This research brief describes recent methodological initiatives with the Public Libraries Survey. It describes how starting with the 2022 data, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) updated geographic identifiers to better align Census Bureau geography types with the library's legal service area, with the goal of enabling data users to…

Background and Context: Computational thinking (CT) is an essential skill for all youth to succeed in our technology and information-rich world. While CT has a growing presence within K-12 classrooms, libraries play an essential role in introducing these critical skills to all. Objective: Assessing learning in libraries is difficult given their…

This study aimed to develop and pilot a questionnaire to determine the ways in which working in a UK public library system can impact the well-being of those deployed in the sector. The methodological framework was based on an approach used to evaluate the well-being of patients in a clinical setting. Based on the responses of 466 employees, the…

The study is an evaluation of an employability training programme provided by Inverclyde Libraries in West Central Scotland and the role of information literacy within the training programme. Inverclyde is an area with high unemployment and pockets of multiple deprivation. Modern, applicable skills are also lacking. The findings are based on…

As published critics of Hennen's American Public Library Ratings (HAPLR), the authors propose a new ranking system that focuses more transparently on ranking libraries based on their performance. These annual rankings are intended to contribute to self-evaluation and peer comparison, prompt questions about the statistics and how to improve them,…

Debates typically invoke an image of individuals arguing over the merits of opposing viewpoints. However, the term has a softer, more deliberative sense that connotes reflection, discussion, and consideration. The 2009 WebWise conference, titled "Digital Debates," was conducted in this spirit, with panelists and attendees engaged in…

The settings for this article are rural and remote communities in the province of Ontario, Canada, where the advent of high-speed Internet has brought about new opportunities for the provision of public health and information services. This article proposes that public funding agencies and service providers will gain planning and evaluation…

This article is based on a collaborative evaluation of the implementation of a Libraries and Knowledge Centre (LKC) model in three remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. It outlines the context in which LKC services are being implemented, provides a brief description of the LKC model, and discusses some strengths of the model to…

The Graphic Arts/Public Relations (GA/PR) program of the Capitol Region Library Council (CRLC) of Connecticut proposed to increase the public's awareness of libraries and library services in the Capitol Region, and increase public relations awareness in libraries. It was an outreach type of program that attempted to have positive effects on the…

This guide to evaluating services provided by Montana libraries is intended for the use of librarians, library boards, government officials, friends of libraries and other interested citizens. It will enable them to assess the adequacy of their present library services and help them move toward improvement of their library services in the future.…

Three studies of public library users are compared and similarities noted in the nature of library users and their behavior. Extended education and high socio-economic grading are seen to be connected with intensive use of a range of libraries and with book ownership. (Author)

The objectives of this study are to: (1) analyze current state library legislation in relation to a number of characteristics of the states to determine patterns of state-level legislation; (2) correlate information about legislation which provides present grants-in-aid support for library development and operation; (3) describe and analyze the…

In order to structure an effective campaign aimed at increasing the usage of the public libraries in Essex County, New Jersey, this research project was undertaken to determine the consumer attitudes toward various aspects of public library services. These aspects include: extent of public library usage; awareness of library services offered,…

A committee was appointed by New York's Commissioner of Education to study the state's progress in fulfilling a 1958 legislative mandate that all residents of the area served have free direct access to the resources and services of all member libraries in a public library system. To carry out its mission, the committee: (1) sent a six page…

Undertaken to secure hard data on the nature and extent of American public library holdings of adult non-fiction books in the humanities, this study of 19 library collections of varying sizes used an inductive approach for evaluating books based on the frequency of their citation in selected reference tools. Five points summarize the findings: (1)…