Rethinking the External Space of Japanese Public Libraries from the Perspective of Urban Sustainability in a Post-Pandemic Era

In the post-pandemic era, cities are facing new demands and challenges. Both telecommuting and dense development require communities to provide more public space to meet people's psychological and physical needs. The insufficient space currently left in the city calls for stock development. The Japanese public libraries affected by COVID-19 are part of this stock. We aimed to determine and propose strategies for using the external space of libraries to enhance the sustainability of cities. Ultimately, we expect to achieve a synergy between public libraries and cities in terms of sustainability. We found that the most dominant element in the exterior space of Japanese public libraries is parking lots, which have the potential to be flexibly utilized in the post-pandemic era. We also summarized the current patterns of external space for public libraries in Japan. Finally, we proposed six strategies to enhance the sustainability of libraries and cities. These strategies can simultaneously enhance the sustainability of cities and public libraries from multiple perspectives, especially in the post-pandemic era. Our proposal will not only help to build or renew public libraries in the future, but also fills a gap in the urban perspective of Japanese public libraries and their external spaces.

Public Librarians: Partners in Adolescent Health Promotion

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.)

Bookending a Pandemic and Its Impact on Public Libraries: Policy and Announcement Information Provided by Libraries Throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

This study serves as a follow-up on a 2020 study by Wang and Lund that examined the policy changes and announcement information provided by American public libraries during the early weeks of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, using the same list of libraries as the 2020 study to examine how the COVID response evolved over the past two years. Seven types of information were collected from the public libraries' websites, with the help of the Internet Archive to collect specific dates: frequency of announcement updates, date of start curbside/pickup services, date of reopening libraries, dates of posting vaccine-related information, dates of removal of COVID-19 related information, and dates of reopening face-to-face programs. The findings indicate that the timing of COVID response updates varied based on factors including the size of the municipality in which the public library is located and the political leaning of the municipality's voters. [ 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.)

Time, Tasks, and Toll: Changes in Library Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This article analyzes survey data from 900-plus U.S. respondents to identify and explain COVID-19 pandemic-induced changes in different work tasks for library workers. Results show negligible change in overall hours for academic library workers and an almost two-hour decrease in overall hours for public library workers. Analysis by task type shows decreased work hours for most tasks, although professional development and administration/management showed increased hours across library types. In contrast, qualitative responses reveal that workers feel they are working more hours because the pandemic has broken down boundaries between work and non-work tasks, surfacing ongoing issues of labor. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Library Administration 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.)

Emprunteurs De Livres ? Banq: Portraits Et Tendances

En comparaison d???autres zones g??ographiques pr??sentant des pratiques culturelles diverses, le Qu??bec a fait peu de place aux livres num??riques (LN) jusqu????? r??cemment (Labrousse et Lapointe, 2021a). Exception faite de la p??riode correspondant au d??but de la pand??mie de COVID-19, les ventes de LN au Qu??bec sont relativement stables ou diminuent. Toutefois, les services de pr??t des biblioth??ques se trouvent en premi??re ligne pour constater non seulement l???augmentation de l???offre, mais aussi de la demande, qui les a incit??s ?? acc??l??rer le d??veloppement des collections immat??rielles (Labb??, 2016). Dans ce contexte, Biblioth??que et Archives nationales du Qu??bec (BAnQ) a voulu faire le portrait des emprunteurs de LN au sein de l???institution et le comparer ?? celui des emprunteurs de livres physiques (LP) et d???emprunteurs hybrides. Les donn??es analys??es proviennent de trois sources : BAnQ pour les LP, ainsi que les deux principales plateformes d???emprunts de LN de BAnQ, soit Pretnumerique et OverDrive. Ces donn??es sont de trois types, d??termin??s selon leur objet : les abonn??s, les emprunts et les livres. Les profils des trois types d???emprunteurs (LN, LP et hybrides) sont examin??s ce qui permet d???identifier des sp??cificit??s propres ?? chacun. En plus de soulever des enjeux tels la f??minisation des emprunts, les r??sultats per-mettent de constater que certaines tendances, telles la diminution des emprunts de LP et l???augmentation des emprunts de LN, s?????taient d??j?? install??es avant la pand??mie.??Compared to other geographic areas with diverse cultural prac-tices, Quebec has had little exposure to digital books (DL) until recently (Labrousse and Lapointe, 2021a). Except for the period corresponding to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, sales of e-books in Quebec are relatively stable or decreasing. However, library lending services are at the forefront of both the increase in supply and demand, which has prompted them to accelerate the development of intangible collections (Labb??, 2016). In this context, Biblioth??que et Archives nationales du Qu??bec (BAnQ) wanted to draw a portrait of LN borrowers within the institution and compare it to that of the physical book (PL) and hybrid borrowers. The data analyzed come from three sources: BAnQ for LPs, and BAnQ???s two main platforms for borrowing LNs, Pretnumerique, and OverDrive. These data are of three types, determined according to their purpose: subscribers, borrowers, and books. The profiles of the three types of borrowers (LN, LP, and hybrids) are examined, which makes it possible to identify the specificities of each. In addition to raising issues such as the feminization of borrowing, the results show that certain trends, such as the decrease in LP borrowing and the increase in LN borrowing, were already in place before the pandemic.

