Library catalog records can be a rich source of information about places. However, standards and practices in the profession, often written by state libraries, are biased and can erase marginalized places. This is evident when examining records that are about or published in Palestine. This article examines international cataloging standards created by national libraries such as the Library of Congress and the National Library of Israel and how they describe-and erase-the place of Palestine. The article analyzes the implications for cataloging standards and international cooperative programs and suggests ways to mitigate the issue.
Early childhood programs in public libraries provide a multitude of benefits to children and parents/caregivers and also create positive flow-on effects for communities. Past research has identified the benefits that children gain in the form of early literacy development and increased socialization. However, little research exists on social and cultural benefits of these programs for accompanying parents/caregivers. This paper examines the educational, cultural, and social affordances of two early childhood literacy programs' children and accompanying caregivers: Giggle and Wiggle and Story Time. Using an interpretivist paradigm, semistructured interviews explored the experiences and perceptions of librarians and caregivers about the impact of these programs. The findings demonstrated that these programs have significant and wide-ranging educational, social, and cultural impacts as participants positively perceived the role of public libraries in promoting learning. The findings have implications for public libraries advocacy, design of early childhood programs, and research on the impact of libraries.
The reading behaviors and library use of older people have not received sufficient attention in academic research. This study conducted a questionnaire survey (N = 487) in eastern China to examine the relationships between reading motivation, reading self-efficacy, library use, positive affect, and life satisfaction among older adults. The results revealed that reading motivation does not have a direct effect on library use; instead, it operates through the complete mediation of reading self-efficacy. Interestingly, compared to intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation has a greater impact on reading self-efficacy, which may be a phenomenon unique to East Asia. In addition, library use is positively correlated with positive affect among older adults, suggesting that libraries have the potential to play a more significant role in the context of rapid aging in developing countries. To enhance their services, libraries should consider strategies to better support the extrinsic motivations of older people and foster their positive affect.
Relating the story of Black women children's librarians Charlemae Rollins (1897-1979), Augusta Baker (1911-1998), and Effie Lee Morris (1921-2009), this article brings together and extends the scholarship on information practices (IPs), care, and the long Black Freedom Struggle. We argue that their information seeking, avoiding, using, creating, and sharing constituted foundational tools of community-engaged civil rights work. Further, we contend that Rollins's, Baker's, and Morris's IPs represented acts of community care. More broadly, by fighting for and disseminating diverse, equitable, and inclusive books, these middle-class professional women acted as underrecognized grassroots leaders of the long Freedom Struggle. Based on these scholarly interventions, we set forth a new conceptual framework: community care information practices (CCIPs). Rollins, Baker, and Morris employed CCIPs in liberatory intellectual Freedom Struggle activities, namely creating bibliographies, developing and curating collections, writing books and periodical articles, and composing and sharing stories. Each of these endeavors promoted Black pride and self-knowledge, interpersonal respect, and interracial empathy.
Rarely any study investigates how rural libraries can collaborate with 4-H, the largest nonprofit serving youth in rural America, to mitigate the economic downturn of the agriculture industry, tackle the resulting shortage of jobs for youth and the aging population, and alleviate the digital divide. Twelve in-depth Zoom interviews with rural librarians in Tennessee revealed their challenges related to (A) library staff, space, policies, technology, and finance, (B) community, (C) partnerships, and (D) external factors when serving farming communities. Based on a focus group with 18 youths associated with the 4-H program in Tennessee and interviews with six 4-H agents involved in training youth in rural Tennessee, we identify how their willingness, information and communication technology (ICT) skills and experience, and community engagement can address most of the above challenges. Implications are discussed at the end, including how the proposed symbiotic partnership can address challenges faced by rural America.
Mexican normal schools (normales), historically dedicated to training teachers within a strong social justice framework, underwent reforms in 1984 that mandated research activity on the science of learning by both faculty and students. Using qualitative methods, this study examines the extent to which libraries support this research requirement as well as the social justice mission at two normales. Findings reveal that libraries heavily rely on free and physical resources and librarians exhibit a strong sense of duty toward student research and community engagement. However, the libraries are challenged particularly regarding faculty research support and providing electronic resources. This study constitutes the first empirical study of libraries within the normales.
