Public Library Staff Research Articles

Prepared for service? A mixed-methods study on psychosocial support in the UK public library, with a focus on staff perceptions and training

This mixed-methods study considers the ways in which the public library is increasingly supporting the mental, emotional and social – or ‘psychosocial’ – needs of individuals within its local communities; reflecting on an emerging body of US research which is exploring this topic. This research aimed to determine how prepared UK public library services are to support the psychosocial needs of users, with a focus on staff perceptions, confidence and training. The research identified the psychosocial services and relevant staff training currently taking place in Southeast England, through an online survey with public library staff. This data provided a background of understanding, before in-depth, semi-structured interviews were completed with nine public library staff within one library service, to uncover staff perceptions and attitudes around this area of work. The quantitative and qualitative data revealed findings which largely reflected the research that has taken place in the US. Public library staff are committed to delivering psychosocial support by providing information, signposting, delivering library groups and activities, and showing compassion to users. However, staff experience feelings of uncertainty around this work, particularly when responding to users with complex needs or those in crisis, and they have a strong desire for more targeted training in this area. This paper concludes that this aspect of modern public library work necessitates the development of targeted staff training and further research in this area.

The Hidden Toll: Exploring the Impact of Challenging Patron Behaviors on Australian Public Library Staff

ABSTRACT As a public-facing profession, public library workers are often exposed to challenging behaviors that raise concern for their safety. To understand these concerns, this study explores these staff safety issues in Australian public libraries through semi-structured interviews with 59 staff members from six library services. Findings reveal that library workers frequently encounter challenging and sometimes violent behaviors from patrons. These incidents impact staff wellbeing, causing stress, anxiety, and potential long-term psychological effects. Many workers receive insufficient workplace support following traumatic incidents, leading to internalization of the trauma the experiences cause. The study highlights the need for improved institutional support and better safety measures. It also recognizes the tension created by libraries’ open-door policies, which may expose workers to potential harm.

Navigating the Modern Libraryscape: The Changing Roles, Labor, and Education of Public Librarians

Public libraries and their staff have recently faced a wide array of challenges. Some of these challenges include supporting services for incarcerated individuals, unhoused patrons, and others experiencing crises (American Library Association, 2023; Gross et al., 2024; Knox, 2023; Wahler and Johnson, 2024). These recent challenges give us, as scholars and educators, an opportunity to take a step back and trace the dynamic work of public library professionals. In response, public library workers take on a variety of tasks. These may involve connecting patrons to social service resources, partnering with community organizations, or creating programs to support specific community needs and interests. Some of this work undertaken by public library staff involves routine, everyday tasks. Other labor is in response to community crises. Understanding this work is central to our ability to consider how the realities of public library work impact LIS scholarship and education. This panel provides a space for open conversation among panelists and the ALISE community to address the following overarching questions: What does the work of public librarianship look like, in terms of roles and labor? How can a better understanding of these roles and the reality of public library work inform how we approach LIS scholarship and teaching? Our panel will consider several aspects of public library work, with a view toward connecting theory, research, and practical workforce preparation.

Who Am I? How Public Library Staff Manage Conflicting Information about the Self‐Concept

ABSTRACTThis poster describes how public library staff manage conflicting information about their identity. Public library staff completed audio diaries about times throughout the workday that made them feel frustrated or uncomfortable, revealing times when external and internal information about their self‐concept conflicted. Their responses were coded according to established conflict styles, revealing a dynamic approach to identity construction.

Selecting Printed Music in Public Libraries: A Committee-Driven Method for Curating Printed Music

ABSTRACT The height of the COVID-19 public health emergency saw libraries conducting collection audits of their materials, including their print music collections. The trend in contemporary public libraries in the United States is one which emphasizes generalization in its workforce regarding domain specialty knowledge and skills. This has necessitated an influx in inquiries delivered to the Music Library Association’s Public Libraries Committee on the topic of print music collection development from public library staff who lack the necessary training and experience. In response, the Public Libraries Committee created a document focusing on best practices in print music collection development that recommends 250 print music titles for public library acquisition. Selecting Printed Music in Public Libraries was produced using strategies similar to focus group research methods and addresses a novel dilemma found in public libraries – library workers tasked with managing music collections without the knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively do so. This article is framed as a case study and offers an overview of the development of the Public Libraries Committee’s (PLC) document, Selecting Printed Music in Public Libraries. Additionally, this article describes the content included within the PLC’s document and offers recommendations for how to improve it moving forward.

