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With the rapid pace of change and the high cost invested in information technology, it is important for academic libraries to evaluate the information technology solutions they use in their institutions to determine whether they are meeting the needs of their students, faculty, staff, and other users of their libraries and resources. This study presents the results of an online survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) academic library members to benchmark the assessment strategies that they used to evaluate their IT activities. This article compares their responses with earlier studies to identify trends and make recommendations for effective assessment practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research responds to calls to further our understanding of exhibitions in the library context by exploring the significance of a commemorative exhibition staged in a public library. Employing a qualitative methodology, it centers on the 'Goodbye Dublin: The War of Independence in the City' commemorative exhibition, staged by Dublin City Pearse Street Library, between August 14th and October 31st, 2019. The findings show that the commemorative nature of the exhibition appealed to a variety of new, lapsed and frequent library users, connecting with Irish and non-Irish residents, as well as tourists visiting the city. In this regard, the exhibition was effective in its objective of appealing to a new and wide-ranging audience, however, the findings underline the need for more diverse and varied marketing, if this aim is to be entirely successful. The staging of the exhibition as an active authoring and articulation of the past by the library is highlighted, and the use of multimedia is seen to transform the library into an emotionally charged, dynamic, and multisensory space. This facilitates an immersive encounter, involving interplays between the exhibition narratives and visitors' personal memories and interests. This offers different ways for visitors to engage with the library, inspiring them to find new meanings, explore issues of personal, collective and national identities, and to reassess contemporary events. Overall, the research makes an important contribution by highlighting the complexity and importance of commemorative exhibitions in the context of public libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, ECU Library embarked on a year-long user experience project to explore students' experiences of a newly refurbished space and investigate what facilities and services students would like to see at a new city campus to be opened in 2025. The study employed a number of user experience and ethnographic methods including observation, interviews, surveys, focus groups and surveys, and worked in partnership with library peer assistants to collect data. Students want a library of the future that offers a variety of flexible informal study spaces, good lighting, comfortable and ergonomic furniture, visible services, and access to technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today libraries stand as the most inclusive institution in US society, but their workforces remain unaligned with the wide-ranging domestic demographic. With 83% of librarians identifying as white in 2020, this institution requires cultural reconstruction to enable its information literacy goals. As diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts have been unsuccessful over the years in libraries, this report surveys efforts in industries with more diverse workers and adapts them for implementation in library settings. Recruitment, retainment, and inclusion strategies in corporate, STEM, and healthcare environments are reviewed to identify successful options as starting points for library planners. Practical adaptations are provided as more feasible options for library budgets and personnel volumes. As libraries were founded and transformed to serve the varying needs of all patrons, incorporating these DEI tools into planning strategies is imperative to diversify library labor forces and eliminate barriers to information literacy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey was performed over all university libraries within the Association of European Research Libraries (LIBER) in order to study how different methods of user input are utilized. Libraries using analysis based on explorative methods—such as UX and process mapping—report significantly increased user knowledge and perceived well-function. Over three-fourths of the respondents reported performing general user surveys. Surveys offer ease of collection, effectively gather researcher user group input and generate data suitable for communicating library value to stakeholders. However, it is resource-demanding to transfer findings into service changes, especially for smaller libraries, and results often support stepwise improvements rather than discovery of new services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review analyzes the quandaries facing libraries from African countries, especially from the sub-Saharan region, regarding the free dissemination and access to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) content. It examines the challenges the libraries face and finally highlights the role they should play in disseminating LGBTQ+ content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to suggest that cataloguing community could benefit by publishing the catalogue records on the cloud using BIBFRAME model with its vocabularies to increase access of the library collection beyond the library. A desk research based on literature review extracted from different information sources. Literature was interpreted based on the search of the researcher on key concepts of the topic. Literature indicates that the establishments that publishes their catalogue on the cloud receive more exposure. Adoption of BIBFRAME could benefit the library users as genuine information published by the libraries will be available on the web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2020, the Leonard Lief Library created a searchable online knowledge base (FAQs) as a complement to virtual reference during the library's pandemic-related closure. One year of search query data was used to assess the online knowledge base. This paper discusses the assessment's findings and planned improvements to the FAQs. A content analysis of user queries revealed what users