Library and Information Science Commons^™

How Do You Solve A Problem Like The Whole User? The Construction Of Worthy And Problematic Users In Online Discussions Of The Public Library, Pam Mckenzie

FIMS Publications

In this article I use a discursive approach and the concept of the ‘category entitlement’ to analyse the ways that contributors to a public Internet discussion of the value of the public library make cases for different user characteristics and behaviour as ‘worthy’ or ‘problematic’, and use these characteristics to discuss and debate the kinds of individuals and the kinds of behaviour that properly belong to each category. Contributors to the discussion represented users in three categories: a fluid ‘everyone’, which included people represented as being disadvantaged and in legitimate need of the library’s resources, expertise, and support; the user …

Impact Of Public Libraries With Reference To Public Library At Tenkasi, Dr.P.Balasubramanian Subramanian Bala Subramanian, K Poolpandian

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study deals with impact of public library at Tenkasi. It will have a strategic role in knowledge-intensive industries like digital media. They will also be mainstays of community-based cultural planning and development. The amount of information available will grow, and much of it will be of questionable value and accuracy. Public libraries will play an increasingly significant role in the literacies of the twenty-first century that enable people to select, assess and use the information that will best meet their needs public libraries are increasingly seeing themselves as playing an important role in community development.

Innovative Collaborations: Social Work Student Interns At Public Libraries, Sarah C. Johnson

Publications and Research

While the collaborative trend among professional social workers and librarians is garnering much-deserved attention, literature about social work students partnering with public libraries is virtually non-existent. In fact, there are at least 73 partnerships yet a scarcity of academic literature addresses social work interns within public libraries. While there are students at Canadian libraries, this research focuses on the bulk of known partnerships based in the United States. Emerging from a mix of interviews and public resources, the author’s inquiry fosters this call to action: Social work educators must initiate interagency collaboration with libraries in order for students to expand …

Public Libraries And Access To Information In Plateau State, Nigeria, Olufunmilayo I. Fati, Idris Yelwa

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

For successful post-2015 development agenda, rural communities and individuals need to be given access to, made to understand and encouraged to use and share accurate and relevant information to solve problems and make better decisions, thereby promoting sustainable development. In the recent times, there have been various campaigns and advocacy for access to information especially for rural dwellers and hitherto, a lot of rural inhabitants are not being reached. The study reviews the responsibilities of libraries in ensuring that rural inhabitants have access to relevant information. It also reveals the status quo at the Plateau State Library Board (PLSLB) as …

A Survey On The Social Status Of The Library And Information Science Profession (Case Study: Librarians Of Public Libraries Of Guilan Province, Iran), Ali Akbar Khasseh, Mona Azimi, Hamid Ghazizadeh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The purpose of this research is to investigate the social status of Library and Information Science from the point of view of librarians of public libraries in Guilan province, Iran. This research is an applied research and has been conducted through a survey method. The statistical population of the study consisted of 199 librarians working in public libraries of Guilan province, Iran. Using Morgan's table, 127 subjects were selected as sample size and 124 of them responded to the questionnaire. In order to assess the validity of the questionnaire, professors' and library managers' opinions were used and for reliability purposes, …

Libraries As Sustainability Leaders: Ala’S Special Task Force, René Tanner, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Monika Antonelli, Adrian K. Ho

Library Faculty and Staff Publications

This article discusses the work of the American Library Association (ALA) Special Task Force on Sustainability, which identified 52 recommendations, including the adoption of sustainability as a core value of librarianship. The group aims to promote libraries as catalysts, connectors, and conveners to promote sustainability, resilience, and regeneration. The Task Force is guided by the concept of the triple bottom line, which states that an organization’s practices must be not only economically feasible but also socially equitable and environmentally sound. The article also provides examples of how libraries engage in sustainable practices to support the cities and towns they serve.

