scholarly journals Volunteering in libraries: survey on Romanian public libraries

Author(s):  
Mihai Constantinescu ◽  
Alina Danciu ◽  
Dana Haimana

Libraries are a natural hotspot for volunteer work, they can act as both beneficiaries and organizers of volunteers and their work. Volunteer programs in the libraries cover an important range of possibilities, from basic library work (moving books, assisting users that need help) to specialized activities (language courses, computer courses, specialized activities with persons with disabilities) and everything in between. This study aims to offer an overview of the situation regarding volunteer work in Romanian public libraries. It seeks to find out whether and how the county libraries and the two national libraries use volunteers.

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-182
Author(s):  
Raquel Morquecho-Sánchez ◽  
Verónica Morales-Sánchez ◽  
Oswaldo Ceballos Gurrola ◽  
Antonio Pineda Espejel ◽  
Jorge Zamarripa Rivera

Resumen El objetivo de la presente investigación es validar una herramienta que permita evaluar la calidad percibida de los programas del voluntariado universitario al contexto deportivo mexicano. Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó el software estadístico SPSS v.22 y el programa LISREL 8.8. Se realizaron los análisis de consistencia interna, análisis factorial exploratorio (AFE) y análisis factorial confirmatorio (AFC) con dos muestras distintas. El instrumento utilizado fue el QVOLSPORT mx, el cual está compuesto por 49 ítems y 6 factores: 1. Organización del voluntariado, 2. Responsables de área, 3. Tareas específicas del área, 4. Logística, 5. Instalación y materiales y 6.Valoración personal. El muestreo fue intencional por conveniencia, los participantes son voluntarios deportivos universitarios de la Universiada Nacional del año 2017 y 2019 de ambos géneros. Se aplicó a una muestra de 778 participantes distribuida en 378 participantes en la Universiada del año 2017, donde 252 fueron hombres y 126 mujeres, mientras que para la Universiada del año 2019 participaron 400, donde 238 son hombres y 162 mujeres, con un rango de edad entre 18 y 31 años (M = 21.18). Los resultados mostraron que el Alfa de Cronbach por factores está por encima de .70; los indicadores de pertinencia fueron adecuados, los 6 factores obtenidos explican el 59.60% de la varianza total. Los índices de ajuste y de error son satisfactorios, CFI = 0.982, NNFI= 0.981 y RMSEA = 0.057, por lo que el modelo ajusta. Se concluye que el instrumento QVOLSPORT mx, presenta propiedades psicométricas adecuadas y atiende a las necesidades del voluntariado deportivo de la comunidad universitaria, posibilitando una mejora continua en los programas de voluntariado deportivo. Se confirma que el instrumento es válido para evaluar la calidad percibida en los programas del voluntariado deportivo universitario al contexto deportivo mexicano. Abstract The objective of this research is to validate a tool that allows evaluating the perceived quality of university volunteer programs in the Mexican sports context. For data analysis, the statistical software SPSS v.22 and the LISREL 8.8 program were used. The internal consistency analyzes, exploratory factor analysis (AFE) and confirmatory factor analysis (AFC) were performed with two different samples. The instrument used was the QVOLSPORT mx, which is composed of 49 items and 6 factors: 1. Organization of the volunteer work, 2. Person in charge of the area, 3. Specific tasks of the area, 4. Logistics, 5. Installation and materials and 6. Personal assessment. The sampling was intentional for convenience, the participants are university sports volunteers of the National Universiade of the year 2017 and 2019 of both genders. It was applied to a sample of 778 participants distributed in 378 participants in the 2017 Universiade, where 252 were men and 126 women, while for the 2019 Universiade 400 participated, where 238 were men and 162 women, with a range of age between 18 and 31 years (M = 21.18). The results showed that Cronbach's Alpha by factors is above .70; the indicators of relevance were adequate, the 6 factors obtained explain 59.60% of the total variance. The fit and error indices are satisfactory, CFI = 0.982, NNFI = 0.981 and RMSEA = 0.057, so the model fits. It is concluded that the QVOLSPORT mx instrument has adequate psychometric properties and meets the needs of sports volunteering in the university community, enabling continuous improvement in sports volunteering programs. It is confirmed that the instrument is valid to evaluate the perceived quality of university sports volunteering programs in the Mexican sports context. O objetivo desta pesquisa é validar uma ferramenta que permite avaliar a qualidade percebida dos programas de voluntariado universitário no contexto esportivo mexicano. Para a análise dos dados, foram utilizados os softwares estatísticos SPSS v.22 e LISREL 8.8. As análises de consistência interna, análise fatorial exploratória (AFE) e análise fatorial confirmatória (AFC) foram realizadas com duas amostras diferentes. O instrumento utilizado foi o QVOLSPORT mx, que é composto por 49 itens e 6 fatores: 1. Organização do trabalho voluntário, 2. Responsável pela área, 3. Tarefas específicas da área, 4. Logística, 5. Instalação e materiais e 6. Avaliação pessoal. A amostragem foi intencional por conveniência, os participantes são voluntários do esporte universitário da Universiade Nacional dos anos de 2017 e 2019 de ambos os sexos. Foi aplicado a uma amostra de 778 participantes distribuídos em 378 participantes na Universiade 2017, sendo 252 homens e 126 mulheres, enquanto na Universiade 2019 participaram 400, sendo 238 homens e 162 mulheres, com faixa etária entre 18 e 31 anos (M = 21,18). Os resultados mostraram que o Alfa de Cronbach por fatores está acima de 0,70; os indicadores de relevância foram adequados, os 6 fatores obtidos explicam 59,60% da variância total. Os índices de ajuste e erro são satisfatórios, CFI = 0,982, NNFI = 0,981 e RMSEA = 0,057, então o modelo se ajusta. Concluise que o instrumento QVOLSPORT mx apresenta propriedades psicométricas adequadas e atende às necessidades do voluntariado esportivo na comunidade universitária, possibilitando a melhoria contínua nos programas de voluntariado esportivo. Confirmase que o instrumento é válido para avaliar a qualidade percebida de programas de voluntariado esportivo universitário no contexto esportivo mexicano.


