scholarly journals A public library cannot live on books alone: A lesson from history

IFLA Journal ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Șerbănuță
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
System Development ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Communist Regime ◽  
Information Control ◽  
Totalitarian Regime ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Archival Documents

For almost half a century Romania was under a totalitarian regime. In times of severe censorship and information control the communist regime promoted public libraries. This paper will present the main phases of the public library system development and discuss how the state’s emphasis on providing large collections of books influenced library services. As part of an oral history project, this paper will use memories of people who worked in public libraries of various sizes in the 1970s and the 1980s, archival documents and secondary sources to contribute to a more nuanced discussion about the recent history of Romanian public libraries. What were the phases of the development of the national library system and how important was the library collection for the institutional survival of the public library? The paper will also discuss the collection development policy and contrast it with the impoverished professional development within the library system.

The e-book war in Denmark

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-105
Author(s):  
Lisbeth Worsøe-Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Public Institutions ◽  
Book Market ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Commercial Market ◽  
Book World ◽  
Traditional Understanding

The aim is to investigate how digitisation and in particular e-books have changed relations between private players and public institutions within the Danish book world through a case study of eReolen, a private-public partnership functioning as common platform for public libraries’ lending of e-books in Denmark. Traditional and new models of the book world are discussed as the basis of understanding relations between the players. A new way of analysing the field outlined by literary sociologist, Professor Johan Svedjedal, is adopted. The main conclusions are that the lending of e-books has disrupted the traditional understanding and interaction between the public library system and the commercial book market. In addition, the Danish library system through the partnership has taken on a new function in relation to the commercial market, namely acting as the engine in building a market for Danish e-books.

scholarly journals Kulttuurilaitoksesta valintataloksi – yleisen kirjastolaitoksen institutionaaliset tehtävämäärittelyt ja niiden kehitys Suomen itsenäisyyden aikana

2017 ◽  
pp. 110
Author(s):  
Jarmo Saarti ◽  
Pirjo Tuomi
Keyword(s):  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Market Place ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Public Role ◽  
New Public

From civic educator to a market place - the institutional definitions of the public libraries’ tasks and its development during the Finnish independence The development of the Finnish public library system can be divided into four phases. During the first two, the Swedish reign and the period of the Autonomy, the library was mainly for the upper classes and for the academic use. The trend to strengthen the library as a key actor in the educational system of the newborn independent Finland meant that the public library became an institution. This started to break down from the 1990’s onward with the implementation of the new public management techniques and with the integration of the library system as one of the key players in the information society development. The paper discusses the role of the Finnish library system in the system of the fictional literature and analyses the changes that have happened during the Finnish history. Keywords: public libraries, policies, institutional role, public role

Art librarianship in Denmark

1997 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 4-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja Lollesgaard
Keyword(s):  
Professional Training ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
National Archive ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Research Libraries ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Library Staff ◽  
Art Departments

Art libraries in Denmark mostly fall into one of two categories: art departments’ in public libraries, and research libraries attached to colleges, universities, and museums. Librarians in research libraries are in many cases scholars in their own right, while library staff at the Kunstakademiets Bibliotek are responsible for the Bibliografi over dansk kunst (sadly not published since 1981) and for Danish contributions to the BHA. The Royal Library and some art libraries hold collections of visual resources and of archival materials; in addition, there is an autonomous national archive of Danish artists, Weilbachs arkiv. An art librarians’ section of Bibliotekarforbundet (the Union of Danish Librarians), Kunstfaggruppen, was initiated by art librarians in public libraries, but is open to other art librarians too; Danish art librarians also work together within ARLIS/Norden. Professional training in Denmark is largely confined to general librarianship; art librarians in public libraries tend to be trained librarians with a personal enthusiasm for art, whereas librarians in research libraries are in some cases graduates but are not necessarily trained librarians. While the public library system took advantage of standardization, automation, and networking, the research libraries could not so readily embrace change, but two recent initiatives are beginning to bring libraries of all kinds together — DanBib, the Danish online union catalogue, formed in 1995 by merging the two separate databases for public and research libraries which both originated in the 1980s, and Kulturnet Danmark, a government-sponsored scheme involving the Internet.

