Library and Information Science Commons^™

The Clash Of The Commons: An Imagined Library Commons Discourse, Emily Benoff

Urban Library Journal

The commons has been adopted by LIS as a metaphor for transformational library spaces. However, post-colonial scholarship exposes the material violence and exclusionary practices that coincide(d) with commons-making in Europe and North America. When weighing such assessments against the traditional role of American libraries as mechanisms of colonial values, it becomes necessary for library professionals to critique their continued evocation of commons discourse from a perspective that centers decolonization. Responding to this challenge, I historicize the commons as both an imagined ideology and an actual instrument of power to contextualize Indigenous and post-colonial assessments of commons-making in the settler colonial …

The Adult Programming Palooza: Sharing Ideas, Making Connections, Kara Rumble, Amie Torok

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Palaces For The People: Mapping Public Libraries' Capacity For Social Connection And Inclusion, Nicole K. Dalmer, Pam Mckenzie, Paulette Rothbauer, Ebenezer Martin-Yeboah, Kevin Oswald

FIMS Publications

Public libraries are trusted community hubs that foster connections with individuals of different socioeconomic statuses; ages; ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural backgrounds; and sexual and gender identities. Located in diverse settings, library branches offer resources and programs that meet the specific needs of their communities who are navigating the effects of our increasingly asocial society. Libraries have been shown to cater to individuals contending with higher levels of social isolation and loneliness, as well as increased rates of mental illnesses and antisocial behaviours. The shift to online environments during COVID-19 has exacerbated feelings of disconnection. During these times of change, …

Share Your Story 2021, Virginia Cononie

South Carolina Libraries

100+ libraries from South Carolina's 7 congressional districts join in a collaborative library advocacy campaign to share their services and experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Forwards written from SCLA, the South Carolina Association of School Librarians, Friends of South Carolina Libraries, and the Association of Public Library Administrators.

Doing More With A Dm: A Survey On Library Social Media Engagement, Jason Wardell, Katy Kelly

Roesch Library Faculty Publications

Objectives – This study sought to determine the role social media plays in shaping library services and spaces, and how queries are received, responded to, and tracked differently by different types of libraries.

Methods – In April and May of 2021, researchers conducted a nine-question survey (Appendix A) targeted to social media managers across various types of libraries in the United States, soliciting a mix of quantitative and qualitative results on prevalence of social media interactions, perceived changes to services and spaces as a result of those interactions, and how social media messaging fits within the library’s question reporting or …

Assessment Of Collection Development Practices For User Satisfaction In Public Libraries In Enugu State, Abaobi David Agbo Dr, Nkechi Idoko Dr, Elizabeth Titilope Babarinde Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The main purpose of this study was to examine the collection development practices for user satisfaction in public libraries in Enugu State. The study adopted descriptive research design as suitable for the study with180 sampled size comprising 120 users and 60 professional and non- professional staff. Questionnaire was used as instrument of data collection. Consequently, several collection development practices determine the extent user satisfaction is achieved in public libraries in Enugu State. These include community analysis, collection development policy, acquisition, selection, weeding, censorship and evaluation. Other factors that affect user satisfaction which is peculiar to users include user effort, user …

Making In The Midst Of Pandemic: The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Two Public Library Makerspaces, Stacey Woods

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on makerspaces in the United States which were subject to public health guidelines and challenged with limited/no access to facilities. This multi-case study examined two public library makerspaces, and addressed these research questions: (1) How did the pandemic affect makerspace operations and access, and the teaching and learning that occurs there? (2) How did makerspace leaders respond to the challenges of the pandemic? (3) How did makerspaces evolve during the COVID-19 pandemic? I developed the Conceptual Framework for Studying the Impact of Pandemic on Public Library Makerspaces which informed the …

Convivial Making: Power In Public Library Creative Places, Shannon Crawford Barniskis

Theses and Dissertations

In 2011, public libraries began to provide access to collaborative creative places, frequently called “makerspaces.” The professional literature portrays these as beneficial for communities and individuals through their support of creativity, innovation, learning, and access to high-tech tools such as 3D printers. As in longstanding “library faith” narratives, which pin the library’s existence to widely held values, makerspace rhetoric describes access to tools and skills as instrumental for a stronger economy or democracy, social justice, and/or individual happiness. The rhetoric generally frames these places as empowering. Yet the concept of power has been neither well-theorized within the library makerspace literature …

