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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]

Equity of information access regardless of age, gender, origin or background is a guiding principle in library-related policies. It is generally considered that public libraries were founded in order to alleviate social injustice. Their use has enabled individual free access to information, stimulating an informed citizenship and aiding social inclusion. A lack of access to information in rural areas has been recognised as an urgent need which should be tackled globally. The purpose of this study is to examine whether children's mobile libraries in remote rural areas of Taiwan enhance social impact as an exemplar for similar regions globally. The design of the study adopted a qualitative strategy with generalised findings in order to capitalise on the exploratory, open-ended nature of social inclusion-related issues. It sought to understand how participants perceived the social impact of mobile libraries on children in rural areas, based on their lived experiences. Purposive sampling identified 23 participants from six public library authorities using the criteria of places visited, frequency and longevity of that service. Qualitative interviews with participants were audio recorded, transcribed and in some cases translated. Coding emerged from the analysis of sample interviews and qualitative content analysis was used. Four areas of social impact were identified: Reading development, community connection, social space, equality of opportunity. It was found that mobile libraries have a social impact on children in rural areas, enabling equity of information access and enhancing reading motivations. The children felt valued allowing them to contribute as members of society. No previous research has examined the lived experience of children in rural Taiwan. Different cultural expectations means that assumptions made from research conducted in the UK or America may not apply. This research has filled the gap of validated information about children's library services, rural mobile libraries and their social impact in non-western countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A philosophical dilemma has arisen for librarians in this interconnected age: whether a library has a moral obligation to lend resources to another library. This discussion article examines a range of literature about interlibrary lending (interlending) and gives an account of librarians' perceptions of this quandary. The literature covers the guidelines on interlending set out by library professional bodies and a historical view of interlending, as well as more recent perceptions from librarians quoted in reports. In order to explore the concept in more detail, taking a qualitative approach, a small questionnaire was circulated online to a cross section of libraries in the Midlands region of the UK. The opinions of 11 self-selected participants were forthcoming, working in a range of academic, public and community-led libraries. The data gathered was thematically categorised to identify the range of perceptions. The views expressed in the questionnaire echoed those identified in the literature, forming three groups of moral attitude: no moral obligation; an obligation if it does not outweigh the costs; and a strong moral imperative to share resources. The participants identified the benefits of interlibrary lending and generally acknowledged that resource-sharing was important. The importance of good customer service was highlighted, as well as the imperative of supporting the ongoing operation of their library service. Taking these perceptions into consideration, it was concluded that the question 'Is there a moral obligation for one library to lend to another?' is not the right one to ask. The moral duty of a librarian is that access to information is maintained and resources are shared for the good of society as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic libraries are spending a growing proportion of their increasingly stretched budgets on e-books each year. Within this context, demonstrating a return on investment is imperative, but gathering data about e-resource usage is not always easy. This article summarizes how libraries and library consortia are acquiring and evaluating e-books, how usage statistics feature within library workflows, the issues faced in doing so and the resulting impact of these issues on understanding usage and informing purchasing of new titles. Discussions with publishers indicate how usage data are being used within the organization, the requirements of customers and the challenges involved in providing usage data for e-books. Assessing and evaluating e-book usage is a complex and challenging task with processes and workflows in development. A transition from print to e-books represents a significant change for libraries, and the availability of reliable usage statistics to support purchase decisions is vital. The article is based on a series of case study interviews with representatives from a small cross-section of academic libraries, library consortia, publishers and aggregators. This work is of interest to anyone with responsibility for creating, managing, developing, delivering and supporting usage statistics and standards for e-books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Libraries are closing or reducing opening hours in the UK due to budgetary cuts. Library provision for children is consequently diminishing and libraries have to justify their existence. Therefore a reliable methodology for assessing the importance of libraries is vital to demonstrate their value to children’s literacy. Two methodologies were combined to study children visiting children’s mobile libraries (CMLs). The purpose of this paper is to consider whether the combined, qualitative methodology was the correct choice. Design/methodology/approach – Aspects of each methodology are examined for their appropriateness for researching children. The compatibility of their philosophical stance and the validity of combining ethnography and grounded theory is explored and questioned. Findings – It is found that grounded theory and ethnography were the optimum combination to form a powerful research tool that allows children to be active participants in research. The combined methodology was successful because the ethnographic elements allowed the researcher to enter to the children’s world, whereas the grounded theory elements provided a structural framework, exploration into a novel research topic and ensured that a valid conclusion was drawn. Originality/value – It is unusual for qualitative methodologies such as grounded theory and ethnography to be combined in order to study learning in a non-pedagogic, library environment. This paper is valuable reading for librarians, or educationalists wishing to examine how libraries aid literacy because it verifies the benefits of the combined methodology of grounded theory and ethnography and provides a template which can be used by other researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions of research articles depend on bodies of data that cannot be included in articles themselves. To share this data is important for reasons of both transparency and reuse. Science, Technology, and Medicine journals have a role in facilitating sharing, but by what mechanism is not yet clear. The Journal Research Data (JoRD) Project was a JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee)-funded feasibility study on the potential for a central service on journal research data policies. The objectives of the study included identifying the current state of journal data sharing policies and investigating stakeholders' views and practices. The project confirmed that a large percentage of journals have no data sharing policy and that there are inconsistencies between those that are traceable. This state leaves authors unsure of whether they should share article related data and where and how to deposit those data. In the absence of a consolidated infrastructure to share data easily, a model journal data sharing policy was developed by comparing quantitative information from analyzing existing journal data policies with qualitative data collected from stakeholders. This article summarizes and outlines the process by which the model was developed and presents the model journal data sharing policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Storytelling sessions regularly occur in United Kingdom libraries; however, the storytelling techniques of library staff vary. In order to pinpoint an optimum technique and discover the benefit of storytimes, observations of storytelling sessions on children's mobile libraries were analyzed. The use of participant observation, ethnography, and grounded theory revealed that children's cognizance increased through focused attention and that hearing different storytellers broadens children's learning. Although the techniques of individual storytellers differed, children concentrated well and it was concluded that the combination of deep concentration and variety of experience enriches children's knowledge of language and subsequently their literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]