are seeking in the knowledge base. The study examined the actions taken by users after conducting a search to determine the knowledge base's success rate. The knowledge base was successful in answering user questions almost half of the time. The top three query categories were access, non-library, and instructional. The frequency of access-related queries was expected, due to COVID-19 library building closure. The prevalence of questions about other campus units was unexpected. This finding suggests a perception of the academic library as a source of campus information and supports including this type of information in the library FAQs. This study adds to the body of assessment research within reference services, an area not well represented in the LIS literature. The methodology employed provides a model for assessment of online FAQs that can be adopted by other libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017, the Riyad Nassar Library of the Lebanese American University - Beirut, Lebanon - conducted a student survey as part of its assessment plan to evaluate all functions offered to its stakeholders including space design. The results of said survey are discussed in this paper to ensure if the executed redesign of the library space, carried out during the last 5 years, helped in meeting students' perceptions and expectations. The authors will discuss the methods used to assess space change such as survey, behavioral observation and statistics as well as the challenges faced by the library during this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Shared Library Management System (LMS) model is not a new concept. Lately, many libraries consortia have migrated to a shared LMS to reduce their services' total costs. The Hellenic Academic Libraries consortium has implemented a shared LMS service, hosted in a private owned cloud infrastructure for its members during the past years (known as the MITOS project). Recognizing the complexity and significance that joining a shared LMS represents, it is important for librarians and other decision makers to have access to the MITOS experience for operational, technical and financial aspects, during and after the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payson Library, the largest library at Pepperdine, primarily serves undergraduate students. It underwent a renovation between spring 2016 and fall 2017. Payson Library was closed during this renovation, and a Library Hub was established as a temporary service point and library information and teaching center on campus. Maintaining market share led to rolling out new services such as RAPID-ILL, repurposing a graduate campus library for increased study spaces, and reliance on a strong library liaison program. Predictably, there was a sharp reduction in patron visits, but there was success in providing reference, instruction, and access to the collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper asks how libraries have rhythmed women's education and everyday lives. It draws on women's narratives of library use in a multicultural suburb of Birmingham, UK. It shows that women's use of libraries exists in rhythmic relations with other times and places, both public and private. The narratives reveal the value of the library in offering space for women to claim time for themselves in the Lefebvrian "weak time, the stops, silences, blanks". Routines, cycles and continuity of use over various scales are important in women's engagements with libraries. Memorable too are particular moments. Punctuating the quotidian rhythms of library use, these moments are individual stories of rupture; times of great significance in women's lives. Changes to library provision have, therefore, rhythmic consequences, with reduced opening hours and library closure bringing arrhythmia. Through the library, women are linked to particular histories and they enter into shared rhythms, within both the present and the past. Libraries, this paper argues, offer not only an important public space but also public time.1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries continue to be an important source of books for young people, though relatively little is known about how gender and age influence visitation frequency for this purpose. In addition, while supporting children to choose books is part of the role of both school and public librarians, little is known about the strategies and processes children use to select books, and the beliefs and attitudes that underpin them. Findings from the2016 Western Australian Study in Children's Book Readingoffer insights into these areas that can support librarians to guide book choice, and they encourage targeted intervention to ensure that boys and older children make use of their libraries to support their literacy growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With growing interest in applying user experience (UX) methods to improve library interfaces, spaces, and services, it is critical to gain a deeper understanding of the organizational factors influencing libraries' adoption and incorporation of UX expertise. This article reports the results of semi-structured interviews with 16 UX librarians and focuses on how the positions were created, the benefits they have brought to their library, their biggest challenges, and the extent that their work is understood throughout the library. The article concludes with a preliminary model of library UX maturity and six critical directions for the future of UX librarianship. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oklahoma State University Library developed an open-source application to record real-time building capacity. Library student security tracks building entrances and exits via the program, with current visitor numbers appearing on the library's website via an API. This effort helps administrators have a clear picture of building capacity during opening hours for data-driven decision-making and provides users information regarding the library's level of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most libraries, the Circulation Desk and the Reference Desk have a complicated relationship. Their physical proximity to each other can affect where patrons go to get assistance and what kinds of questions they ask. Murphy Library at the University of Wisconsin—La Crosse has had the Reference Desk in three different locations in the last five years. In this article an analysis is provided that examines how the different locations have affected the nature and number of questions asked at the Circulation Desk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries are technology-rich environments, and library workers access and use various technologies during their work days. Before you embark on your next technology implementation, whether it involves a new library management system, a self-checkout machine, or an innovative technology product, I strongly recommend reading this book. [Extracted from the article]