Public Libraries As Community Health Partners, Melinda Hodges

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

Public libraries are a combination meeting space, educational resource, information repository, and community building organization. As such, they are already positioned to act as a valuable partner in the public health arena. This article researches the basic tenets of public health and identifies areas that public libraries could participate in productively. This article also reviews literature about the potential of public libraries as health partners, as well as what is already being accomplished from the perspective of both library/information sciences and public health studies. This will include the benefits that libraries can bring to public health work and the barriers …

Senior Citizens And Digital Information Access: The Obstruction Of Comforting Silence, Rodney C. Lawley

The Southeastern Librarian

This study investigates the possibility of undetected access obstructions preventing senior citizens from using digital information maintained by Alabama public libraries. Research methods include a literature review, a survey of Alabama public library administrators, and a textual analysis of online public library programming guides from four urban areas within the state. The survey gauges the perceptions, experiences, and actions of library administrators pertaining to digital library accessibility for senior citizens. The textual analysis component measures significant outreach efforts by public libraries targeting senior citizen patrons. Data collected suggest that Alabama public libraries lack unity and direction in their approach to …

"Neighborhood Library Modernization": Public Library Expansion In Milwaukee During The 1960s And 1970s, Madeline Brenner

Theses and Dissertations

By the second half of the 20th century, public libraries expanded their reach across American cities and transformed the urban landscape. With almost 10,000 libraries in U.S. cities by 1960, new library development was at an all-time high. Despite this success, few scholars have analyzed these critical changes. Since the historical scholarship on library development is limited, this thesis analyzes the history of public library development in Milwaukee during the 1960s and 1970s. The goals of community engagement and partnership through city-wide circulation of material guided the development of branch library construction under the Ten-Year Library Plan of 1962 to …

Public Libraries In Rural Arkansas: An Oasis In An Information Desert, Britt Graves

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Public libraries in Arkansas are welcome, but those found in rural Arkansas are almost a necessity. The public uses the library for more than just checking out books or their email: it’s become a community gathering place for all walks of life, regardless of age or economic status. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit the state, libraries also became essential for education, medicine, news, and employment, nearly overloading their resources and shining a spotlight on technology, or the lack thereof, that so many public libraries are needing. With the Arkansas governor planning an upgrade on broadband technology and the federal government …

Book Review: Kathleen Campana And J. Elizabeth Mills' Create, Innovate, And Serve: A Radical Approach To Children's And Youth Programming, Mateo Campos-Seligman

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

An Assessment Of Reading Habits And Use Of Public Library Resources By Rural Women Of Sivasagar District: A Survey, Parishmita Hazarika

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The public library is a local information hub that makes all types of knowledge and information freely available to its users. Its doors are open to all members of the community for full and unrestricted access to its resources and services, regardless of caste, sex, or religion. Public libraries today play an important role in the life of the community. The purpose of this study is to evaluate rural women's reading habits and use of public library resources and services. The study focused on, the purpose of library visits, the frequency of library visits by public library users, the amount …

Libraries As Pluralistic Public Spheres: Acknowledging Conflict To Promote Democratic Discourse, Lisa Engström

New Librarianship Symposia Series: Fall 2021

In library policies and library and information studies Habermas concept of public sphere is often used to highlight the public library as a place promoting democracy and inclusion by enabling interpersonal meetings between people with different lifestyles and background. Libraries are then conceived as accessible to all bridging social, economic, and cultural gaps, and promoting a perception of shared values between users (Aabø et al. 2010). I argue that vulnerable and excluded groups thereby may be hindered to form their own identity and to make their voices heard.

