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.     

Supporting Our Troops: Library Services and Support for Veterans

Veterans are a unique population that can be found in libraries across the United States. Libraries of all types are developing new approaches to the veterans in their patron populations in the wake of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This study identifies several common strategies that libraries, especially public and academic libraries, are employing to support their patrons who are veterans, as well as distinctions in strategy according to library type. It further explores whether libraries are relying upon library staff who are veterans when developing services and programming for patrons who are veterans.     

Breaking New Ground: The Case for Seed Libraries in the Academic Library

Seed libraries are a relatively new innovation in the library field, offering seeds, gardening information, and the opportunity for community and ecological engagement to members. While they are increasingly popular in public libraries, they have not yet established a foothold in academic libraries. This paper defines the nature and role of seed libraries, the current state of seed libraries in North American universities, and offers recommendations for the establishment of seed libraries in academic libraries.     

Law Library Faculty Services Web Sites: Effectively Communicating Services Provided for Faculty

This article contains the results of an empirical analysis and review of 199 American Bar Association-accredited law school library Web pages to identify the law library services for faculty that are advertised or promoted on law library Web sites. The analysis ranked the Web sites based on how thoroughly a law library communicates, or promotes on its Web site, the services it offers to faculty. The analysis also identified the percentage of law libraries advertising specific services for faculty, such as those related to library staffing, publishing support, teaching support, and research services. Suggestions are included for the promotion of the law library to faculty, including services some libraries are uniquely offering.     

图书馆拓展服务探析与案例研究

以康奈尔大学图书馆、清华大学图书馆为例,介绍图书馆拓展服务方面的探索与实践,涉及所采用的方法、合作对象、取得的成果等,并对两馆拓展服务之间的异同进行比较。拓展服务形式多样,一些形式与图书馆传统角色相匹配,而另一些则需要图书馆走出去,积极主动展示自己。拓展服务的成功关键在于要与学校的总体目标和发展方向保持一致,以使拓展服务保持新鲜与活力,最终达到真正改进图书馆读者服务的目的,甚至对读者的技能产生长期影响。     

Rural Libraries Services for Older Adults: A Nationwide Survey

The author examined the survey results from 721 rural libraries throughout the United States and Canada to learn more about how they are serving older adults (defined here as anyone 65 years and older). The following areas of library service in particular were studied: funding sources, collections, strategic planning, staffing, technology use, partnerships, outreach efforts, and building design and accessibility. Results of this study were compared to those found in recent studies of services provided to older adults in suburban and capital city public libraries.     

Pakistani University Library Web Sites: Features,Contents, and Maintenance Issues

ABSTRACT

This study explores the current status and features of Pakistan's academic library Web sites. A checklist describing features and content was prepared based on a review of the literature related to academic libraries’ Web sites. Then, all 85 library Web sites of Pakistani universities and degree-awarding institutions recognized by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan were surveyed and analyzed using the checklist. Interviews with library professionals were conducted to learn more about the problems and issues with building and maintaining library Web sites. Results indicate that Pakistani academic library Web sites have effective features such as contrasting color schemes, easily readable text, minimal use of horizontal scrolling, and English-language text. Staff information, OPACs, and navigation features are also widely found on the Web sites. Features found less frequently include the use of Web 2.0 technologies, Web site aid tools, information about library buildings, and general library information. By offering information about the status of Pakistani academic library Web sites, the study can serve as a foundation for discussion between libraries and other parts of the university, as well as a benchmark for evaluating the progress of academic library Web sites in Pakistan     

Connecting with Community: The Importance of Community Engagement in Rural Public Library Systems

While the topic of community engagement in public libraries has been researched in urban public library systems, little research explores community engagement in rural library systems. The Canadian province of Nova Scotia is largely rural and sparsely populated, with a dwindling and aging rural population. This report examines how community engagement can connect Nova Scotia’s rural public libraries with their communities. Librarians from eight predominantly rural library systems across the province were interviewed regarding the community engagement practices currently being used within their libraries and how their patrons (particularly youth) were reacting and responding to these practices. This article synthesizes the information derived from these interviews and provides a summary of the community engagement efforts being made throughout Nova Scotia. This study ultimately determines that while librarians in rural communities face a number of challenges when attempting to implement community engagement (e.g., small budgets and low staffing numbers), they remain extremely passionate about the topic and dedicated to serving their communities in the most meaningful and relevant way possible.     

Health Sciences Library Support of a University Common Reading Program: A Case Study

Common reading programs have become increasingly popular on college and university campuses as a means for increasing student engagement, retention, and success. This article describes the characteristics, goals, and benefits of common reading programs and provides examples from the literature of academic library involvement in them. Finally, an example is provided of how one academic health sciences library participated in its institution’s First-Year Summer Reading program.     

