Art library services in public libraries

1987 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 12-15
Author(s):  
Sonia French

The mixed fortunes of art, and of subject specialisation, in British public libraries in recent years is compared to the situation in Denmark where librarianship in the service of art has as its main focus the good of the people. The principles which give art librarianship its own integrity are reiterated and the gradual invasion of public library services by the commercial ethic is rejected. Art librarianship can still achieve new successes, and some of these are noted. The scope for new initiatives which the public library service offers is recognised and new areas for development are suggested, modelled on the international network of Music Information Centres.

Author(s):  
Saori Donkai ◽  
Chieko Mizoue

This chapter describes the present conditions of our aging society, with a particular focus on Japan as a typical example of such a society. In Japan, one in every four individuals is over 65 years of age, and one in eight is over 75 years of age. Further, based on this demographic change to an older population, this chapter discusses a new library service designed to enhance the lives of elderly citizens. The authors explore this new service from the viewpoint of lifelong learning, utilizing the results of recent government surveys and some case studies, such as those done at the Izumo City Hikawa Library and the Akita Prefectural Library in Japan. Although the elderly have been placed within the category of “disabled library patrons,” in recent years, it has become more common to consider the elderly, as a whole, as an individual service category. We should, in the near future, pay more attention to supporting elderly citizens at public libraries to engage them in the development and maintenance of their own communities.


2000 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 41-44
Author(s):  
Deirdre Ellis-King ◽  
Marjory Sliney

In recent years increased interest in the visual arts has led public libraries to increase stock to support this area, to organise exhibitions and to make connections with other arts-related bodies. The recognised extent, quality and value of the public library network lie both in its service to users and in good-quality and centrally located buildings. Imaginative links have been made between the library service and other cultural institutions in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, particularly in the many thinly populated areas of the country which could otherwise be isolated from the cultural facilities available in the larger conurbations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 103-115
Author(s):  
Noah Lenstra ◽  
Mia Høj Mathiasson

PurposeAs a research topic within the field of LIS, programs in public libraries are underexplored, and the question of user fees for programs has not previously been addressed.Design/methodology/approachThis article compares data collected from two individually conducted studies of public library programs in North America and Denmark to enrich our understanding of user fees in relation to programs.FindingsThe comparative analysis shows both similarities and deviations regarding the levying of fees for library programs. While paying a fee to attend a program is rather normal in Denmark, it is more of a fringe idea in North America.Research limitations/implicationsBy exploring a previously understudied facet of contemporary public librarianship, this article opens up new avenues for inquiry regarding how the relative accessibility and availability of programs relate to theoretical discussions about programs as public library services.Practical implicationsThis article provides library managers with needed information about how to conceptualize the roles of programs as public library services.Social implicationsAs programming surges to the fore in contemporary public librarianship, the levying of user fees has social implications in terms of social equity and the public library ethos of free and equal access for all.Originality/valueThis article is the first study of user fees for public library programs, as well as among the first cross-national comparisons of programming as a dimension of public librarianship.


2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Zulu ◽  
Mpho Ngoepe ◽  
Nampombe Saurombe

Legislation plays an important role in the provision of national and public library services. In Zambia, however, libraries that perform the functions of national and public libraries are operating without a legislative mandate. As a result, there is fragmentation of library services as there is no single institution which performs all the functions of a national library service. Although several efforts have been made in the past to enact national library service legislation, no Act of Parliament has been passed to date (2015). This study provides empirical evidence depicting the benefits of having legislation in the provision of national and public library services. The study identifies institutions that perform functions of national and public library services in Zambia. Quantitative data were collected through questionnaires administered to public library staff and interviews with senior government officials and executive members of the Zambia Library Association and Zambia Library Consortium. The study recommends that appropriate legislation that puts together the functions of public and national libraries under one institution be enacted in Zambia as soon as possible. Failure to transform this pattern will jeopardise the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.


