Public Library Sector Research Articles

Adherence to Library Standards: An Appraisal of Grade I Public Libraries in the Western Province of Sri Lanka

Grade I is the second-best type of libraries in the public library sector. The study reports the observations of a review team on compliance of libraries to the general quality standards. The objective of the paper is to feature some best practices as well as to highlight the few instances of noncompliance as a measure to assist improves the library functions. It was commendable to see assiduously built local collections and exhibitions, community services, and custom-built quick reference materials. Issues were identified in relation to accession numbers and accession registers, acquisitions, collection development, marketing of resources, organizing materials (especially fiction collections), authority control, and appointment of staff, adoption of the current public library bylaws, management reporting, and automation. The team of reviewers identified that many of these instances of noncompliance are involuntarily avoided in an automated library environment. Also, in some cases new standards should be introduced. Color coding of materials for classification is one such practice that needs to be standardized. It is proposed that Public Library Bylaws issued by the Provincial Councils should be updated to suit the present-day requirements. Also, it was proposed to update the current marking scheme for the appraisal of public libraries by the Department of Local Government, Western Province of Sri Lanka.

Public Library Digital Competency Mapping 2019: A Survey on Digital Skills of Library Professionals With Different Qualifications

Social science researchers rarely can repeat a representative empirical study on an essentially identical sample in a relatively short time; to confirm the validity or, on the contrary, the invalidity of initial results. In the framework of the EFOP-3.3.3-VEKOP-16-2016-00001 “Museum and Library Development for All” grant scheme in Hungary, the flagship project “My Library,” implemented under the auspices of the Szabó Ervin Library in Budapest, allowed for two surveys to be conducted 2 years apart to assess the digital competence status of library professionals working in public libraries. This study seeks to answer the question of the impact of different educational levels on digital competence levels. Furthermore, it asks whether the results of the 2019 survey confirm the finding from 2017 that a higher education librarian degree, the librarian diploma, has a strong competence-increasing effect on each of the digital competence areas. Both studies are representative of the Hungarian public library sector. In the 2017 survey, 1,786 library professionals from different municipal libraries participated and in the 2019 survey, 1,868. As a result of the survey, an extremely rich data set is available, which allows for an accurate understanding of the digital skills of library professionals and the identification of areas for improvement or even the organization of targeted professional training.

Designing a Media Literacy Training Programme for Public Library Staff in Ireland: Preliminary Results and Observations of a University-Public Library Collaboration

ABSTRACT While research on media literacy education has focused on varying professional sectors, the role of public libraries in supporting media literacy has yet to be fully explored. This article reports on a university-public library collaboration between University College Dublin, the Libraries Development unit of the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA), Meath County Council Libraries and Meta (formerly Facebook). This collaborative partnership sought to develop and pilot a cutting-edge curriculum, incorporating a creative and flexible approach to media literacy training for public library staff. This article details the partnership between the university and the stakeholders toward the common goals of assessing the media literacy training needs of public library staff, and piloting an online professional development course to address these needs. The paper makes several observations on the university-public library collaboration, and proposes that such strategic partnerships might be a key intervention in delivering media literacy education training to the public library sector more broadly.

Inviting and/or inclusive: A study of the Flemish public library sector

Comparing the results of two large-scale user surveys conducted in Flanders in 2004 and 2018 shows that the Flemish public library sector has successfully adapted to challenging circumstances, such as increasing budgetary stringency and the pervasive digitalization of society. However, it is also clear that attendance numbers have decreased in Flemish public libraries in the last two decades, especially among visitors with lower education levels, which is cause for concern. In this article, the authors present an overview of exploratory analyses that try to ascertain how many of the public libraries that took part in their study were considered to be significantly more (or less) ‘inviting’ by specific subgroups (age, gender, education level, etc.) of the visiting public. Moreover, regression analyses are presented, showing which library characteristics have a positive effect on the attendance of two under-represented groups among Flemish library users: men and the lower educated.

