Search

The article reports on the recovery of the Toronto Public Library (TPL) from a ransomware attack on October 28, 2023 that shut down the library's internal network, website, and public computers. Topics discussed include the inability of patrons to access their library accounts online or use the library's computers for more than two months, comments from Toronto's City Library Vickery Bowles, and findings of the "2023 Palo Alto Networks Canada Ransomware Barometer" report.

The article reports on the launch of a job training program by Georgia's Clayton County Library System (CCLS) that enables patrons to use virtual reality (VR) headsets to simulate hands-on experiences in various trades. Topics include the Interplay Learning as the recommended software by Assistant Library Director Marquita Gooch-Voyd, demand for the job training program, and advice of Director Rosalind Lett for other library systems that consider purchasing Interplay or other similar software.

The article discusses the survey and report "Gen Z and Millennials: How They Use Public Libraries and Identify Through Media Use" which found that people 40 and younger are using public libraries, often at higher rates, compared with older generations, even when they do not define themselves as readers. Other findings include the percentage of people 40 and under who visited a library branch within a 12-month period and the challenges libraries and publishers face with Gen Z and millennials.

The article discusses the results of the "Library Journal's" 2021 survey on readers' advisory (RA) services in U.S. public libraries. Topics include the challenges reported by RA librarians, the necessity for multilingual RA resources, and the most useful question one asks patron when conducting one-to-one RA.

The article discusses the changes in public libraries as of June 2021. Topics covered include ways libraries are engaging with patrons, critical role of both public libraries and their higher education counterparts in helping their communities have access to technology throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and automated solution offered by LaptopsAnytime to the challenge faced by librarians during the pandemic.

The article focuses on the 2019 "Library Journal" Index of Public Library Service based on the most recent findings from the Institute of Museum and Library Services Public Library Survey, Fiscal Year 2017. It discusses the addition of Wireless Fidelity sessions to the measures used to determine the Star Libraries in the U.S. It presents the number of libraries that retained their Star status and of those that lost theirs. It also describes the factors that affect the Star status of libraries.

The article reports on the launch of the status of Ferguson Library in Stamford, Connecticut as the first sanctuary library in the state. Ferguson followed Chicago Public Library's lead to become the second sanctuary library in the U.S., a place where patrons are promised access to books banned or challenged elsewhere. The Senate Bill 2, An Act Concerning the Mental, Physical and Emotional Wellness of Children" drafted by the Connecticut General Assembly's Committee on Children is discussed.

The article discusses how passive programming, described as temporary, self-directed activities or exhibits that users interact with in their own time, can solve a library's need to encourage library patrons with less funding and fewer human resources. Topics discussed include examples of self-directed activities or exhibits, move taken by Princeton Public Library in New Jersey and the interactive exhibit at the Lakewood Public Library.

The article discusses the author's claim that the implementation of innovative ideas and programs at U.S. public libraries is helping library patrons find reliable wellness information and health-related aid as of 2016, and it mentions an open access movement and health literacy in America. Library nurses in places such as Arizona are examined, along with health care collaborations involving libraries in Sale Lake County, Utah and South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The article discusses the shift of patron service of libraries toward human-centered design techniques, also known as design thinking, as of September 2016. Topics include the reason behind the adoption of design thinking techniques by Melanie Huggins, executive director of the Richland Library in Columbia, South Carolina, the key features of design thinking, user experience (UX) design as a common assessment tool in academic and public libraries, and libraries that adopted design thinking.

In a society that jealously guards its time, our job-if libraries are to remain relevant-is to get patrons in the door and in front of the materials they want quickly and easily. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Brookdale Library of Hennepin County, Minnesota have remodelled their layouts and labelling to make the libraries easier for those outside the library profession to use. INSET: The Right Direction.

Presents various types of public library users. Browser or reader; Researcher; Independent learners; Group participant.

The article provides information on the premier 85 Queen series of the Kitchener Public Library in Toledo, Ontario, which features various in-depth events to encourage conversations among patrons. Such events include readings by well-known authors as well as interviews conducted by experienced journalists and full concert-style performances with storytelling by musicians. People who attend the events receive emails aimed at enhancing their library experiences.

