Public School Libraries Research Articles

"We Move": How Florida School Librarians are Protecting Controversial Titles and Navigating a Legally Perilous Environment

Using a mixed method approach and informed by Noelle-Neumann’s Spiral of Silence Theory, this study examines the impact on school librarians of recent legislation in Florida that has facilitated widespread materials challenges and removals of titles in public school libraries across the state. Participants were presented with several series of questions that included their comfortability with collecting materials that could potentially be considered controversial, and their perceptions of support for their collection development decisions by stakeholders including principals, parents, colleagues, and their community. Additional series of questions focused on the participants’ experience with self-censorship and their familiarity with both Florida State law and federal case law that pertains to students’ First Amendment and intellectual freedom rights. Multiple, successive rounds of recruitment yielded 49 survey participants and 9 interviewees. Preliminary analysis suggests that Florida school librarians increasingly rely on professional reviews to both guide their selection choices as well as protect themselves in the event of a materials challenge. Additionally, although a large majority of the respondents indicated strong support for intellectual freedom, many avoid selecting materials perceived as controversial to avoid controversy. However, the data also suggest that communication, collaboration, and involvement with like-minded individuals and organizations can be key mitigators of self-censorship and appear to offer a fruitful avenue to assist Florida school librarians in navigating the current environment. Finally, Florida school librarians appear to have a more robust awareness and deeper understanding of state laws compared to the federal case law that provides critical context.

Atividades de Mediação da Leitura nas Bibliotecas Escolares da Rede Pública Estadual de Salvador

The general objective of this research was to highlight how reading mediation activities are developed in the school libraries in the Salvador state public educational network. In terms of methodology, this research was descriptive, employing a multiple case study approach to investigate reading mediation activities in these libraries. Moreover, questionnaires were applied by email seeking to understand how reading mediation activities are carried out in the 22 public school libraries. The results of the survey revealed that 19 librarians engage in reading mediation activities and that the most frequently cited objective for these activities was to encourage/stimulate/induce interest in reading. Thus, through the investigative trajectory, it was possible to conclude that the most common approach to reading mediation activities in public schools libraries in the Salvador state public educational network involves collective actions that occur more directly, with the participation of readers.

Politics and Children's Books: Evidence From School Library Collections

The recent spike in book challenges has put school libraries at the center of heated political debates. I investigate the relationship between local politics and school library collections using data on books with controversial content from a sample of 6,631 public school libraries. Libraries in conservative areas have fewer titles with LGBTQ, race/racism, or abortion content and more Christian fiction and discontinued Dr. Seuss books. This is true even though most libraries have at least some controversial content. State laws that restrict curricular content are negatively related to access to some LGBTQ and race/racism titles. Finally, I present short-term evidence that book challenges in the 2021–22 school year are associated with decreases in the acquisition of new LGBTQ materials.

These Books Matter

In recent years there has been an increase in book banning in public schools, which denies students access to texts. Therefore, it is essential that individuals become advocates against censorship in public school libraries. An educational/advocacy event was held on a university campus as part of the nationwide events highlighting the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week. The focus of this event was for participants to read/listen to readings of banned books, learn about the types of books that are banned in K-12 public schools across the country, understand the process (or lack thereof) by which books are typically banned, and discuss ways to advocate against banning books in public school libraries. Each of the six event engagements was thoughtfully designed to engage participants with banned books. Individuals/groups who desire to host their own event for Banned Books Week (or any anti-censorship event) can use this framework to develop their event to advocate against censorship.

