How Young Adult Readers Select Fiction in Public Libraries: A Study of the Factors Which Influence Information-Seeking in Context

10.26686/wgtn.17003809.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Rachel Randall

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Young Adults ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

Peer Influence ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Research Problem ◽

Family Influence ◽

Reading Material

Research Problem: The purpose of this research paper is to observe the information-seeking behaviour and book selection methods of the youth today, mainly in the public library context. There are so many questions, and prescribed answers as to how young adults seek reading material for themselves, who and what influences them, what is the best way to communicate with them, as well as how technology effects these processes. There are few recent research articles on this topic, and no qualitative-research examples, which prevent us from uncovering rich, genuine data about how young adults respond to aspects such was Web 2.0, peer influence, family influence, teacher/librarian influence, the introduction of new collections, book displays, youthful-looking book covers and so forth. Methodology: Qualitative research methods used. Focus groups were conducted with 3 groups, each consisting of 8-11 teenagers, who are members of Auckland Libraries. Results: We can observe that for optimal effect on young adults, public libraries (or even publishing houses, bookstores and schools) is to be wiser and more focused with some services, and to understand what young adults are actually seeking. It is about giving a facelift to some current services, re-organizing the collection, re-thinking how the web and Web 2.0 is used, and being more strategic in establishing personal relationships with young adults. Implications: This research offers theoretical grounding within a comprehensive literature review of as much current information examples as possible. It also offers practical lessons, offered by the examples given from the young adults themselves, which public libraries may or may not choose to employ, in order to draw young adults to their services, to use their collections, and to stay as members for life.

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Propaganda, Censorship, and Book Drives: The Newark Public Library in World War I

New Jersey Studies An Interdisciplinary Journal ◽

10.14713/njs.v5i1.150 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 101

Author(s):

George Robb

Keyword(s):

World War I ◽

Significant Role ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

World War ◽

Reading Material ◽

Wide Range ◽

War Effort ◽

Women Librarians

This article examines the activities of the Newark Public Library during World War I as a means of highlighting the significant role American libraries played in promoting the nation’s war effort. During the war public libraries were usually the most important information centers in their communities. They distributed books, pamphlets, and posters in support of a wide range of government initiatives, they organized war-related exhibits and classes, and they collected vast amounts of reading material for libraries at military camps. Newark’s chief librarians, John Cotton Dana and Beatrice Winser, oversaw many such patriotic initiatives, but they also became involved in more controversial campaigns to employ women librarians at military camps and to resist wartime calls for censorship of unpatriotic literature.

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Non-friction reading: Licensing requirements for e-book lending in New Zealand public libraries

10.26686/wgtn.17005576.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Amy Joseph

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Staff Member ◽

System Integration ◽

Online Survey ◽

Response Rate ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Research Problem ◽

Strong Preference ◽

National Library

Research problem: Libraries face many challenges as they strive to provide e-books to their members, often caused by less-than-ideal licensing conditions, or publishers who will not yet license their titles to libraries for lending. This research project, developed in conjunction with a National Library of New Zealand initiative investigating collaborative ebook procurement for libraries, surveyed New Zealand public libraries in order to discover what elements of existing and proposed models would best meet the needs of their users. Methodology: a link to an online survey was emailed to public library managers, who were asked to complete the survey or delegate it to an appropriate staff member. Results: Valid responses were received from 34 of the 67 library systems contacted (response rate = 50.8). New Zealand public libraries are anticipating a large increase in spending on the provision of e-books, with the growth in spending on e-books set to outstrip growth in spending on other e-resources. They show a strong preference for perpetual access licenses, and generally tend to favour licenses that allow for control over title selection and predictability over budgets. They are concerned with system integration and would ideally like to see e-books from all their chosen vendors available through one interface that integrates with their catalogues. Libraries would like to see more New Zealand content available, and access to library e-book lending on all devices their users may choose to use.

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How can you tell if it’s working? Recent developments in impact evaluation and their implications for information literacy practice.

