Understanding the Roles of Public Libraries in (Inter)National Development: Lessons from India

Author(s):  
Ajit K Pyati

This paper focuses on the roles of public libraries in overall plans and schemes for Indian national development, focusing on issues of power and representation. The roles of state and non-state actors in Indian public library development are explored within the context of larger international information policy and development debates.Cet article porte sur les rôles des bibliothèques publiques dans les plans et les schémas globaux du développement national de l'Inde, et plus précisément sur les enjeux de pouvoir et de représentation. Seront explorés les rôles de l'état et des autres intervenants dans le développement des bibliothèques publiques indiennes dans le contexte de politiques d'information plus vastes et des débats sur le développement. 

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 42-51
Author(s):  
Kristine Paberza

This paper presents methodology, early findings, possible applications of results and lessons learnt from the research study “Public libraries: value, trust and satisfaction”. The study was conducted in Latvia as the part of the impact assessment plan within the public library development project “Third Father’s Son”. The project’s goal was to improve people’s quality of life by strengthening the capacities of public libraries to facilitate better and proactive use of resources offered by free access to information technology and the Internet. In this paper, the author introduces practical results from the measurement of use-oriented value of public libraries by using information from the ecology approach and identifying the role of the public library within a context of other information sources used by the public.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 469-480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl Gustav Johannsen

Purpose – Several recent library innovations seem to make professional and clerical staff superfluous such as automated loan and delivery equipment, staff-less libraries open in 80 hours a week, and virtual services, enabling users to search the library catalogue and make reservations of library materials from their home address. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether such developments will necessarily lead to a situation where public libraries become self-service institutions or to what extent self-service and innovative staff-intensive library services can develop and co-exist. Furthermore, the paper will examine what challenges library leaders face and what they can do, and actually have done, to handle staff resistance and other related problems to the benefit of both the users, the local communities, and also, the staff, in particular, when introducing new and innovative services. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on the author's evaluations of two recent Danish library development projects. Both evaluations are based on empirical data and apply quantitative (questionnaires) as well as qualitative (interviews, observations) methods. Findings – The findings reveal that staff attitudes toward staff-less libraries, and – more surprising – also toward more staff-intensive practices have been somewhat reluctant and skeptical. The paper also presents leadership initiatives which have proved to handle such resistances constructively. Originality/value – The paper contains a first-hand report on the results of a recent (2011-2012) unique, full-scale, Danish public library development project, investigating the experiences with pro-active and guest-customer relationships within a public library setting.


Author(s):  
Margaret Baffour-Awuah

The Carnegie Corporation of New York has embarked on a revitalisation programme of some African public libraries. The Corporation has made grants to those public library systems targeting previously disadvantaged communities. Those aspects of the programmes that the grantees have drawn up which could impact school library development in the recipient countries are highlighted here. The selected public libraries of Botswana, Kenya and five provinces within South Africa, as grantees of revitalisation awards are the objects of focus here. Seven other African countries that have benefited to a relatively lesser extent are mentioned as issues emerge that relate to them. Suggestions are made as to the impact some of these public library programmes could make on school libraries and school pupils.


Libri ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 269-289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael M. Widdersheim

Abstract Public library development is explained differently by various theories, but existing theories are problematic. A new theory is needed to explain public library development, one that foregrounds political processes. To produce this new theory, a historical case study was conducted of a regional public library system in the United States from 1924 to 2016. Multiple data sources and mixed methods were used to identify the causes of library development in nine periods of the case. Findings indicate that public libraries develop in a cyclical way. Within each decision cycle, high responsiveness is a necessary condition for a change in development. A responsive library system adapts to and acts upon discursively-legitimated issues. High responsiveness, together with either high civil support, high legitimacy or low resistance, are causal configurations sufficient for change. This theory is significant because it is testable, it uses a new research framework and new methods, and it provides new insight into public library development.


2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 344-350
Author(s):  
Henrik Jochumsen

Abstract The article discusses how it is possible to qualify the debate on public libraries by the use of research based models and concepts and hereby maybe even change the crisis discourse that according to the author characterizes the public debate on current library development. Key-elements are the four-space model, the three-function model and the concept of “New Librarianship”.


Author(s):  
Margaret Baffour-Awuah

The Carnegie Corporation of New York has embarked on a revitalisation programme of some African public libraries. The Corporation has made grants to those public library systems targeting previously disadvantaged communities. Those aspects of the programmes that the grantees have drawn up which could impact school library development in the recipient countries are highlighted here. The selected public libraries of Botswana, Kenya and five provinces within South Africa, as grantees of revitalisation awards are the objects of focus here. Seven other African countries that have benefited to a relatively lesser extent are mentioned as issues emerge that relate to them. Suggestions are made as to the impact some of these public library programmes could make on school libraries and school pupils.


