Impact of the Public Library District Model on Local Funding of Public Libraries in New York State

For more than a decade the Regents of the State of New York have recommended that public and association libraries in the state become public library districts with independent taxing authority. The Regents contend that such districts are preferable for several reasons, in particular for more reliable and higher per capita funding for library services. This study, using data provided by the New York State Education Department, examined the funding of all public libraries in New York during a ten-year period. The study found that while public library districts did demonstrate more reliable funding over time, they did not see improved per capita funding as compared to other library types found in the state.     

Public and Academic Library Cataloging Collaboration in Ohio's NACO Funnel Project

Catalogers at The Ohio State University (OSU) Libraries, Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML), and Cleveland Public Library (CPL) are collaborating through the Ohio Name Authority Cooperative (NACO) funnel to create personal name authority records that directly benefit library patrons. Although OSU provides training and review, all three libraries receive value from the collaboration. There have been obstacles, however, such as cataloging training and workflow differences between public and academic libraries. This article will discuss the challenges and benefits of this inter-library cataloger collaboration from the point of view of all three libraries, plans for the future, and best practices for other libraries that are interested in public/academic library collaborations of this kind.     

The Impact of Digital Resource and Service Use on Urban Residents in New England Public Libraries—A Survey Report

Today, access to digital information is essential to patrons using public libraries, whether they have contact with computers at home, work or school or whether the public library is their only contact. In order to evaluate and ultimately enhance public library digital resources and services, it is critical for administrators, librarians and digital information architects to recognize the impact their current digital offerings have on users. This study utilizes a survey to gauge the perceptions of patrons who use digital resources and services in six urban New England public libraries as part of ongoing research into digital information access in public libraries in the United States from the perspective of users.     

Electronic vs. Print Reference Sources in Public Library Collections

Summary

The evolution of electronic sources has had a significant impact on reference collections in libraries, and public library reference collections are no exception.

Evaluating, selecting, and organizing sources to meet the needs of public library users has always been a fundamental role of public librarians. However, now they have the added responsibility of evaluating electronic resources and deciding whether the electronic sources will supplement or replace traditional paper reference sources. Issues of authority, accessibility, cost, comfort, and user education must be carefully weighed during this evaluative process.     

Authority Control in Academic Libraries in the United States: A Survey

ABSTRACT

Authority control is an important part of the cataloging process, but relatively little research has been conducted related to its practice in academic libraries. In addition, few studies have been conducted regarding staffing and training issues related to authority control. To examine these issues, a survey was developed and e-mailed to academic libraries at 258 institutions designated by the year 2000 Carnegie Classification as either Doctoral/Research Extensive or Intensive level. The survey consisted of questions relating to authority control practices and staffing and training issues related to authority control. One hundred ninety-three institutions responded for a return rate of 75 percent. The survey results indicate that authority control was practiced and highly valued by the vast majority of respondents and that many would like additional time, funding, and personnel to do more authority control work in their libraries.     

Strategies for the Development of Public Libraries: A Survey of Selected Public Libraries in Lagos State,Nigeria

Public libraries serve as valuable assets in meeting a community's strategic goals. This article investigates strategies for the development of public libraries in Lagos State, Nigeria. Observation and questionnaire methods were used as research tools. The population of the study consists of librarians and users of public libraries in Lagos State. The eleven public libraries and twenty local government libraries in the state were surveyed. The major findings were that public libraries in Lagos State were not adequately funded and that the parent body has yet to meet the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) standard of public library establishment. The study highlighted the challenges facing public libraries in Lagos and offered some remedies.     

Omnigraphics Reference Books: A Review

This article reports the results of a survey conducted in 2015 of librarians who work for small town and rural public libraries throughout the United States. Questions were asked about personnel statistics, budget, community involvement, programs, technology, managerial challenges, and how to solve the organization’s problems. The purpose of this research was to ascertain if conditions have improved for libraries in areas of low population and what managerial challenges these librarians faced. The survey found that financial conditions had improved or will improve in the future and that the most challenging managerial issue was staffing.     