Public libraries are inextricably linked to democracy. Historically, libraries have been labeled as "temples of democracy." Since the turn of the century, there has been a growing body of research exploring various aspects of public libraries' democratic potential. However, these potentials are rarely connected to the rich literature on democracy in philosophy and political science. Furthermore, the different potentials have often been presented in a rather unsystematic manner. This article aims to address these gaps by developing a four-space model that identifies and connects the most significant democratic potentials of public libraries. The model is grounded in democratic theory as well as research and practice related to libraries and democracy. The four key potentials are: access as a democratic right, education for citizenship, libraries as public spheres, and the concept of demos within libraries.
Public libraries across the United States and Canada have increasingly invested in outdoor gardens to enhance community spaces and programming. These gardens-ranging from native plant demonstrations to fully functioning community gardens-offer opportunities beyond beautification. This article explores the deeper rationale for connecting public libraries and gardens, particularly community gardens, emphasizing their shared role in fostering mental, physical, social, intellectual, financial, and environmental wellness. Grounded in research on the benefits of gardening, this article argues that gardens align naturally with library missions of promoting learning and whole-person development. By creating spaces for experiential learning, cooperation, and environmental stewardship, libraries can extend their traditional roles while supporting community mental health-particularly by nurturing hope. This article will show how library gardens can powerfully amplify their impact on individual and collective well-being.
Based on over 1,400 survey responses, this paper demonstrates that many more so-called "at-risk" youth self-identify as readers and think regularly about deep humanities questions than is commonly assumed. Yet most respondents reported few to no previous opportunities to participate in small group discussions of literature or media in any setting. We show that a library-based reading and discussion program that addresses them as intellectuals can make youth further increase their engagement with "big questions" and transform how sizable percentages of them see themselves and/or the world. This asset-based approach focuses on youths' perceptions of themselves as thinkers with meaningful contributions to make rather than on formal markers of educational attainment. While engaging, affirming learning experiences likely improve such metrics, we argue that addressing the humanistic capabilities of "at-risk" youth is intrinsically important to them as individuals and to the development of a more just and democratic society.
This article provides a literature review of the current state of library and information science research on artificial intelligence (AI). While AI has the potential to transform many facets of our existence and improve efficiency, productivity, and quality of life, it also brings with it a variety of concerns. These new technological affordances raise ethical concerns that strike at the heart of core librarianship values such as inclusivity, privacy, transparency, and intellectual freedom. The extant literature interrogates ethical issues such as bias, job losses, transparency, explainability and accountability, privacy, and data security. AI regulation is still in a nascent phase, but several commentators exhort librarians to engage actively in order to help shape it. AI literacy is also widely discussed in the literature, in which it is contended that librarians must become knowledgeable about these technologies and develop critical thinking skills in order to educate patrons.
This study explores library users' perceptions of public library neutrality amid conflicts over neutrality, diversity, and the question of how to be a library for all. Despite the increased research on these conflicts, the user perspective remains unexplored. Interviews with users at four libraries in Norway and Denmark are analyzed using the cultural pragmatics framework. The study shows that users perceive neutrality as a fundamental value of public libraries, crucial for preventing censorship and ensuring information freedom and equal access. The study emphasizes that neutrality is a complex issue and that neutrality as a principle might not be something one is simply for or against. Understanding users' perspectives is essential for a more nuanced discussion of neutrality, as it is currently discussed in LIS research.
We assessed patterns of representation of Native faculty in library and information science (LIS) between 1991 and 2022. We used a comparative method and assessed these patterns against trends in representation of Native faculty in postsecondary education across all colleges in the United States. We used data from the National Center for Education Statistics and the Association for Library and Information Science Education. We found that the representation of Native faculty in LIS replicated some trends in representation of this population in postsecondary education; in both fields, Native faculty held lower ranking positions. We also revealed that the quantity of Native LIS faculty was extremely low throughout the period assessed, with the possibility of a few outlier programs driving national statistics. Our study suggests that factors affecting representation of Native faculty in LIS might be similar to those in postsecondary education, particularly the lack of culturally relevant mentorship; additional studies are needed to support this projection.
Rising reports of attempted book bans suggest a growing organizational sophistication on the part of advocates supportive and opposed to such efforts. While there are various potential allies in the fight against book bans, Friend of the Library (FotL) organizations stand out. Led by volunteers often called Friends, FotL organizations have historically been seen as independent fundraisers and supporters for public libraries throughout much of the United States and world. This study surveys 197 Friends across 37 US states and the District of Columbia to understand what they see as the roles of their organization, how tolerant they are of divergences from those roles, whether they see FotL as library advocates and advocates against book bans specifically, and how important the residency of advocates is to their success. Thematic analysis of the data suggests future research ideas and considers how public libraries can better engage these advocates for combating book bans.