New York State Public Library Systems and Their Services

This research revisited the conditions for establishing and funding public library systems in New York State Education Law and the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, examined public library systems' organizational mission statements, and analyzed the public library systems' 2007–2011 five-year Plans of Service and 2008–2009 annual reports. The study found that public library systems in New York State generally provide services following the instructions in the state law and regulations and in their mission statements, although there are wide-ranging variations of actual service activities among public library systems based on their organizational and demographic characteristics.     

Library Jargon Creates Barriers for Potential Users of Health Library and Information Services

This paper is based on Helen Kiely’s Masters dissertation on MA in Library and Information Service Management, successfully completed at the University of Sheffield in 2018. The aim of the study was to explore the extent to which users of a health care library service understood common terminology used by clinical librarians/information professionals. A survey was developed based on the terminology used for common services and was distributed to staff and students at an acute NHS Foundation Trust. One hundred and eight people participated over a four week period and were asked to provide definitions to the terms. Analysis of the responses for accuracy and common themes indicates that jargon can be a barrier to user access and recommendations are made with respect to the need for outreach to users and the language used in this practice for creating better accessibility. F.J.     

高校图书馆“毕业季”延伸服务的调查与思考

[目的/意义] 毕业生是高校图书馆的特定用户之一,对"毕业季"延伸服务和活动进行调查与分析,可为相关实践工作提供参考。[方法/过程] 对2017年高校图书馆"毕业季"延伸服务和活动的网页新闻发布、微信推送情况进行抽样调查,并分析其总体特点。[结果/结论] 从专项经费和运营团队、馆员的情感与精力、经典项目、创意服务、与校友延伸服务对接、品牌化与推广方面,提出改进高校图书馆"毕业季"延伸服务的建议。     

公共图书馆存在的理由:来自图书馆使命的注解

在世界范围内，几份重要的公共图书馆文献都将当代公共图书馆的使命界定为教育、信息服务、文化传播、促进社会和谐、培育信息素养、培养阅读兴趣、扫盲。文章首先考察了这些文献对公共图书馆使命的阐述，然后以经验研究（empmal research）发现为依据，考察了这些使命作为公共图书馆存在理由的有效性。研究发现，这些使命在当代政治和社会话语中经常出现，公众对它们也具有很高的需求，从这个意义上说，它们的确为公共图书馆的合理性提供着有效注解，但信息服务使命目前正受到互联网的挑战，扫盲及培养阅读兴趣的使命正在受到图书馆借阅量下滑趋势的挑战。     

公共图书馆推广实务——以河南省淅川县图书馆为例

现代公共图书馆为保障民众信息获取权利而存在的社会机构,必须重视与民众紧密联系着的推广工作。当前国内部分公共图书馆的发展困境与图书馆推广服务开展不力有关。文章以淅川县图书馆为例,在分析其发展环境和发展策略的基础上,总结经验,得出有普遍意义的公共图书馆发展策略。     

公共图书馆专题阅览与特色服务

分析和研究了特色服务的概念与内涵,着重论述了公共图书馆特色服务的建立与问题以及发展前景与品牌创建.     

深入企业开展公共图书馆延伸服务

论文根据公共图书馆为企业服务的必要性,提出了深入企业开展延伸服务的三种方式:建企业分馆、流动服务进企业和为企业人员提供特色文献信息服务。     

State Standards,Planning, and Public Library Size

Data from a 1992 survey of compliance by Ohio public libraries with state standards were used to examine relationships between achievement of a planning standard and each of 22 size variables. Significant but. weak correlations were found between planning scores and population of the service area, volumes per capita, number of ALA/MLS employees per capita, interlibrary loans to the library, and interlibrary loans from the library. Findings suggest that library size as traditionally measured may not have a substantial influence on a library's capacity to engage in long range planning.     

An Evaluation of Public Library Websites: Describing Children's Services in Japan

ABSTRACT. This study is the first to investigate the amount and type of information about children's services described in Japanese public library websites, with particular reference to the Web pages intended for children, and the extent to which usability is taken into account in the design of these websites. Further, the study analyzes what kinds of content are more prevalent in children's services as described in Japanese public library websites in comparison with the actual delivery of these services. Finally, the study considers the usability of children's Web pages from the perspectives of how easy they are to read and understand.     

Chat Widgets: Placing Your Virtual Reference Services at Your User's Point(s) of Need

The senior population in America is expected to double from 35 million in 2004 to 70 million by 2030, creating an ever-growing need for libraries to provide quality senior services and programs. This article discusses the services and programs that the San Antonio Public Library (SAPL) offers for senior groups, the issue of additional services that the SAPL can provide in the future to accommodate the needs of seniors groups and those with disabilities, and what services other public libraries provide to senior citizens.     

澳大利亚公共图书馆的服务与管理

概括地介绍了澳大利亚的公共图书馆，包括国立图书馆、州立图书馆和一般的公共图书馆。文章以作者所工作的雅拉－墨尔本图书馆为具体例子，列举了图书馆的各项服务，并探讨图书馆的管理经验，特别是人员的结构和服务质量的衡量。