Library Work Research Articles

Impact of COVID-19 on Parents/Guardians in the Library Profession

Objective: The authors sought to collect qualitative data with support from the literature to elucidate the impact of COVID-19 on U.S. parents and guardians working in the library profession.
 Methods: The research team conducted a literature search in January 2022, with an update completed in January 2023 of several bibliographic databases and Google including the search terms COVID-19, parents, guardians, librarians, workplace, among others. In addition, requests for participation in a survey was sent out over listservs within and outside of the Medical Library Association (MLA), including regional library groups, and on social media to collect stories from library professionals who were parents or guardians during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the survey and the literature search were analyzed and categorized according to theme.
 Results: There were 51 respondents to the survey and 90 relevant studies found in the literature search. The most prevalent themes that emerged from the data analysis were “employer support/lack of support,” “childcare issues,” “mental health/stress/burnout,” “remote work–positive outcomes,” and “flexibility.”
 Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic affected parents and guardians who were library professionals beyond childcare issues. While organizations and individual workers have learned to live with the pandemic and minimize risks of transmission, COVID-19 brought to light some of the existing and underlying issues that are specific to parents and guardians who are library workers in the United States. Further research is warranted.
 Keywords: COVID-19, librarianship, parents, guardians

War, Language and Culture

Summary The article presents the analysis of the changes, which have occurred in the linguistic and cultural public consciousness of the Ukrainians since the Russian invasion into Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The research was conducted based on the results of online survey involving respondents from the educational and cultural spheres (teachers, lecturers, museum and library workers, theatrical and literary workers). The choice of this target group was based on the assumption that this professional group is the most sensitive to any changes in the sphere we aim to study. People employed in culture and education are capable of self-reflection, and, in accordance with their professional functions, they have an obvious intellectual, moral, and ethical influence on society, thus bearing the responsibility for the situation and broadcasting their position and attitude to the linguistic situation and culture. According to the results of the survey, many bilingual informants refuse to use Russian, and Russian-speaking Ukrainians attempt to start speaking Ukrainian by studying it independently or taking courses. The analysis showed that Cancelled Russian culture is a phenomenon relevant not only for virtual space. Negative attitudes towards Russia are transferred to classical Russian literature, to Russian-language music content, and, to a lesser extent, to modern fiction. At the same time, a third of the respondents directly or indirectly approve of the use of taboo (swear) words and expressions in public space. The study makes it possible to understand the dynamics of public attitude and the general vector of linguistic and cultural changes.

Medical libraries and their complicated past: an exploration of the historical connections between medical collections and racial science

For over a millennium, libraries and library workers have advanced the knowledge of human science by building, preserving, and sharing collections and research. Historically, libraries have also aligned their institutional responsibilities to adhere to and support the values and virtues of oppressive and colonial practices. Library history has shown the mistreatments and denials of information access of marginalized groups. The history of libraries in the health and medical sciences reveals how these institutions and their workers have preserved and circulated research studies perpetuating racial science. This commentary highlights how such institutions shape and contribute to racial science in the field of medicine. By exploring the history of medicine through this lens, we examine how such institutions have been complicit in upholding racial science. We explore historical documents and archival collections that have been collected and preserved, particularly records and data of vulnerable groups, to advance the knowledge and understanding of the human body through the ideology of racial science. We argue that health and medical sciences librarians need to critically interrogate the racism in medical libraries and its history and address how health misinformation is common even in scholarly publications.

Little Did We Know … Librarian Transitions Between Public and Technical Services

ABSTRACT As the library profession changes and more emphasis is placed on technology, electronic resources, linked data, and systems integrations, understanding the experiences of librarians who have transitioned from public to technical services will benefit librarians who are seeking to (or are required to) make a similar career change. Several academic librarians were interviewed about the transitions they made from one functional type of library work to another. While the reasons and experiences varied as to why they transitioned from public services to technical services, several common themes emerged for the participants in our study. This article seeks to highlight the benefits, challenges, and strategic processes involved in a transition between public services librarianship and technical services librarianship. By sharing the participants’ experiences, realizations, and advice, it is hoped that current librarians thinking of or needing to make a transition will have a better understanding of what they can expect.