The Impact of Public Librarians' Leadership Traits on Employee Motivation: Study Based on Public Library Employees in Sri Lanka

The success of every business is dependent on both effective management and good leadership. Managers cannot accomplish organizational or managerial performance unless they possess leadership skills. Employee motivation is inextricably linked to a manager's leadership skills. Public libraries, being service-oriented organizations, require both leaders and excellent managers to fulfill their organizational vision and mission. Librarians are the most significant leaders or managers in the public library sector from a managerial perspective. Librarians' primary tasks include motivating public library staff to achieve organizational goals as well as personnel achievements. In this context, the objective of this study is to examine how leadership traits of public librarians influence staff motivation and how they affect public library workers' work performance. This research was carried out after taught of a leadership course for postgraduate students at a higher education institution. The population of this research was made up of students who worked in public libraries. A total of 100 students (n) were included in the sample, all of whom had studied leadership principles as part of their coursework. The study's sample size was determined using the snowball sampling approach. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were verified prior to statistical analysis, and the cronbach alpha value for the items evaluating the impact of librarian’s' leadership traits on employee motivation and work performance was discovered as 0.73. Research found that, Employee motivation and achievement are impossible if public librarians do not share their attentiveness and skills with them. The employee suffers when commands, communications, and behaviors are created only on terror, and managements are based on pressure. The research found that there is no numerical relationship Gender, age, and educational credentials are examples of socio-demographic variables. Professions, years spent working in a public library, and the type of leadership they believe motivates them. Further study found that, there is no correlation between public librarians' socio demographic factors and leadership trails. Public Librarians' views and actions regarding motivation are mirrored in their motivating behaviors toward workers. The extent to which public library personnel exercise their authority has an impact on their perception of power as a motivator in leadership. The variables that will improve the motivation of public library personnel at work do not differ based on their socio demographic features. Employee success and motivation are not desirable outcomes, and evaluation is not a suggested alternative in this respect. Library staff will be more motivated and their job performance more proliferation if the public librarian is democratic rather than authoritarian, has a specialty in the topic, and has charismatic and interactionist leadership qualities in their actions, words, and interactions.

Are We Creating Opportunities for Homeless Children to Succeed in the Digital Age?

ABSTRACT As society becomes more dependent upon technological resources, to share information and provide education, it is imperative that we ensure inclusive information access and provide resources for digital literacy in order to decrease barriers to information for marginalized communities. This research focuses specifically on the digital literacy needs of homeless youth. The findings presented here will contribute knowledge to the public library sector and allow librarians to develop, improve, and promote digital literacy programming for homeless youth. As a result, public libraries will be better positioned to bridge the digital literacy divide that exists today and begin moving towards a greater level of equity.

Increasing the impact of innovation and advocacy in public libraries across Europe

Libraries need to innovate to ensure services they offer match citizens' needs and expectations in addition to among others the increasing digitalisation of society. Besides, professionals in the library sector need to improve their advocacy skills so that stakeholders are aware of the realised innovation. Based on a mixed-method methodology existing of a systematic desk research, followed by short interviews among 49 professionals from 22 different countries working in the public-library sector and finally completed by 25 case studies this study answers the question what kind of innovation and advocacy activities are possible for public libraries influence successful implementation?

The Public Library Metadata Landscape, the Case of Norway 2017–2018

The aim of this paper is to gauge the cataloging practices within the public library sector seen from the catalog with Norway as a case, based on a sample of records from public libraries and cataloging agencies. Findings suggest that libraries make few changes to records they import from central agencies, and that larger libraries make more changes than smaller libraries. Findings also suggest that libraries catalog and modify records with their patrons in mind, and though the extent is not large, cataloging proficiency is still required in the public library domain, at least in larger libraries, in order to ensure correct and consistent metadata.

Resource Description and Access Adoption and Implementation in Public Libraries in the United States

This study surveyed the current state of knowledge about, and application or use of, Resource Description and Access (RDA) among American public library catalogers. In 2017, an online survey request was e-mailed to four thousand libraries for the person or persons most responsible for cataloging to complete the questionnaire. More than three hundred libraries responded. The data expose serious concerns with RDA adoption within the public library sector. While a majority of catalogers know about RDA, their working knowledge about it differs substantially depending on whether they work in rural or urban library settings. Regardless, 22 percent of respondants still had not heard of the RDA standard until completing this survey. While further training and educational opportunities (along with funds) for catalogers nationwide would help minimize this disparity, LIS schools also can play a role by educating more thoroughly the next generations of catalogers in this newer descriptive standard. Coming on the brink of a shift in the theoretical framework of the RDA standard, from the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) model to the IFLA Library Reference Model (LRM), public library catalogers risk falling even farther behind in their knowledge and competency with the RDA standard.

