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Digital Books in Polish Public Libraries: Case Study of Partnership with the Commercial Distributor Legimi Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Kamila Augustyn, Maciej Liguzinski, Dorota Siwecka
This article outlines a case study of the partnership between Polish public libraries and Legimi, a commercial distributor of digital books operating on both the trade book and library markets. Leg...
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The Scenario of Human Resources in Public Libraries: A Pakistani Perspective Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-03-01 Muhammad Hussain, Saddiqa
This study analyzed the human resources of public libraries in Pakistan. It was observed that LIS professionals administered most libraries; nevertheless, a sizable number of libraries were managed...
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Guest Editorial: The War in Ukraine – a Librarian’s Perspective Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-02-26 Joseph Matthews
Published in Public Library Quarterly (Ahead of Print, 2024)
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Our Journey to Encourage Makerspaces in Small Rural Libraries with the Help from the Library Innovation Studios Project Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-02-16 JoAnn McManus
Follow our journey to encourage permanent makerspaces in rural communities by providing 35 libraries a temporary makerspace. Paired with support and marketing tools, the communities garnered local ...
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Investing in Smart Cities: Enhancing Public Libraries for Quality Services in India Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Sheshagiri Kulkarni, M. Dhanamjaya, Preedip Balaji
This article comprehensively examines investments in India’s smart cities1 with a specific focus on public libraries. A survey of 100 Smart Cities Mission projects was conducted to gather data on b...
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Visualization of Hot Topics and Global Trends in Community Librarianship (With an Emphasis on the Role of Public Libraries) Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-02-12 Mariam Keshvari, Mehrdad CheshmehSohrabi
The general subject trends and emphasized points of Community Librarianship (CL) researches are not clear. According to reviewed papers, CL encompasses a wide range of social issues. This dispersio...
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A Snapshot of Staff Development Preferences of Public Library Workers Post-Pandemic Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-02-08 Austin Stroud
Staff development for public library staff is a critical component for all public libraries.In a post COVID-19 world, this study set out to see what the preferences for staff development now look l...
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Part of the Job: Patron-Perpetrated Sexual Harassment in UK Public Libraries Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Brooke Cambie
Patron-perpetrated sexual harassment (PPSH) toward librarians is an under-researched area of sexual harassment studies and library studies. This study is the first on PPSH toward librarians in the ...
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The Prevalence of Children’s Programming Related to Gender Identity in North Carolina Public Libraries, Including Drag Queen Story Hours or Other Drag Events Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-01-08 Griffin C. Anderson
This research study consisted of a quantitative descriptive survey of collected historic data based on the dual, corroborative approaches of an attempted census of North Carolina public libraries v...
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Revitalising Public Libraries Through Digital Technologies and Social Networking Sites: The Case of Rural Libraries of Kerala, India During Covid Pandemic Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-01-05 Asif Ali, Thejaswini J C, Rajeesh Kumar T V
The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the subsequent restrictive measures such as lockdown/shutdown have gravely impacted everyday life by suspending regular activities. This unprecedented situation h...
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Leadership as an Enabler of Innovation Climate and Innovative Work Behavior in Indonesia’s Public Libraries Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2024-01-05 Dyah Puspitasari Srirahayu, Ahmad Rizki Sridadi, Dian Ekowati
Organizations play an important role in the continuity of a good work environment. This study aims to determine the types of leadership influence the innovative behavior of librarians in public lib...
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Navigating the Narrative: Unveiling the Journey of Public Libraries in India Through Challenges and Opportunities Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-12-28 Abhay Chaurasia, Ajay Pratap Singh
This article dives into a captivating journey, unraveling the intricate tapestry of challenges, opportunities, and Governmental strides shaping the vibrant realm of Public Libraries in India. Not j...
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Exploring the Use of Interlibrary Loan Service and User Preferences in a Countywide Public Library System Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-12-27 Holly S. Hebert, Claudia Visperas
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service allows users to borrow materials from other libraries, whether physical or electronic. We sought to explore the usage and preferences of ILL service among users of a...
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Serving Remote Native Alaskans: A Geospatial Analysis of the History of Remote Alaskan Libraries and Opportunities to Connect with Alaskan Native Culture Through Public Libraries Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-12-20 Rebeckah Wright, B. W. Bishop
Geographic information systems (GIS) allow spatial analyses of both historic and current library locations in rural and remote communities, offering insight into underserved communities. The purpos...
