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As the gap between decreased budgetary allocation and the need to sustain free and improved quality public library services continues to increase, librarians are expected to think more innovatively about how to bridge this gap while ensuring the notion of free public library services is not compromised. This study aimed to investigate revenue mobilization and the sustainability of free public library services in Ghana. The study adopts a multiple case study approach, exploiting the advantages of the use of a combination of varied data collection techniques using 3 Regional Public libraries in Ghana to enhance representativeness. The data was collected from some major stakeholders, including Head Librarians, library staff and patrons of public libraries using questionnaires and qualitative interview sessions. Purposive and convenience sampling techniques were employed in selecting respondents for the study. Descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and thematic analysis were deployed as analytical tools to examine the data. Based on the findings of the study, the researchers conclude that the challenge is in tracking down the elusive mix of fee-based services that deliver more than they take away. We therefore, admonish that those who still preach against fee-based services on moral grounds accept the reality that seeking alternative funding (beyond government's subventions) to sustain public library services has become a Hobson's choice to most public librarians. Recommendations are also proffered in mitigating the present challenges affecting service delivery in public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public library users' expectations of library resources and services related to open data as well as their own estimation of their data literacy skills are examined. Library users were surveyed from nine different Indiana public library communities. Findings suggest that public libraries are viewed as resources for finding data and educational programming for data skills, particularly as it relates to the community context. Additionally, study participants assessed their data skills to be average or slightly above, indicating a foundational knowledge from which to design library resources and sources to meet a community's data needs. Keywords: open government data, public libraries, data literacy skills, communities, information behaviors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes to the contexts of audience and user studies via research into two cases of civic libraries created by local communities. Results from this study could encourage communities to create and/or step in to co-produce the local library services for their community. The findings of this research add an alternative view from library service users to established library services and may be helpful to local authorities in redesigning the public library service. Two cases were chosen to investigate the phenomenon of civic libraries: the library at Sänna Cultural Mansion in a small village in Southern Estonia and the library of the New World Society in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation in public libraries has been concentrated in the areas of participation, making & creating, learning, new outreach and partnerships. These trends represent the emerging areas of strategic focus for public libraries and are strongly influencing the development of library services towards a model that is collaborative, creative and participative, and that places the library at the centre of its user's daily lives. This article provides an overview of these trends, with examples of how they are manifesting in library services, programming and strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]