Key Elements Affecting the Library's CFU Concentration in Taiwan

Public libraries are popular gathering places, so understanding the factors that contribute to colony-forming unit (CFU) concentrations and how to minimize them is essential. This study aimed to investigate the factors that affect CFU concentrations in a public library, using air sampling (Bioluminescent ATP-assay) and statistical analysis software (SPSS) to collect and analyze data. The findings indicated that the CFU concentration in the library was significantly influenced by the air quality surrounding the building, the number of library visitors, and the hygiene and health of both visitors and employees. Additionally, indoor temperature and humidity were found to be key factors affecting CFU concentration. These findings suggest the need for better ventilation and air filtration systems, as well as regular cleaning and disinfection in public libraries. Furthermore, research is recommended to investigate other potential factors that may impact indoor air quality in public spaces.

Changes in the Usage Pattern of Public Library Collections during the COVID Pandemic

The aim of the research was to examine changes in the usage patterns of public library collections during the COVID pandemic. Usage data for e-loans (e-books and e-audio books) and physical loans from two library networks in Sydney (Australia) for 2019–2021 was analyzed. While the use of physical collections dropped to less than half, the use of electronic collections increased by almost as much. E-loans peaked, and physical loans plummeted during lockdowns. However, the increase of e-loans was very small in terms of absolute volume (about a 44 k increase) compared to the decline in physical loans (about half a million decrease), and the use of physical collections did not reach pre-pandemic levels during the period studied. The analysis of subjects and genres of loaned items indicates that users were generally keen to continue reading the sorts of material they had been reading prior to the pandemic, even if this meant switching format, although there were some changes in genre and subject preferences during the lockdowns, which might have been influenced by the circumstances of the individual users. Readers appeared to show particular interest in various nonfiction topics in the initial lockdown (early 2020), with more practical considerations holding sway at this stage of the pandemic, whereas, by the time of the second lockdown (mid-2021), these considerations had been resolved to some extent, and been overtaken by a more "escapist,” or at least a more recreational, attitude on the part of the average user. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Collection Management 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.)

Introduction

[...]shifting ideologies surrounding "the family” inform and carry implications for economic, political, cultural, and social practices and activities. [...]of this dominance and influence of the family, this special issue centers on family-focused library and information science (LIS) research and is borne from conversations and reflections posed at a 2019 iConference Session for Interaction and Engagement of the same name. [...]in "Students and Parents: How Academic Libraries Serve a Growing Population,” Marta Bladek employs multiple sources of data to draw attention to the challenges and barriers postsecondary students who are also parents must contend with as they attempt to access academic library services and supports. [...]the articles in this issue also highlight the diverse areas within LIS that may be enriched by a consideration of the family context, including the study of information practices (Han;McKenzie;Ortiz-Myers and Costello), archival practices and personal information management (Krtalić, Dinneen, Liew, and Goulding), consumer health information (Charbonneau and Akers), reader response theory (Velez), early literacy (Prendergast and Sharkey), and library service provision (Bladek).