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The Practice Lens: Intersectionality and Contemporary Public Library Services to Adults Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-12-18 Bharat Mehra, Vanessa Irvin
Intersectionality can be applied as a practice-based lens through which to perceive 21st-century public library services to adults. Intersectionality as a framework can facilitate the implementatio...
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Correction Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-10-31
Published in Public Library Quarterly (Ahead of Print, 2023)
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How Can We Better Serve Children with Disabilities? Public Library Accessibility Recommendations from Early Intervention Coordinators Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-10-09 Derek T. M. Daskalakes, Melissa Stormont, Denice Adkins, Caroline Gooden, Bobbie Sartin Long, Carol Russell, Maria Cahill
Service coordinators (SCs) play a vital role in assisting families in accessing and navigating the system of Early Intervention services that provide vital support to young children with disabiliti...
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Correction Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-09-18
Published in Public Library Quarterly (Ahead of Print, 2023)
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Going to the Cities: The Strategic Roles of Public Libraries in Promoting Sustainable Development Goals Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-09-03 Ayooluwa Aregbesola, Sola Emmanuel Owolabi, Tunde Adebisi
ABSTRACT The public library serves as the point of convergence and the vector for information. However, the role of public libraries in promoting and contributing to the SDGs has been largely overlooked. This paper examines the strategic role public libraries can play in promoting SDGs and proffers key strategies for public libraries in promoting sustainable development. It is concluded in the paper
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A Failure to Communicate: Assessing the Low Rate of Materials Challenge and Censorship Reporting Among Canadian Public Libraries Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-09-03 Michael J. Nyby, Heather Hill, Richard H. Ellis
ABSTRACT Record levels of materials challenges have affected libraries in both Canada and the United States in recent years, but despite the apparent swell in censorship efforts, the large majority of challenges go unreported. This study aims to identify factors contributing to the low rate of challenge reporting through a participation survey distributed to over 500 Canadian public libraries. Results
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Closing the Digital Divide Through Digital Equity: The Role of Libraries and Librarians Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-08-28 Neil D. Grimes, William Porter
ABSTRACT All libraries, especially public libraries, must continue to play a leading role in closing the digital divide. Through this article, the authors present a brief history of libraries and the digital divide, how libraries address the digital divide through digital equity, ways the U.S. government has addressed the digital divide, insights shared from serving on the New Jersey Broadband Access
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Library Data Storytelling: Obstacles and Paths Forward Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-08-10 Kate McDowell
Data storytelling holds much potential to positively impact public perceptions of libraries. However, realizing the potential of library data storytelling will require understanding practical and c...
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Developing an Introductory Diversity Audit at Liberty Public Library: An Action Research Approach Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-08-07 Christi Sevits, Alex D. McAllister
ABSTRACT Libraries are seeking ways to ensure their collections are representative of the populations they serve as demographics continue to change. The diversity audit that took place at Liberty Public Library (LPL) included a random sampling of more than a quarter of the books in its children’s collection to determine how well the library represented its patrons. One goal of this study was to evaluate
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Interviews with Public Librarians on Their Experiences in Cases of Censorship Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-08-07 Laura Kelly Clark-Hunt, Stacy Creel
This qualitative study consists of 7 semi-structured interviews with public librarians experiencing recent cases of censorship. The themes were determined based on frequency of appearance in the in...
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Reimaging the Library of the Future. From Social Condenser and Community Hub to Regenerative Design Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Steffen Lehmann
The primary objective of this article, an architectural forecasting opinion piece written by a design expert, is to investigate the various models of public library buildings and explore the contin...
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Teaching an Old Library New Tricks: An Analysis of the User Experience of Three Dublin Library Buildings Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-07-28 Clíodhna O’Reilly, Leo Appleton
This research endeavored to investigate best practices in public library design in Dublin, Ireland. It examined how three different library building types fulfil their user’s needs. A predominantly...
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Dangerous reading: How socially constructed narratives of childhood shape perspectives on book banning Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-07-03 Trisha Tucker
The purpose of this article is to connect the dots between contemporary efforts to ban “dangerous” reading material and Western narratives about childhood innocence that rose to prominence in the e...
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Connections are the Opposite of Addiction: Recovery Reading Groups in Public Libraries Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-06-10 Jenny Bossaller, Bobbie Sartin Long, Emily Vardell
This paper provides a rationale and methods for creating and supporting recovery reading groups in public libraries. Recovery reading groups are learning circles designed to connect people to both ...
