIS month is that in which librarians of public libraries are concerned with budgets. In spite of occasional croakings, it is fair to say that the worst of the crisis is over, and, if prosperity is not here, it is at least on the way. It will be interesting to learn if the cuts which some libraries had to make in their appropriations will be continued this year. Libraries have demonstrated beyond disproof that they have played a part in the depression in raising some of the gloom from the minds of the people, and can make reasonable claim to have financial consideration of the fact. Fortunately, in our worst times, the grotesque cutting which public libraries in the United States were called to endure was not suffered here.