Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Book Banning Trend Fuels Far-Reaching Effects, As Well As Challenges To Restrictions, Elizabeth Macdonald

Missouri Policy Journal

Recently, there has been a rapid rise in educational censorship efforts in Missouri and nationwide. There have been escalating book bans in Missouri schools accompanied by conservative backlash against diversity initiatives and manufactured outrage over Critical Race Theory (CRT). While public opinion opposes banning books, legislative efforts surrounding Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Critical Race Theory initiatives have contributed to the rapid increase of bans. Conservative media misrepresents critical race theory to justify censorship in all academic settings. Postsecondary education faces unique challenges, with proposed bans on DEI initiatives threatening accreditation, academic freedom, and quality of education. With bans …

Succession And Workforce Planning In Small To Mid-Size Academic Libraries In The United States, Kaci Resau

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study sought to explore the use of succession and workforce planning in small to mid-size academic libraries in the United States. Utilizing Paula Singer’s 2010 definition of succession planning, sixty-three library leaders from across the United States shared their knowledge and expertise in one-tone interviews on the library’s efforts to create “continuity in key positions, develop intellectual and knowledge capital for the future, and encourage individual advancement.” The study uses the traditional model of public administration, new public management, and new public service to explain the findings. The participants’ perception of succession planning was positive. Though not all participants …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Library Board Governance: An Analysis Of Public Library Board Meeting Processes And Participation In Canada In 2020, Sarah Macintyre

MPA Major Research Papers

In March 2020, provincial and municipal governments in Canada implemented measures to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, municipalities had to quickly transition to holding their public meetings in new ways. Some organizations moved to teleconference meetings, while others used videoconferencing software. Public libraries were no exception to this, and library boards began holding their public board meetings electronically. The aims of this study are threefold: First, to identify what methods were used to hold electronic public library board meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic, second, to determine whether such methods resulted in a change in public …

Libraries At The Centre Of Community Transformation: A Bibliometric Study (2009-2019) Of The Influence Of Libraries On Segments Of Human Communities In Nigeria, Tochukwu Victor Nwankwo, Adizetu A. Ali Dr, Boniface U. Asadu

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose – The objective of the research was to undertake a bibliometric study (2009-2019) on the influence of libraries on segments of human communities in Nigeria. The specific objectives are to determine the bibliometric newspapers, databases, and institutional repository components of the Nigerian Academic, Social, Economic, Judicial, Political, Health, Cultural, and Religious Communities.

Design/methodology/approach – The method adopted was the descriptive survey research design; specifically the online content analysis technique was co-opted. The study covered all the publications published for or about Library Transformation in Nigeria by both Nigerians and foreigners (2009-2019); that are domiciled in Nigerian Online Newspapers, Online …

Beyond Books: Evaluating Maker Spaces In Ontario’S Municipal Library Systems, Lise Conde

MPA Major Research Papers

This exploratory research paper looks at how Ontario’s municipal library systems evaluate their maker spaces and programming. The literature review provides context on the purpose and value of libraries, the structure and agency of municipal libraries in Ontario and academic and applied studies of program evaluation. The research seeks to answer four questions: What municipal libraries have maker spaces and what are their characteristics? How have they positioned this service in terms of purpose and value? How have they measured success? What can Ontario’s municipal library systems learn from the evaluation of maker spaces to position themselves for the future? …

Ua1c2/17 Cravens Graduate Center & Library Photos, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Images of the Cravens Graduate Center & Library.

Career Paths And Leadership Skills Of Public Library Ceos, Simona Dinu

MPA Major Research Papers

Abstract: This research paper is an exploratory study of the career paths and leadership skills of public library CEOs in the province of Ontario. The purpose is to inform current library leaders as they develop succession plans, library boards when they recruit for a new CEO and those interested in advancing their careers and moving into senior leadership roles in public libraries. The findings are based on six interviews with successful public library CEOs from CULC (Canadian Urban Libraries Council) member libraries in Ontario. The career paths identified several trends the six participants have in common such as being an …

Cybersecurity In An Age Of Cyberterrorism, University Of South Alabama

Crime/Violence

Bibliography and photographs of a display of government documents from the University of South Alabama.