Author(s):  
Abdul-Razzaq Abdel-Hafez Al-Dalabih Abdul-Razzaq Abdel-Hafez Al-Dalabih

  The present study aimed to identify trends of ’attitudes towards volunteering programs directed at community service, and the study relied on the descriptive approach, and the study population consisted of a sample consisting of (81) academics at the Prince Hussein Academy for Civil Protection, chosen randomly, and the results showed the arithmetic averages of academics’ attitudes toward The volunteering programs directed to community service came with a moderate degree, with a mean (3.62) At the level of the paragraphs, the paragraph that says: "Volunteer work expresses the true values ​​that we believe in" was ranked first, with an arithmetic average (4.10) and a high level, while the paragraph that states: "Free invest time in volunteer work." With an average of (3.16) and a medium degree, the results showed that there are no differences in academics ’attitudes towards volunteer programs directed to community service due to the variable of academic experience, while the results showed the existence of differences attributed to: the faculty variable and in favor of human faculties and in light of the results of the study recommend the need to link enrollment With the voluntary programs in the promotion system to encourage academics to practice volunteer activities in the local community.


Author(s):  
Roswitha Poll

The article describes the process of developing performance measures for national libraries, which culminated in the publication in April 2009 of the International Organization for Standardization Technical Report ISO 28118 Information and documentation – performance indicators for national libraries. An ISO working group began by defining the general mission and main tasks of national libraries. Most existing performance indicators, devised mainly for academic and public libraries, compared a library's input and output to the size of its primary user group. However, national libraries do not have such a defined user group – a fact that had to be reflected in the chosen indicators, which cover: building the national collection; making services accessible; offering reference services; building potentials for development; preserving the collection; and managing efficiently.


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.


2019 ◽  
pp. 88-113
Author(s):  
Felicity Aulino

This chapter assesses how the actions of volunteers reflect the ramifications of karmic framings of care in the contemporary civic landscape. Volunteers form the backbone of the Thai government's social welfare plan for their aging society. However, although volunteers have been vital to public health efforts in the country for decades, there is still a sense among many Thai people that volunteering is a foreign concept. Something about what volunteers do, and why they do it, is marked as “other.” At the same time, progressive social actors—including those very same organizations working for change in end-of-life care in the country—are promoting a “new” orientation to volunteering in which personal motivations and pro-social action offer a civic engagement route to making merit. In this way, the “spirit of volunteerism” is reclaimed as essentially Thai. The chapter then takes a close look at who does what in the name of volunteerism. In the civic landscape, volunteer programs help reveal the antecedents of that which is most important in care relationships at the interpersonal, group, and national levels. The chapter argues that power struggles over what counts as beneficial action may obscure a common and enduring ethical map, based on merit and karma in a hierarchical worldview, which continues to guide volunteer work and civic action in many forms.


