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The goal of this research was to examine U.S.-based librarians' history of training on public health topics and their comfort delivering adolescent-focused public health interventions. A total of 269 library staff from 37 states completed a brief online survey. Eighty-four percent of respondents stated that their library had hosted public health programs for youth ages 10–17. Eighty-five percent reported they would be interested or very interested in facilitating an intervention focused on youth (ages 10–17). Ninety-eight percent of participants reported receiving training on at least one public health topic. The most common trainings reported were related to infectious diseases, including COVID (82.9%) and adolescent health and development (78.4%). Most participants were comfortable discussing public health topics, such as sexual and reproductive health (83.6%), adolescent health and development (82.5%), substance use (81.4%), and infectious diseases (81%). Having learned about the topic on their own and having had experience related to the topic were the most common reasons stated for feeling comfortable discussing public health topics with youth. These findings suggest that librarians are interested in and comfortable enough to serve as resources for health promotion among adolescents when adequately trained. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Public Library Quarterly is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
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PurposePrior to 2020, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Library's research services spanned multiple service points. Multiple locations were staffed by Library Student Research Assistants (LSRAs) and each location was supervised independently. While efforts to increase collaboration had been underway, much of the work and services remained siloed and often duplicated training and service hours.Design/methodology/approachWith the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), UCLA Library rapidly transitioned from entirely in-person to entirely online services. With multiple service points pivoting, UCLA was redundant to have multiple online desks providing Zoom appointments and that quickly became apparent. Moreover, transitioning in-person student work to remote work was paramount to providing both normal services to users and allowing LSRAs to keep jobs during a time of uncertainty and insecurity.FindingsWhile the authors' original consolidation of services and implementation of shared supervision was a result of the pandemic and primarily involved online services, the authors have maintained this shared approach and collaborative vision in returning to in-person services. For the past year, the authors have offered shared in-person (at two library locations) and online services. As subject-specific library locations begin to reopen their desks, the authors continue to identify ways to leverage shared supervision and a robust referral model for those on-site services while negotiating student staffing and the need for both general and subject-specific services.Originality/valueThe authors present a novel approach to peer-to-peer teaching and learning and research services and shared student worker supervision with services coordinated across multiple locations and disciplines within a large academic library serving a large student population.
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In an autoethnographic-inspired approach to their Library Student Ambassador Program, Pham and Muralles explore in their case study "Reimagining Peer Support and Engagement,” the growth and development of their program at California State University, East Bay and share recommendations and reflections from their ambassadors. Scripa and Spencer discuss the challenges and successes the team at the Pellissippi State Community College Libraries have had in launching their Pellissippi Ambassadors for Library Success program in "Introducing peer-to-peer reference services in a community college library.” Peer learning as a high impact practice As I and the authors within this issue agree, peer-led programs demonstrate key connecting points to high impact teaching and learning practices, allow opportunities for student employees to engage in career and professional formation activity, enhance a library's ability to engage with and provide outreach to underserved or underrepresented communities and break down traditional power structures, or barriers, that can be created by our traditional service models. In their article, "Shifting to a High Impact Practice-centered Student worker staffed Research Desk: a Hispanic Serving Institution Perspective,” Elizabeth DeZouche and Denise Santos discuss how their changes to the traditional desk model not only provided student consultants with a meaningful role but also helped them bridge the gap to their campus's mostly Hispanic, first-generation population.
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Blended library services are reinforced by academic librarians to deal with the challenges that come from the changes caused by the pandemic. Transformation is reflected through information and communication technologies that are in constant development and available to users remotely. This study discusses the extent of usage and effectiveness of blended library services at the University of Baguio library by the students, faculty, nonteaching, and other library users. Blended library services covered online platforms, online resources, online circulation, online reference service, online information literacy (IL), and online want list form. This study used a descriptive research design to gather the information that will systematically describe the current status of the UB library online services. A survey questionnaire formatted in google form was employed to gather the needed information. The findings of the study reveal that the blended library services of the university have been utilized - much utilized by the users, specifically canvas LMS resources of online resources, online document delivery of online circulation and the library e-mail: library@e.ubaguio.edu of online reference service, other feature of blended library services have not been used to their full advantage. Furthermore, the blended library services are highly effective as assessed by the faculty, non-teaching staff, and other library users. Based on these findings, it is recommended that the Library strongly endorses additional databases and integration of these databases, library guides, and library services in the canvas LMS;regular posting of the blended services in the UB library social media account and platform for easier accessibility on the part library users;lastly, re-evaluate the way the development, manage and deliver marketing strategies of the blended services.