Smart libraries for smart cities: a historic opportunity for quality public libraries in India

2017 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 26-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheshagiri Kulkarni ◽  
M. Dhanamjaya
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Service Staff ◽  
Average Size

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study globally successful public library systems with reference to their infrastructure, physical space, services, collection, processes, finances and best practices and recommend models, structure and minimum standards for smart public libraries of the upcoming 100 smart cities of India. Design/methodology/approach An email with 14 questions was sent to 50 public library system across the world. A sample of n = 18 responses were received. Findings The finding suggests that all the libraries have a central library and a good network of branch libraries across respective cities with adequate staff and collection to cater to the needs of the public. The size of the central library varied from 8,000 m2 (Cologne Public Library) – 86,000 m2 (Boston public library) and average size of the branch library varied from 200 m2 (Aarhaus) – 1,582 m2 (Barcelona). Monthly average users varied from 96,000 (Moscow) – 1.5 million (Toronto). Social implications The Indian public library system remains uneven throughout the country with varying levels of legislation, financing and quality of library services. Even a room with few books is considered as a library. The results of this study will help develop a quality public library system of global standard and ensure that libraries are transformed into knowledge hubs. Originality/value This study is a unique exploration in which different types of libraries are defined in terms of physical space, service, staff, collection based on a global model which ensures uniform growth and development of public library systems in upcoming smart cities of India.

scholarly journals The Greatest Good Place: The role of the public library in the development of successful cities, and the relationship between public library contributions and planning policy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Kluke
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Planning Policy ◽  
Changing Role ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City

This paper explores the changing role of the public library, and determines its impacts on communities and cities. It also examines the relationship between libraries and planning policies, and the extend to which they inform the success of public libraries. The analysis centres on the design of modern public libraries, and the community and economic contributions they provide. Through analyses of the Vancouver Public Library, the Seattle Public Library, and the Toronto Public Library, it is evident that public libraries provide significant contributions within the communities they serve. Well-designed library buildings provide an important public space, and provide people with access to information and technology needed to participate in the knowledge economy, in turn producing significant economic gains for the city. This research finds that planning policy alone is unable to ensure the success of a city`s public library system. Support from the public and municipal leaders, combined with strong policy directives, is needed for a city`s public library system to succeed.

scholarly journals El espacio como prioridad en los modelos de gestión de las bibliotecas públicas

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Lázaro-Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Research Laboratory ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Information Control ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Library Management ◽  
The Public ◽  
Management Models ◽  
Library As Place

Una de las principales virtudes de los estudios de satisfacción de personas usuarias en bibliotecas es que sitúan el foco de las acciones de evaluación para la mejora precisamente en lo que dichas personas creen y estiman que es necesario mejorar. Si se acepta que la persona usuaria es lo más valioso de una biblioteca, dichos estudios adquieren definitivamente un valor incuestionable a tener en cuenta en los modelos de gestión de las bibliotecas. Con todo, en esta comunicación se presentan los resultados e implicaciones de estudios de satisfacción de personas usuarias llevados a cabo por el laboratorio de investigación Secaba-Lab. Se parte de las conclusiones alcanzadas en estudios a bibliotecas universitarias y, desde ahí, se presentan los resultados del estudio llevado a cabo a la biblioteca pública de Jovellanos (Gijón) en 2017. Las conclusiones son claras: de acuerdo a la valoración de las personas usuarias, la dimensión sobre la que más se desea mejora es la de la biblioteca como espacio frente a las del valor afectivo del servicio y el control de la información. Desde ahí, se plantea y se reflexiona en torno a la necesidad de incluir las implicaciones de dichas conclusiones en los modelos de gestión en bibliotecas públicas, situando a la dimensión de a biblioteca como espacio como eje vertebral prioritario en los futuros modelos de gestión. [The main characteristic of the studies about libraries and user’s satisfaction is that the focus for the evaluation is placed on what the users believe it is needed to improve. If it is accepted that the user is the essence of libraries, user’s satisfaction studies acquire an unquestionable value to be taken into account for the library management models. In this communication are shown both the results and implications of user’s satisfaction studies carried out by the Secaba-Lab research laboratory. All is based in the conclusions reached in several studies carried out in university libraries and the results of the study carried out in the public library of Jovellanos (Gijón). According to the users, libraries need to improve the dimension of the library as place rather than the affect of service and the information control. Thus, it is needed to include the implications of those conclusions in the management models for public libraries, placing the dimension of the library as place as the priority to improve the quality of libraries.]