Creating A Culture Of Meaningful Evaluation In Public Libraries: Moving Beyond Quantitative Metrics, Bill Irwin, Paul St-Pierre

Bill Irwin

The current state of practice sees public libraries, like all public institutions, enduring funding challenges within the dominant political-economic environment, which is shaped by the tenets of new public management and the neoliberal audit society. Libraries, feeling threatened and unsure about their future stability, seek new ways to demonstrate their value. However, they face institutional cultural constraints when attempting to introduce new assessment methods to meet this challenge. The new dynamics require them to go beyond output measures (counts). With research findings supported by survey and interview data from Ontario public libraries, and in agreement with the current literature on …

The 4th Amendment To The U.S. Constitution, Article 3 Of The Ala Code Of Ethics, And Section 215 Of The Usa Patriot Act: Squaring The Triangle, Sue Ann Gardner

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries: Conference Presentations and Speeches

Librarians in the United States have many professional guideposts to inform their work. A patron's right to privacy is one tenet that tends to be upheld tenaciously, and is informed first by the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, among other Amendments, as well as Article III of the American Library Association Code of Ethics. Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the so-called "library provision," contradicts both the 4th Amendment and Article III of the ALA Code of Ethics, making it a weak third leg of a triangle of guideposts. The speaker explains how Section 215 allows for confiscation …

The Role Of Federal Libraries And Federal Librarians In Research Data Services (Rds): An Exploratory Study, Kimberly L. Douglass, Carol Tenopir, Ben Birch, Suzie Allard, Carol Hoover, Lisa Zolly, Mike Frame

DataONE Sociocultural and Usability & Assessment Working Groups

This study explores the roles federal (government) libraries and librarians play in scientific (international) knowledge development within federal agencies and in the larger scientific enterprise. In particular, this research looks at libraries’ and librarians’ facilitation of scientific inquiry through the application of research data services (RDS). Currently, librarians’ research and data consultation activities with administrators and researchers typically involve creating citations and finding datasets; less frequently, librarians are engaged in data management planning and other RDS activities. However, federal libraries and librarians have been identified as key stakeholders in collaborative science generally and specifically in scientific data cyberinfrastructures, such as …

Towards Proactive And Flexible Agent-Based Generation Of Policy Packages For Active Transportation, Araz Taeihagh, Rene Bañares-Alcántara

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

One of the approaches gaining ground in policy design is the implementation of combinations of policy measures as policy packages with the aim of increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the designed policies. In this paper, we describe the recent advancements in the developments of a virtual environment for the exploration and analysis of policy packages. The virtual environment uses an agent-based modelling approach for the generation of different configurations of policy measures in the policy packages. The benefit of using the approach is the proactive and flexible generation of policy packages as the agents can react to the changes that …

Strategies For Minimizing The Impact Of Reductions In Government Funding On The Susquehanna County Historical Society And Free Library Association, Brenda Ann Syle

MPA Capstone Projects 2006 - 2015

The amount o funding that the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association receives from the State of Pennsylvania has declined by 32% since 2009. The 2010 reduction in funding led to an immediate reduction in services and increased focus on fundraising. This is a significant problem for the Library because the lack of financial stability is affecting their ability to achieve mission-related goals. To assist the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association with this problem, I distributed a survey to 485 public library directors in Pennsylvania in order to determine what strategies other public library directors …

Maine’S Btop Information Commons Project: The Building Block To Statewide Digital Literacy Efforts, Janet Mckenney

Maine Policy Review

Although Maine is a rural state, it has had success in keeping pace with technological changes since the rise of the Internet 20 years ago. In this section, authors describe some of these successes and the challenges faced by both consumers and libraries in the new digital environment. Janet McKenney discusses the recent BTOP [Broadband Technology Opportunities Program] federal grant that has increased the number of computers, workstations, and videoconferencing units in Maine libraries and is providing training and online learning resources to unemployed, low-income and senior citizens, along with assistance to local librarians to increase their technology skills.

Are Libraries Necessary? Are Libraries Obsolete?, Linda Silka, Joyce Rumery

Maine Policy Review

Libraries are under siege. They face competing demands not only from different people but also from the same people at different times. Some assert that libraries must continue to strengthen their role as physical centers at the heart of their communities. Others argue that the future of libraries is at the leading edge of the revolution in digital information technologies. The authors introduce this special issue of Maine Policy Review on libraries and information. They provide an overview of the importance and complexity of the issues underlying these varying visions for how Maine libraries should serve their communities in the …

The Maine School And Library Network, Thomas L. Welch

Maine Policy Review

Although Maine is a rural state, it has had success in keeping pace with technological changes since the rise of the Internet 20 years ago. In this section, authors describe some of these successes and the challenges faced by both consumers and libraries in the new digital environment. Tom Welch describes the development and importance of the Maine School and Library Network [MSLN], a pioneering effort that has brought inexpensive high-speed connectivity to all schools and libraries in Maine.