Collaborative leadership in public library service development

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss findings from the formative evaluation of a national public library development initiative in England, with a focus on the practice and impact of collaborative leadership.Design/methodology/approachA realistic evaluation approach was used in the study, enabling a nuanced assessment of the initiative’s contexts, mechanisms and outcomes in relation to its core objectives. These included testing innovative, partnership approaches to library service delivery, encouraging greater synergy between libraries and the arts and other public and commercial sectors. Evaluation findings are subsequently contextualised using a conceptual framework drawn from critical management studies on collaborative advantage.FindingsData show that the initiative was an effective catalyst for enhanced collaborative leadership in the public library sector, including the development of a cross-sector community of practice, with evidence of collective ownership and decision making. The relative collaborative advantages of the initiative are underpinned by evidence on the unique value of public library services to collaborating organisations and sectors.Practical implicationsOutcomes are of relevance to a range of public services and governing bodies with reference to shared strategic objectives with other sectors and services and collaborative leadership learning and practice.Social implicationsThere are implications relating to the public value of library services and how this can potentially be enhanced via collaborative leadership approaches to service design and delivery. This is especially pertinent given current cross-government policy drivers towards integrated public services.Originality/valueThe research makes an original contribution to contemporary debates on cultural value in considering the cross-sector role and impact of collaborative leadership.

An elephant in the room?

Despite its recognised role in education, lifelong learning and active citizenship, the term information literacy (IL) is rarely used in the context of public libraries. At a time when public libraries are operating in an environment of financial austerity and are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of their role in UK society, this paper presents the findings of a small-scale research project examining the narratives surrounding public libraries and IL.
 Through a qualitative text analysis, a picture is built up of the roles of public libraries as presented by government, professional organisations and charitable organisations. This analysis shows that IL is not a concept explicitly associated with public libraries; that the government’s focus is on public libraries’ role in delivering digital inclusion while at the same time depicting a largely passive role for libraries and diminished role for professional library staff; and that while current library advocacy supports this digital role, it does not effectively address the deeper need for transferrable information skills.
 Based on this analysis, this paper recommends greater collaboration between academic research, higher education, and the public library sector, with a view to fostering a better understanding of IL and its potential to create a wider, more educationally-focussed role for public libraries and their staff.

An elephant in the room?

Despite its recognised role in education, lifelong learning and active citizenship, the term information literacy (IL) is rarely used in the context of public libraries. At a time when public libraries are operating in an environment of financial austerity and are under increasing pressure to demonstrate the value of their role in UK society, this paper presents the findings of a small-scale research project examining the narratives surrounding public libraries and IL. Through a qualitative text analysis, a picture is built up of the roles of public libraries as presented by government, professional organisations and charitable organisations. This analysis shows that IL is not a concept explicitly associated with public libraries; that the government’s focus is on public libraries’ role in delivering digital inclusion while at the same time depicting a largely passive role for libraries and diminished role for professional library staff; and that while current library advocacy supports this digital role, it does not effectively address the deeper need for transferrable information skills. Based on this analysis, this paper recommends greater collaboration between academic research, higher education, and the public library sector, with a view to fostering a better understanding of IL and its potential to create a wider, more educationally-focussed role for public libraries and their staff.