Parent Institutions and Innovations in School Library Management in Nigeria: A Conceptual Review

School libraries have become vital resources of information that assist pupils, students, and staff in primary, secondary, and other non-tertiary institutions to appropriately respond to their varied information needs. They can be seen as indispensable facilities established with the objective of providing learning resources to enrich curriculum, supplement textbooks and classroom instruction and give users unlimited opportunities for learning. For any school library to remain relevant in this digital age and current climate, it has to be innovative. It has to the concern of parent institutions, “owners” to adopt cutting-age strategies to instill innovation into the management of school libraries. It is obvious that when school libraries receive proper attention from parent institutions, the school library resources, services, facilities, and physical environment, etc will be adequately innovated for desired patronage. This paper presents the conceptual description of school library and its imperatives. Innovation elements and roles of parent institutions in the school library management are highlighted. Implications, tools, and skills for innovation in school library management are extensively examined. The paper reveals factors affecting parent institutions and innovations in school library management. In conclusion, the paper establishes that for school libraries take their pride of place as learning hub, innovation must be embrace with all seriousness and sincerity by all stakeholders, especially the parent institutions. This study recommends among others, adequate funding of public school libraries in Nigeria and retooling of school librarians for effective implementation of innovative strategies.

Book Censorship in Public Schools: Examining Florida HB 1467 (2022)

Several pieces of legislation have sprung up in recent years in Florida aiming to restrict public school library books and curricular materials. Notably, this coincides with other state legislative moves to restrict what students read and learn in school with partisan purposes. Library associations have reported that nationally, removed books disproportionately contain LGBTQ and racial minority themes. One law at the heart of these restrictions, Florida HB 1467 (2022), empowers community members to challenge and remove public school books and adds bureaucratic obstacles to the access of previously allowable materials. The vague and broad language of the Florida law leads to erratic application by school districts across the state, resulting in the suppression of protected speech. This article examines a key constitutional tension: Under what circumstances does the students’ right to receive information under the First Amendment outweigh school officials’ authority, and, by extension, parental authority over local education under the Tenth Amendment? The U.S. Supreme Court in Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico (1982) offers one answer, holding that political orthodoxy is an unacceptable rationale for removal, but pervasive vulgarity and educational unsuitability are acceptable. These three standards are useful, yet entangle in ways Pico is not fully suited to address. This article argues HB 1467 (2022) is unconstitutional under the political orthodoxy Pico standard, strict scrutiny analysis of content-based regulations, and the vagueness and overbreadth doctrines of the 1st Amendment.

Avenues for Engagement? Testing the Democratic Nature of Library Book Challenge Processes

Background or Context: Public school library book challenges have garnered ample media attention in recent years as many school districts and advocacy organizations have reported record numbers of book challenges. Book challenges are not a new phenomenon, historically speaking, but they have often illuminated values clashes in communities and raise questions about the rights and freedoms of public school students. Judicial rulings and school district policies that address book challenges could provide insights for many members of school communities (including, but not limited to, school board members, students, parents, and teachers) as they experience challenges, but these aspects of the legal record and their influence on responses to book challenges remains underexamined in scholarship. Purpose, Objective, Research Question, or Focus of Study: The 1982 Supreme Court case Island Trees School District v. Pico remains the lasting judicial precedent for interpreting public school students’ First Amendment rights as they interact with school library books. We examine the extent to which school district book challenge policies align with court precedent set in Pico (1982) and the implications for students’ rights and democratic participation during book challenges. Research Design: Drawing on elements of the law and society framework as well as political analysis categories, this study uses qualitative methods to illuminate specific elements of district policies that govern book challenges. Specifically, we examine 29 policies in school districts that experienced a publicly reported book challenge between 2017 and 2021 to understand relationships between school district book challenge policies and the Pico (1982) precedent. Conclusions or Recommendations: Our findings reveal ample space between judicial rulings and school district policies we examine. In fact, we find a broader array of relevant actors in book challenge processes than conceived by the courts and raise implications for students’ constitutional rights and protections related to who policies indicate may or must be involved in these processes, the settings in which book challenge decisions are made, and the limited roles for public involvement during school library book challenges.

The Reception of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables in the Brazilian Context

Applying the theoretical contributions of the reception theories of Hans Robert Jauss, this short essay discusses the reception of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables in the Brazilian context, reflecting on the reasons that this novel became popular and flourished in several translations and adaptations only recently; more specifically, the essay relates this to the growth of reading levels, a government initiative for public school libraries, and the television series adaptation Anne with an “E.”