The Impact of Key Stakeholders and the Computer Skills of Librarians on Research Data Management Support Services (Id so-21-1893.r2)

This study aims to investigate key stakeholders’ impact and to assess its effect on Research Data Management (RDM), thereby setting the agenda for sound local government Research Data Management (RDM) policy for maximum profit. This study relies mainly on the stakeholder’ theory. Our target population is stakeholders in RDM. The survey used the Partial Least Squares and Structural Equation Modeling tool with a sample of 295 received from respondents to find the effect among the stakeholders. The Statistical results confirmed there is a positive effect among stakeholders. The Funders agencies criteria influence researchers’ work. The effect of government support policies on librarians RDM support services was positive but not significant. The impact of computer literacy of librarians on the RDM support service delivered by librarians was insignificant. The finding is mainly due to overreliance on manual approach to work in most libraries in Ghana as a result inadequate fund support. Librarians need to take a leading role in RDM to implement RDM policy fully. This study contributes to the discourse by helping to strengthen the existing relationship and also to understand the role of various stakeholders in RDM. Stakeholders in Ghana and developing countries need to take greater responsibility to achieve success. Government can rely on it for policy formulation. The research can be used to expand the existing stakeholders’ effective support and interactions as well as in teaching. The survey results can also help identify best practices, improve current observation, and compare practices across different countries.

Распространение, использование и трансформирование теории перевода А.В. Федорова в китайском переводоведении

As the founder of linguistic translatology, A.V. Fedorov played an important role in the construction of not only Russian translatology but also Chinese translatology. This paper studies the travel of A.V. Fedorov’s translation theory in Chinese translatology, including its distribution, application and transformation. In the aspect of distribution, the author analyzes the translation of his representative work An Introduction to Translation Theory (1953) in China and the collection of his works in Chinese libraries. This paper also discusses the overall application of A.V. Fedorov’s translation ideas and the quotation of individual points of view. In terms of transformation, Chinese translation scholars have made a historical evaluation and development of his individual theoretical views.

AUTOMATING LIBRARY PROCESSES USING THE OSS

Organization of library work is related to such sciences as pedagogy, psychology, sociology, computer science, economics, cybernetics, linguistics. Integration with these scientific processes allows solving a number of problems of library work. Automation of library services and the use of modern software are necessary to increase efficiency and effectiveness. In addition, it is very important for libraries not only to have appropriate software and technologies, but also to be able to use them effectively. Library automation benefits both library staff and users, as it increases staff productivity and improves remote and timely delivery of up-to-date information to users. This article is mainly aimed at determining the relevance of using modern software for library automation. To achieve this goal, the document is divided into sections that highlight the relevance of library automation, and the main issues that should be considered when choosing software for libraries. Recommendations are made on the key factors that should prevail in order to achieve successful automation of library services through software. These recommendations will be useful to the future specialist as a methodological guide for his work on library automation.

THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF THE LIBRARY IN WARTIME: PAST AND PRESENT

As instruments of guaranteed knowledge, safeguarding memory, diversity and cultural identity of people, libraries during all its existence have been severely attacked during military confrontations. With the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the issue of preserving cultural values, including libraries, in the territories suffering from hostilities becomes very urgent, because russians are trying to destroy Ukrainian people, culture and values. The purpose of our research was to find possible ways of library activity and the reservation of their collections during military operations, based on a review of history of the struggle of libraries for the reservation of their collections during wars and on consideration of the activity of the American Library Association and its Library War Service, as one of the most important institution, focused on helping libraries and soldiers during wartime. Having considered the history of the activities of libraries during the war, it can be noted that the main role in the reservation of the funds was played by the library employees, because they understood the significance of the collections and, in some cases, saved cultural values with their own hands. A consideration of the activities of the American Library Service’s War Library makes it clear how important it is to help soldiers and people during wartime by distributing books and knowledge that prove beneficial to support morale. We also noted the role of the Ukrainian Library Association, which, together with the American Library Association, currently helps librarians and library workers by collecting donations for the Ukrainian library community, which is facing the challenges of war. In addition, in our opinion, one of the most important opportunities for the reservation of library funds during the war may be an attempt to create an organization in Ukraine like the Hill Museum and the Manuscript Library, which will photograph and catalog the collections of manuscripts and rare publications from the libraries of throughout Ukraine, especially in small towns or villages, where there are publications that characterize the history of their specific district or region and which are impossible to found elsewhere. Due to the fact that Russia is trying to destroy the Ukrainian nation, the reservation of such key values of each region becomes very important for the consolidation of Ukrainian society and the further cultural development of the Ukrainian nation throughout the territory of Ukraine.

Role clarity as a determinant of job satisfaction among library personnel in South-West universities, Nigeria

This research explored the relationship between role clarity and work satisfaction among university library staff in South-West Nigeria. Survey research methodology was used with a sample size of 669 library employees, The study's target population consisted of 440 library workers from 23 out of 46 institutions in South-West Nigeria that were chosen on the basis of their years of inception. In the research, total enumeration was used. For data gathering, a validated structured questionnaire was employed. The Cronbach's Alpha reliability coefficients for role clarity and work satisfaction varied from 74 to 75, respectively. Only 356 out of 440 issued questionnaires were returned, representing an 81 percent return rate. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (simple and multiple regression) statistics. The results suggested that role clarity had a substantial impact on the work satisfaction of university library staff in South-West Nigeria.

Popularisation of Scientific Knowledge: Event Formats in Libraries of the Novosibirsk Region

The resourcefulness of the library event is examined within the framework of libraries’ capacity to participate in science-society communication. The library event is most often studied by researchers in the context of leisure activities. The concept of “leisure” is multifaceted, it includes such elements as play, recreation, entertainment, self-education, self-development, daily life etc. Leisure activities can be associated, both for the organizers and the visitors, with different motives and goals. The professional press often highlights the stimulation of reading activity, but also the desire to disseminate knowledge in a non-trivial way, the self-presentation of the library, the demonstration of its openness to the public, etc. In this context, traditional and new formats of work for libraries, new trends (e. g. comprehensiveness, eventfulness of events, etc.) are discussed. It is obvious that library event is an actively developing phenomenon, which requires theoretical reflection. The purpose of this article is to analyze the communicative resource of library events on the example of popular science events in the libraries of the Novosibirsk Region. The library event is considered as a level of direct communication, and its purpose is to provide patrons with leisure and intellectual communication. The research is based on the information materials presented on the official websites of public libraries. As a result of the study the following conclusions are obtained: the nature of popular science events is mostly event-based, but only large libraries are involved in wide-scale complex activities. Both science communicators and librarians are involved in the preparation of the events, using different formats. All popular science events held in libraries are in line with the deficit model of communication between science and society.

Development of the Main Library of the Republic of Mari El: Unique Publication and Source Finds

The analysis is presented of T.A. Petrova’s book “The Main Library of the Republic: the Time of Formation. 1918—1936” (2022). The book is a study of the almost unexplored period of the history of the National Library named after S.G. Chavain of the Mari El Republic. 1918—1936 is the period of radical changes in society and approval of new principles of library organization. On the wide material of documentary sources from state, departmental and personal archives the basic marks of the library’s development are shown: the features of library work organization, formation of book stock, methods and forms of work with readers. The history of the library is illustrated with the facts and data about the people working there at that time.The book is announced as a historical and archival research, well thought out and appropriate to the content structure, attracts with its logic, clarity and simplicity of narration. Each of three main parts is a separate historical, biographical and librarian sketch of different stages of library’s development, chronologically almost entirely coinciding with the tenure of M.A. Chernova, I.E. Pavlov, A.R. Kavush as heads of the library.The detailed work by T.A. Petrova gives a full and complete picture of the development of the main library of the republic during the first years of Mari Autonomous Region existence. The book contains new and earlier unknown to science materials.