2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Glusker

A Review of: Maatta Smith, S. L. (2014). Web Accessibility Assessment of Urban Public Library Websites. Public Library Quarterly, 33(3), 187-204. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2014.937207 Abstract Objective – To determine the extent to which urban public libraries in the United States of America provide web sites which are readily accessible to individuals with disabilities with reference to the Urban Library Council’s EDGE initiative (specifically Benchmark 11, “Technology Inclusiveness”). Design – Web site evaluation. Setting – Urban public libraries in the United States of America. Subjects – The 127 library systems, which were both members of the Urban Libraries Council at the time of the study and located in the United States of America. Methods – Using the “everyday life information seeking” conceptual framework, an assessment of each of the web sites of the purposive sample of public library systems was performed by an online evaluation tool as well as visually and physically to determine web accessibility and, by extension, technology inclusiveness. Main Results – The results of the online accessibility evaluation tool revealed that not one of the sites surveyed was free of errors or alerts. Contrast errors (related to color combinations), missing alternative text (providing text alternatives for visual elements), and missing form labels (thereby preventing screen readers from performing searches and navigating to results) were the most common problems. Results of visual and physical scans revealed that many sites lacked specific links and/or resources for persons with disabilities, as well as noting that the resources available used oblique language and required many clicks to access. In addition, the vast majority neglected to feature links to national resources such as the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Conclusions – The web sites of urban public libraries are not yet completely accessible for persons with disabilities. At the very least they need coding fixes and ongoing maintenance to address the kinds of issues found by the online web evaluation tool used. In addition, resources for disabled persons should be prominently and clearly linked and promoted. Further research is called for, both in non-urban library systems and in testing a wider range of access technologies. Improvement efforts should acknowledge that web design that improves access for persons with disabilities serves the broader community as well.


Author(s):  
Cheryl Peltier-Davis

While it is essential that national library functions and services are carried out, within the English-speaking Caribbean these functions can be provided by extending the role of the country's main public library. A questionnaire was administered in 1994 to 14 public libraries and one national library in the region to ascertain if public libraries performed any national library functions and if so to assess how effectively, with a view to formulating proposals as to how best this dual role could be achieved. The survey, in which 13 libraries participated, revealed that a majority of the libraries did in fact act as de facto national libraries, performing many of the functions of traditional national libraries, though there were major deficiencies (e.g. only seven had legal deposit, and only four produced national bibliographies). A structure for a dual-function Public/National Library is proposed, with three functional divisions (Public Library Services, Technical Services, and National Heritage) and a powerful National Library Services Board.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł Brzustewicz ◽  
Iwona Escher ◽  
Jan Hermes ◽  
Pauliina Ulkuniemi

Purpose This paper aims to examine corporate volunteering as a form of social responsibility carried out by companies in relationships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Applying the value creation concept, the success of such relationships is based on value created between the focal company, its employees engaging in the volunteer work and the collaborating NGO actors representing the beneficiaries of the volunteer work. However, how to meaningfully engage employees and strategically manage company–NGO relationships in corporate volunteering has received less scholarly attention. The study hence asks the question: How is mutual value created in corporate volunteering collaborations between business organizations and NGOs? Design/methodology/approach Two qualitative case studies of company–NGO relationships involved in corporate volunteer programs for social benefit in Poland and Finland are analyzed. Findings Corporate volunteering offers value creation opportunities for each of the three actors in the relationships, namely, the company, the NGO and the employees who participate in the volunteer work. Particularly, employment and volunteering relationships appear to be catalysts for the creation of mutual value in the organizational relationship between a company and NGO. Originality/value The present study contributes to the current understanding of company–NGO relationships by emphasizing the role of individual employee volunteers in creating relationship-level value. The study adds also to existing research on corporate volunteering by identifying the way value is created in company–NGO relationships within corporate volunteering.


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