scholarly journals New, Old, Indifferent: The United Kingdom’s Preferences Regarding the Architecture and Design of Public Libraries

2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Annie Hughes
Keyword(s):  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library As Place ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Architecture And Design ◽  
Cultural Leaders ◽  
Library Buildings

Objective – Analysis and discussion of attitudes of U.K. citizens toward the architecture and design of the country’s public libraries. Design – Content analysis of essays submitted to the U.K. Mass Observation Archive (MOA). Setting – Citizens of the United Kingdom. Subjects – 180 respondents from a panel of 500 Mass Observation Archive (MOA) volunteers. Methods – The MOA originated in the 1930s as a way to gather qualitative evidence regarding everyday life of the British public. Most of the data gathered takes the form of variable length essays written by a panel of 500 anonymous volunteers. The volunteers respond to specific directives, and in this article, Black summarized responses to a directive he originally posed to the 500 volunteers in 2005: ‘Public Library Buildings’. Black issued this particular directive to the panel of volunteers in the autumn of 2005 and results were made available to the public by mid-2006.The MOA received a total of 180 responses, of which 121 were from women and 59 were from men. Both users of libraries and non-users were included in the sample. The respondents were not a representative sample of the British public because men, ethnic minorities, lower socio-economic groups, and those living outside of the South of England were underrepresented. The author analyzed the content of the 180 submitted essays to gain insight on attitudes regarding public library design and architecture. Respondents were asked about public library location, environmental fit, architectural style, sensory aspects of the building, and whether or not the building resembled other types of public buildings. Although he posed several questions, Black focused on answers to three questions: what do you think about the design of modern library buildings? Do you prefer them to older style buildings? Have you seen older libraries renovated into more modern libraries, and what do you think of them? Black then analyzed the responses and grouped them into four major attitudes toward the architecture and design of public libraries. The author chose not to code any of the responses and instead chose to analyze the ‘discourse’ in and not necessarily the ‘content’ of the essays. After analyzing the discourse, Black contextualized the evidence he discovered. He then discussed political and cultural issues with relation to the four major attitudes and how these issues affected the current landscape of libraries. Main Results – The four major categories derived from the essays that Black analyzed included: preference for the new; preference for the old; preference for a mixing of the old and the new; architectural indifference, the library as ‘place’ and the concept of ‘libraryness.’ Those with a preference for the new preferred the newer, more modern building because it fit better within the world of information technology. These respondents also felt that the older buildings were too intimidating and cold. Those who preferred the older architecture and design felt that the buildings allowed them to access a piece of the past, and they thought an older library to be more impressive, historic, and generally have more elaborate and interesting architecture. These respondents pointed out the fewer places to hide in new libraries, and indicated that new architecture is boring and stolid. The third group of respondents preferred an older exterior, but an up-to-date interior with a more modern infrastructure. They enjoyed the large impressive buildings but liked the interior to contain comfortable, modern furniture, good lighting, as well as updated technological tools. Finally, the remaining group of respondents did not place importance on the physical space of a library, but more so the services and collections within the physical space. Conclusion – The discourse derived from the MOA and analyzed in Black’s article summarizes the attitudes and preferences that citizens of the UK have regarding public library architecture. Among the 180 responses to the ‘Public Library Buildings’ directive, there is a clear tension in these attitudes and preferences. The information gathered in the MOA directive on public libraries could also provide political and cultural leaders with evidence of a need for renewal or rethinking of the country’s public libraries.

scholarly journals Interlending and resource sharing in UK public libraries: A mixed methods study

2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Wakeling ◽  
Sophie Rutter ◽  
Briony Birdi ◽  
Stephen Pinfield
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Resource Sharing ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library Funding ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

This paper presents the results of a mixed methods study of interlending and resource sharing in UK public libraries, based on the results of a survey distributed to both senior library managers and interlending staff, and in-depth follow-up interviews with 20 respondents. We present an analysis of perspectives towards rates of interlending, the rationales and strategies for providing the service, the perceived value for money offered by various interlending schemes, the impact of the current digital environment, and views on the future of interlending in the UK. Our findings suggest that while interlending services are undoubtedly threatened by the drastic cuts to public library funding, and that demand for the service is more generally in decline, resource sharing is viewed by some as a potential means of mitigating the effects of increasingly limited acquisitions budgets, and ensuring the public library system continues to provide access to a wide range of resources for its users.