Культурная политика тюркоязычных стран Центральной Азии

The paper presents the results of a study of the modern cultural policy of the Turkic-speaking countries of Central Asia. Having studied the regulatory framework of the countries of Central Asia regarding the issues of cultural construction and language policy, the author identifies the achievements and problem areas of the Turkic-speaking countries of Central Asia in the development of education, theatrical art, museum and library work. The study used interdisciplinary and cultural approaches and methods of content analysis of legal documents, official websites of various ministries of the countries under study, statistical and archival documents that are in the public domain. The theoretical basis of the study was the scientific works of domestic and foreign authors: Borishpolets K. P., Vakhtina N. B., Raikova G. A., Saparova N. D., Tsai I. K., Khalmuradov R. I., Tsyryapkina Yu. N., et al. The empirical basis of the study was personal observations obtained in Kazakhstan in connection with conducting master classes and working as a member of the jury of student competitions, interviews with students from Central Asian countries studying at the Adyghe State University, as well as materials from the Internet resources of the countries of Central Asia.

FUZZY RELATIONS BASED INTELLIGENT INFORMATION RETRIEVAL FOR DIGITAL LIBRARY USERS

It is known that today information and library systems are one of the main sources of information needs of the population and have many users. Information and library systems have a large amount of valuable information resources and information retrieval services have been established to allow users to find the necessary literature. We know that search engines take requests and return results they think are relevant. As a result, the user again faces the problem of finding what he needs among the many sources of information provided.Today, a number of information systems effectively use recommendation systems based on artificial intelligence to recommend objects. In information and library systems, high efficiency can be achieved by identifying the information needs of users and recommending relevant literature.To do this, it is necessary to determine the information needs of library users by analyzing information about their age, interests, level of knowledge in a particular area, previous requests, professions, etc. By introducing recommender systems into library information systems, it is possible to facilitate the work of librarians, increase speed and accuracy finding the necessary source of information, increase the efficiency of management and the level of satisfaction of the information needs of the population.The article proposes a fuzzy model for solving the problem of assessing the needs of users of information and library systems and recommending relevant literature to them.

Public Libraries and People Experiencing Homelessness: The Experiences and Attitudes of Library Workers

With the rise in numbers of people experiencing homelessness in our cities, towns and regions, public libraries are seeing an increase in visits from members of this community. Public library staff are increasingly required to assist and work with people experiencing homelessness, often with little training and without the guidance of policy documents to advise them. This article reports on a survey of Australian public library staff who were asked about their experiences in, and attitudes toward working with this community. The article finds public library staff are frequently working with people experiencing homelessness. Although library staff largely believe working with this community is part of their role, they also report feeling unsafe at work, and a belief that the presence of people experiencing homelessness in libraries can be detrimental to other library users.

‘They burn so bright whilst you can only wonder why’

In this article we connect critical librarianship and its practices of information literacy (IL) with working-class experiences of higher education (HE). Although the research literature and professional body of knowledge of critical information literacy (CIL), is one of the most theoretically-developed areas of wider critical librarianship (Critlib) movement, working-class knowledge and experiences remain underrepresented. One reason for this is that the values, behaviour and assumptions of library and HE workers are shaped by a HE system which inculcates middle-class values and cultural capitals within students, and stigmatises working-class students as lacking or in deficit. Hegemonic, or non-critical, IL proselytises middle-class values and assumptions about academic practices and skills development including the notion of an ideal student with behaviour and markers of identity which reflect those most privileged by wider society. In contrast CIL, framed as the socially-just practice of IL is theoretically well-placed to support working-class library workers in destabilising this alongside middle-class accomplices. Employing Yosso’s (2005) concept of community and cultural wealth (CCW), we analyse how library workers can recognise working-class cultural wealth within the context of CIL and wider working practices. As such narrative accounts are lacking in the literature, we utilise collaborative autoethnography (CAE) (Chang et al., 2013) to consider and interpret our own experiences of libraries when we were university students ourselves, and more recently as HE workers of working-class heritage.

