Changing Public Library Staff and Patron Needs Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Wahler ◽  
Rebecca Spuller ◽  
Jacob Ressler ◽  
Kimberly Bolan ◽  
Nathaniel Burnard
Keyword(s):  
Public Library ◽  
Library Staff

Makerspaces and boundary work: the role of librarians as educators in public library makerspaces

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 801-813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel D. Williams ◽  
Rebekah Willett
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Boundary Work ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Social Resources ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Public Librarians

This article explores public librarians’ performance of boundary work in relation to teaching and learning in library makerspaces. Boundary work occurs when individuals delineate their domain of knowledge. We use interviews with 23 library staff to analyze the forms and characteristics of boundary work connected with the role of libraries and librarians in makerspace programming. Our findings show that public librarians perform boundary work in relation to the roles of (1) libraries as spaces for book-based and maker-based experiences, (2) librarians as information specialists and educators, and (3) libraries as spaces to access individual and social resources for learning. The forms and characteristics of boundary work include coordination, identification, justification, reflection, and change.

scholarly journals Shifting the Sands of Summer Reading

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne De Groot
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Reading Program ◽  
Reading Programs ◽  
Reading Interests ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Summer Reading ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Summer Reading Programs

This study investigated ways in which summer reading programs (SRPs) support children’s recreational reading interests and habits and help to promote reading and literacy throughout the summer months. The primary research question was: How do children, parents, and library staff experience their public library summer reading program? This paper will present selected findings from the study related to children’s reading experiences in school and during the summer, reading games and incentives, and designing summer reading programs that emphasize the social aspects of reading. Findings from this study suggest that school and public libraries should consider moving away from traditional summer reading programs that include reading games and rewards and focus instead on providing children, their parents, and library staff members with greater opportunities to interact with books and reading, and one another, throughout the summer.

scholarly journals Opioid overdose in public libraries: Results from a five state survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Feuerstein-Simon ◽  
Margaret Lowenstein ◽  
Roxanne Dupuis ◽  
Xochitl Luna Marti ◽  
Abby Dolan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Past ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
One Year ◽  
The One

AbstractIntroductionPublic libraries are increasingly impacted by the overdose crisis. A 2017 survey of public librarians in the state of Pennsylvania revealed that 12% had reported an on-site overdose in the previous year. There are increasing public and private efforts to equip public libraries with the opioid overdose antidote, naloxone.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of all public library branches in Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Michigan, and Virginia. Survey questions. We used descriptive statistics to report frequencies of responses and crude odds ratios were calculated to predict the dichotomized variable of endorsement of naloxone uptake.ResultsLibrary staff reported witnessing on-site alcohol (45%) and injection drug (14%) use in the past month. The one-year cumulative incidence (12% overall) of on-site overdose ranged from a low of 10% in MI, to a high of 17% in FL. Among libraries with on-site overdoses, a minority (21%) stocked naloxone, and 12% had administered naloxone. Overall, 11% of libraries stocked naloxone on-site. Although 24% of respondents reported attending at least one training regarding SUD in the past year, 91% wanted more training on the topic.ConclusionsPublic library staff routinely address issues related to substance use and overdose in their institutions. This work highlights the importance of including public libraries as part of a comprehensive public health strategy to address substance use-related morbidity and mortality in the U.S.

Public libraries and public primary school literacy: a Kenyan case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 689-701
Author(s):  
Peter Mose
Keyword(s):  
Public Schools ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
School Type ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Teachers And Parents

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain how public libraries have been instrumental in early child school literacy teaching and learning. Most African public schools do not usually afford enough core textbooks and supplementary readers.Design/methodology/approachThis was a qualitative case study in Western Kenya amongst public library staff members, public primary school teachers and parents of library children clients. The following questions were addressed: What is the book situation in public primary schools in the study site? What school-type literacy-related services are offered by the sampled public library? and What are library staff members’, teachers’ and parents’ feelings about the public library services offered? Observations, interviews and document studies were used to collect data. Data were analysed thematically.FindingsPublic schools do not have enough core textbooks and the situation is worse for supplementary readers; the public library branch studied offers critical school-type literacies to school children both at the library building as well as at public schools registered with it; and library staff members, teachers, and parents express positive feelings about the services offered.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a case study whose findings might not apply to the larger situation and the study did not confirm actual literacy benefits of the library services amongst school children by, for instance, conducting literacy tests. The findings are, however, an index to the possible situation in the macro context.Practical implicationsThe relevant stakeholders should find ways of co-opting public libraries as associates of public schools in literacy teaching. This relationship is not straight forward in Kenya.Originality/valueThe findings reported are from original research.

Effectiveness of ICT training for public library staff in the UK: staff views

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 265-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandie King ◽  
David McMenemy ◽  
Alan Poulter
Keyword(s):  
Public Library ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Ict Training ◽  
The Uk

scholarly journals Developing an Online Consumer Health Course for Public Library Staff

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kiscaden ◽  
Carolyn Martin ◽  
Bobbi Newman ◽  
Margot Malachowski
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Consumer Health Information ◽  
Consumer Health ◽  
National Network ◽  
Medical Library ◽  
Health Course ◽  
Midwest Region ◽  
Online Consumer ◽  
Library Staff

The National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region (NNLM GMR) received funding to support the evaluation and development of an asynchronous consumer health information course. Requirements of this project included: incorporating recommendations from NNLM instructors, National Library of Medicine staff and public library staff; piloting the revised course with a nationwide cohort; incorporating feedback from the pilot; and delivering a second instance of the revised course. The revised course meets existing requirements for public library certification and for Level 1 certification of the Medical Library Association’s Consumer Health Information Specialization.

scholarly journals GOODWILL OF LIBRARY USERS AND ITS IMPACT ON SERVICES: A STUDY

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49
Author(s):  
S.M. Rokade
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Intangible Asset ◽  
Library Services ◽  
Library Users ◽  
Grass Root ◽  
Library Staff

The paper succinctly describes the concept of goodwill, nature and value, intellectual capital resources, viewpoints of library goodwill, perspectives and User’s goodwill and its impacts on functioning of library, services and working staff. It reveals that 64.70 % goodwill generates among the users through maintaining good relations by the library staff, 64% rendering quality services, 92% leadership, promptness, and skillful policy, 84.70 by creating well behaviour with various types of readers, 47.05 % library staff should be punctual in timing with attachment and affinity in public library readers as they comes under the umbrella of grass root users. The goodwill generates 80.83 % intangible asset which invisible and 92.50 % develop publicity of library automatically. It was concluded that goodwill totally depends on the behaviour and prompt services to the users to save their times.

scholarly journals FORMATION OF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY MODEL IN THE CONDITIONS OF UNITED TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES OF THE SOUTH OF UKRAINE

2021 ◽  
pp. 12-20
Author(s):  
Irina Burmis
Keyword(s):  
Information Technologies ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Library Services ◽  
The South ◽  
The Public ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Library Network ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Comprehensive Study

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.

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