Are "Book Bans" Unconstitutional? Reflections on Public School Libraries and the Limits of Law

Are "Book Bans" Unconstitutional? Reflections on Public School Libraries and the Limits of Law

PENELITIAN ANALISIS KEBUTUHAN PENGGUNA MELALUI DATABASE GOOGLE SCHOLAR: NARATIVE LITERATURE REVIEW

The problem of many unused library materials in a library may be due to the mismatch of the collection with the needs of library users. Some users are not satisfied with the library because the collection or information available in the library does not match what they want. So it is necessary to find out the needs of users so that all collections can be utilized properly by users because it suits their needs. The purpose of this research is to find out the analysis of user needs in the library. This research uses a narrative literature review method from references related to the topic of user needs analysis in libraries with a total of 10 references analyzed. Public libraries, national libraries, school libraries, college libraries, and special libraries will all be included in this study. The characteristics of library users differ depending on their information needs and background. In essence, the public are the main users of the library. People who utilize the library have a wide range of needs, including students, lecturers, teachers, staff, and the general public. User needs analysis activities conducted by libraries are done in various ways such as interviews, observations, case studies, and others. The community acts as the main user of the library. The community will assist the library in every user needs analysis activity. Therefore, the community will also determine the collections that must be in the library according to their respective information needs. This research will produce user needs analysis activities that have been carried out by various libraries with different users according to the type of library.Keyword:Analysis of user needs, collections, libraries

Public Librarians in the Hot Seat? Moral Injury in the Post-Truth Era

This paper examines the ethical considerations surrounding intellectual freedom and social responsibility in public libraries (i.e., municipal and public school libraries) in the post-truth era. While libraries serve a crucial role in fostering an informed democracy, recent events have put public libraries, and front-line librarians themselves, in the “hot seat.” This paper examines the implications of recent campaigns for book bans, considerations around public libraries purchasing harmful and anti-science information, as well as political efforts to restrict the types of information public librarians are able to share with the public. Public librarians are professionally trained to value the role libraries serve as an information institution in a democracy; however, we argue that the contemporary ethical dilemmas public librarians face inflicts moral injury and may actively harm the identity central to public librarians’ motivation to serve their communities. The paper concludes with a sobering discussion of how these ethical dilemmas in public libraries might serve as a cautionary tale for bureaucrats working on the front-lines of public service in the post-truth era.

Strategi Pengembangan Perpustakaan di Indonesia

The National Library of Indonesia has made a revolution in library development, but not all types of libraries in Indonesia have followed suit. Until now, the results of library development both in terms of quality and quantity have not been optimal. This can be seen in the gap between the number of accredited and unaccredited libraries. The purpose of this study was determine the strategy of the National Library of Indonesia in fostering and developing public libraries, special libraries, school libraries and university libraries in Indonesia. This research method uses qualitative research with a descriptive approach. Data collection techniques using interviews, observation, and literature study. This study examines the strategy of library development in Indonesia is presented in the form of a description or narrative. The development function of the National Library of Indonesia by the work unit of the Public and Special Library Development Center (PPPUK) and the School and College Library Development Center (P3SMPT) with programs are in accordance with their duties and functions as regulators, motivators, and evaluators

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.

Utilization of School Library as Determinant of Reading Habit of Senior Secondary School Students in Abuja Metropolis

This study was conducted to determine the utilization of school library as determinant of reading habit of senior secondary school students in Abuja Metropolis. Two research questions and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the study. Descriptive survey research design was used for the study. The population of the study was all 16362 students in public secondary schools in Abuja Metropolis. A sample of 579 students was selected to take part in the study using simple random sampling technique. An instrument entitled “Utilization of Public School Library as determinants of reading habits questionnaire (UPSLDRQ)” was used in collecting data for the study. The instrument was validated by three experts and test re-test reliability was conducted for the instrument. A reliability coefficient of .83 was obtained for the instrument using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Data collected for the study were analysed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and independent t-test to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study indicated that there is a significant influence of library utilization on the reading habit of students. It was recommended among others that government should provide all secondary schools in Abuja metropolis with modern and functional libraries.