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This research study was primarily designed to study the work-life balance of women library professionals in the metropolitan city of Pune in India from Maharashtra State. The primary purpose of the study is to explore the tough challenges faced by women librarians in maintaining a balance between their personal and professional life during the pre and post covid period. The study has examined various factors affecting the work-life balance of the respondents during the pre and post covid period using the quantitative research design. Further, the use of the survey research method and snowball sampling technique for the data collection purpose where the sample of 30 women librarians is been studied during the pre-covid period, the method of convenience sampling is utilized to get the responses of the respondents using the unstructured interview technique the virtual model. The study concluded that there is a high level of stress (66%) among the women librarian respondents during the post covid period due to work and life balance factors, 70% of librarians mentioned the increased workload due to a changed focus for increased online subscriptions and more electronic media acquisitions, and the pressure for upgradation. The study has observed that about 46 % of women library professionals giving time for self-attention, and 43% of women librarians are exercising daily;indicating the need to give self-attention.
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The abundance of library associations provides many choices to academic librarians about where and how to belong. This exploratory article identifies and compares benefits of library professional organizations through content analysis of the groups' websites. Examination of the benefits described on the websites of 76 organizations indicates that they have a high degree of overlap. Many benefits are also achievable by participating in other external professional activities. While data were collected just prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, thematic analysis of these benefits provides a framework for comparing the value of participation in formal and informal professional communities.
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Pope reviews Virtual Services in the Health Sciences Library: A Handbook edited by Amanda R. Scull.
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The previous year was marked by the challenges imposed by the covid-19 pandemic and epidemiological measures that significantly hindered the regular functioning of all segments of our life and work. Libraries around the world have closed their doors to limit virus transmission and preserve human health. What hasn't stopped and shut down is finding ways to preserve users and provide key services. Librarians have strengthened and focused on their essential role of serving the public, acting responsibly and reinforcing their unwavering commitment to, more than ever, providing users with the infrastructure to openly access information, collections, and meet the new demands of their community. The aim of this paper is to look at the position and functioning of public libraries during the coronavirus pandemic, with special emphasis on the activities of the "Bora Stankovic" Library in Vranje. Vranje librarians overcame the new challenges and, despite the unenviable situation, adjusted their programs to the "new normality", continued to provide their services, and successfully implemented content, among which the most important is certainly the implementation of the Biblionet 2020 in our city.
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This chapter assesses the practice of benchmarking in Nigerian libraries, with a focus on academic libraries. Participant observation, questionnaires, and focus group interviews were methods used to establish the situation. Results show that standards are not fully developed and implemented among libraries in the country. Benchmarks are hardly even mentioned. However, there is interest among university librarians in knowing more and implementing benchmarks which can improve the delivery of library services. The inadequate response to COVID-19 is a clear indication of the preparedness of libraries in the country. Prevention of dire effect of future pandemics or disruptions will require intentional preparedness. Nigerian librarians, especially the academic librarians as leaders, must take responsibility for improving on the present situation by taking advantage of their global networking. The regulatory body, Librarians' Registration Council of Nigeria, must also step up in preparing and monitoring the implementation of benchmarks in libraries. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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PurposeThis research studies the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operation management of Hong Kong academic libraries for understanding the difficulties and challenges for librarians to adapt to the special arrangements during the pandemic.Design/methodology/approachQualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with librarians in major universities and higher education institutions of Hong Kong. Participants were interviewed either in the face-to-face format or text-based format.FindingsParticipants provided a broad scope about the actual library management and operation changes during the COVID-19. According to the respondents, the most challenging problem for librarians during COVID-19 was to strike a balance between concerns of library staff and users. While they described how these arrangements and changes affected the service quality of academic libraries from different perspectives, the pandemic situation also brought some opportunities, such as pushing the digitalization of all collections and using online resources for future development. A hybrid model for library service would be more common in the future with more demands toward online resources and digital collection, in which academic libraries should be prepared after the pandemic.Originality/valueThis paper provided broad insights into library management and the future development of academic libraries for the post-COVID-19 period. There are scant studies of this topic, especially in an Asian metropolis context with dense population, small campus and limited library physical spaces.