Checkmates: Teens Mentoring Kids in Florida Chess Club

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.

Library partnerships in an age of openness

Librarians are strong collaborators. As we move toward the "next normal,” partnerships and collaboration will play an even larger role. In our post-pandemic world, what does "open” mean in terms of access to libraries, their staff, and their services? National libraries, for example, are still, to some extent, fixed in space in physical terms, despite having grown their digital offer before and considerably during the COVID-19 period. Through partnerships with public and academic libraries, the British Library has begun to improve access to its content and events. The library community now has an opportunity to build on experience and to think differently and collaboratively about what openness means in terms of spaces, content, and staff support for our communities in a hybrid digital and physical world—ensuring the enduring "why” and the transforming "how” of libraries in the 21st century. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unmasking the Young Adults' Library Responses during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case from Qatar

Providing online services and assistance to library users has become the standard practice of many libraries worldwide. It has prompted many institutions to develop strategic actions to remain relevant in the absence of physical services. Although there are numerous initiatives among public libraries for teens, there is limited literature about the provision of online services and assistance for teens during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, this study seeks to highlight the services, efforts, and initiatives of Qatar National Library, specifically its Young Adult (YA) Section, in planning and implementing virtual services to address the information needs of teens during a pandemic. Additionally, this study will present information that might help library professionals design their own library plans and programs to serve young adults virtually. This paper takes a quantitative approach to share the library's experience organizing various online events and reference services for youth development amid limited access to physical services. This case study includes information about user feedback, highlighting the teens' experience with the library's virtual programs. [ABSTRACT 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 abstract 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 abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Analyzing Public Libraries as Civic Agents in Advocating for COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake

To examine how public libraries combated COVID-19 misinformation and promoted vaccination in their communities, this study analyzed data from 80 libraries' webpages, Facebook postings, shared health information resources to examine the correlation between community factors, information types, and vaccination rates. Results showed city size and number of MLS librarians significantly affected information shared. Six information types contributed to higher vaccination rates: vaccination event information, local organization partnerships, vaccine information, library events, vaccine accessibility discussions, and free clinic time frames. Public libraries can thus serve as essential civic agents for promoting evidence-based health information and increasing vaccination rates. [ABSTRACT 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 abstract 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 abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Services to Mobile Users: The Best Practice from the Top-Visited Public Libraries in the US Yan Quan Liu and Sarah Lewis

Libraries are adapting to the changing times by providing mobile services. One hundred fifty-one libraries were chosen based on circulation, with at least one library or library system from each state, to explore the diverse services provided to mobile users across the United States. According to the data, mobile apps, mobile reference services, mobile library catalogs, and mobile printing are among public libraries' most-frequently offered services, as determined by mobile visits, content analysis, and librarian survey responses. Every library examined had at least one mobile website, mobile catalog, mobile app, or webpage adapted for a mobile device. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, services such as mobile renewal, subscriber database access, mobile reservations, and the ability to interact with a librarian were expanded to allow better communication with customers-all from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Libraries are continually looking for innovative methods to assist their mobile customers as the world changes.