The article focuses on the ethnographic approaches of customer journey mapping (CJM) and service blueprinting (SB) used in the project at the Edmonton Public Library (EPL) in Alberta which evaluated EPL's customer experience (CX). Topics discussed include reason that CX can be difficult to grasp and evaluate, description of a CJM, and suggestions for public libraries interested in using CJM and SB. The five categories of the SB template are also mentioned.

The article provides information on the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) Report issued by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on August 2, 2018 which offered a look at public library use, financial health, staffing and resources in the U.S. active public libraries in fiscal year 2015. Findings include total public library visits in 2015, number of collection items made by the library during the period, and how libraries are working to rebound from the Great Recession of 2009.

The article presents a discussion of the changing format of book groups since the advent of electronic book readers and ebooks. The author says that although the format of books has changed, what is unchanged is that readers love to discuss books with other readers. She relates how libraries are using online book discussions to attract new users and designing book groups to fit a particular community's needs. She concludes that libraries and books continue to have a powerful effect on society. INSET: Book Groups as Therapy.

Offers a look at OneCleveland, an ultrabroadband technology network platform, that could transform the library's educational role in Ohio. Transition from analog to digital systems; Importance of Internet access for library users; Role of public libraries in providing network connectivity; Role of OneCleveland in collaboration with Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) in addressing social inclusion through Internet access; Distance education offered by Cleveland State University to subscribers at libraries; Cooperation between the Cleveland Museum of Art and CCPL.

The article discusses the Traveling Library Center (TLC) implemented by the King County Library System in Issaquah, WA. Two box trucks and one cargo van sit at the edge of the parking lot. Around the corner sit a renovated Winnebago called the Techlab, the slightly smaller ABC Express, and an older van. This fleet, and the outreach technicians and librarians who run it, is KCLS's answer to how to reach those who can't get to the library. TLC visits 130 nursing homes, assisted living and retirement facilities, senior centers, low-income housing, rehab centers, and hospitals across King County. Beyond TLC's dedicated collection of 44,802 items, the staff draws from the KCLS collection. Such intensive service is expensive. In 2003, each TLC circulation costs $10.19 compared with an average circulation cost of $5.38 across KCLS. The answer to lowering costs might be to tap volunteers, who already do approximately 29 percent of the homebound runs, and work with getting technology into patrons' hands, automating some of the manual activities, and working with remote holds. INSET: On the road.

Discusses how libraries can get the public support they need using the Kalamazoo Public Library (KPL) in Michigan as an example. How Kalamazoo County receives more money per capita than the average public library; Citizen support for the library; Efforts of KPL to communicate its needs to local communities.

Presents the views of Cleveland Public Library's director, Marilyn Gell Mason, on how to provide the best library service. Discussion of how the library offered access to complete Associated Press (AP) reports during Operation Desert Storm; View that the library is able to predict what library users need and respond in a timely way to these needs; Construction of a dial-up service by the library, which offers in its online catalog a current index to articles in a number of magazines and other information on periodicals and library materials; Thoughts of Mason the partnerships of the library with electronic publishers, including software and database publishers.

This article deals with the suggestion of Jane Monck, one of the trustees at the Kentport Public Library, to Frieda Pavlicek, the director of the library that she should design a questionnaire to use with the reference and circulation staff in the library. Public libraries can learn from the private sector in the areas of accountability, marketing and personal incentives. Trustee Monck is correct in noting that there are some individuals in libraries who do not give their best but libraries are under the same constraints as the government body under which they operate, making hiring, firing and salary increases based merit much more difficult than in the private sector. Reference is an art, not a science and it is more difficult to quantify than other types of customer service. Before the next board meeting, Pavlicek should be ready to present an approach to measure user satisfaction at public service points. A finished measuring instrument is not necessary yet, but a review of the literature with a summary for the board will serve her well. She must disconnect the concept of salary increases and be good or be gone from results of patron assessments of staff performance.

Claims that in addressing demand, public libraries should first distinguish between public wants and needs. Explanation that in the U.S. society, the private sector provides both the wants and needs of people; Reasons for the limitations of the public sector in providing goods and services to people; Argument of the author that the public sector should only provide the goods and services that the private sector cannot meet; Debate on the issue of whether public libraries should supply popular materials for its users.