对公共图书馆公益性服务的思考

文章论述了坚持图书馆公益性对图书馆服务质量提升的意义,有助于促进图书馆公共利益的整合、扩大读者范围、提高服务工作绩效、维护与读者的关系。公益性服务理念在图书馆的实践,将增强理念、加大宣传力度、开展公益培训、创新服务方式。针对当前形势下公共图书馆如何坚持公益性服务展开重点论述。     

新起点新视野新任务——第五次全国公共图书馆（成人馆部分）评估定级标准解读

根据文化部要求,第五次全国公共图书馆评估定级工作于2013年全面展开.受文化部委托,国家图书馆研究院对第四次公共图书馆评估标准进行修订,制订第五次公共图书馆评估标准.新标准的制定总结了前四次评估工作的经验和不足,结合当前事业发展面临的新形势和新任务,借鉴国内外已有相关研究和实践成果,并广泛征求了业界和学界的意见.新标准分为设施与设备、经费与人员、文献资源、服务工作、协作协调、管理与表彰、重点文化工程七个部分.修订重点包括:注意与相关政策及标准的衔接;优化指标体系框架及分值分配;增删和调整部分指标内容;调整部分指标的取值;细化指标的备注说明;调整定级必备条件.     

Space and the Social Worth of Public Libraries

In spite of the growth of digital information and the resultant questioning by some of the value of public libraries, library usage data indicate there were 497,600,000 more visits to public libraries in 2013 than in 1993. Why do people still visit public libraries in the digital age? While many factors drive people to visit public libraries, one thing that public libraries offer that cannot be duplicated online is physical space. Over the decades, library space has been the glue holding the library universe together even as the specific activities that take inside libraries have evolved. While public libraries do an excellent job of promoting their important role in providing access to information, educational resources, technology, and a host of valuable services, they must also promote the value of public library space itself. This requires more than trotting out numbers; it requires telling compelling stories of how public library space is used and reminding the public that the kind of spaces public libraries provide are, in fact, a vanishing resource. The post-911 tightening of security in public buildings of all sorts—coupled with the increasing privatization of what were once public spaces—has left public libraries as perhaps the last remaining indoor public spaces where an individual can remain from opening until closing without needing any reason to be there and without having to spend any money. Public libraries should promote the uniqueness of their spaces in much the same way that National Parks promote the unique spaces they preserve and make available to the public.     

Transition from Camel Libraries to Digital Technologies in Kenya Public Libraries

Public libraries in Kenya were established with the aim of providing information services to the general public. The Kenya National Library Service (KNLS) is responsible for providing services through its library network across the country. In the past, to combat illiteracy, the library launched various initiatives, including mobile services and community libraries. The public libraries are in a transition period of moving from paper library services to incorporate modern digital technologies for information access. This article addresses the progress from predigital to the present, examining difficulties and challenges faced in adopting new technologies in the modern information age.     

The Role of Rural Public Libraries in Small Business Development

Like all public libraries, rural public libraries in the Appalachian region can play a significant role in the economic development of their communities. Economic development in rural communities potentially benefit from many of the same resources and services all enjoy at public libraries, including free and public Internet access, space, education, question answering, and materials on many business-related subjects. This article reports survey findings of current activities that rural public libraries perform in one state, namely the state of Tennessee, as a case study to apply the lessons and insights to other parts of the United States. The discussion includes assessment of activities and some recommendations to streamline and stimulate all public libraries in conducting this assistance efficiently.     

EBook Interlibrary Loan in American Public Libraries

In recent years, eBook collections have been increasing at a slow but steady rate in both public and academic libraries. With the increasing eBook collections in libraries and the advancements made in information discovering services, users can now discover materials existing outside of their local library more easily. EBooks also offer the potential for quick interlibrary loan delivery. Ironically, eBook interlibrary loan has not become prevalent in libraries. Many studies have been done to explore eBook licensing and interlibrary loan in academic libraries and to offer practical solutions for eBook interlibrary lending. Few studies have been done in public libraries. This study explores the current practice of eBook interlibrary loan activities in American public libraries. Survey questionnaires were distributed to 118 randomly selected public libraries. Questions focused on current eBook interlibrary loan best practices, issues, and obstacles in American public libraries. Findings from this study indicate eBook ILL is not a priority for the surveyed public libraries, and the adoption rate of eBook ILL in public libraries is much lower than that in academic libraries.     