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When Wickstrom was a child, she had open access to vast shelves of books at her local libraries. Her favorite multistoried library filled an entire block. It was open from 6 a.m. until at least 10 p.m. Even though she frequently browsed the shelves before school and after work, she felt she would never come to the end of it. And new books appeared all the time. No matter where she wandered down aisles and into alcoves, books on topics she'd never thought about demanded to come home with her, called out to be read. Books seemed to jump off the shelves into her hands or summoned her from distant racks. She read about everything from deep-sea pearl diving to the invention of the Dvorak keyboard. One particular librarian at the Hill Street Branch liked to tell her about books she enjoyed. She had the feeling she'd read every book in her branch of the library. She even convinced her to try holding her breath underwater, like the deep-sea pearl divers.
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To talk about how storytime has changed as a result of COVID-19, it's important to talk about how it has stayed the same. Talking heads drone on about the "new normal,” and I don't think that this is new. The evolution of storytime was already in motion. At most, COVID-19 accelerated it. Storytime will always be storytime, regardless of whether it's in person or online. However, how successfully that happens is up to you and your colleagues. And that is my story.
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Sansbury still remember her stomach clenching, losing her breath, horrified by such violence in the community she calls home. On Mar 16, 2021, a mere twelve miles from her school's campus, several Asian American women were shot point-blank and killed. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian hate had been on the rise, but this tragedy literally hit home--and she found herself jolted into action. She knew their school and community had to do something, and she began searching for ideas.
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What makes a chess club hip? Could it be that watching hours of Netflix's The Queen's Gambit made it more popular, or is it simply because of the players and facilitators involved? At the Miami-Dade Public Library System's South Dade Regional Library, it is more of the latter. The library's weekly Chess Club program has been offered for nearly a decade, but in March 2020 it came to a halt when in-library programming was suspended due to COVID-19. When the club resumed at the beginning of 2022, turnout was lower than it had been in the past. We had a low turnout of about five kids when we started after COVID, but it steadily increased to about fifteen to twenty kids weekly, not including the teen interns.
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PurposeThe lockdown of libraries has led to changes in the delivery of services. Reviewing many studies in this regard appears to be of great importance. Thus, this study aims to analyze the articles related to libraries and COVID-19 using the co-occurrence analysis.Design/methodology/approachThe current study is applied in terms of purpose and scientometrics in terms of type, which has been conducted using a retrospective bibliometric analysis method and drawing a science map. The relevant keywords were searched in the Scopus and 225 articles were reviewed in terms of author, year of publication, journal, organization and subject. Then, the VOSviewer software was used to analyze and illustrate the keywords and draw the scientific map of the articles.FindingsThe results showed that 225 articles by 496 authors from 66 countries and 379 organizations were published in the subject area of libraries and COVID-19. These articles have received 620 citations. The co-occurrence analysis of words showed that these scientific productions are classified into four clusters: "The role of libraries and librarians”, "The use of media, social network and communication technologies in order provide library services”, "Online Library Services” and "Infodemic and misinformation in the COVID-19 Pandemic”.Originality/valueIt is the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic that a scientific map has been drawn up of studies that have examined the role of libraries in this pandemic. The results of the present study may help libraries to access what they need to consider in any crisis.
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The Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL), an international organization promoting Jewish literacy and scholarship and supporting Judaica librarians from K-12 schools to research institutions and archives, to community adult education programs,1 was no different. While the association had worked previously with an external company to increase its fundraising efforts in support of annual conferences and other member services, 2019 was the first time AJL hired a dedicated staff member-albeit a short-term contract employee-to concentrate on development. Following a midwinter meeting held online using Zoom, AJL leadership realized that its far-flung volunteers could meet much more easily in this virtual space. The public programs showcased AJL talent and resources, furthering the organization's mission to provide access to information and research and to promote Jewish literacy, while at the same time advertising the organization to potential members.