Globalization, modernization and functionality of the public library system in Nigeria

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 426-440
Author(s):  
Patience Uzezi Otolo
Keyword(s):  
Technology Use ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Time And Space ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Library Users ◽  
Public Library Users

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to find out: the functionality of public libraries in the provision of needed information resources; the impact of the use of modern electronic gadgets as the level of patronage; the influence of old technology use on libraries; and the globalization effect on the user behavior toward public libraries. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted the descriptive survey design since the opinion, perceptions and observation of public library users were examined. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 185 respondents. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. The instrument was validated by research experts in the area of test and measurement and in library and information science research. A reliability test was carried out using 25 academic library users in Delta State University, Abraka, to establish a coefficient of 0.87 using Cronbach’s α. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics for research questions while the Pearson product moment correlation coefficient analysis and linear regression analysis were used to test hypotheses. Findings Public libraries in Nigeria are functional and accessible. There is inadequacy in modern information and communication technology devices that aid information provision and dissemination, Globalization and modernization has negatively impacted the patronage of public libraries. The influence of deterritorialization has influenced the user attitude toward regular use. Globalization has made time and space much more closer, thereby reducing contact and interaction between library staff and users in the public library system. Globalization and/or modernization has brought not only challenges to public libraries, but also opportunities to exploit. Research limitations/implications The findings of the study were drawn from one sampled area to represent the entirety of the country. The respondents were public library users who were found using public libraries; therefore, less time was allocated to answering research instrument, thereby potentially and probably not responded to with utmost concern. Practical implications Public library functionality will be deterred if necessary actions are taken to improve the quality of service provision. There will likely be a reduced patronage of public libraries if users do not get the most recent information as supposed. There is already a negative effect of globalization and modernization on the functionality of public libraries. There is an urgent need to update and modernize public libraries across the nation for effective and efficient service delivery. Social implications Globalization has led to the reduction of interpersonal and social interaction which is supposed to promote friendliness between public library users and the staff. It also promoted the use of modern technologies such as telecommunication devices, information disseminating gadgets in homes while inhibiting public library patronage time and space is now been maximized for the benefit of library users who are distant from the public library location in as much as information has become accessible at their fingertips. Originality/value This research was carried out by the author (Dr (Mrs) P.U. Otolo) and is fully individual. All authors cited are duly acknowledged.

Web based Community Information Services in Public Libraries using ‘Koha’: Open Source Integrated Library System

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 7-9
Author(s):  
J. Jaba Joselin ◽  
P. Panneerselvam
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Information Age ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Information Services ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Community Information ◽  
User Expectations

Information acts as a crucial factor in the development of individuals and community. Community information is the information which is required by every human being in their day-to-day life for problem solving and decision making. In this ‘information age’, public llibraries face severe challenges from ICT developments and changing user expectations. UNESCO Public Library Manifesto defines public library as the local centre of information which makes all kinds of knowledge and information readily available to its users. Being the local gateways of knowledge, it becomes the duty of the Public Libraries to collect organize and disseminate all local information to the community it belonged to. This study explores Community Information Services in Public libraries and proposes providing web based community information services using Koha open source library system.

scholarly journals The Greatest Good Place: The role of the public library in the development of successful cities, and the relationship between public library contributions and planning policy

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Kluke
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Planning Policy ◽  
Changing Role ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The City

This paper explores the changing role of the public library, and determines its impacts on communities and cities. It also examines the relationship between libraries and planning policies, and the extend to which they inform the success of public libraries. The analysis centres on the design of modern public libraries, and the community and economic contributions they provide. Through analyses of the Vancouver Public Library, the Seattle Public Library, and the Toronto Public Library, it is evident that public libraries provide significant contributions within the communities they serve. Well-designed library buildings provide an important public space, and provide people with access to information and technology needed to participate in the knowledge economy, in turn producing significant economic gains for the city. This research finds that planning policy alone is unable to ensure the success of a city`s public library system. Support from the public and municipal leaders, combined with strong policy directives, is needed for a city`s public library system to succeed.

scholarly journals Reflections on the Public Library System in Canada: Inclusivity, Race and Power

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Bourret
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Access To Information ◽  
Canadian Society ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Recreational Activities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library System ◽  
Gain Access ◽  
Information Sciences

Public libraries as an institution are of the upmost importance to Canadian society as individuals from a variety of socio-economic and cultural backgrounds rely upon these spaces to gain access to information, education, and recreational activities. For this reason, these institutions strive to be inclusive and welcoming spaces. However, they are not always successful in these endeavours. The following paper highlights the ways in which Canadian libraries promote a homogenous culture of whiteness. Although this subject has been discussed in the American context, this paper situates Canada within this scholarship through investigating the makeup of Canadian libraries, the treatment of library patrons, and the documented experiences of racially marginalized staff. Based on these findings, this paper highlights scholarly and practitioner recommendations while also advocating for further research on this topic within the Canadian field of Library and Information Sciences (LIS).

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