Accessibility and participation are core concepts when analysing libraries democratic potential. However, …

Peer Learning Experience To Grow Public Library Innovation: The Initiative For Young African Library Innovators, Ramune Petuchovaite, Ugne Lipeikaite

New Librarianship Symposia Series: Fall 2021

In 2014/15, we commissioned research into how and why public libraries innovate, and what encourages take-up of innovative practices by public libraries in developing countries. One of the main findings was that peer-to-peer activities are essential for public library innovation. Besides facilitating learning and ideas exchange, they create a platform for mutual support, when initiating a new service. Library visits, in which librarians can see innovative services 'in situ', and events like workshops and other training, and conferences, where they mingle and exchange practical experiences, and work together on projects, are effective channels for inspiring innovation (Femenía, A. M. G., …

Back To The Future! Library History As Forecast: Discovering Core Concepts Of Librarianship In The Public Library’S Past, Sara Wingate Gray

New Librarianship Symposia Series: Fall 2021

Back to the Future! Library History as Forecast: Discovering Core Concepts of Librarianship in the Public Library’s Past

UNESCO and IFLA have a longstanding history in influencing librarianship from an international perspective: their joint ‘Public Library Manifesto’ (1994) describes “well-informed citizens”, with the ability to “exercise their democratic rights and to play an active role in society” as “depend[ing] on … free and unlimited access to knowledge, thought, culture and information” (UNESCO/IFLA, 1994). Without such savvy citizenry, the manifesto suggests, “[f]reedom, prosperity and the development of society” as fundamental human values may come to be in flux. Positioning the public …

Multicultural Perspective In Public Library Services, Sutan Aulia Akbar, Taufik Asmiyanto

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This article discusses the service of public libraries with multicultural perspective. This study aims to identify the role of public libraries in providing services to multicultural communities. The literature study method is used in seeing various views related to the topic by reviewing national and international journal articles in the last five years (2016-2020). The results show that public libraries play a role in fulfilling the information needs of multicultural communities, especially in supporting the adaptation process to a new environment while maintaining their original identity and culture. The development of special services is a fulfillment solution through the provision …

Managing Public Libraries In Palestine During The Change Age As Perceived By The Public Libraries’ Directors, Ibrahim Khader

Journal of the Arab American University مجلة الجامعة العربية الامريكية للبحوث

This study addresses the issue of managing the public libraries in Palestine in the age of technological development and economic changes at the outset of the 21st century as perceived by the public libraries directors. This descriptive study examines the libraries’ directors’ awareness of their roles during these changes regarding the future of the public libraries, and the potential practical steps to encounter these challenges. In depth interviews with twenty library directors from all over the West-Bank region in Palestine were made. As a result, the study highlighted the responsibilities and roles of the library directors in keeping up with …

Storytime Programs As Mirrors, Windows, And Sliding Glass Doors? Addressing Children’S Needs Through Diverse Book Selection, Maria Cahill, Erin E. Ingram, Soohyung Joo

Information Science Faculty Publications

Much research suggests that exposure to diverse books that feature the lived experiences of people with marginalized or underrepresented identities influences how children perceive their own value and the significance of others who do and do not look like them. Library associations have recently called for greater attention to issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion to be reflected across all aspects of library services and programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the print materials used in public library storytime programs to identify the extent to which storytime exposes children to diverse people. Results indicate that, across all …

Drag Queen Storytimes: Public Library Staff Perceptions And Experiences, Sarah C. Barriage, Vanessa Kitzie, Diana Floegel, Shannon M. Oltmann

Information Science Faculty Publications

Since their first appearances in public libraries, drag queen storytimes (DQS) have frequently been featured in news stories and professional literature. These events feature drag performers leading various aspects of otherwise typical storytimes, including reading books, singing songs, and leading crafts and other activities with young children and their families.

Digital Staff Trainings Tools For Rural Public Libraries In Georgia: Challenges, Trends, And Recommendations, Jenny Herring

The Southeastern Librarian

For many public libraries, particularly those in rural areas, a lack of funding, staff time, and distance from training locations create barriers to providing training and development to their staff. While stud-ies exist on issues facing rural libraries and on the use of digital training tools in libraries, few studies have combined the two topics. The purpose of this study is to examine the use of digital staff training methods at rural public libraries and includes describing the formats and content of that training. The sampling method will target library administrators and trainers, reached through Georgia Public Library Service’s listservs …

The Effect Of Librarians’ Happiness Program On The Quality Services Of Iranian Public Libraries From The Perspective Of The Users, Leili Seifi, Maryam Hassanzadeh, Mitra Rastgoumoghadam

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of librarians' happiness programs on the service quality from the perspective of Iranian public library users. To this end, 25 active users’ two libraries were randomly placed in the control and experimental groups. The result showed that although the theoretical part of the research could not achieve significant predicted results, the beginning and planning of applied and operational research fosters creativity and innovation in this social institution such as public libraries. Achieving this requires the provision of preliminaries, including the creation of authoritative scientific texts in the field of public …

Book Review: Rebekkah Smith Aldrich's Sustainable Thinking: Ensuring Your Library's Future In An Uncertain World, Samantha Hamilton

School of Information Student Research Journal

No abstract provided.