Editorial: Charting the Course of <i>Partnership</i>

Partnership launched in 2006 as an outlet for sharing innovations in the workplace and one of a very few Canadian venues for the much desired peer review.... [However, it is] in no way meant exclusively for academics: this is a journal for everyone (Richard, 2006).A decade into this project, we wanted to know: What does Partnership mean to the Canadian LIS community today?Last year we circulated a survey to try to find out. We asked a range of questions about respondents' reading and publishing habits in general, and about their perceptions of our journal in particular.We had over 400 responses from librarians, technicians, administrators, board members, academics, and students across Canada. Almost half of the respondents work in academic libraries, but we also heard from the public, health, college, school, and government library sectors. Approximately half of the respondents have been working in libraries for over 11 years. The other half divided about equally between 0-5 and 6-10 years into their careers. We heard equally from respondents who were very familiar with the journal, somewhat familiar, or not familiar at all.Here we present some of the major findings from this survey, as well as some of the Editorial Team's initial actions in response to these findings. The full data set is also available for curious readers.A Canadian voice is very importantRespondents told us that the Canadian angle of our journal means something to them. They also value the variety and open access nature of the content. Other dissenting voices told us that the journal was too generic and added nothing to the already fragmented LIS publishing scene. Overall, we were surprised by how much Canadian content and context is meaningful in a globalized information world. Readers similarly value that Partnership is open access, which is not taken for granted in LIS publishing.In response, we have clarified the mandate of the journal in this vision statement:Partnership is the journal of Canada's national network of provincial and territorial library associations.Partnership promotes the exchange of ideas about libraries, librarianship, and information science among practitioners across all library sectors. We are a Canadian, open access journal publishing double-blind peer-reviewed research and editorially-reviewed articles and opinion pieces.What kind of journal title is Partnership?While many respondents liked the friendly, collaborative, community-oriented connotations of partnership, many others told us the name is banal (vague nearly to the point of meaninglessness), confusing (I did not know it was a library journal), or misleading (sounds like a trade magazine for wedding officiants). Several said the title does not connote a serious peer-reviewed journal.The journal, as many do not realize, is named for The Partnership, a network of the provincial and territorial library associations. We have decided to retain the journal's title to preserve its ties with The Partnership and to maintain continuity in the cataloguing and indexing of the journal. …

Micro-blogging practices in Canadian public libraries: A national snapshot

This paper reports the first phase of a study examining Canada’s public library sector’s micro-blogging practices. Results of a national survey of public library ( n=71) Twitter practices and an analysis of Twitter followers from one library are presented. Five themes are proposed as a future research agenda: community size and population density; managing the public library’s Twitter voice; the potential for controversy; the library as the community’s daily digest; and the network effects of community building. As the first national study, a contribution is made to advancing research on micro-blogging from the public library’s distinct institutional perspective.

Conceptual modelling of the public sphere in public libraries

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to construct a conceptual model of the public sphere in public libraries. Various international authors over the past 20 years have associated the public sphere with public libraries, but these associations have yet to be clarified and synthesized in a comprehensive way.Design/methodology/approach– This study used qualitative content analysis to identify the dimensions of the public sphere in public libraries. The study’s scope included annual reports from an urban US public library system from 1900 to 2010.Findings– Six dimensions of the public sphere in public libraries are described with examples. The dimensions are: core criteria; internal public sphere; external public sphere; collect and organize discourse; perform legitimation processes; and facilitate discourse. Three of these dimensions are newly identified. The six total dimensions are synthesized into a comprehensive conceptual model with three discourse arenas: governance and management; legitimation; and commons.Originality/value– This study is distinctive because it used a data-based, empirical approach to public libraries to an abstract sociological concept. Three dimensions of the model are new to library studies literature and therefore represent new potential areas of inquiry. The resulting conceptual model is useful for both practitioners and researchers in the public library sector. Further, the model contributes to existing social and political theory.

Our Future, Our Skills: Using Evidence to Drive Practice in Public Libraries

Abstract
 
 Objective – The public library sector’s future prosperity is contingent upon a well-trained, experienced, and valued workforce. In a collaborative initiative, State Library Victoria (SLV) and the Public Libraries Victoria Network (PLVN) commissioned an in-depth research study to examine the skills requirements of staff across the State. The Our Future, Our Skills project sought to identify the range of skills used by public library staff today, to anticipate the range of skills that would be needed in five years’ time, and to present a skills gap analysis to inform future training and development strategies.
 
 Methods – The project encompassed qualitative and quantitative research activities: literature review and environmental scan, stakeholder interviews, focus groups and a workforce skills audit. The research populations were staff (Individual survey) and managers (Management survey) employed in 47 library services, including metropolitan, outer metropolitan and regional library services in Victoria.
 
 Results – The high response rate (45%) reflected the relevance of the study, with 1,334 individual and 77 management respondents. The data captured their views related to the value of their skillsets, both now and in five years’ time, and the perceived levels of confidence using their skills. The sector now has a bank of baseline evidence which has contributed to a meaningful analysis of the anticipated skills gaps.
 
 Conclusions – This paper focuses on the critical importance of implementing evidence-based practice in public libraries. In an interactive workshop, managers determined the skills priorities at both the local and sectoral levels to inform staff development programs and recruitment activities. A collaborative SLV/PLVN project workgroup will implement the report’s recommendations with a state-wide workforce development plan rolled out during 2015-17. This plan will include a training matrix designed to bridge the skills gap, with a focus on evaluation strategies to monitor progress towards objectives. The paper provides insights into the different ways in which the project workgroup is using research evidence to drive practice.