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The Acceptance and Use of Social Media in Public Libraries During the COVID-19 Pandemic Based on UTAUT Model in Khuzestan Province, Iran Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-05-24 Hossein Ghalavand, Abdolahad Nabiolahi, Ahmadreza Dashtafkan
Present study examines the acceptance and use of social media by public librarians during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model. Simple random ...
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Scenario-Based Assessment of Moral Sensitivity: Case of Iranian Public Librarians Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-04-13 Mehdi Shaghaghi, Ali Azimi
This study aims to evaluate the moral sensitivity of Iranian public librarians using a scenario-based approach. Based on an adopted moral sensitivity testing model nine scenarios were developed to ...
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Public Librarianship and the US Food System: Results from a 2022 National Survey Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-04-13 Nicole Peritore, Noah Lenstra, Christine D’arpa
Food systems are the sum of actors and interactions along the food chain. A growing number of public libraries are partnering in the food system, but little research has sought to understand what t...
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Social Workers in Public Libraries: Resource and Referral Practice and Re-Thinking Patron Engagement Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-04-11 Bennie Finch, Brian Real
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to gather information that can be useful in guiding libraries that hope to hire a social worker, wish to collaborate with social workers in their community, or integrate social work values into librarians’ workflows. The study uses qualitative interviews with social workers from different public library systems. Five major themes emerged through the interviews:
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Analyzing Public Libraries as Civic Agents in Advocating for COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-04-02 Jinxuan Ma, Ting Wang, Brady Lund
ABSTRACT To examine how public libraries combated COVID-19 misinformation and promoted vaccination in their communities, this study analyzed data from 80 libraries’ webpages, Facebook postings, shared health information resources to examine the correlation between community factors, information types, and vaccination rates. Results showed city size and number of MLS librarians significantly affected
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Social Workers in the Stacks: Public librarians’ Perceptions and Experiences Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-03-12 L. Crabtree, D. Latham, m. gross, B. Baum, K. Randolph
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 librarians in order to explore their perceptions of and experiences with social workers in public libraries. All participants, regardless of the av...
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Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services in Public Libraries: A National Survey of Public Library Professionals Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-03-12 Barbara A. Alvarez
This paper presents the major findings from a nationwide survey about sexual and reproductive health information services in public libraries. The survey was conducted between March 3 and May 1, 20...
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An Exploratory Social Justice Framework to Develop Public Library Services with Underserved Families Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-03-08 M. Elena Lopez, Bharat Mehra, Margaret Capse
ABSTRACT An issue in the 21st century is how public libraries can be strategic and impactful to achieve greater equity. Based on a qualitative meta-analysis of chapters from the authors’ book A Librarian’s Guide to Engaging Families published in 2021, this article presents a framework of social justice to strengthen library services to engage underserved families in student learning. Three themes include:
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Public Library Outreach with Homeless Shelter Providers Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2023-01-24 Vikki Terrile
This study sought to explore if and how shelters and other temporary housing providers receive library services from their local public libraries and to measure their satisfaction with these servic...
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Digital Exhibits for Justice: Analyzing Public Library Digital Exhibits with Diversity and Social Justice Themes Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-12-18 Youngok Choi, Emma B. Hastings
ABSTRACT Public libraries are increasingly addressing issues of diversity and social justice through a variety of avenues, including digital exhibits. This study analyzed digital exhibits offered by large public libraries, identifying a total of 27 exhibits that had diversity and/or social justice themes from eight library systems. The exhibits covered a range of topics but tended to focus more on
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More than a Game: Scenario Planning, Imagination, and the Public Library’s Future Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-12-12 Melissa J. Adams, Matt Finch, Bronwen Gamble
ABSTRACT Strategic planning requires analyzing not only the future goals and trajectory of an organization but also the contextual future world in which that organization will operate. Without being able to travel in time to see what the world will be like in ten, twenty, or even fifty years, organizations often avoid exploring this vital component to strategic planning. There is, however, a way to
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#StopAsianHate: A Content Analysis of Public Library Statements Released in Response to Anti-Asian Hate Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-12-05 Andrew Chae
ABSTRACT With the recent rise in anti-Asian hate incidents, many Asian American communities have been living in a state of uncertainty and fear. In contrast to the harmful rhetoric that has arguably contributed to such acts of hate, some organizations have issued statements in support of Asian American communities. This study seeks to examine the role and potential impact of statements from public