Misinformation continues to impact communities through its ability to spread distrust and undermine confidence in public institutions. However, experts struggle to identify the most effective strategies for discussing and addressing misinformation. This article investigates how librarians can get people interested in misinformation topics without ruining their public trust. We analyzed data from five half-day workshops that included 16 librarians from Washington and Texas using a thematic analysis approach. The librarians argue that information literacy instruction related to misinformation needs to be short, easy, entertaining and grounded in nonpolitical issues that resonate with the learner. They also argue that staff need to be empathetic when discussing misinformation. Finally, librarians can take advantage of their personal networks and opinion leaders to indirectly discuss skills related to dealing with misinformation. This article contributes to library and information science (LIS) research on how to get people interested in discussing and addressing misinformation.
Public comment sections at school board meetings have become a forum for parents and community members to passionately oppose books in school libraries. This study extends the work of scholars researching censorship and book banning attempts by locating the discourses circulating in their arguments against LGBTQ+ topics and themes in queer books. Critical discourse analysis, alongside queer theories of adolescence, is used to analyze the public comment section during school board meetings in 10 districts in the United States. We identified four themes contained in these discourses: challengers (1) positioning themselves as experts while discrediting the expertise of librarians, (2) overstating the harm that comes from reading queer books, (3) repurposing liberal discourse to support a conservative ideology, and (4) constructing queer books as antithetical to the goal of education to produce productive citizens. Ultimately we examine how these discourses undermine public education and disenfranchise LGBTQ+ youth in schools and then discuss the implications for those attempting to combat book challenges in public schools.
Since 2021, material challenges have been a major issue in US libraries. Governance is one way to understand material challenges, as they involve complex decision-making processes to resolve public issues regarding libraries' collections. This case study analyzes how actors with legal authority in public library governance exercise their authority regarding material challenges and related issues. The result highlights the nested structure of legal authority and the boundary navigation among actors, such as library board members, library directors, and local legislatures. I discuss tensions in public library governance related to the professional ethics of intellectual freedom based on agency theory. This article concludes by suggesting a new mode of library governance and needs for public library board training to resolve conflicts.
As popular demand for digital information increases, public libraries are increasingly turning to commercial digital content distribution services to save curation time and costs. These services let libraries subscribe to pre-configured digital content packages that become instantly available wholesale to their patrons. However, these packages often contain content that does not align with the library's curation policy. We conducted interviews with 15 public librarians in the US to examine their experiences with subscribing to digital distribution services. We found that the subscribing libraries face many digital governance challenges, including the sub-par quality of received content, a lack of control in the curation process, and a limited understanding of how distribution services operate. We draw from prior HCI and social media moderation literature to contextualize and examine these challenges. Building upon our findings, we suggest how digital distributors, libraries, and lawmakers could improve digital distribution services in library settings. We offer recommendations for co-constructing a robust digital content curation policy and discuss how librarian's cooperation and well-deployed content moderation mechanisms could help enforce that policy. Our work informs the utility of future content moderation research that bridges the fields of CSCW and library science.
The existing literature describing and measuring the outcomes of older adults and public library use has not been examined using the framework of social determinants of health (SDOH). This narrative synthesis assesses research about older adults' public library engagement and connects the overt outcomes of this engagement to SDOH-related factors. Outcomes-based empirical literature on libraries' age-friendly programming is evaluated and synthesized alongside the SDOH factors. Major findings of this synthesis include the prevalence of social connectedness-related determinants, regardless of the topic or intended outcome of library programming, and the interconnection of library services and programs to SDOH-related outcomes. The article concludes by proposing several avenues for future overt research into healthy aging, SDOH, and public library use, and advocates for a critical gerontology approach to future research studying older adults and public libraries.
Public libraries are rapidly changing in response to societal and technological shifts, and with these shifts comes serious demands on the identities of library staff. This represents a type of identity regulation, a form of socioideological control employed by organizational actors to define worker identities. While this manufactured subjectivity can be unproblematic, it can also lead to alienation, exhaustion, and a loss of authenticity-particularly for workers with nonnormative identities. In this study, 21 public library staff members recorded audio diaries and sat for an interview about their experiences in routine library work. Findings reveal the presence of several identity suggestions centered around things like productivity, continuous improvement, customer service, and organizational citizenship. Participants responded to these regulation attempts in several ways, including identification with the suggested identity, disidentification, and ambivalence. Findings suggest the need for proactive support structures that enable staff to align their work identities with their authentic selves.