Presents a case study analyzing the actions that the Alexandra branch of Shelton Public Library regarding the drunks, addicts and homeless people that harass patrons and occupy most of the seats. Now is not the time to debate about philosophy. It is the time for action. From the looks of things in the library, the director has ignored a serious image, morale, and social problem until media attention has forced it out of his hands and into the hands of the local politicians. It is hard to believe that Shelton has had no problem patrons before this. There is no policy established to help it deal with this situation. To top things off, the mayor has barged in unannounced to the branch managers' meeting. He is smarter than the director, and wants to know ahead of time what the director is going to say to the council. At this point, there is not much that the director can say. The plight of the Shelton homeless must surely sound familiar. All that is needed is that the Shelton librarians be given enough time to work this problem through, matched by a willingness on the part of the community to chip in for the greater good. Homelessness, mental instability, and other attenuating ills have been and always will be a community problem. The librarians must reach out and communicate their frustration, and demand that they be heard.

Focuses on a decision to buy microcomputers for the public's use at the St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, Missouri. Emphasis on practicality; Background on the Library's Apple Corps program; How the library and how it has offered teaching assistance to those in need; Response to the demand for remedial education assistance; Approach; Details of the proposal; How the Apple Corps was set up; Problems with hardware and software; User response.

The article considers U.S. public libraries which have received Five Star ratings for their quantity of services from the publication in its annual surveys of public libraries every year from 2009-2012. Libraries cited for this accomplishment including the public libraries of Bernardsville, New Jersey, Centerville, South Dakota and Naperville, Illinois.

The article states a survey by the nonprofit organization Online Computer Library Center found the majority of public library staff anticipate the primary reasons patrons use their library will change by 2017 and mentions most public library staff are focusing on electronic books as a top priority.

The article reports on research which has been conducted on both librarian and patron satisfaction related to Integrated Library Systems (ILS) at both academic and public libraries. Statistics are offered from a survey by the periodical "Library Journal," in which respondents answered questions including which ILS does their library currently use, what features would they like added to their ILS, and whether they would recommend their ILS to a colleague.

The article presents several charts on the satisfaction of integrated library systems (ILS) users. Topics discussed include library patrons, librarians, and the differences between public and academic libraries.

The article focuses on genealogy tools used by librarians. It is stated that librarians have to meet their patrons' expectations, for which librarians use an array of genealogy tools, but patrons value time spent with a librarian. Genealogy expert Debra Dudek, head of adult and teen services at the Fountaindale Public Library District (FPLD) in Illinois, says that with a Fountaindale library card, patrons can check out two hours with her, but genealogy requires an investment of time.

The article focuses on the role of data in the library-wide user experience (UX) improvement project at North Carolina's Chapel Hill Public Library (CHPL). Topics discussed include the methods used by CHPL staff to gather data, information on service blueprinting as a data-related tool, and the use of data for a library's major decision making.

The article offers the author's insights about the remarks of public librarian Steve Barker in his "Wall Street Journal" (WSJ) article "In Age of Google, Librarians Get Shelved," which focuses on the diminishing role of librarians and public libraries. Topics include the book "Part of Our Lives: A People's History of the American Public Library," American public library users, and the American Library Association (ALA).

The author reflects on the issuance of fees and fines for business purposes by libraries. Topics discussed include the Park Ridge Public Library in Illinois, examination of the return on investment (ROI) by libraries, and interactions between the library and its patrons. In addition, she also talks about the risk of fees or fines on library access.

The article provides a case study illustrating a situation in which teenagers in a public library were causing a disruption through abusing the internet, playing video games, and being loud. The question on whether to kick the disruptive party out of the library, or to allow them to stay because it is a community institution which welcomes everyone, is addressed. Two librarians offer analysis on this difficult situation.

Discusses a case study about the display of questionable art in a public library. How to address the situation when a patron disagrees with the location of a certain piece of artwork that was donated by a local artist because of its content; What to say to patrons if they have concerns about library art; Need for libraries to set standards for the type of displays that are allowed in the library.

This article reports on news from several library systems. The Salt Lake City Council has approved the Salt Lake City Public Library System's request for additional funding, including a $1.7 million tax increase. The Richland County Public Library (RCPL), Columbia, SC, has received a six percent increase in its funding for FY05, coming from an increase in millage, hospitality tax collections, and state aid. The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District said that patron checkouts during FY03/04 topped ten million items, making it the fourth consecutive year in which the library has broken circulation records. The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library has fulfilled another promise to the 65 percent of voters who approved a one-mill, four-year operating levy in November 2003. Hours of operation will be increased at six branch libraries, some as soon as September 7, adding a total of 45.5 hours of weekly service.