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“You Can’t Self-Care Your Way Out of a Broken System”: The 2022 Urban Libraries Trauma Forum Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-11-29 Leah T Dudak, L. Comito, C. Zabriskie
ABSTRACT The Urban Libraries Trauma Study (ULTS) conducted by Urban Librarians Unite (ULU) examines trauma that urban public library workers experience in the workforce through their work with the public and interlibrary relationships. Drawing on interviews, focus groups, and a trauma forum, this paper discusses the problem of trauma in the library. It demonstrates a grounded way to engage library
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Farmers’ Awareness of Pesticide Use: Role of Public Library and Other Information Sources Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-11-11 Rita Ghosh, Nivedita Bhattacharyya Sahu
ABSTRACT The paper highlights the source, resources, and information services for rural farmers’ communities to fulfill their information needs regarding chemical pesticides use. The main objective of this study is to determine the awareness and knowledge of farmers regarding pesticide use and its effect on their social life, society, and environment. The study also identifies their knowledge level
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Correction Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-11-01
Published in Public Library Quarterly (Ahead of Print, 2022)
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Impact of Great Recession on Library Use: Does a Negative Economy Impact Library Use? Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-09-29 Michael R. Mabe
ABSTRACT The librarian’s axiom which states that when the economy is failing, use of the public library increases, has existed since the late 19th century. Educator and library administrator Steven James is credited with naming this phenomenon as he attempted to extrapolate the relationship between library usage and economic conditions. James’ 1985 research found no correlation between library use
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Census of Female Public Library Directors Is on the Decline Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-09-19 Anthony Molaro, Heidi Hammond
ABSTRACT This exploratory study examines the gender parity of public library directors. While there has been considerable research on the role of women library leaders in academic libraries through the 1990s, little is known about the gender parity of public library directors. The membership of the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) serves as the sample size for this study. Gender parity of public library
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Children’s Librarians’ Conceptualizations of School Readiness Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-09-19 Renee LeFebvre, Maria Cahill, Gordana Lazić
ABSTRACT Starting school marks an important milestone for young children. Preparing children for this transition is known to many as school readiness, an oftentimes debated concept due to its meaning, which varies depending on the context and how one interprets school readiness. What is certain is that school readiness is a familiar and established term, echoed by parents, educators, scholars, policymakers
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‘It´s Not A one-size-fits-all, I Think’: A Qualitative Study of Library Professionals´ Perceptions of Public Library Roles Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-09-11 Kristian Møhler Sørensen
ABSTRACT The public library professionals’ views of the value of public library roles are examined. Differences and similarities are analyzed to provide knowledge on current perceptions and to enhance our knowledge of public library value concepts. Based on the findings from reviews of literature exploring value, the participants were asked to categorize the value of public libraries. The study applies
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Libraries Build Business: A Playbook of Promising Strategies, Models, and Inspiration Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-09-02 Megan Janicki, Amelia Bryne
ABSTRACT This article provides an overview of the Libraries Build Business Playbook, a product of the American Library Association’s Libraries Build Business initiative (2020–2022), with the aim of introducing a wider audience to this resource and encouraging participation in its further development and use. We situate the Playbook and library engagement with small business initiatives in terms of
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Bridging the Service Gap: Branch Managers Talk about Social Workers in Public Libraries Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-08-24 B. Baum, M. Gross, D. Latham, L. Crabtree, K. Randolph
ABSTRACT Semi-structured interviews with 13 public library branch managers explored their perceptions of the growing trend to situate social workers in public libraries in order to improve the provision of social services information. Both branch managers who had social workers in their libraries, and those who did not, volunteered to be interviewed. Overall, perceptions of the trend were positive
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Measuring What Matters: Comparing Costs and Performance of Municipal Libraries and Library Districts Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-08-10 Alicia Schatteman, Li-Yin Liu
ABSTRACT This study examines public municipal libraries and public library districts at the local government level in the U.S. and specifically Illinois, the state with the most units of local government and public library districts in the country. This study contributes to the study of public libraries by providing a comparison between district and municipal libraries. Based on a national survey of
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Public Librarians: Partners in Adolescent Health Promotion Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-08-01 Terrinieka W. Powell, Bianca D. Smith, Asari Offiong, Quiana Lewis, Olivia Kachingwe, Ashleigh LoVette, Andrea Hwang