Remembering LHRT

Remembering LHRT

Silence in the Stacks

School libraries in the United States of America have recently experienced an unprecedented number of external censorship attempts. Some censorship attempts, however, quietly occur when the school librarian engages in self-censorship, removing or refusing to purchase materials they consider to be controversial. This collection analysis study explored the extent of self-censorship in 90 Texas public high school libraries based on the exclusion of 55 controversial books in their collections, examining (1) possible relationships between a school’s characteristics and the absence of controversial books, (2) the extent to which the librarians are engaging in self-censorship, and (3) the controversial topics least likely to be included in collections. Findings suggest campus enrollment and district size were moderate to strong predictors of the number of expected books in a school library. More than half of the school libraries had the number of books one would expect based on their district size and campus enrollment. Books with transgender or LGBTQIA+ content were less likely to be found in school libraries, whereas titles featuring profanity, drinking, and drug use were most likely to appear, regardless of campus, district, and city size.

The Trend of Library Development in Indonesia and the Effects on Literacy Skills in Schools

This study has the purpose of explaining the trend of library development in Indonesia from 2017-2021, studying the significance, and analysing the effects on the development of literacy skills in schools. This study was designed as a quantitative descriptive, comparison, and correlational analysis. The results of this study indicate that the trend of Library Growth in Indonesia continuously increased except in 2018 due to a regrouping policy for primary schools. Secondly, the library growth in Indonesia has shown a significant difference each year in public and private schools. Although in 2018, there was no significant difference in terms of the average percentage of library growth for schools in both public and private environments, what happened in 2019 and 2020 showed different things. Both public and private school libraries have demonstrated significant differences in the average percentage growth of libraries to schools in 2019 and 2020. Even in 2021, the average accumulation percentage of growth in the number of libraries in public schools is already above 90%, while in private schools, it is still below 90%. Lastly, a significant moderate positive relationship between the national average libraries to school ratio and Alibaca Index/Reading Literacy Score means that a library's presence in schools has moderately influenced students' literacy skills.

Key skills and competencies of LIS professionals in the digital library environment: a content analysis of job advertisements

PurposeThe main purpose of this research study is to identify the essential skills and competencies sought by prospective employers for library and information science (LIS) positions in India. The research study aims to find out various designated positions in job advertisements.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from a major weekly job journal “Employment News” in India over five years from 2016 to 2020. The Employment News provides the latest job vacancies of central/state governments, public sector undertakings and autonomous bodies in India. Each issue of Employment News was carefully scanned and searched for job advertisements in the field of LIS. The researcher analyzed various posts on permanent, deputation and short-term contracts to gain insights into the job’s skills.FindingsThe findings highlight that public sector academic and school libraries are the top employers of LIS professionals. One of the most frequent demands of employers is profession-related work experience. Results show that employers place the strongest emphasis on library administration, computer knowledge, technical skills, managerial skills and soft skills. Library management, library supervision and procurement of journals and books are the primary job responsibilities for top-level positions.Research limitations/implicationsThe weekly job journal, Employment News, is the largest source of LIS jobs in publicly funded organizations and institutions in India. It does not cover private educational institutes, industries and corporates. Job-related data were collected solely from this journal for the duration of 2016–2020. Therefore, this research study does not fully represent the LIS job market with regard to private educational institutes and corporate organizations.Practical implicationsThe research findings can help LIS professionals prepare themselves according to market needs and demands. The LIS school should integrate these required skills and competencies into the course curriculum for preparing professionals in the digital age.Originality/valueThe results are benchmarked to guide and evaluate LIS course curricula in India. LIS schools may emphasize soft skills in future curriculum design, which employers frequently seek.

Fight the far right's attempts to censor Texas public school library books!

Fight the far right's attempts to censor Texas public school library books!

Technology use in Government School Libraries in Medellin, Colombia

School libraries have been widely studied in Colombia from infrastructure capacities to their importance in educational institutions. However, these studies have failed to illustrate librarians’ perceptions of technologies, their adoption and how students use technologies within their schools. This research presents a new approach to school libraries in Colombia by identifying technology adoption, use and use of open source materials within public school libraries using a mixed-methods approach. Results reveal low technology adoption among school librarians and high use for students in social media and mobile devices.