Over preceding years, numerous data privacy and data security-related pieces have been published - whether in news media or as stand-alone works. Patrons now - arguably more than ever - are informed about data privacy, wish to learn more about data privacy, and have expectations around data privacy. [Extracted from the article]

A discussion of long-term thefts in the library suggested creating a highly punitive policy that captures the dynamics of the context through a holistic approach. The study inquired about how the penalty regime affects the attitudes of students and library staff toward fines. Data was collected through in-depth interviews to reveal three groups' attitudes: offenders, principled users, and staff. Twenty staff were interviewed, and forty of the students interviewed were registered users, 20 of whom had previously been fined for attempting to steal books, while the rest had no record of policy violations. The findings show that 30% of students were aware of the existence of the written policy only after being punished, which indicates that they were not given proper library orientation at the outset. The paper discusses how heavy fines and banishment from the library impacted attitudes toward the services offered in the building. Feedback from participants can be part of an early warning system used to maintain a high-level of service quality minimizing security issues. [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]

Library patrons have become more interested in sustainability and self-reliance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The programs in this book are written by librarians and sustainability experts who have run these programs themselves. I would recommend this book to library staff who organise events, are interested in sustainable living programs, and who would like to help their communities to learn more sustainable and self-reliance skills. [Extracted from the article]

With a growing population of part-time and distance education students, changing technologies, and evolving user expectations, it is becoming increasingly challenging to reach users through traditional marketing approaches. This article will review previous trends in library marketing and promotion and explore new initiatives, including partnering with marketing courses, roving reference, and highlighting staff expertise to raise awareness among users. This article originally published in Journal of Library Administration, Vol. 51, Issue 3, pages 291–300, 2011. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2011.556945. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article is written by Mari Cheney, Assistant Director, Research and Instruction at Boley Law Library, Lewis & Clark Law School. She holds a MLIS from the University of Washington and a JD from American University, Washington College of Law. This article enumerates challenges that hearing-impaired law library patrons may encounter when using the library and its resources, and ways academic librarians can increase accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study aims to determine and compare the views of directors and users of public libraries on the use of social media for the marketing of library services. Methodology: Data collection was done through two researcher-made questionnaires, one from the viewpoints of directors and one investigating the views of users. The questionnaires' validity was done by four libraries and Information Science professionals, and the reliability was determined by the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The statistical population of this research is made up of all directors and users of 12 public libraries of the city of Isfahan, one of the largest cities in Iran. Findings: In users' viewpoints, the "interaction capability" is the most important feature that social media marketing can have in libraries. From the viewpoints of the directors, "creating a true picture of the role of the library" and "informing users about library services" are among the most important reasons for the marketing of libraries in the social media. From the perspective of both groups, the Telegram is the most appropriate medium for the marketing of library services. Results: To maintain their customers and their market position, libraries need to use more exciting tools such as social media for marketing. Library directors of this study emphasized on this fact and 79.1% of users expressed interest in receiving library information through social media. Value: The findings of this study would help the library directors to better decide on the marketing of their library services in social media. Type of the study: Scientific-Research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries from San Francisco to Washington, D.C. are now employing or housing social workers. As this practice area grows, it is reshaping the way that libraries assist their patrons. Though the work of individual library social workers vary depending on the unique needs of their patrons and communities, there are some social work concepts that remain constant across the country. Conceiving of the library as a protective factor, particularly for vulnerable patrons, can be a helpful lens through which to view the ever changing needs of individuals and communities served by public libraries. Libraries can play a crucial role in the strengthening of their communities by partnering with local service providers and by considering ways to strengthen and expand the resources they offer to patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigated the adoption of Moys Classification and Thesaurus for legal materials in the two federal university law libraries in South East Nigeria. Among the objectives included discovering the perspective of library patrons towards the effect of the new scheme. Descriptive survey was used as the research design. The population of this study comprises of all the 10 catalogers