Users’ Perception Of The Quality Of Public Library Services In The Greater Accra Region Of Ghana: An Application Of The Libqual+ Model., Frederic Naazi-Ale Baada, Patrick Baayel, Stephen Bekoe, Sadat Banbil

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study seeks to assess user perception of the quality of public library services in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana using the LibQUAL+ model. Based on a quantitative approach, the study surveyed 180 patrons of public libraries in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana using convenience sampling technique. Data was analyzed using interpretative techniques. The results showed that patrons were dissatisfied with the quality and depth of equipment and facilities (conducive environment for learning, internet connectivity and computers) and current library materials (print and electronic). A major concern was the absence of internet connectivity and digital collections. Among other …

Book Review: Palaces For The People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, And The Decline Of Civic Life, Eric Klinenberg, Georgia Westbrook

School of Information Studies - Post-doc and Student Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Talking The Talk: Public Library Oral History Projects On The Web, Georgia Westbrook

School of Information Studies - Post-doc and Student Scholarship

This research-in-progress poster considers how oral history projects are, or are not, presented on the websites of public libraries who host them, and attendant issues related to accessibility, privacy, ethics, and community engagement. A study of 38 public library websites revealed several trends, and some surprising non-trends, in the presentation of oral history programs. This poster draws on those patterns to explore three critical questions:

• What are some best practices for sharing oral histories online?
• What are the ethical considerations of sharing oral histories online?
• What accessibility issues exist related to oral histories online and what are public libraries doing …

The Role Of Iran Public Libraries In Development And Promoting Of Tourism Services, Leili Seifi, Raziyeh Kazemi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

People get to know and recognize the culture of nations with a help of tourism. At the same time, the revenue generated by the tourism industry is highly significant. Public libraries are knowledge-based organizations that could be effective in providing tourist attractions through their resources and services. This systematic review of tourism studies within the library sciences is an effort to identify the role of libraries in development of tourism services and identify the research gap for future studies. To this end, the related studies were searched and identified in 10 national and international databases (1999 to 2019), out of …

Partnering For Social Justice: Social Work Students’ Placement At Public Libraries, Sarah C. Johnson

Publications and Research

While the collaborative trend among professional social workers and librarians is garnering much deserved attention, literature about social work students partnering with public libraries is virtually nonexistent. Public librarians can advocate for social justice by initiating partnerships with master-level social work (MSW) students to enhance small- and large-scale programs to address the unique needs of patrons. In this chapter, I highlight existing collaborations among public libraries and student social workers to raise awareness of possibilities.

Libraries - Woodford County, Kentucky (Sc 3391), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

MSS Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3391. Collected research on the history of library services in Woodford County, Kentucky. Includes clippings, correspondence (particularly regarding the merger of the Woodford County Library and the Logan Helm Memorial Library), and historical narratives.

Partnering For Social Justice: Msw Interns In Public Libraries, Sarah C. Johnson

Publications and Research

While the collaborative trend among professional social workers and librarians continues to grow, literature about the utilization of student social workers partnering with libraries is non-existent. Over 64,000 students are currently enrolled in M.S.W. programs through the United States and nearly all are required to complete approximately 900 hours of fieldwork. Such students provide the skills, knowledge, and values that can help take diversity in public libraries to the next level. Public librarians play a critical role in advocating for social justice and change. By reaching out to MSW programs, they invite budding social workers to help advance tolerance for …

Important Factors In Midwestern Public Librarians’ Views On Intellectual Freedom And Collection Development: Part 2, Shannon M. Oltmann

Information Science Faculty Publications

This research examined the beliefs and actions of US midwestern librarians concerning intellectual freedom and collection development. The results are presented in two complementary articles; the first article provided some background and the results pertaining to intellectual freedom, whereas the second article focuses on the results for collection development questions and concludes with a broader discussion. While the first article focused on intellectual freedom beliefs, the second focuses more on actions that are thought to be influenced by those beliefs. The data were obtained through a survey with a 21.37% response rate. In general, respondents—particularly those with master of library …

A Partnership Between Academic And Public Librarians: “What The Health” Workshop Series, Jesssica A. Koos, Jamie Saragossi, Gregg A. Stevens, Salvatore Filosa

Library Faculty Publications

Background: Public librarians are in a unique position to assist the general public with health information inquiries. However, public librarians might not have the training, detailed knowledge, and confidence to provide high-quality health information.