Trends in Public Library Design from the 19th to the 21st Centuries

In the early 19th century, public libraries in America tended toward grand appearances befitting seriousness of purpose. Library design changed gradually throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, and more dramatically with automation and new technology. True to its roots, the public library continues to maintain areas for quiet, individual study. But, in addition, today’s library has become a cultural center in the community, offering art galleries, auditoriums, meeting rooms, spaces for collaborative work, digital information and instruction, and even cafés. Change is inevitable, as innovations in library design and patron use illustrate. Yet, from the earliest libraries to modern times, one overarching constant defines their purpose: libraries inspire.     

香港图书馆中文名称规范数据库的建设及经验

介绍香港图书馆界目前正建设的“中文（著者）规范数据库”（HKCAN）的目标、特色等，分析它与国际名称规范系统和其它中文名称规范系统的联系与合作前景，通过揭示HKCAN的成功经验，为内地图书馆界建设中文图书名称规范数据库提供参考。     

“I’m a Library Hugger!”: Public Libraries as Valued Community Assets

Public library value is often ascertained by outlining the economic, social, and cultural benefits public libraries generate for the greater community. While researchers have focused on the concepts of social capital, civic engagement, and the role of libraries in promoting democracy, fewer studies have explored the public’s perceptions of libraries in an effort to determine library value. Furthermore, library nonusers are rarely included in these studies. In Alberta, Canada, 1,201 Albertans from across the province, including both urban and rural areas, were asked a series of questions about their perceptions of public libraries and library use. Findings reveal characteristics of library users and nonusers, what services and resources are used most often at public libraries, what value the public places on public libraries, and the role that libraries play in supporting communities.     

Public Libraries in the Eyes of the LGBTIQ Community: The Case of Croatia

ABSTRACT

The achievement of social justice, which implies the development of collections and the design of services for different user groups, is an objective present in the mission of public libraries. Since the 1950s, Croatian public libraries have been continuously developing collections and services for different user communities. However, one user community has remained largely unrecognized – LGBTIQ people. Therefore, the aim of the research presented in this paper is to examine the importance of the role of public libraries in the life of the LGBTIQ community in the Republic of Croatia. With a sample of 259 respondents, information behaviors, attitudes and experiences of LGBTIQ people in relation to public libraries have been examined via an online survey. In particular, this study explored the extent to which members of public libraries differ from non-members. The obtained results should contribute to a better understanding of the information needs and behavior of members of sexual minorities and help bring this group of users closer to (Croatian) public libraries by ensuring that libraries more adequately respond to their needs.     

安徽省公共图书馆评估工作情况及事业发展状况分析

文章以安徽省县以上公共图书馆第四次评估工作数据为基础,分析了评估工作给图书馆发展带来的活力和机遇,总结了近年来安徽省公共图书馆事业取得的主要成绩和存在的突出问题,对公共图书馆事业的发展提出了自己的见解。     

Rural Public Library Outreach Services and Elder Users: A Case Study of the Washington County (VA) Public Library

ABSTRACT

Outreach services provided by rural public libraries are crucial to fulfilling their mission to provide information access to the widest array of user groups. Particular socioeconomic and geographic factors in rural areas present challenges of access to information resources, yet there exists only a limited amount of published scholarly work examining outreach services provided specifically by rural public libraries. This case study of outreach services to elder users offers contextual evidence for the centrality of social equity and access to the larger work of rural public libraries. Primary data were collected through four semi-structured focus group meetings conducted with elder users of the agency’s outreach services as well as through narrative interviews with six agency staff members. Principal findings showed that elder users had particular information needs related to entertainment and intellectual stimulation, challenges of transportation, and a limited access to technology and internet service. WCPL outreach services were found to positively impact the lives and general well-being of elder users by providing vital social and community connections and serving as a key link for elder users to an institution understood to be central to the life of the community in general.     

Yoga at the Public Library: An Exploratory Survey of Canadian and American Librarians

Results of a 2017 survey of 983 public librarians in the U.S. and Canada show that libraries increasingly provide opportunities for both youth and adults to practice yoga at the library. This article examines how these public library yoga programs work and what impacts they have. Most libraries have limited means to assess the impact of these programs. Nonetheless, over 80% of responding librarians said participation in yoga programs had met or exceeded their expectations, and 60% said yoga programs have brought new users into their libraries. These results suggest that yoga programs in public libraries are having significant effects.