and 40 patrons selected by simple random sampling from both libraries, totaling 50. There was no sample due to the population size. The findings of the study revealed that the scheme is currently adopted in the libraries under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an examination of how digital collections in academic libraries provide user access to items by form and/or genre. A review of the literature reveals that this is not an area that has received much attention, despite an increased focus on digital collections metadata and on the user experience, as well as the development of form/genre vocabularies on the national scale, such as the Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT). Over 100 North American digital collections websites were examined, and the results blended with data received from communications with parties responsible for digital collections metadata. The goals were to reveal possibilities for improving East Carolina University's digital collections website, and additionally to stimulate discussion in the metadata community about best practices in form/genre access for library digital collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Library automation provides a comprehensive way to lessen physical labor, reduce human error and grant access to information materials anywhere and anytime. A mobile computerized system for handling the activities and services of the library helps the library staffs to process the work more accurately, and it saves time as well. This research work aimed to design and implement an Android application for the library so that libraries can use to overcome the social and other challenges that prevent them from providing services on the go. The Android application was designed and implemented using the Android Studio which contains XML (extensible mark-up language) and Java. At the back-end HTML (Hypertext mark-up language), CSS (Cascading Style Sheet), PHP (PHP Hypertext pre-processor), and MySQL database were used. The system was tested after the development and found it suitable for meeting all the requirements specified. The system can add to the integrity of the library, ease the activities of the librarian and eliminate the stress related to the current process of searching for library books and other study materials. Before the introduction of the Android OS, access to the library documents was done only by the librarian. Android applications have become more popular and it holds a maximum number of users when compared to all other platforms. The Android application retrieves the information stored in the library database through the library server, for example, checking whether the books are available in the library or borrowed without intervening anyone. Users can suggest books for the library, and they are notified about their suggestion by the librarian. This article brings a new idea of the users to access the library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ithaka S+R's Faculty Survey 2009, the 4th iteration since 2000 of this survey of faculty members at colleges and universities across the United States, offers insights into how faculty attitudes about electronic media and technology have evolved over the last decade. In this article, the authors focus on the aspects of the survey that most directly relate to the work of research libraries, including commentary on information discovery and use, the evolving role of the library, and changing attitudes toward access and preservation of journal current issues and backfiles. The responses to this survey point to some of the more valuable services libraries offer (or could offer), as well as highlighting the many challenges facing libraries and putting an exclamation point on the widely shared view that the libraries cannot rely on what have been their traditional strengths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the challenges and opportunities publishers and libraries face in redefining themselves in the digital age. Migrating resources from print to electronic format represents only one aspect of this redefinition. Both entities must make their resources findable via the search engines that are increasingly the first and last stop in research by students and by faculty. And findability itself amounts to more than making library collections work seamlessly with the Internet: it also requires a more user-centered approach to product development, design, and communication/marketing. Drawing on a wide variety of culture reference points, this article addresses learning, research, and strategic planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As authentication and access management systems and procedures in libraries have transitioned from paper to digital and have become more ubiquitous, new considerations regarding the ethical implications of these systems have arisen. Digital authentication and access management raises concerns about privacy, identifiability, and disclosure of patron-related data. Library patron confidentiality is protected by law in a number of states. But privacy considerations have often been missing from technical and other authentication discussions, possibly due to a general lack of best practice guidelines addressing these challenging issues. This article analyzes the privacy and ethics issues that authentication and access management in libraries raise, reviews applicability of the canon of Fair Information Practices for ethical guidance in library policies, and discusses best practices for libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital library services have become integral components of 21st century educational institutions. Librarians have been quick to adopt new technologies to serve their new remotely located patrons. This eagerness to adopt new technology, along with a willingness to adapt to new working environments and a continuing emphasis on the end users of our services have enabled success with regards to serving the distance education patron. This paper will review and discuss the evolution of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's (ERAU) Extended Campus Library Services (ECLS), amid how a conscious effort to focus on the end users of Embry-Riddle's ECLS has helped Embry-Riddle manage and respond to the explosive growth of its distance learning population over the last 30 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Are the library needs and expectations of students