For most public library customers a database still seems like the brainy kid in high school: willing and able to help you but a little intimidating. At the Cuyahoga County Public Library, a 28-branch public library system in northeast Ohio, there are rich database resources.

Provides advice about the common mistakes of librarians in public libraries and how to avoid the mistakes. Dependence of librarians on the OPAC database; Problem of public librarians when conducting a readers' advisory interview; Importance of improving interpersonal communication between librarians and library users. INSET: 9 More Real-Life Readalike Mismatches.

Reports findings from the 'Public Libraries and the Internet 2002: Internet Connectivity and Networked Services,' a report from the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at Florida State University, Tallahassee. Topics of Internet and database access, filtering, and funding; Statistics on increased access, faster workstations, increased filtering of Internet services, and funding trends; Professors who made the study; Who commissioned the study.

Reports news related to libraries as of January, 2003. Additional funding for sixty additional staff positions at the Jacksonville Public Library in Florida; Recommended raises for staffers at the Akron-Summit County Public Library; Use of a public library computer at the Warren Public Library in Michigan by a teenager who sent e-mail messages to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation threatening to kill U.S. President George W. Bush; Retirement of Harold Billings, director of general libraries at the University of Texas at Austin; Other news.

Announces the continuation of Winnipeg Public Library's business relationship with epixtech, which provides the library with automation solutions. When the library began its association with the vendor; Installation of Dynix system and Horizon Sunrise; Other installations the library has signed up for; Number of patrons visiting the library annually.

Announces that the U.S. Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration is charged to determine whether Internet filtering technology addresses the needs of educational institutions and to evaluate the effectiveness of children's Internet safety policies. Public library branches where the Mississippi Library Commission turned off the Internet filters; Requirement for libraries under the Neighborhood Children's Internet Protection Act.

Reports that the King County Library System in Washington has made electronic audiobooks available in its eAudio collection. Way that books are played on MP3 players; Titles bought from the company Audible.com; How library patrons want to download electronic books themselves.

Reports on the use of filtering software. Approval by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives of a bill that requires public libraries to install filtering software because of concern about sexual predators using libraries to access pornography and prey on children; Effect of a Library of Congress copyright ruling on filter company CyberPatrol's lawsuit; Concern that the filters on computers in the children's sections of Montgomery County Library in Maryland are defective; How a filtering policy in Nevada gives children more Internet access.

The article discusses the introduction of the Internet Screening in Public Libraries Act (ISPLA) to the Illinois General Assembly, focusing on opposition to the bill by the American Library Association (ALA) and Illinois Library Association (ILA). Other topics include information on supporters and opponents of the bill, the bill's resemblance to the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), and how the bill puts the burden of determining legitimate research on patrons and librarians.

The article features the book club Cook the Book which was established by the Gold Coast Public Library, located in Glen Head, New York. Topics discussed include the inspiration behind the book club, the bases for the selection of cookbooks, and activities for program participants. The benefits of the program are also cited, including connecting members of the community.

The article discusses how public libraries, while consistently working to grow their electronic book (e-book) collections, often find money to be a deterrent when purchasing new titles. Topics include the report "Ebook Usage in U.S. Public Libraries" which is compiled and distributed annually by the periodical, e-book circulation patterns in libraries and patron demands, and the percentage of fiction and nonfiction e-books in collections.

Reports on the results of a national survey, which reveals that six out of ten Americans use libraries, but many are also asking for more access to library information via computers. Description of the Reference Point Foundation/American Library Association (ALA) report, which is an analysis of previously unpublished data from a 1990 Louis Harris/Equifax, Inc. survey; Statement of ALA president Richard M. Dougherty that the report supports the belief of librarians that demand for library services continues to grow; Finding that use of every library service listed on the survey has increased, with the exception of newspapers and magazines; Interest which library users expressed in using the public library from a home computer to get consumer information.

Discusses the professional responsibilities of librarians in acquiring books for library collections. Thoughts on how the decisions of some librarians may be affected by the opinions of library users; Challenges facing academic librarians who may be pressured by faculty to purchase certain publications; The impact of Phil Donahue and Oprah Winfrey on library acquisitions decisions; Reflection on the expertise of librarians in purchasing books in public and academic libraries; Argument that librarians must be able to define and explain the purpose of the library in order to build a collection for it.