Maine Libraries: A History Of Sharing And Collaboration, James Jackson Sanborn, David Nutty

Maine Policy Review

The high degree of collaboration among all types of Maine libraries is a unique and defining characteristic of the Maine library community. This article explores the history of sharing and cooperation among Maine’s libraries, identifies several ongoing collaborations and current projects, and explores some of the underlying factors that support this culture of collaboration. An argument is made for policies that would further collaboration through better coordination and funding of cooperative library activities.

Libraries In The Community: Changing Opportunities, Stephanie Zurinski, Valerie Osborne, Mamie Anthoine-Ney, Janet Mckenney

Maine Policy Review

When libraries first began, books were scarce and expensive. We live now in the Information Age. Public expectations about information are rapidly evolving. To remain relevant, libraries are expanding on sociologist Ray Oldenburg’s “Third Place” concept – public spaces which are “anchors of community life and important places for civic engagement”. Libraries have always offered a place for the community to come together. Now, libraries are becoming destinations by offering experiences ranging from the traditional story-telling to creation spaces and business incubators. Even with all the changes occurring in the world, libraries will remain the glue that holds the community …

Library Lockdown: Preparing For Violent Crime At The Swosu Libraries, Jason Dupree

Faculty Articles & Research

No abstract provided.

Collections & Connections, Jennifer Wilson

Collections & Connections

This is a biannual publication of the Western Kentucky University Libraries featuring its special events, new collections and services, and achievements of its employees. It is distributed to WKU alumni, Friends of the WKU Libraries & Museum, and the public.

The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act: How It Pertains To Georgia’S Libraries, Diana J. Very

Georgia Library Quarterly

The article presents information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and discusses its significance to libraries in Georgia. The legislation, also referred as the Stimulus Public Law 111-5, is intended to create supplemental appropriations for job preservation and creation, infrastructure investment, energy efficiency and science, assistance to the unemployed, and local and state fiscal stabilization. It also discusses the challenges posed by the legislation on library administrators. It explores the funding opportunities that public libraries need to consider.

Ethical Decision-Making In Library Administration, Stephen R. Shorb

The Southeastern Librarian

The first section of this paper develops a simple model for ethical decision-making. A useful model serves two main purposes. First, it easily explains the relationship between the various components of ethical decision-making by creating a chain between the most basic underlying values, the intervening ethical processes, and the actions that finally result. Thus, decisions can be more easily explained and justified. Second, use of the model may also assist in the actual implementation of the decision. A step-by-step progression through the model has the additional benefit of modeling the developmental stages found in models for the ethical maturation of …

Libraries And Donors: Maintaining The Status Quo, Steven Cox

The Southeastern Librarian

Many librarians who manage special collections are grateful for the donations of items or collections that fall within their mission and collection scope. In turn, most donors find satisfaction in knowing that their gifts are housed in repositories, where they will be preserved and maintained by qualified staff and available to patrons for future years. Oftentimes donors, after receiving formal acknowledgement and sincere thanks for their donations, disappear back into the public landscape, perhaps glad to have found a new home for all those books or items. Their donations are unconditional—no strings attached and no demands for special recognition. The …

Evaluation Of Leadership In Ontario Public Libraries, Reed Osborne

MPA Major Research Papers

This paper examines whether the leadership performance appraisal ratings of public library chief executive officers (CEOs) are influenced by the gender of the CEO. Surveys with 272 board members and management or professional staff at public libraries in Ontario were conducted to determine their evaluations of the CEO for 14 leadership qualities. The findings reveal that female CEOs carry an additional burden in the form of ongoing gender role tensions that male CEOs do not have to endure.

Local Government Documents: A Checklist For Tennessee Public Libraries, Carol C. Hewlett, Barbara Groves

MTAS Publications: Full Publications

One of the major services a public library provides for Its communities Is access to Information generated by local government. This service benefits local governments as well as the community they both serve. Each public library In Tennessee should contain copies of Important city and/or county documents of use and Interest to the residents of the community.