ABSTRACT The goal of this research was to examine U.S.-based librarians’ history of training on public health topics and their comfort delivering adolescent-focused public health interventions. A total of 269 library staff from 37 states completed a brief online survey. Eighty-four percent of respondents stated that their library had hosted public health programs for youth ages 10–17. Eighty-five percent
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Bookending a Pandemic and Its Impact on Public Libraries: Policy and Announcement Information Provided by Libraries Throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-07-18 Brady D. Lund, Ting Wang, Abdullah Alenezi
ABSTRACT This study serves as a follow-up on a 2020 study by Wang and Lund that examined the policy changes and announcement information provided by American public libraries during the early weeks of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, using the same list of libraries as the 2020 study to examine how the COVID response evolved over the past two years. Seven types of information were collected from
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Library Computing Services in Rural Texas during the COVID-19 Pandemic Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-07-03 Yunfei Du
ABSTRACT Library services in the US were reduced during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, and rural residents were particularly impacted. To understand the impact of the pandemic on library services in rural areas, this paper analyzed the 2020 Texas Public Library Statistics and a portion of the 2019 and 2018 data. It examined various services from libraries located in the areas with a population of
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“Part of My Daily Life”: The Importance of Public Libraries as Physical Spaces Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-06-21 Philip Hider, Jane Garner, Simon Wakeling, Hamid R. Jamali
ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to gauge how much, and why, people value visiting public libraries by asking them about the impact of the library closures. A questionnaire survey was administered to users of four library networks in New South Wales, Australia. About 19% of 1,295 respondents missed their library “a great deal,” another 28% “quite a lot.” Most commonly respondents
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“Everybody Thinks Public Libraries Have Only Books”: Public Library Usage and Settlement of Bangladeshi Immigrants in Canada Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-05-25 Nafiz Zaman Shuva
ABSTRACT Many public libraries in Canada offer services and programs for immigrants, including employment assistance to assist newcomers with their settlement in Canada. Using a mixed method research design, this study explores the use of public libraries by Bangladeshi immigrants in Canada including their use of public library settlement services, along with their pre-migration access to public library
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A Pandemic Snapshot: Libraries’ Digital Shifts and Disparities to Overcome Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-05-24 Lisa Guernsey, Sabia Prescott, Claire Park
ABSTRACT In the fall and winter of 2020, New America embarked on a snapshot study to gather data on how – or if – people were discovering, accessing, and using their public libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on materials that libraries made available online. A full report on our findings, titled Public Libraries and the Pandemic: Digital Shifts and Disparities to Overcome, was published
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Seeking Engagement: Use and Perceptions of Libraries, Archives and Museums (Lams) by Spanish-speaking Latinx Living in Boston Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-05-19 Mónica Colón-Aguirre, Janet Ceja Alcalá
ABSTRACT Spanish-speaking Latinx are currently the second largest racial/ethnic group in the United States however, general understanding of their use of libraries, museums and archives (LAMs) is limited. This study seeks to understand the level of use and perceptions of LAMs by members of the Spanish-speaking Latinx community. The results presented in this study stem from phenomenological interviews
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Designing a Media Literacy Training Programme for Public Library Staff in Ireland: Preliminary Results and Observations of a University-Public Library Collaboration Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-05-01 Páraic Kerrigan, Claire McGuinness, Crystal Fulton, Eugenia Siapera, David Carrie, Paige Pope
ABSTRACT While research on media literacy education has focused on varying professional sectors, the role of public libraries in supporting media literacy has yet to be fully explored. This article reports on a university-public library collaboration between University College Dublin, the Libraries Development unit of the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the National Adult Literacy Agency
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Understanding the Library as a Commemorative Exhibition Space Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-04-04 Theresa Ryan, Bernadette Quinn
ABSTRACT This research responds to calls to further our understanding of exhibitions in the library context by exploring the significance of a commemorative exhibition staged in a public library. Employing a qualitative methodology, it centers on the ‘Goodbye Dublin: The War of Independence in the City’ commemorative exhibition, staged by Dublin City Pearse Street Library, between August 14th and October
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Towards a research platform: partnering for sustainable and impactful research in public libraries Public Library Quarterly Pub Date : 2022-03-31 Kaitlin Wynia Baluk, Nicole K. Dalmer, Leora Sas van der Linden, Lisa Radha Weaver, James Gillett
ABSTRACT Public institutions are changing, alongside social, economic, and environmental forces, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Public libraries and universities are two institutions in flux and thereby can benefit from research that helps guide decision-making. In times of austerity and crisis, resources are often stretched thin, interrupting research activities. To overcome this challenge, we draw