Romance Genre and Collection Management in Australia and New Zealand Public Libraries

ABSTRACT Despite focusing on stories that end happily ever after, the romance genre and public libraries have a difficult history. Many library’s acquisition policies include the purchasing of romances for the collection and even provide a percentage of the funds to romances. Other libraries purchase a small number of romances but there are some that are only collected via donation. The collection development of romance is not clear-cut. Cataloguing of romance novels shows that not all books have full catalogue records nor are certain types of romances even considered worthy of being listed in the catalogue. The catalogue is about the discoverability of materials (all formats) for the customers. This research explores the purchasing, collection development and cataloguing practices of romance novels in Australian and New Zealand public libraries. A survey was sent to the public library staff responsible for collection development in Australia and New Zealand. Questions about collection development and cataloguing were then combined with data derived from catalogue searches of romance novel titles in a sample of public libraries in a mixed-method approach to explore the perceptions and practices within public libraries in Australia and New Zealand.

Canadian Public Library Pandemic Response: Bridging the Digital Divide and Preparing for Future Pandemics

This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on computer and Internet access services in Canadian public libraries as well as the implications of this lack of access for people facing socioeconomic barriers, and how Canadian public libraries could address digital divide issues in the post-pandemic era. Recommendations on future pandemic preparedness for public libraries are also discussed in this article. This research project conducted a bilingual (English and French) online survey targeting public library technicians, librarians, and library board members across Canada. From 1,631 research invitation emails sent to public library staff across Canada and three Facebook posts on Canadian public library staff groups, over a one-year period from November 3, 2021, to November 6, 2022. 226 individuals participated in the online survey questionnaire. Findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated social inequalities in Canada, including access to computers and the Internet. The digital divide could lead to poor health outcomes and put existing disadvantaged populations at greater risk in terms of future employment opportunities. The digital divide needs to be addressed so that Canadians in low-income households and those living with disabilities do not get left behind. Importantly, public libraries in Canada have been working tirelessly to equalize access to computers, the Internet, and digital literacy training and support. Their determination, social responsibility, and professional ethics need to be acknowledged. Finally, this article's recommendations for future pandemic preparedness in Canadian public libraries may also be applicable and beneficial to public libraries globally.

Designing for Communities with Communities: A Public Library Codesign Project

ABSTRACT Codesigning public library spaces is often limited to consulting with end-users rather than giving them a role as actual co-designers. This article advocates for more genuine codesign of public library spaces and critically examines the prevalent challenges in achieving true codesign in public library developments. The article introduces a two-year Australian Research Council Linkage research project, ‘Designing for Communities with Communities’. The project aims to provide public library staff with a set of codesign tools they can adapt for their own particular projects. Using comparative case studies, the project will also identify the challenges of integrating codesign into the development of public library spaces, and key factors in the effectiveness of projects that seek their communities’ inputs and engagement. This article introduces the theory of participatory and codesign, and sets out the basic conceptual framework for the project. It also reports on its initial stages, including preliminary interviews with key protagonists and preliminary user surveys about existing spaces. Moreover, the article discusses the design of the case studies’ community workshops, where most of the actual codesigning will take place, with an extensive discussion and analysis of the activities that could be included in these workshops.

"Deathless fragments within the reach of many …": Tracing Four Decades of Manuscript Fragmentation via the Lima (OH) Public Library Staff Loan Fund Association Archive

Abstract: The breaking and dispersal of Otto Ege's manuscripts have been the subject of focused scholarly inquiry for nearly three decades, with new discoveries and insights emerging with regularity as more scholars and collectors work to uncover previously unrecognized and unrecorded Ege manuscript fragments in an attempt to reconstruct their original codicological and historical contexts. But the historical records of Ege's biblioclasm are just as fragmentary as the manuscripts he broke, and much remains unknown about the business practices, partnerships, and processes that facilitated the distribution of his manuscripts' pages. Drawing upon a new cache of archival documentation discovered by the author, this article sheds new light on one of Ege's most important commercial partnerships, highlighting his decades-long enterprise with the Lima (OH) Public Library to market and sell fragments to their mutual financial benefit and for the first time revealing the full statistical and financial extent of the Ege-Lima partnership—and its lasting impact on the distribution of medieval manuscripts across North America (and beyond).

Australian public libraries during the COVID-19 crisis: operations, management and service provision

PurposeThe purpose of this research was to investigate how Australian public libraries responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of management, planning and communication. The study also investigated operational approaches to the development and implementation of new and adapted models of service and resource delivery.Design/methodology/approachUtilising a multiple qualitative case study approach, interviews were conducted with 15 Australian public library staff members at three library services – one inner-city, one regional and one remote. Inductive thematic analysis was employed to generate insights into the operations and management strategies employed during the COVID-19 crisis.FindingsFindings suggest that public library managers performed admirably in the face of significant logistical, budgetary and regulatory challenges. Five key themes emerged to represent the ways in which public library leaders responded effectively to the crisis: resourcefulness, flexibility, presence, sensitivity and communication. Results also demonstrate the importance placed on library users’ welfare.Originality/valueThis research represents the first study to focus on the response of Australian public library managers to the significant challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify the strategies employed by library leaders to respond effectively. In doing so this research provides valuable insights into how public library managers can prepare for future crises.