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Este artículo presenta una investigación educativa realizada con el objetivo de generar información sobre el uso de la biblioteca digital SolarSPELL, como una estrategia de innovación educativa para la enseñanza del cambio climático en comunidades rurales de las islas Fiyi. SolarSPELL funciona con la energía que generan sus paneles solares y brinda acceso a través de su propia red wifi;además, ofrece una variedad de recursos educativos abiertos, seleccionados por su potencial para fortalecer las prácticas educativas y el logro de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de la Agenda 2030. Con base en la pregunta de investigación se seleccionó un estudio de caso, pues permite estudiar con intensidad un fenómeno complejo en un corto periodo de tiempo y analizar el objeto de estudio en un contexto especifico. Se aplicó el instrumento DIAPASON en las bibliotecas comunitarias o escolares que participan en el programa piloto. En los resultados se observa que la SolarSPELL coadyuva a la transformación digital de las prácticas educativas y los bibliotecarios valoran poder contar con un mayor número de recursos bibliográficos sobre el cambio climático. En la actualidad, el proyecto "Escuelas que Aprenden Post COVID-19” retomó estos resultados para realizar un piloto en comunidades rurales de Chiapas, México. En los resultados se enfatiza la necesidad de que el bibliotecario del futuro incorpore a su labor acciones enfocadas a la mejora de la calidad de la educación y que permitan potencializar el desarrollo sostenible de sus comunidades, para mejorar el conocimiento colectivo y crear conciencia sobre este fenómeno.Alternate : This article presents an educational research carried out with the aim of generating information on the use of the SolarSPELL Digital Library, as an educational innovation strategy for teaching climate change in rural communities of the Fiji Islands. SolarSPELL works with the energy generated by an integrated solar panel and provides access through its own wifi network. It offers a variety of open educational resources, selected for their potential to strengthen educational practices and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. Based on the research question, a case study was selected, as it allows intensive study a complex phenomenon in a short period of time and analyzes the object of study in a specific context. The DIAPASON instrument was applied in the community or school libraries that participate in the pilot program. The results show that SolarSPELL contributes to the digital transformation of educational practices and the value of the librarians being able to have a greater number of bibliographic resources on climate change. Currently, the project "Schools that Learn Post COVID-19" took up these results to carry out a pilot in rural communities in Chiapas, Mexico. The results emphasize the need for the librarian of the future to incorporate into their work, actions focused on improving the quality of education that allow potentiating the sustainable development of their communities, improving collective knowledge and raising awareness about this phenomenon.
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Since July 2020, nearly five thousand downloads of articles have been recorded on the journal site, accessed by readers from hundreds of locations around the globe. [...]my AI advisor warned me that, "This research can be time-consuming and requires a strong foundation in Jewish history, literature, and culture, as well as the ability to interpret and contextualize the information gathered." Diane Mizrachi, Ivan Kohout, and Michal Bušek describe in their article how the University of California Los Angeles Library handled the discovery of Nazi-looted books in its stacks not only by returning the physical items to their lawful owners-the Jewish Religious Community Library in Prague, under the auspices of the Jewish Museum-but also by engaging the public in problems of historical provenance and raising awareness of similar cases in the academic context. Applying legal concepts of tangible, moveable property to rare books and considering post-custodial methodologies and digital technologies, Kiron proposes reconciling the conflict between private property rights and public cultural heritage interests by collaborating on open digital spaces that allow access to cultural treasures while preserving-or even increasing-their market value.
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One of the most challenging aspects of the pandemic was the limited ability to gather socially and connect with others in person. This was especially difficult for many of the students, who were isolated and disconnected from others in their rural community. To address this issue, Gilbert designed a project that focused on creating spaces for engagement and conversation, using literature as a lens to explore the human experience. In essence, students were invited to bring their lunches to the school library (it usually isn't used as a place to eat) to join them in conversations. They would weave in books they had in the library, but it was not at all necessary for them to have read the books before the conversations.
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Objective: To understand the experience of academic health sciences libraries during the pandemic using a phenomenological approach. Methods: This study used a multisite, mixed-method approach to capture the direct experience of academic health sciences libraries as they evolved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Phase one of the study involved administering a qualitative survey to capture to capture current evolutions of programs and services. The survey for phases two (August 2020) and three (February 2021) contained eight questions asking participants to share updates on their evolution and experiences. Results: Qualitative data were analyzed using open coding techniques to ensure emergent themes were allowed to surface. Additional post-hoc sentiment analysis ascertained the frequency of positive and negative words in each data set. Of the 193 possible AAHSL libraries, 45 (23.3%) responded to the April 2020 survey, 26 to the August 2020 survey, and 16 to the February 2021 survey. Libraries represented 23 states and the District of Columbia. The majority of libraries closed in March 2020. The ease of transferring library services to a remote environment varied by type of service. For the quantitative analysis, ten distinct areas were analyzed using text coded as "Staff" as a lens for understanding the connection between codes. Conclusion: Innovations by libraries during the early stages of the pandemic are having a long-term impact on library culture and the delivery of services. Even as libraries returned to in-person services, elements of telecommuting, using online conferencing software, safety precautions, and monitoring of staff well-being persisted.