Author(s):  
Kristine Paberza

This paper presents methodology, early findings, possible applications of results and lessons learnt from the research study “Public libraries: value, trust and satisfaction”. The study was conducted in Latvia as the part of the impact assessment plan within the public library development project “Third Father’s Son”. The project’s goal was to improve people’s quality of life by strengthening the capacities of public libraries to facilitate better and proactive use of resources offered by free access to information technology and the Internet. In this paper, the author introduces practical results from the measurement of use-oriented value of public libraries by using information from the ecology approach and identifying the role of the public library within a context of other information sources used by the public.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-144
Author(s):  
Niswa Nabila Sri Bintang Alam ◽  
Rusdan Kamil

The National Library of Indonesia launched a social inclusion-based library transformation program based on the library for all movement in collaboration with the Ministry of National Development Planning / BAPPENAS. In 2019, all libraries participating in this program totaled 359 public libraries spread across all provinces in Indonesia. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of general librarians in Indonesia towards social inclusion-based library programs that have been implemented for the last two years. Two previous studies related to librarian perception research and the development of social transformation programs are the basis for the development of this research. The population in this study was 2477 librarians who work in public library institutions in Indonesia from various levels ranging from central to the village, while the determination of the research sample was carried out by simple random sampling technique with a confidence level of 94.5% and a margin of error of 5.7% so that 273 respondents were obtained. The research results are expected to provide input on national strategies and policies for the implementation of a social inclusion-based library transformation program.


Liburna ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danijela Angelina Jelinčić ◽  
Irides Zović

Cultural tourism is a selective form of tourism that needs to be systematically introduced to certain aspects of the library business and is another example of underutilized potential in creating a cultural tourism policy. This paper presents results of the research, which has been conducted in 2010 in Istria on public libraries of the Istrian County with the aim to detect the state and the level of participatio n of public libraries in the cultural tourism services. As a response to the detected problems, the paper brings forth suggestions for further development according to which libraries can fi nd their own growth model, while respecting different development levels and the local communities’ context. Recommendations for the development of public libraries in cultural tourism are set on the basis of new library system structures, introduction of new services and cultural management. They are harmonised with the local community needs obtained through a demographic survey and analysis of the administrative-territorial structure of the County. The presented model of the County’s public library development in cultural tourism can be refl ected in developing new contents for digital libraries connected to publicly available catalogues through contents and services of the developed, cooperating consortium of public libraries.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Mária Eszenyiné Borbély

A tanulmány a Múzeumi és könyvtári fejlesztések mindenkinek „Az én könyvtáram” EFOP-3.3.3.-VEKOP/16-2016-00001 projekt keretében lefolytatott vizsgálat eredményeit ismerteti. A projekt többek között arra keresi a választ, hogy mi lehet a könyvtárosok szerepe a közkönyvtárakban a tanulást támogató könyvtári szolgáltatások megvalósításában, elsősorban a digitális írástudás, információs műveltség fejlesztésében. Ez a fajta könyvtáros szerepvállalás feltételezi, hogy a könyvtárosok rendelkeznek a feladatellátáshoz kívánatos digitális kompetenciával és egyéb szükséges készségekkel. Ahhoz, hogy reálisan értékelhessük a helyzetet, fel kell térképeznünk a könyvtárosok digitális kompetenciáinak szintjét. A pályázat megteremtette egy országos reprezentatív felmérés lebonyolításnak lehetőségét, melynek eredményeként mélységeiben sikerült megismerni, hogy a magyarországi települési könyvtárakban dolgozó könyvtárosok milyen digitális kompetenciákkal rendelkeznek. --- Digital competence levels of librarians working in Hungarian municipal libraries: Results of a Countrywide Representative Survey The study describes the results of the survey carried out by the Museum and Library Development for Everyone “My Library” EFOP-3.3.3.-VEKOP/16-2016-00001 project. Among other things the aim of the project is to define the role of librarians in public libraries in their implementation of library services, directed towards supporting learning, primarily in developing digital literacy and information literacy. This engagement requires librarians to have digital competences and various skills needed for carrying out their responsibilities. In order to evaluate the situation realistically, we need to map out the level of librarians’ digital literacy. The project created the opportunity for conducting a representative national survey. As a result of this survey, the depth of the digital competence status of librarians working in the Hungarian municipal libraries was assessed. Keywords: digital competence, DigComp, librarians, public library, Hungary, survey


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