Author(s):  
Irina Burmis

Purpose of the article. The analysis of the specificities of formation of the public library model in the conditions of creation of the united territorial communities (UTC) of the South of Ukraine. The methodology of the research is based on the complex of general methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization, and modeling) and approaches (system, socio-communicative, modernization). The scientific novelty of the work is to conducta comprehensive study of the possibility of choosing libraries of Odesa, Kherson, and Mykolayiv a certain profile and their own path of development in the formation of UTC as centers of legal and regional information in the form of centers of public initiatives, socio-communication platforms, multimedia mobile libraries or multicultural centers. Conclusions. Suggestions that are based on the comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed models of reforming the library network are made regarding the development of the optimal model of functioning of public libraries in the South of Ukraine, which provides for the following important elements. Firstly, automation, that is based on the development and implementation of the newest information technologies, which, in turn, activates the material and technical base modernization, organization structure, and the library staff training; providing new services or products. Secondly, renovating the activity and staff management methods. Thirdly, providing stable financing to UTC possibilities, applying marketing and advertising technologies of library activity popularization according to the UTC functioning. Next, saving the valuable stuff resource and technologies in library staff’ work. Then, organizing the UTC public library work as the informative intelligent center, cultural and leisure space, that is discovered on the Chornomorska library example. Finally, the introduction of non-stationary library services on the basis of the Law of Ukraine«On territorial communities’ cooperation». Key words: public libraries, the South of Ukraine, united territorial communities (UTC), modernization,model, profiling.


Author(s):  
Carmen Agustín-Lacruz ◽  
Julia Saurin-Parra

Public libraries have developed standards to provide reading and information services to diverse populations. This has helped the public library to fulfil an informal educational and social role, particularly in engaging traditionally excluded groups, such as the Roma minority in Spain. However, well-developed library initiatives in Spain are scarce; in addition, culturally sensitive services do not thrive, and research and reflection on this reality from the library standpoint are rare. The overarching goal of this article is to provide librarians with suggestions for improved services for the Roma community in Spain. It is achieved through the critical analysis of public library services to the Roma community that currently exist in the European Union. Based on this analysis, practical suggestions are offered.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (83) ◽  
pp. 119-141
Author(s):  
Birgitta Wallin ◽  
Katarina Michnik ◽  
Catarina Eriksson

The use of audiobooks has risen significantly during the last few years in Sweden, a trend reflected in increasing demands for public libraries to provide their users with these books. Digital books are by no means a new phenomenon in public libraries, but the marked interest in borrowing audiobooks and new ways of distributing have led to changes in public libraries’ digital services and a redistribution of media budgets. This article describes who the audiobook users are and which other media they use. Building on this information, the article asks what challenges the demographic data of audiobook users – such as gender, age, and level of education – may pose for public libraries. Based on a quantitative analysis of survey data from Sweden, it is concluded that audiobook use is more common among young, well-educated people with a high level of digital literacy. Subscription services appear to be more popular among audiobook users, as their sale numbers are higher than lending numbers at public libraries. Nevertheless, the conclusions are that audiobooks have a place in public libraries, as they increase the service to communities and have the potential to reach new users. However, it is unclear if public libraries are reaching new groups by offering audiobooks; although the use of digital public library services is increasing, these services are mainly used by people who are already library visitors, and the public library seems to be primarily associated with the printed book.


Author(s):  
Valeda F. Dent ◽  
Geoff Goodman ◽  
Michael Kevane

This chapter provides a very brief overview of the history, development, and characteristics of rural library services in several African countries from both a historical and modern-day perspective. Against the backdrop of public library development during colonialism, the chapter highlights the fact that libraries existed in Africa well before Colonial rule, but later library service development did not adequately meet the needs of the majority of the continent's population. As a result, an alternative way of meeting the information needs of the people began to take shape. This chapter introduces the concept of and rationale for the development of the rural village or community library in Africa and details some particular instances of these establishments.


2014 ◽  
pp. 874-891
Author(s):  
Saori Donkai ◽  
Chieko Mizoue

This chapter describes the present conditions of our aging society, with a particular focus on Japan as a typical example of such a society. In Japan, one in every four individuals is over 65 years of age, and one in eight is over 75 years of age. Further, based on this demographic change to an older population, this chapter discusses a new library service designed to enhance the lives of elderly citizens. The authors explore this new service from the viewpoint of lifelong learning, utilizing the results of recent government surveys and some case studies, such as those done at the Izumo City Hikawa Library and the Akita Prefectural Library in Japan. Although the elderly have been placed within the category of “disabled library patrons,” in recent years, it has become more common to consider the elderly, as a whole, as an individual service category. We should, in the near future, pay more attention to supporting elderly citizens at public libraries to engage them in the development and maintenance of their own communities.


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