and faculty at a distance differ- eat than those of on-campus students and faculty? This article details and synthesizes the results of two studies conducted to assess Penn State University's World Campus students and faculty perceptions, expectations and use of Web-based library resources and services. The results provide insight into challenges and issues surrounding service to a virtual academic community. This article will highlight which library resources and services were rated as being the most valuable and important to World Campus users, and how the combined results of the two studies illuminate a widely applicable path for further development of library services to patrons at a distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Handheld electronic devices are becoming popular and are playing an increasingly important role in the distributed learning environment. Enabling library users to maximize their access to library resources through these devices involves challenges that include determining the level of interest among users, identifying relevant resources, and establishing technical and compatibility standards. Affordability of devices for consumers, and availability of resources and support for handheld computing initiatives within libraries must also be considered. This study examines issues and challenges surrounding the design and delivery of library services and resources for personal digital assistants (PDAs) at Royal Roads University Library, finding that there are beneficial research applications for handheld devices that can be implemented even while related technologies continue to evolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic e-mail discussion lists have been used by librarians and vendors for twenty years. These lists have proliferated, especially in the last ten years, to the point where there are more than 250 library-related lists in use today. This paper describes the various types of lists, looks at the demographics of several library lists, and discusses how these lists can impact libraries and librarians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between OCLC Online Computer Library Center and its member institutions worldwide is formalized in the Members Council. This body, representing OCLC's constituent networks and service centers, has a key role in helping the OCLC Board of Trustees and management determine the future direction of the cooperative. Its core responsibilities include electing six trustees to the fifteen-member Board, and approving or rejecting changes to OCLC's Articles of Incorporation and Code of Regulations, the corporation's founding documents. The Members Council also represents the interests of libraries to OCLC. While the Board, Council, and management do not agree on all issues, their relationships are characterized by extensive interaction and mutual respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like many other university libraries, Bowling Green State University (BGSU) faces the challenges of change due to reduced funding, competition from information vendors, and new emerging technologies that have fueled users' expectations, These factors have led to a review of the library' s role and operations, which in turn has resulted in significant strategic planning to ensure the library's central role in higher education. Users' perceptions play a key role in defining the role and centrality of the library. Recognizing the value of user feedback in planning, BGSU Libraries participated in the LibQUAL+TM survey as a member library of the OhioLINK consortium in spring 2002. The LibQUAL+TM data, coupled with subsequent focus group interviews, provided valuable user feedback that will be helpful in developing plans to achieve our strategic goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2002, the Duke University Medical Center Library administered the LibQUAL+TM survey instrument, which measures library users' perceptions of service quality and identifies gaps between desired, perceived, and minimum expectations of service. This case study represents the Library's decisions regarding participants, approaches used to reach them, problems encountered with the survey, and the results of the data for the health care community. We will also explore how including hospital staff in the survey impacted our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gaiter Health Sciences Library has used the LibQUAL+TM survey in two consecutive years. Both sets of survey results provided useful information to understand how users perceive the quality of Gaiter Library services. The first year's relatively positive results offered a useful and hopeful benchmark. The second year' s results provided more of a "wake up" call to explore in depth what users want and need from the library. Peer comparison also offers an additional insight as to where Gaiter staff can look to find models and/or best practices when exploring specific remedies that would improve services to Gaffer users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between library institutional characteristics such as volumes held, volumes added gross, current serials, total staff and expenditures, and the scores on the four LibQUAL+TM service quality dimensions (Affect of Service, Access to collections, Information Control, and Library as Place) are analyzed across a group of 130+ libraries that participated in spring 2002 for the members of the Association of Research Libraries and the participating libraries that are not members. Service quality indices, especially as measured by the service affect dimension, appear to have a slightly inverse relation to collection investments reflecting the higher expectations and harder-to- meet demands of the research library user. Relationships between institutional characteristics and service quality indices are also explored for OhioLINK and AAHSL, the two consortia groups that participated in 2002. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the use of filtering software ("censorware") and the World Wide Web. It argues that the United States government, religious groups, and corporations should not deter freedom of speech and access to information in libraries. The article describes how governments and religious groups try to prevent Web sites from reaching Internet users, and explains how corporations sell and use filters for their own benefit. It also introduces organizations that rate Web sites as an alternative to electronic filters, and presents people and groups that oppose filtering. In conclusion, it supports the idea that librarians and information professionals can educate Internet users without the interference of external entities and censorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While library discovery systems offer great promise for delivering open access materials, they often fall short. Discovery tools merge multiple records together, and in the process show a preference for linking options that are less likely to successfully deliver open access full text. Third party tools offer options for bringing users to missing content, but these tools are often not fully supported in library systems. Library systems are so focused on keeping unauthorized users out of restricted content that it compromises their ability to get users into content that is freely available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries are bridges between information and the library user in the context of information retrieval. Library users want to access information resources according to their topic. Therefore, it is important to create subject entries in bibliographic records. If subject added entries and their redirects are done correctly, it will make it easier for users to access the information they are looking for. In this article the collaborative studies and projects made in Turkey are being discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interlibrary loan is a service that involves the borrowing and lending of items between libraries. What also underscores this service is the human communication exchanges had with patrons and ILL staff via emails, phone calls, notes, etc. to ensure that items are correctly processed in a timely manner. This article is written from the perspective of a first-year ILL librarian highlighting the position from the one thing that is known but may get overlooked in the grand scheme of daily transactions: the human element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect to ensure the data protection and privacy of the personal information of its citizens, positive benefits will also befall users around the world. By using GDPR-compliant technology systems and underlying operating processes, global users of many technology systems, including library systems, will notice improved transparency on data collection, its use and sharing, greater access and control over their own personal information, and reduced notification time when a data breach does occur involving their information. Libraries can use these changes as an opportunity to educate patrons and users on privacy topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the literature relating to libraries in prisons and introduces findings from a recent study that explores the lived experience of using Australian prison libraries. The paper identifies literature regarding the history of libraries in prisons, both in Australia and elsewhere, and then studies contemporary prison libraries and the standards and documents that guide their management and practices. One of the main roles of incarceration is the reform of the individual. As the role of education in this process is considered to be crucial, the educational and broader information needs of prisoners are discussed, along with the role prison libraries can play in supporting prisoners to satisfy these needs. This discussion is followed by a study of the nature of existing research and publications relating to prison libraries. The lack of understanding of the prison library user experience, particularly within the Australian context, is identified. A recent doctoral study designed to address this lack of knowledge is introduced, and the paper ends with the identification of five themes identified by that study that describe the experience of using Australian prison libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Libraries have been playing important roles in disaster preparedness and recovery according to related literature. With the increasing popularity of social media, one specific value libraries can offer during disasters centers on serving as hubs for delivering credible information via social media. The 2015 catastrophic flooding in South Carolina provided a means of investigating the way libraries could utilize social media to maintain connections with their patrons during a disaster. Based on the findings from a situation-specific pilot survey study, recommendations are made that could help libraries proactively create risk communication strategies using social media for effective information services. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the real world of library service, librarians have to keep up with change by answering specific questions. They need training because technology, the character of populations, and local economics all are changing. Recognizing that technology is a catalyst of change, the author shows how librarians can and do work to help libraries harness the power of technology to navigate the changing reading and information needs of their communities. This article examines useful behaviors as librarians approach their work tasks, relying on new technology to help meet customers’ reading and information needs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research in academic libraries has recently seen an increase in the use of ethnographic-based methods to collect data. Primarily used to learn about library users and their interaction with spaces and resources, the methods are proving particularly useful to academic libraries. The data ethnographic methods retrieve is rich, context specific, and often difficult to collect via other methods. This review provides an overview of research demonstrating how ethnography can be applied to learn about a variety of issues in academic libraries, ranging from space use to a way of teaching new students about library resources and facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the user's experience of pertaining electronic resources available at libraries in U.S. Topics include locating the desired content to view inconsistency in the e-resource journey; designing the user interface with its focus on identifying, locating, and accessing desired content; and attempting to assess the e-resources for contracts at the trial phase and involving library staff. Author also mention efforts to improve the user experience for e-resource librarians.