Journal of Information Literacy ◽

10.11645/11.1.2201 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 106 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sharon Markless ◽

David Streatfield

Keyword(s):

Information Literacy ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Impact Evaluation ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Academic Staff ◽

Public Library ◽

Literacy Practice ◽

Programme Theory ◽

Literacy Support ◽

Library Impact

This paper surveys the (patchy and uneven) advances in LIS impact evaluation over the past ten years and notes the surge forward in public library impact evaluation, before looking more broadly at international and educational impact evaluation scene and noting the advance of programme-theory driven approaches. The authors then identify various trends drawn from the wider evaluation discourse that they think are likely to be relevant to information literacy (IL) practitioners, academic staff, employers and others who are concerned with impact evaluation of IL work.The trends identified are:growing clarity about the levels of evaluation expertise needed to deliver information literacy support from the perspectives of leaders of LIS education programmes, staff of academic institutions, library leaders and managers and IL practitioners,growing interest in more inclusive or democratic approaches to impact evaluationthe limitations of the simple logic model of evaluationre-purposing of existing data to meet new evaluation needscollecting and presenting stories of change as impact evaluation evidence.Implications for IL practitioners are offered in relation to each of these trends. The authors then predict that over the next ten years there will be a strong focus on whether IL interventions are having an impact in combating misinformation and disinformation; more systematic and sustained approaches to IL impact evaluation in the health and higher education sectors but less so in some school libraries and other settings. They think that the more proactive public libraries will adopt IL evaluation approaches, that workplace IL will continue to depend upon the organisational culture, and that research on information seeking in context will shed light on evaluation priorities. Finally, they hope that future IL work will be underpinned by programme theory-based evaluation.

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Homeless Patrons Utilize the Library for More than Shelter but Public Library Services Are Not Designed with Them in Mind

Evidence Based Library and Information Practice ◽

10.18438/eblip29805 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (4) ◽

pp. 174-175

Author(s):

Samantha J. Kaplan

Keyword(s):

Information Seeking ◽

Information Needs ◽

Information Science ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Homeless People ◽

Science Research ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Convenience Sample

A Review of: Dowdell, L., & Liew, C. L. (2019). More than a shelter: Public libraries and the information needs of people experiencing homelessness. Library & Information Science Research, 41(4), 100984. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2019.100984 Abstract Objective – The study sought to examine the information seeking behavior of homeless patrons and how public libraries meet the needs of homeless patrons. Design – Qualitative phenomenological study. Setting – Public libraries in New Zealand. Subjects – Four homeless patrons who were current library patrons and seven public library workers (senior managers and two front line workers). Methods – Purposive convenience sample of homeless patrons and library workers to participate in face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. The study utilized Creswell's four-step data analysis spiral to produce a synthesis. Main Results – Homeless patrons utilize public libraries for far more than daytime shelter, patronizing the collections, and accessing services. The participating libraries did not have existing policies, practices, services, or staff designed for the needs and wants of homeless people, however, current offerings largely met the needs of homeless patrons. Conclusion – Homeless people use public libraries much like non-homeless patrons and public libraries could develop specialized offerings for them, though they must take care to do so in a way that does not further marginalize this group. Additional research is needed to understand why some homeless people do not utilize the libraries.

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How Adult Fiction Readers Select Fiction Books in Public Libraries: a Study of Information-Seeking in Context

10.26686/wgtn.16969807.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Kamy Ooi

Keyword(s):

Information Seeking ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Methodological Approach ◽

Public Library ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Book Clubs ◽

The Public ◽

Book Choice ◽

Internet Radio ◽

Book Selections

This study examines from the viewpoint of twelve adult fiction readers, who are members of book clubs, how they go about selecting fiction books to borrow from the public library. The methodological approach taken was a qualitative one in that each participant took part in an individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interview. The central premise of the study was that information seeking occurs in a context and must therefore be understood as influenced by context. In attempting to understand how adult fiction readers select their books then, the study examined a variety of contextual factors that influenced book choice. Personal characteristics such as mood and lifestyle were found to have an impact on book selections. Family and friends, and peers from book clubs, also played important roles in participants' book choices. The mass media, including the Internet, radio, television and the printed press also impacted participants' choice of books. Radio, in particular, was a popular source among participants. The study also examined the role that the public library played in fiction readers' book choices. It was found that while the public library provided a range of readers' advisory tools to assist fiction readers in their book selections, not all the tools were helpful to the study's participants. Library staff also played a largely invisible role in participants' book choices. Implications for public library services are discussed in the study.

