The Public Library and its Community: A Study of the Impact of Library Services in Five Pennsylvania Cities. By William R. Monat, with the assistance of Lawrence K. Pettit and Philip M. Clark. (State College, Pa.: Himes Printing Co., 1967. Pp. 162.)

1969 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-210
Author(s):  
Philip H. Burch
2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (66) ◽  
pp. 33-38
Author(s):  
R V Proctor ◽  
Bob Usherwood ◽  
Gill Sobczyk

This article describes British Library funded research into the Sheffield libraries strike last year. The aim of the research was to investigate the impact of the temporary closure of public library services on user behaviour and attitudes. It examines the robustness of public library use and how easily previous patterns of use were resumed after the strike. Assertions in previous research about the effect of the public library on the local infrastructure are also tested. The full Report is available from the British Library, (Research and Innovation Report 6224).


2009 ◽  
Vol 28 (88) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Helen Cartwright

The book superstore is promoted not just as a place to buy books but also as a community resource in which to read, learn and socialise: traits that have in combination traditionally been the preserve of the public library. This study investigates the impact of the bookstore environment on public library space. The attitudes and behaviours of library and bookstore users were examined through focus group interviews and a self-completed questionnaire. Clear areas of overlap in the functions of the two sites were found, as was evidence of age and income-related splits in use and perception of bookstores and libraries. Results suggest attention should be paid to the beliefs and behaviours of young people and middle-income earners (the groups most noticeably increasing their use of the bookstore) and to the desired balance of education and recreation in the image and nature of the public library.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-240
Author(s):  
Imam Faisal Pane ◽  
Febrina

The lack of public reading interest makes people rarely come to visit the public library. The public library of The Binjai city as a media to increase people's knowledge, in fact, that still using traditional planning and structuring and has a less comfortable atmosphere. The Binjai city public library requires to improve its facilities and infrastructures related to the standards of a public library, so that possible to increase people's interest in visiting the library. The designer can make several alternative approaches to design an object, one of that is a metaphorical approach. Choosing of metaphor theme is a theme approachment by taking the book as a visual form that applicated to an element of the building. The strong Malay culture of Binjai city as a local heritage can be applicated in designing the public library of Binjai City. The concept design of the Binjai City Public Library is applied to accommodate library services and activities. By taking a representation physical form of the book as part of the building construction, giving all facilities and services can be functioned to attract more people's attention to visit the library.


Author(s):  
Paul Farrand ◽  
Joanne Woodford

Chapter 19 describes a practical way for CBT self-help resources to be made more widely available. Book prescription schemes offer an attractive solution to funders. Potentially access to CBT self-help can be rolled out widely through the public library services. The chapter presents an overview of the development of this approach, highlighting some novel aspects of the scheme, such as the prescription element in which, as is the case with medication, self-help books are ‘prescribed’ by the LI practitioner. Anecdotally, this element of the scheme seems to help legitimize the use of the written materials and increases patient expectancies around the self-help approach. However, there are also distinct challenges associated with such schemes, not least the difficulties in ensuring that the self-help books recommended and ‘prescribed’ on the scheme are evidence-based and are not likely to do harm.


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.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2/3) ◽  
pp. 103-115
Author(s):  
Noah Lenstra ◽  
Mia Høj Mathiasson

PurposeAs a research topic within the field of LIS, programs in public libraries are underexplored, and the question of user fees for programs has not previously been addressed.Design/methodology/approachThis article compares data collected from two individually conducted studies of public library programs in North America and Denmark to enrich our understanding of user fees in relation to programs.FindingsThe comparative analysis shows both similarities and deviations regarding the levying of fees for library programs. While paying a fee to attend a program is rather normal in Denmark, it is more of a fringe idea in North America.Research limitations/implicationsBy exploring a previously understudied facet of contemporary public librarianship, this article opens up new avenues for inquiry regarding how the relative accessibility and availability of programs relate to theoretical discussions about programs as public library services.Practical implicationsThis article provides library managers with needed information about how to conceptualize the roles of programs as public library services.Social implicationsAs programming surges to the fore in contemporary public librarianship, the levying of user fees has social implications in terms of social equity and the public library ethos of free and equal access for all.Originality/valueThis article is the first study of user fees for public library programs, as well as among the first cross-national comparisons of programming as a dimension of public librarianship.


Author(s):  
James Henri ◽  
Sandra Lee

In our global village dominated by economic rationalism does the public library have a social conscience? Issues given prominence by Patricia Glass Schuman's Social Responsibilities and Libraries, published in 1976 were revisited. As an area of larger community structure and debates of public good, the perennial topic of interest is fast becoming the current hot topic of librarianship. Literacy and learning have long been critical areas where librarians focus service, skills and programming in public libraries. This research project seeks to examine how librarians perceive other issues that often go hand-in-hand with literacy to help individuals and society achieve full potential. The research in this presentation and paper is part of a coauthored book that primarily examined politics and the public library discussing issues given new flavour in a post 9/11 world, economic rationalism and social responsibility, public Library as Social Space, engaging the poor and those marginalized because of access limitations. Freedom of information and privacy are perennial issues for libraries. It is clear that literacy continues to be a key issue for public libraries. Researchers analyzed responses received from open-ended questions on library professional listservs and present findings that indicate what librarians perceive as the role of public libraries to further socially responsible policy. They provide some insight into the most compelling issues for librarians, and what changes in librarian's/library roles have been perceived since 9/11. The findings from the study are also presented in the context of the impact it bears for school libraries, outlining further studies in that area.


Author(s):  
Irina Burmis

Purpose of the article. The analysis of the specificities of formation of the public library model in the conditions of creation of the united territorial communities (UTC) of the South of Ukraine. The methodology of the research is based on the complex of general methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization, and modeling) and approaches (system, socio-communicative, modernization). The scientific novelty of the work is to conducta comprehensive study of the possibility of choosing libraries of Odesa, Kherson, and Mykolayiv a certain profile and their own path of development in the formation of UTC as centers of legal and regional information in the form of centers of public initiatives, socio-communication platforms, multimedia mobile libraries or multicultural centers. Conclusions. Suggestions that are based on the comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed models of reforming the library network are made regarding the development of the optimal model of functioning of public libraries in the South of Ukraine, which provides for the following important elements. Firstly, automation, that is based on the development and implementation of the newest information technologies, which, in turn, activates the material and technical base modernization, organization structure, and the library staff training; providing new services or products. Secondly, renovating the activity and staff management methods. Thirdly, providing stable financing to UTC possibilities, applying marketing and advertising technologies of library activity popularization according to the UTC functioning. Next, saving the valuable stuff resource and technologies in library staff’ work. Then, organizing the UTC public library work as the informative intelligent center, cultural and leisure space, that is discovered on the Chornomorska library example. Finally, the introduction of non-stationary library services on the basis of the Law of Ukraine«On territorial communities’ cooperation». Key words: public libraries, the South of Ukraine, united territorial communities (UTC), modernization,model, profiling.


Author(s):  
Carmen Agustín-Lacruz ◽  
Julia Saurin-Parra

Public libraries have developed standards to provide reading and information services to diverse populations. This has helped the public library to fulfil an informal educational and social role, particularly in engaging traditionally excluded groups, such as the Roma minority in Spain. However, well-developed library initiatives in Spain are scarce; in addition, culturally sensitive services do not thrive, and research and reflection on this reality from the library standpoint are rare. The overarching goal of this article is to provide librarians with suggestions for improved services for the Roma community in Spain. It is achieved through the critical analysis of public library services to the Roma community that currently exist in the European Union. Based on this analysis, practical suggestions are offered.


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