Case Presentation: The authors created and delivered three workshops to public librarians in Suffolk County, New York, highlighting several National Library of Medicine resources. Each workshop focused on a different topic: general consumer health resources, genetics health resources, and environmental/toxicology resources. At the end of each workshop, participants were asked to complete the Training Session Evaluation form provided by the National Network of Libraries of Medicine …

Provision Of Reference And Information Services In Public Libraries To Physically Challenged Persons In Nigeria: Challenges And Prospects, Ogagaoghene Uzezi Idhalama

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Abstract

This paper examines the provision of reference and information services to the physically challenged persons in Nigeria: Challenges and prospects. The article demystifies the conceptual framework of information services and physically challenged persons, the information needs of the physically challenged as a concept was succinctly analyzed and the attention or relegation received by this group of library users discussed. The public library for instance is there to provide its services to all classes of users irrespective of age, sex, colour and disability. This paper is therefore timely as it ascertained how all libraries can help to meet up with …

Important Factors In Midwestern Public Librarians’ Views On Intellectual Freedom And Collection Development: Part 1, Shannon M. Oltmann

Information Science Faculty Publications

This research project examined the beliefs and actions of US midwestern librarians concerning intellectual freedom and collection development. The results are presented in two complementary articles; this first article provides some background and the results pertaining to intellectual freedom, whereas the second article will focus on the results for collection development questions and conclude with a broader discussion. The data were obtained through an extensive survey with a 21.37% response rate. In general, high levels of support for intellectual freedom were found across most respondents and across multiple questions. Respondents with an MLS degree were more likely to be in …

The Roots Of Community: A Local Librarian's Resource For Discovering, Documenting And Sharing The History Of Library Services To African Americans In Their Communities, Matthew R. Griffis

Publications and Other Resources

Intended for current library professionals, this toolkit provides a theoretical basis for completing public history projects about libraries and explores specific project types, selected best practices and related resources. It divides into three major sections: Part 1, “Planning,” Part 2 “Gathering” and Part 3, “Sharing.” Respectively, these sections cover the preparation, collection and communication tasks of research projects and, where appropriate, offer readers several types of potentially useful resources. Many of these resources—forms, letters, standards, examples of evidence—were used for the author’s Roots of Community project and appear as examples of resources deemed suitable for that project. In other instances, …

What Is Innovative To Public Libraries In The United States? A Perspective Of Library Administrators For Classifying Innovations, Devendra Potnis, Joseph Winberry, Bonnie Finn, Courtney Hunt

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Innovations are critical for public libraries but rarely any primary research studies the scope and interpretation of the term “innovation” by public libraries. Also, few of the existing innovation typologies are based on data collected from public libraries. This study fills in the gap by eliciting 80 innovations reported by the administrators of 108, award-winning public libraries in the United States, and proposes the first organic classification of innovations for public libraries, with the following four types of innovations: Program (access-oriented/use- oriented), Process (efficiency-driven/effectiveness-driven), Partnership (internal/external), and Technology (web-based technologies/assistive technologies/artificial intelligence). Findings can advance the state of innovations in …

A Comparison Of The Conditions Of Iran Public Libraries With The Ifla Standards, Mohammad Karim Saberi, Fatemeh Pazooki

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study aimed to compare the conditions of the public libraries in Iran with the standards of IFLA. Iran is a country in the southwest of Asia. With 1,648,669 square kilometers, it is the 18th country in the world and has a population of 79,926,270. There are more than 3000 public libraries in Iran. Under Iran’s law, the Iran public libraries Foundation, which is a non-governmental entity, is responsible for the task of establishing, constructing, equipping, developing, managing, and monitoring the public libraries across the country. In this study, the five indicators of resources, Stack space, the space of the …

Patron Behavioural Challenges: A Focus On Violence In Public Libraries Within Gweru, Zimbabwe, Mthokozisi Masumbika Ncube

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

In Zimbabwe, the constitution indicates the freedom of expression, at the same time noting the need for individuals to respective individual rights, including non-violent behaviours towards others in the process of one’s expression. In addition, different legislative acts have been instituted to prevent and alleviate violence within communities. For instance, public libraries are governed by the National Library Documentation Services that stipulates conduct of library staff members and patrons. Since several public libraries are managed by local authorities, there are also bylaws that indicate the kind of behaviour that individual stakeholders are supposed to conform to. In addition, libraries have …

The Role Of Academic Libraries In Creating Oral History Collection, Leili Seifi, Raziye Kazemi, Shahnaz Khademizadeh

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study aims at reviewing the role and place of academic libraries in creating oral history collections with the aim of its preservation and application in these libraries. The research methodology is systematic review. To this end, the related studies were searched and identified from 10 international databases in 1983 to 2019. Out of which 23 most related ones were used for present study. For validation purpose, other experts than research team were used. The research findings indicated that academic libraries could stabilize their role and place in creating collections based on oral history through its identification, preservation, promotion and …