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When the Nation is in crisis: libraries respond

Library Management ◽

10.1108/lm-05-2016-0043 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (8/9) ◽

pp. 465-481 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Bibi Alajmi

Keyword(s):

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Research Problem ◽

Case Study Method ◽

Social Unrest ◽

Content Type ◽

Community Institutions ◽

Traditional Roles

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the role of libraries as community institutions by reflecting on the experience of the Ferguson Municipal Public Library (FMPL), Missouri, USA, during the time of social unrest in the summer of 2014. The research explores the traditional and non-traditional roles of libraries during times of social unrest while focusing on relevant areas of crisis management preparedness and competencies necessary during crisis. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a qualitative approach in investigating the research problem and uses the case study method to collect relevant data. Findings This paper reports on the experience of the FMPL staff during this time. Their experience of what happened, how they dealt with it, and what their expectations were after the crisis are all documented. Originality/value Several scholars have studied how public libraries respond to disasters, yet little is known about whether public libraries proactively engage in community-wide disaster planning, and if so, what is the nature of those partnerships.

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The Use of Web 2.0 Services by Urban Public Libraries in Poland: Changes over the Years 2011–2013

Libri ◽

10.1515/libri-2015-0017 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 65 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Magdalena Wójcik

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Quantitative Analysis ◽

Web 2.0 ◽

Social Networking ◽

Social Networking Sites ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Library Services ◽

Use Of Social Media

AbstractThis paper discusses the possibilities for using social media in promoting public library services and describes the changes that occurred between 2011 and 2013. The results of an analysis of a group of Polish urban public libraries for the occurrence of Web 2.0 elements and social media references are presented. Quantitative analysis included the number of Web 2.0 elements in pages, the number of references to social networking sites and the number of users of various types of Web 2.0 library profiles. Qualitative analysis concerned the extent and type of information shared through social media. This article presents the scope of changes that have occurred in the use of Web 2.0 elements by Polish urban public libraries in recent years, as well as prospects for the further use of social media. It also shows the dynamics of change in terms of how public libraries use Web 2.0 services. This comparative study shows that over the 2 years studied the number of libraries using social media increased, as did the variety of tools and the frequency of their use. The study was conducted using a specific sample of public libraries in urban areas in one Polish province. The study is not representative of all public libraries in Poland. However, the author believes that the study shows certain trends that may be characteristic not only of libraries in the studied region, but also across the whole country, and the results could be widely used in practice to improve social media activity.

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Getting in the (Teen) Zone: Evaluating Young Adult Spaces in Public Libraries Through a User-Experience Framework

The iJournal: Graduate Student Journal of the Faculty of Information ◽

10.33137/ijournal.v6i1.35267 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Erin Calhoun

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Young Adult ◽

User Experience ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Public Library ◽

Late Adolescents ◽

Institutional Policies ◽

Developmental Needs ◽

Library Associations ◽

Information Professionals

Designated young adult spaces in public libraries, often called “teen zones,” are designed as spaces for young adults to engage in activities that support their developmental needs. These spaces are necessary for young adults in public libraries, who may feel unwelcome due to restrictive institutional policies and a lack of study spaces. While young adult spaces are designed following guidelines established by library associations, such as YALSA and OPLA, these facilities risk generalizing the varying interests and needs expressed by youth at different stages of adolescence. This report explores early, middle, and late adolescents’ expressed needs of library spaces compared to the guidelines used to create teen zones. Through a user-experience emphasis on the design and evaluation of young adult spaces, information professionals can design public library spaces that address the unique needs of all users, rather than a generalized few.

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How Adult Fiction Readers Select Fiction Books in Public Libraries: a Study of Information-Seeking in Context

10.26686/wgtn.16969807 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Kamy Ooi

Keyword(s):

Information Seeking ◽

Public Libraries ◽

Methodological Approach ◽

Public Library ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Book Clubs ◽

The Public ◽

Book Choice ◽

Internet Radio ◽

Book Selections

This study examines from the viewpoint of twelve adult fiction readers, who are members of book clubs, how they go about selecting fiction books to borrow from the public library. The methodological approach taken was a qualitative one in that each participant took part in an individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interview. The central premise of the study was that information seeking occurs in a context and must therefore be understood as influenced by context. In attempting to understand how adult fiction readers select their books then, the study examined a variety of contextual factors that influenced book choice. Personal characteristics such as mood and lifestyle were found to have an impact on book selections. Family and friends, and peers from book clubs, also played important roles in participants' book choices. The mass media, including the Internet, radio, television and the printed press also impacted participants' choice of books. Radio, in particular, was a popular source among participants. The study also examined the role that the public library played in fiction readers' book choices. It was found that while the public library provided a range of readers' advisory tools to assist fiction readers in their book selections, not all the tools were helpful to the study's participants. Library staff also played a largely invisible role in participants' book choices. Implications for public library services are discussed in the study.

Download Full-text