Assessing the Capacity of Public and School Libraries toward the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 4

The objective of this study is to investigate the capacity of public and school libraries towards the achievement of SDG4. Using data collected from school and public library staff, head teachers and education officers in Zanzibar, the study examined the level of awareness of SDG4 among library staff, library human and physical resources capacity and the effectiveness of library programs in promoting lifelong learning. The study used a cross-sectional design, whereas a mixed approach through a convergence method was used to collect, analyze and interpret data. A non-probability sampling under purposive sampling techniques was applied to select respondents for this study. Primary data was collected through a survey method using a structured standardized questionnaire, face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. A total of 100 library staff filled out questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with 42 respondents while 18 were involved in focus group discussions. The study revealed that public and school libraries provided common traditional services like book circulation and reference services, but their contribution did not correlate with the efforts needed to promote lifelong learning in the modern era. The libraries were faced with several challenges including inadequate budget and a lack of policy and strategies for the implementation of lifelong learning targets. The study recommends that the education authorities should address and prioritize the agenda of lifelong learning by improving the capacity of public and school libraries, while a national-wide library campaign toward the promotion of lifelong learning should be introduced with the involvement of public and school libraries.

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.

Responding to the Lifelong Learning Targets: collaborative Efforts of Public and School Libraries

This study aims to examine the collaborative efforts of public and school libraries to implement lifelong learning targets. Using data collected from school and public library staff, head teachers and education officers in Zanzibar, this study seeks to obtain opinions regarding public library support provided to school libraries, types of collaborative programs that public and school libraries engaged in to attain lifelong learning targets, and the effectiveness of library joint programs in promoting lifelong learning opportunities. The study used a cross-sectional design, whereas a mixed approach through the convergence method was used to collect, analyze and interpret data. A non-probability sampling under purposive sampling techniques was applied to select respondents for this study. Primary data was collected through a survey method using a structured standardized questionnaire, face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. A total of 36 public library staff and 94 school library staff filled out questionnaires. Interviews were conducted with 42 respondents while 18 respondents were involved in focus group discussions. Findings revealed the existence of collaborative efforts between public libraries and school libraries. However, there were neither collaborative plans nor assessment and evaluation strategies, thus, the program’s implementation did not guarantee the effective promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all. The study recommends that the education authorities should address and prioritize the agenda of lifelong learning by introducing a national-wide library collaboration campaign toward the implementation of SDG 4 targets along with the improvement of public and school libraries’ capacity in terms of staff and resources.

Staff engagement and perceptions of video games in public libraries in Aotearoa New Zealand

Purpose This paper aims to investigate public library staff engagement and perceptions of video games and video game services. Design/methodology/approach Quantitative and qualitative data on staff video game experiences, perceptions and confidence were collected through an online questionnaire. Findings The results indicate an overall positive perception of video games in public libraries, with 87% of the respondents supporting video games in public libraries. Video game players appear to think more positively about video games and have more general knowledge about them than non-players. They also appeared to be more confident in delivering related services and were more likely to be running gaming-related events. It was concluded that staff attitudes towards video games are not a barrier to their inclusion in public libraries, as found in previous research. Practical implications Encouraging staff engagement with video games may improve their knowledge and confidence in delivering video game services, although further research is required to confirm this. There is a potentially underserved population of those aged 46–84 years, nearly half of whom play video games. Evaluation of this potentially underserved population is an interesting topic for future research. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was the first survey of public library staff views towards video games in Aotearoa New Zealand, and it updates previous research in light of developments in gaming, gaming technology and the increased focus on public libraries as providers of digital technology and sites of community engagement.

The role of trust in leadership, knowledge sharing and quality of information systems on innovation and motivation of public library staff

The role of trust in leadership, knowledge sharing and quality of information systems on innovation and motivation of public library staff

The role of public libraries in urban entrepreneurship

While public libraries are commonly perceived in their role of providing access to books, many urban public libraries are finding new ways to contribute to local economic growth through services to entrepreneurs and small business owners. This paper explores the unique audiences that public libraries can reach, the assets they provide, explorations into the entrepreneurship ecosystem, and two case studies of library systems. Public libraries provide economic benefits through their physical buildings, economic mobility programmes and services, particularly their workforce development offerings. Building on this, targeted business outreach to entrepreneurs creates a new opportunity for economic impact. As inventoried by public library staff, libraries provide physical space, technology and equipment, training and education and research service assets to local entrepreneurs. The two case studies of urban public libraries in the US, Mid-Continent Public Library, Missouri and Spokane Public Library (SPL), Washington, show different service models to entrepreneurs and business owners and aligned partners. As public libraries continue to evolve their service models in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are additional opportunities for the library to contribute to their local economic recovery.

