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This study investigates caregivers' perceptions of the benefits of library visits in relation to preschool children's learning and development. Reasons and benefits for attending libraries and storytimes, which were reported in previous research, are synthesized. Caregivers in Taiwan who visited public libraries in August 2019 (before COVID-19) with their newborn to 8-year-old children were asked one open-ended question in the context of a library user satisfaction survey. In total, 405 responses were gathered and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Three main benefits were identified related to education, socialization, and enjoyment, in line with prior studies; however, participants expressed their reasons with depth and clarity. The findings show that caregivers have positive perceptions toward public libraries and value public libraries for supporting preschool children's learning and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Makerspaces are now a common feature in many public libraries in the United States. However, there has been little research into how these spaces function for adults with disabilities. In this study, qualitative data were collected from patrons with disabilities and public librarians through online focus groups, interviews, and an online survey to address this gap in knowledge. Findings speak to the needs of a significant subset of public library patrons, describe current practices in public library makerspaces, and suggest areas for implementing more inclusive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public libraries with multilingual communities should provide adequate access to multilingual resources to meet the needs of community members. Few previous studies have addressed online access to multilingual collections of public libraries that serve multilingual communities. This article highlights challenges in supporting multilingual users on public library websites that have multilingual users by asking what factors are involved, how the problems will eventually be solved, and what features will be needed in website design and indexing to enhance multilingual support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public libraries are increasingly trying to meet patrons' psychosocial needs, in response to shifting demographics and the changing requests of their users. These psychosocial needs include assistance with or referrals for mental health or substance misuse, physical health problems, or basic needs such as housing or financial assistance. In many cases, needs assessments are conducted before libraries begin to address psychosocial needs of patrons. Limitations of existing needs assessments include only surveying staff instead of patrons, asking about only specific needs like housing or mental health-related needs, or surveying community members who may not be actual library users. The current study fills a gap in the literature by surveying a large sample of public library patrons about their broadly defined self-identified needs and suggestions for the library to better meet their needs. Implications for public libraries are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 has transformed how social institutions, including public libraries, are able to engage with and support their communities. Whereas previous disaster scenarios have allowed public libraries to be physically open and library staff to be present to connect with patrons, physical distancing mandates associated with COVID-19 safety measures have introduced new challenges for both staff and patrons. While extant COVID-19–focused public library research has analyzed library-produced digital content or statements, we examined the ways in which 218 Canadian newspaper stories framed public library responses to COVID-19. Using frame analysis, we identified three media frames: (re)negotiating the library's space, (re)configuring the library's roles, and (re)constructing "others." These media frames highlight the changes that COVID-19 has effected in public library roles and spaces and how these roles and spaces are differently interpreted for different library patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the programs offered by Danish public libraries have increased in both number and variety, leading to difficulties defining and assessing such programs in a way that encompasses their complexity. To enrich future research and assessments of public library programs, this article presents an empirically based and textually grounded analytical model. Building on prior work collecting more than 2,500 Facebook events announcing public library programs, this article presents the analysis of these textual data. Inspired by grounded theory coding, the content of the Facebook events is categorized in terms of format, content, and role and function. As a result, an analytical model is developed. In light of the analysis, it is argued that public library programs exist between the library collections and the connections they foster. As such, they are an intriguing part of understanding the role and function of public libraries today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how the notion of participation informs policy documents in a public library context. Library users are expected to manage on their own, to a large extent, as society calls for self-governing, active subjects who are willing to participate. To explore this notion of participation, we utilize the concept of problematization and analyze policy documents regarding the public libraries of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Malmö, Sweden. Although all of the documents are concerned with participation and user involvement, they have different points of departure and call upon different rationalities. Whereas the outlined policies of the Malmö libraries problematize social inclusion, the Copenhagen libraries primarily problematize inefficiency. Despite this contrast, increased participation seems to be the proposed solution in the policy documents of both cities. An analysis of these documents shows the complex and sometimes contradictory meaning of the concept of participation, depending on which rationality is put into play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a theoretical framework for conceptualizing public library membership and belonging as an ongoing action net of joint intention and collective action between individual members of the public and the library. It provides an analysis of how membership is constituted, observed, and documented by public libraries from a social-constructivist perspective. Drawing on social theory and philosophy, organizational studies, and secondary public library data sources, a high-level typology of public library member categories from the political and organizational modes of public library action is proposed. Member types are characterized using institutionalized structures of public library use, access, data, discourse, behavior, and social media applications. Implications of this framework for future research and public library innovation are suggested in conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores public library users' health information behavior and their perception of their own ability to find, evaluate, and use health information available in public libraries. The study employed semistructured intensive interviews as a follow-up to a quantitative study that measured health literacy ability by employing the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy Ability (S-TOFHLA). Twenty interviewees were selected from survey respondents based on gender, ethnicity, educational level, and age. The study examined their health information needs, selfperception of their own health information behavior, and the impact of the health information. Above all, the findings highlighted that most interviewees encountered critical barriers to using health information services available in public libraries, even though they had proficient health literacy based on S-TOFHLA [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at the role of public libraries in providing access to government information in the U.S. It outlines the shift that has occurred in government information from print to digital formats and discusses challenges this poses to libraries, including inadequate Internet access capacity. It looks at various approaches to evaluating library services. Other topics include the digital divide and library and information science (LIS) education.

The article looks at the legacy of library science scholar and outgoing "Library Quarterly" editor John Carlo Bertot, focusing on the importance of his work in relation to the advent of the Internet and digital services in libraries. Topics include Bertot's research on the extent and implications of Internet access in U.S. public libraries and his influence on library science education during his tenure at the University of Maryland College of Information Studies.