The Right To Read: The Fight To Desegregate Southern U.S. Public Libraries, Laura Wertz

School of Information Student Research Journal

The segregation of U.S. public libraries, particularly in the southern United States, is a shameful chapter in library history. During the civil rights movement, the fight to desegregate was achieved through the bravery and courage of peaceful protesters that staged protests in libraries across the south. The purpose of this research paper is to examine how public libraries enforced segregation and some of the critical protests that took place. The paper also explores the lack of recognition and awareness within the librarianship profession and the general public and four recommendations for how public libraries can begin to make amends.

Gender Equality And Eradication Of Adult Illiteracy Of Public Library Initiative In Delhi, Kanwer Pal Singh, Projes Roy Dr.

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The concept of literacy plays the most significant role in healthy and all round development of a nation. This study enunciates the public library initiatives for gender equality and eradication of adult illiteracy in Delhi. This study covers almost all public libraries in Delhi operate by the government, private body and NGOs. It vividly addresses the reading habits, collection strength and services provided to the adult users on and their participation to eradicate themselves through the public libraries. The study focused the gender equality among the adult library users.

Digitalisation Of Library Services As A Magnifying Factor In Improving Public Library Services In Limpopo, Itumeleng Aaron Khanya, Maoka Dikotla Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Background: Many public libraries embraced digitalisation while some are hesitant to embrace it.

Aim: The purpose of the study was to examine digitalisation of library services as a magnifying factor in improving public library services in Limpopo.

Method: The study used a quantitative research approach. Data were collected through a questionnaire comprising both open and closed questions.

Results: Findings revealed that ICT infrastructure in Limpopo public libraries is underdeveloped and inadequate. Given this, the majority of public librarians are unable to utilise ICTs to render library and information services resulting in limited access to those services. It is recommended …

Never Waste A Crisis: Digital Inclusion For Sustainable Development In The Context Of The Covid Pandemic, Amanda Reed, Kim M. Thompson

Faculty Publications

In responding to United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in 2030, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions recently launched the mutual commitment of Library Pledge for Digital Inclusion and its Call to Action along with other international organizations. Domestic and foreign library leaders and well-known experts and scholars discuss the theme of Library and Digital Inclusion. Rao Quan points out that with the development of modern technology, the digital divide has become a growing problem. The National Library of China has put forward an idea of building a “National Smart Library System”, to lead public libraries to realize smart …

Utilization Of District Central Libraries And Their Services: A Case Study Of Southern Districts Of Tamilnadu State, India, Pounraj P, Ravichandran M

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Public libraries are the reservoirs of human civilizations. They shoulder the great responsibility of colleting, organizing, storing and disseminating the human knowledge over the generations. The present study aims at exploring how the users of district central libraries of southern districts of Tamil Nadu State, India are using the libraries in general and library services, in particular. Survey method was employed. Random sampling technique was used to draw 150 participants. Questionnaires were used to collect the data. 149 responded. The study reveals that : about two third of them (96, 64.4%) are male users ; About half of them (74, …

The Public Libraries Perspective In Pakistan: A Study On Empirical Problems, Mohammad Hussain, Dr. Haroon Idress

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: This study examined the problems faced by the public of Pakistan. It also analyzed the demographic information of the libraries and further reviewed the designation, qualifications, and professional experience of the heads/in-charge of public libraries.

Research Methodology: The census-based survey was conducted, and data was collected from the 119 public libraries through the structured questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version-23) and both descriptive and inferential stats were applied to analyze the data and interpret the results.

Key Findings: The heads of 91 libraries were LIS professionals, while 28 libraries were run by …