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 Life of the Space: Evidence from Nova Scotia Public Libraries

2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francine May ◽  
Fiona Black
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
The Public ◽  
Actual Use ◽  
Critical Feedback ◽  
Community Spaces

Objectives – To describe aspects of the 21st century role of the public library as a physical space by observing the actual use of a selection of public libraries. This study seeks to reveal how patrons are using and experiencing these institutions as spaces and how patrons and staff characterize the role of public libraries in communities. Methods – A multiple case study design was used to examine three urban and three small town public libraries within Nova Scotia, Canada. A triangulated set of methods including patron interviews and questionnaires, staff interviews, and seating sweeps was used to develop answers to the research questions. Results – These public libraries are functioning as successful public places in that they are community spaces used in a multitude of ways and where patrons feel welcome. These libraries play important roles in the lives of respondents and, while respondents were willing to give critical feedback, they generally described the spaces positively. Patron use and experience of these library spaces can be broken into three themes that describe the roles of public libraries in communities. These include the role of provider of books and information, provider of access to technology and provider of a social space where members of the public are welcome. Conclusions – Patron experiences in Nova Scotia public libraries show that libraries are vibrant places that are highly valued by their communities. A number of common themes about the use and perception of these spaces emerged, yet when examined individually each library was also revealed to be a unique place, reflecting the particular qualities of the community and the physical space of the library building itself. It is clear that public libraries are complex institutions which play a variety of valuable roles in the community.

A Comparative Study of Public Libraries in Edinburgh and Copenhagen and Their Potential for Social Capital Creation

Libri ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Miller
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Social Capital Theory ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
The Public ◽  
Library As Place

AbstractPublic libraries have always been under pressure to earn their place in society - but can their benefit to the community be proven? Although the concept of social capital can be traced back to 1916, in the past 10 years social capital theory has been linked increasingly to the public library. Social capital refers to links between people in society - “networks, norms and trust” (Putnam 1996, 34) - which produce positive outcomes for the community as a whole. The purpose of this article is to investigate the library as place and the potential of the public library to create social capital. This comprises the examination of two cases, Edinburgh City Libraries in Edinburgh, Scotland and Kobenhavns Biblioteker in Copenhagen, Denmark in the form of a comparative case study. The methods used to elicit data included qualitative interviews with library managers, observation, and consultation of organizational documentation. The case study was limited by a small sample size, possibility of cultural bias, and lack of generalizability of evidence. Findings show that library staff in Edinburgh and Copenhagen are actively involved in creating social capital in a number of ways: through facilitating or organizing meetings, providing an informal meeting place, forging links between groups in the community, creating a welcoming environment, and by meeting community educational needs. It was found that Copenhagen and Edinburgh share in many characteristics, but have different attitudes to trust. Conclusions demonstrate that three main factors affect the library’s potential to create social capital; the library building and space, the library’s staff and volunteers, and the links that the library has with the community. It is recommended that further research should be carried out in the area of library as place and on the identification of factors generating social capital.

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.]

scholarly journals Assessing the impacts of changing public service provision on geographical accessibility: An examination of public library provision in Pembrokeshire, South Wales

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 548-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Higgs ◽  
Samuel Jones ◽  
Mitchel Langford ◽  
Jesse Heley
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Information Systems ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Geographical Information ◽  
The Public ◽  
Community Needs ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Geographical Accessibility ◽  
Delivery Models

Public libraries make an important contribution to the wellbeing of local people often acting as community hubs by reducing the isolation felt by vulnerable members of society through promoting social interaction and supporting the wider needs of local communities. However, access to libraries is threatened in Wales, as elsewhere in the UK, by uncertainty stemming from changes in local government service delivery models, austerity-driven cuts in public spending, changing demands on the service from the public and the potential impacts of new developments in digital services and technologies. Drawing on network-based analysis of changes to library services in a predominantly rural authority in South-West Wales, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate how Geographical Information Systems can be used to monitor the impacts of alternative models of provision currently being considered by library authorities. By examining the spatial impacts of changes in services following a period of re-configuration in this library authority, we point the way to methods that enable levels of provision that meet community needs to be sought during times of budgetary pressures and proposed changes to the delivery of public services.

Reversing the gaze on race, social justice, and inclusion in public librarianship

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Amber Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Structural Racism ◽  
The Public ◽  
Race And Class ◽  
The Gaze ◽  
Socially Constructed ◽  
Historical Times ◽  
Diversity Studies

While contemporary revisionist narratives frame the public library as a benevolent and neutral community resource, it has existed for over two centuries and has a deeply shaded past. Particularly, public libraries played key roles in projects tied to the industrialist mission of states and the education of select social groups during key historical times. In no uncertain terms, these were inherently racist and colonial projects in which libraries helped proffer socially constructed and politically motivated ideas of race and class. This work draws on relevant and important work in anti-oppression studies, Black studies, critical diversity studies, and Critical Race Theory (CRT) to trouble contemporary revisionist perspectives in public librarianship to show how they further entrench monocultural normativity and structural racism. It also draws on scholarship in anti-racism studies to reimagine possibilities for public librarianship that genuinely reflect its core values of equity and justice.

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 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.

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