Stratification in parents' selection of developmentally appropriate books for children: register-based evidence from Danish public libraries

This paper studies socioeconomic gradients in parents' selection of developmentally appropriate children's books from public libraries. I draw on developmental gradients research to hypothesize that families with high socioeconomic status (SES) select a higher share of books that match children's developmental stage in order to best improve children's learning environments. Based on Danish registry data on all books borrowed from public libraries in 2020, I find that highly educated families are more likely to use libraries and borrow more books, but they do not select a larger share of developmentally appropriate books;in fact, they select a slightly lower share. In contrast, high-income families borrow both a little more books and a little higher share of developmentally appropriate books, than low-income families. The supplementary analyses show that results are robust across families with children of different ages and to account for nonrandom selection into the sample of library users, socioeconomic differences in children's reading skills, and the impact of library lockdowns due to Covid-19. I conclude that stratification in library book selection is more prominent concerning the voraciousness with which highly educated parents provide reading inputs (more books) than how discriminating they are in terms of selecting developmentally appropriate books.

Negotiating digital public spaces: context, purpose and audiences

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to investigate digital public spaces and audiences and to explore the relationship of digital public spaces to both ideas of nationhood and physical public institutions.Design/methodology/approachThe article investigates tensions arising from the conjuncture of public spaces and digital culture through the lens of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). This research uses qualitative content analysis of a range of data sources including semi-structured interviews, primary texts and secondary texts.FindingsThe construction of the public library space as a digital entity does not attract anticipated audiences. Additionally, the national framing of the DPLA is not compatible with how audiences engage with digital public spaces.Originality/valueDrawing on original, qualitative data, this article engages with the prevalent but undertheorized concept of digital public spaces. The article addresses unreflexive uses of the digital public and the assumptions connected to the imagined audiences for platforms like the DPLA.

Making in the midst of pandemic: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on two public library makerspaces

This qualitative research explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on makerspaces in the United States which were subject to public health guidelines and challenged with limited/no access to facilities. This multi-case study examined two public library makerspaces, and addressed these research questions: (1) How did the pandemic affect makerspace operations and access, and the teaching and learning that occurs there? (2) How did makerspace leaders respond to the challenges of the pandemic? (3) How did makerspaces evolve during the COVID-19 pandemic? I developed the Conceptual Framework for Studying the Impact of Pandemic on Public Library Makerspaces which informed the research questions and functioned as template for the research. I collected data digitally and used qualitative coding for within- and cross-case analysis. Findings indicated that the makerspaces shifted from a physical to a virtual setting using community of practice elements. Makerspace staff responded to challenges by reallocating or seeking alternate funding, embracing virtual opportunities to engage patrons in events and instruction, implementing online scheduling calendars, and restructuring services to offer maximum events/access. The makerspaces evolved in terms of staffing, funding, operations, equipment, and offerings. Findings support makerspaces as communities of practice. The study informs makerspace professionals who are adapting to change. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

