Attitudes of School and Public Librarians Toward Combined Facilities

A stratified random sample of Iowa school and public librarians were surveyed to determine their attitude toward combination school-public library facilities. The survey instrument was based on one developed by L.J. Amey and R.J. Smith for a survey of Toronto school and public librarians. The survey determined that their was little difference in attitude of Iowa elementary and secondary school librarians toward combined facilities, nor was there much difference in attitude of Iowa public librarians serving populations under 2,500 and those serving more than 2,500 toward combined facilities. School and public librarians did demonstrate statistically significant differences in responses to fifteen of the twenty-six statements relating to combined facilities. Compared to the respondents in the Toronto study, a larger percentage of Iowa public librarians were less concerned about the geographic inconvenience of combined facilities and perceived less duplication resulting from combination. Although a larger percentage of Iowa librarians seemed to see some advantage in combined facilities, both groups indicated some important concerns relating to combined school-public libraries.     

The role of education in peacebuilding: an analysis of five change theories in Sierra Leone

This paper raises a number of critical questions regarding the contribution of education to peacebuilding. Despite recent calls for greater collaboration between the two fields, there is still a lack of clarity regarding the change theories through which education may contribute to peacebuilding processes. This paper outlines developments over the past decade in the field of education and conflict, before identifying five rationales for the ways in which education contributes to peacebuilding. The second half of the paper examines the translation of these rationales into practice. Sierra Leone is often regarded as a success story of UN peacebuilding and, 10 years post-agreement, offers the opportunity to examine a broad range of programming. Using data gathered during a two-week field study (17–28 January, 2011), the paper reflects on five education programmes that operated in Sierra Leone in the post-conflict period. Semi-structured interviews were held with project personnel and beneficiaries, educational officials, students and graduates, community leaders and UN personnel to assess views on the contribution of education to peacebuilding, the rationales informing projects and challenges to implementation. A number of critical questions are raised regarding the lessons learned by the international community, its tendency to pursue its own agendas and its commitment to conflict transformation through peacebuilding.     

The Need For Networks Among Public,Academic, and School Libraries in Metropolitan Sierra Leone

Metropolitan Sierra Leone is made up of Freetown, the capital city and its environs. Within its bounds are dispersed a variety of libraries, each with the mission of providing adequate, relevant and up‐to‐date materials tailored to the needs of their numerous clientele. However, because of stringent budget cuts and a lack of human and material resources, these institutions are unable to carry out their missions. One way to improve this situation is through collaboration in the provision of materials and services. This article explores the need for the establishment for networks among public, academic and school libraries in metropolitan Sierra Leone. The article begins by defining metropolis followed by a brief recounting of some features of a metropolis, the library scene in metropolitan Sierra Leone and a consideration of plausible areas for networks among these libraries. The article concludes with a discussion of some issues that have to be faced if the proposed network is to materialise.     

The violence of peace and the role of education: insights from Sierra Leone

Research on peacebuilding has mushroomed over the last decade and there is a growing interest in the role of education in supporting peacebuilding processes. This paper engages with these debates, UN peacebuilding activities and the location of education initiatives therein, through a case study of Sierra Leone. In the first part, we explore the complex and multi-dimensional nature of violence in post-conflict Sierra Leone. In the second, we critically address the role of education in the conflict and post-conflict period, highlighting education’s centrality as a catalyst to conflict, and then reflect on the failure of the post-conflict reconstruction process to adequately transform the education system into one that could support a process of sustainable peacebuilding. Finally, we conclude by exploring the ways that greater investment and focus, both financial and human, in the education sector might, in the long term, better contribute to a sustainable and socially just peace.