Regime Change in Romania: A Quarter-Century Impact on Libraries

This paper takes a fresh look at the transformative events that marked the development of the library scene at the twenty-fifth anniversary of regime change in Romania. It examines their significance for the country’s postcommunist trajectories by linking the past, present, and future of library development. Libraries of all types have been affected in either a positive or negative way during the past twenty-five years. Currently, there is no strategy at the national level to coordinate library development or to establish priorities and directions for growth. Due to significant financial aid from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the public library sector has made significant progress, especially in the diversification of computer-based services offered to the communities they serve. Higher education has witnessed the advent of private universities, although oftentimes not endowed with adequate libraries. The public and academic library network has embraced the new information and communications technology. School libraries, although high in numbers, have remained anchored in the past, with a few exceptions. Many special libraries have disappeared, along with their parent institutions. Despite its moving into a modern edifice, the National Library of Romania is yet to identify its role, goals, mission, and vision for the information society. Two major library associations have elevated librarianship to a professional status, but they act independently of each other and their programs never intersect. Library legislation and other laws provide the legal framework for libraries, the publishing industry, and the information and communications field. Despite the progress reported by libraries, usage continues to remain very low. The public’s perception of libraries’ role in society has not yet crystallized. Insufficient funding prevents Romanian libraries from performing at the same parameters as their counterparts in economically developed countries.

Governance, Legitimation, Commons: A Public Sphere Framework and Research Agenda for the Public Library Sector

AbstractPublic libraries continually struggle to define their social value, and economic or educational rationales are commonly submitted to this end. In contrast to these approaches, public sphere theory emphasizes the political and social justice aspects of public libraries. Existing library literature has established strong associations between public sphere theory and public libraries, and a tentative model of the public sphere in public libraries has been developed. It is not yet clear, however, how a public sphere model of public libraries might benefit the profession. This paper therefore explains how a conceptual model of the public sphere in public libraries can serve as a potential framework and research agenda for the public library sector. A model of the public sphere in public libraries contains three main arenas of discourse: governance, legitimation, and commons. Each of the arenas represents values that are central to public librarianship. Practitioners and scholars in the public library sector can use the public sphere model to orient research and practice. This paper explains each arena in detail and discusses the model’s relevance as a philosophy and research agenda.

Social technologies in public libraries: exploring best practice

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to report on a research project that explored social media best practice in the public library sector. Design/methodology/approach – The primary research approach for the project was case study. Two organisations participated in case studies that involved interviews, document analysis, and social media observation. Findings – The two case study organisations use social media effectively to facilitate participatory networks, however, there have been challenges surrounding its implementation in both organisations. Challenges include negotiating requirements of governing bodies and broader organisational environments, and managing staff reluctance around the implementations. As social media use continues to grow and libraries continue to take up new platforms, social media must be considered to be another service point of the virtual branch, and indeed, for the library service as a whole. This acceptance of social media as being core business is critical to the successful implementation of social media based activities. Practical implications – The article provides an empirically grounded discussion of best practice and the conditions that support it. The findings are relevant for information organisations across all sectors and could inform the development of policy and practice in other organisations. This paper contributes to the broader dialogue around best practice in participatory service delivery and social media use in library and information organisations. Originality/value – Research around social media has focused on the usage of tools rather than the conditions that allow staff to use social media to reach users effectively. This research fills the gap by exploring the organisational culture that allows staff to use social media in order to develop a participatory library service.

Introducing Bibliotherapy in Public Libraries of Jaffna district: an Exploratory Study

This study investigates the role of the public library sector of Jaffna district in Northern Sri Lanka towards providing bibliotherapy as a service to the waraffected people seeking help in solving their problems. Using Survey research method, collected data was analyzed to find out the awareness of the concept, acceptance of bibliotherapy as method of treatment, existence and suitability of bibliotherapy in public libraries and the attitude of the librarians to be a bibliotherapist. The study suggests the possibility of implementing bibliotherapy in public libraries of Jaffna district with the support of health authorities. Journal of the University Librarians Association, Sri Lanka, Vol. 17, Issue 2, January 2013, Page 104-118 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/jula.v17i2.6648