"Bloody amazing really”: voices from Scotland's public libraries in lockdown

PurposeThe research examined Scottish public libraries and the libraries' response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic of 2020–2021. The research focussed particularly around the way that the libraries helped to support community resilience and cohesion during periods of lockdown. The study considered issues around the closure of services in March 2020, digital services, the loss of physical library spaces and governance models. The research presents the voice of service managers rather than being a user study. The research was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), part of UKRI (United Kingdom Research and Innovation), as a part of the council's scheme to provide response to the pandemic of 2020.Design/methodology/approachThis was an exploratory study examining how Scottish public library services responded to the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. Three methods were deployed in the investigation. First, the gathering social media and other web-based content from library services over the months March–September 2020 (amounting to over four thousands snips of content) were analysed thematically. Second, 19 semi-structured interviews with service managers across Scotland were conducted. These were recorded, transcribed and analysed. These elements formed the cornerstone of the research but were supported by a short survey distributed to all public library services in Scotland focussed on e-lending during lockdown.FindingsFindings are presented in respect of the lessons to be learnt from the closure of physical services and the migration to digital only provision, the contribution made to supporting communities, health and well-being, the importance of the balance of physical and digital library services around governance models for library services, as well as around the process of reopening services. This research explores how staff responded to this unparalleled situation, how the staff maintained close relationship with the communities the staff serve, what services themselves learnt through lockdown, and how the staff's management practices adapted. The findings present voices from Scottish libraries during 2020.Research limitations/implicationsThe research presents a snapshot of activities during a period of fast-moving change. The research, therefore, presents a snapshot of March–December 2020, which is, however, an extremely important snapshot. The first lockdown was perhaps most interesting to study from a research perspective because the authors witnessed, real-time, how the staff responded and reacted (with lessons learnt and applied in subsequent regional or national lockdowns later in 2020 and in the 2021). The second lockdown and subsequent periods were outside the scope of this research.Practical implicationsRecommendations are offered around the need for a national conversation about digital content provision in public libraries and the exploration of possibilities of a national approach, the role libraries have as digital enablers (in supporting effort to overcome the digital divide in society), the crucial nature of continued strong advocacy for public libraries, the importance of the library as a physical space, and on how to maintain the flexibility, agility and autonomy which emerged during lockdown.Social implicationsThe research presents strong testimony about the social value of public libraries as free, safe and public spaces within communities. It also highlights the continued digital divide which exists in many places and the important role that public libraries have in being digital enablers for many members of the public. The closeness of library service staff to users is strongly evidenced in the testimony from managers as is the need for parent organisation (local authorities or in culture or leisure trusts) to recognise more fully the breadth of services the public library provides and how these are "essential” for many users.Originality/valueThe value and distinctiveness of this research lies in the fact that the research captured the voices, thou hts and perceptions of Scotland's public libraries during the period of lockdown in 2020. The evidence gathered suggests important conversations are required around equity of e-lending provision, the role of libraries as digital enablers, the balance between physical and digital provision and around the ways libraries are managed (directly by local authorities or in culture trusts). The research affords lessons for public library provision beyond Scotland with many issues being transferable to other contexts.

"Part of My Daily Life": The Importance of Public Libraries as Physical Spaces

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to gauge how much, and why, people value visiting public libraries by asking them about the impact of the library closures. A questionnaire survey was administered to users of four library networks in New South Wales, Australia. About 19% of 1,295 respondents missed their library "a great deal," another 28% "quite a lot." Most commonly respondents missed browsing the shelves, taking children for visits, studying, reading, and socializing there. They also missed the quiet, relaxing, and friendly environment, and the resources provided. For many, the closures impacted their lives in a critical way. [ 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.)

Exploring the Untapped Potential of Library-University Partnerships: A Focus on Early Learning

US Public libraries are ideal contexts to support early learning and family engagement. However, they are still not fully connected with the early childhood systems within their communities, limiting their potential impact to prepare children and families for the transition to formal schooling. Further, COVID-19 has exacerbated existing barriers to library access, particularly for historically marginalized populations. To address this gap, we contend that public library-university partnerships are one way public libraries can improve their impact and expand their reach. Public libraries and developmental researchers share similar goals and possess complementary expertise that makes a partnership approach to collaboration mutually beneficial. © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Public Libraries in the UK: Findings from a National Study

This paper explores how public libraries in the United Kingdom were impacted by the lockdowns imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Freedom of Information requests were made to all UK public library services. The data received indicated that almost 65% of UK library services saw a reduction in physical loans of between 70% and 90% of pre-pandemic borrowing levels. The cumulative data also revealed that almost 120 million books that were issued in pre-pandemic years were not issued in the 2020/21 lockdown period. Meanwhile, 47% of library services saw their e-loan provision rise between 100% and 200% on pre-pandemic levels, although these numbers rose from a low base and were comparatively small when measured against physical loan losses. The data also highlighted that active membership of the public library services (members who had borrowed an item in the previous year) dropped to 40% of pre-pandemic levels across the UK. The evidence highlights that while e-loan provision rose significantly while physical library services were largely unavailable, this rise was from a very low base, and this rise in digital usage did not come close to mitigating the drop in physical borrowing that occurred across the UK. The findings of the paper suggest that even when the public had no choice but to move to digital, they did so in limited numbers when compared to usage of physical library buildings and collections. © 2022 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.