Browser Extensions For The Stretched Health Librarian

Given the multitudes of extensions available, health librarians in Australia, the US, the UK and Europe were asked what extensions they found useful in a work context. From those responses, as well as personal experience using particular extensions, a set of extensions are briefly described below. Focus was given on extensions that are free and potentially useful in a health librarian work setting.

Librarians as Agents of German Foreign Policy and the Cultural Consequences of the First World War

AbstractIn this article I explore the cultural impact of the First World War by analysing the work of libraries and librarians in different settings, from German-occupied Belgium and prisoner-of-war camps to Germany's own public and private libraries. By examining the work of German, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, and American librarians, the article makes a case for applying the notion of a ‘long’ First World War to cultural and intellectual history. Considering ephemeral and established libraries, along with new types of collections generated by the war itself, the article sheds light on the changes to library work as a result of mobilization, censorship, and the growth of mass readership. While these changes concerned librarians in all belligerent states, German librarians were particularly affected after the burning of the Leuven library during the city's occupation by German forces. This singular event damaged Germany's national reputation and thereby laid the groundwork for a significant politicization of library work all the way to the Second World War. In addition to tracing the importance of librarians for German foreign policy, the article reconstructs how this professional community, whose intellectual formation was ultimately supranational, responded to the First World War.

The Future of Youth Public Librarian Education Project: Initial Findings

Despite evidence suggesting that current LIS curricula might be inadequate to prepare students for the realities of today's public library youth services work, little research has addressed potential changes to the LIS curricula in this area. This paper reports findings from the second phase of an IMLS-funded project exploring how LIS programs might better prepare students to work in public libraries with youth. Through a combination of surveys, informal virtual meet-ups, and focus groups, we collected data addressing two primary research questions: What is the job of a public youth services librarian today, and how has that job changed in recent years? What do practitioners, library administrators, LIS faculty, and other youth services providers perceive as the gaps in current LIS graduate curricula for pre-service youth services librarians? Findings indicate significant changes to the nature of public library youth services work in recent years, as well as misalignment between traditional LIS curriculum and the actual knowledge and skills required to succeed in this work.

Library workers on the front lines of conspiracy theories in the US: one nationwide survey

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether and in what ways library workers in the United States encountered patrons espousing beliefs in conspiracy theories and, if so, to explore the effectiveness of the strategies they used to address information disorder during the interactions.Design/methodology/approachThe study was designed with an exploratory qualitative approach. Data were collected via an online survey posted to national and state library association listservs, utilizing a self-selected sampling method. Researchers inductively and deductively analyzed results, developing predetermined themes based on the research questions, then iteratively integrating unexpected data during coding.FindingsA total of 334 responses were received over two weeks. Data represent library workers from 43 states and Washington, D.C., including various types of libraries. Library workers interacted with patrons with conspiratorial thinking, and both library workers and patrons evidenced a range of emotions and motivations.Originality/valueThis is the first national study to survey library workers and whether they encountered patrons espousing conspiracy theories. While the sample size is small, themes elucidate various strategies that library workers use for interacting with patrons who express some level of conspiracy ideation.

Time, Tasks, and Toll: Changes in Library Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article analyzes survey data from 900-plus U.S. respondents to identify and explain COVID-19 pandemic-induced changes in different work tasks for library workers. Results show negligible change in overall hours for academic library workers and an almost two-hour decrease in overall hours for public library workers. Analysis by task type shows decreased work hours for most tasks, although professional development and administration/management showed increased hours across library types. In contrast, qualitative responses reveal that workers feel they are working more hours because the pandemic has broken down boundaries between work and non-work tasks, surfacing ongoing issues of labor.