Library based walking groups in Scotland: Exploring benefits, challenges and opportunities

Public libraries support a range of health and wellbeing activities, however little research has been done into the provision of library adult walking groups. This paper reports on a unique study exploring how widely adult walking groups are provided through Scottish public libraries, as well as library staff perceptions of the benefits, challenges and opportunities of these services. A rich qualitative research approach was used, involving Freedom of Information requests to the 32 Scottish local authority regions, an online questionnaire with 106 complete responses, and 8 follow-up interviews with Scottish public library staff, with and without walking group experience. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes from collected data. Results show that adult walking groups are not widely provided through Scottish public libraries. However, respondents identified benefits for user groups, including but not limited to: improvements to participants’ health and social wellbeing; and increased engagement with library services. A range of opportunities for public libraries were highlighted, including staff interest, partnership working and a current focus on health and wellbeing. Challenges encompass resource restrictions, variations in partnership working and lack of effective networking. This original study provides valuable insights into the provision of public library walking groups in Scotland. It suggests that many factors can potentially influence the success of this library health and wellbeing service, with a range of different possible approaches. Results indicate that successful provision of a public library walking group may require close partnership working; adequate networking and information-sharing between public library staff; as well as sufficient resources; and staff interest. This exploratory study provides transferable insights and a basis for future research.

Are library staff autonomous? The influence of routines and the development of workarounds

As knowledge workers, library staff are assumed to be highly autonomous, meaning that they are in control of how work is done. Yet, this work is heavily influenced by the expectations of others, and the expectation to take control can pressure staff to overwork. In this qualitative study, 13 public library staff members engaged in think-alouds (TAs) and semi-structured interviews (SSIs) aimed at uncovering potential misalignments between a staff member’s own prescriptive expectations for library work and the expectations of management, customers, colleagues, and technological and material artifacts. Findings suggest that public library staff have several expectations for how work will be done and, at times, want the freedom to control work in ways that match these expectations. They devise and implement defiance workarounds aimed at reinforcing their own expectations in the face of conflicting expectations from other system actors. Yet, autonomy is a multifaceted concept that goes beyond the mere need for control and, sometimes, giving up control meant that other needs were fulfilled. This study advances research on the nature of workplace autonomy and the active role of workers in its expression. This study also has implications for library management, as it suggests important considerations for shared autonomy and workplace relationships, as well as the need to engage in efforts aimed at shifting problematic expectations in the library work system.

Measuring What Matters: Comparing Costs and Performance of Municipal Libraries and Library Districts

ABSTRACT This study examines public municipal libraries and public library districts at the local government level in the U.S. and specifically Illinois, the state with the most units of local government and public library districts in the country. This study contributes to the study of public libraries by providing a comparison between district and municipal libraries. Based on a national survey of public libraries and interviews with public library staff, we found that, on average, special district libraries received more financial input, provided more programs and services, and generated higher service output than their municipal counterparts. However, the differences between these two types of libraries may vary by states. Using Illinois as an example, district libraries may receive less revenue than municipal libraries. District libraries in Illinois also provided fewer services and programs and generated less service output than municipal libraries.

Digital first: challenges for public and regional libraries in Sweden

Between 2018- 2020, Swedish public library staff were involved in the national project Digital First to strengthen their capability to support citizens in developing digital competencies. In this paper we focus on the challenges that staff and management in public and regional libraries experienced while striving to support people’s development of digital competencies. In 2019 we met with staff and managers of five public libraries in different parts of Sweden for interviews and focus groups. In 2020, 19 online interviews and 18 email questionnaires were carried out with 20 regional coordinators of the Digital First project. The two datasets were combined for a comprehensive analysis, supplemented with data from quarterly reports collected by the national coordinator of Digital First. We conducted a qualitative content analysis guided by the theoretical concepts of institutional logic and legitimacy. On the municipal and the regional level, library staff offered education and support to users in the development of digital skills. The respondents referred to the Swedish Library Act and to their experience of citizens’ information needs to justify the library’s involvement in these activities. However, prospective users seldom experienced a need for competency development, nor did they regard libraries as sources for help with digital skill-building. Other bodies within the municipal organization (e.g. IT departments) were also often ignorant of the library’s remit and area of expertise in digital skills. Tensions were identified among the expectations laid out at a national level in policy documents, the needs that library professionals strived to meet in their local work environments, and the expectations of the public. These tensions have complicated the ongoing efforts to justify the relevance of public and regional library work in Sweden.