Employability is key to libraries as they continue to diversify their services to include career services to meet the job seeking needs of community members. In fulfilling this crucial role, public libraries face challenges in providing career services for their community members. This dissertation probed and sought ways to continuously improve…

Public libraries have embraced the popularity of maker education and makerspaces by integrating maker education in their program offerings, and by developing makerspaces that enable patrons to tinker and create products. But less attention has been paid to supporting librarians and maker educators in assessing the impact of these spaces. To expand…

Public libraries, important spaces for accessing assistance and resources, are increasingly focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) and hands-on learning (Lee & Phillips, 2019). While they are promising spaces for STEAM learning that supports marginalized communities and multi-generational engagement, this…

Informal learning constantly happens all around us. Informal learning approaches often stand in stark contrast to school practices and standards, receive little attention in the formal study of education, and present a great deal of untapped opportunity to support learners. Mendoso Community Library (MCL) is a particularly interesting illustration…

Surveys such as the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) enable educators, policymakers and the wider community to compare Australian students with each other, as well as their counterparts across the…

Extending from existing research on how public libraries offer information literacy (IL) instruction through classes or programs, the purpose of this research was to explore how public librarians provide IL instruction through individual interactions with patrons. US public librarians recorded their impressions of instructional interactions over a…

At the 2023 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference, the International Relations Committee, Americas Subcommittee invited panelists from academic, research, and public libraries to discuss various ways of sharing Indigenous-made materials from the United States and Latin America in the panel, "Sharing Knowledge: Projects and…

Public libraries in Hamilton provide countless services to different users, particularly older immigrants. The library system proves to be an inclusive learning space, promoting lifelong learning for all. The paper explores the relationship between public library use, lifelong learning and community development. In addition, it demonstrates the…

People experiencing homelessness or other life crises often seek respite, information, and assistance in libraries. Librarians, like social workers, are helping professionals and have historically been advocates for and supporters of low-income groups. However, librarians may lack the knowledge, skills, and capacity to provide adequate support. As…

The cultural domain may be defined as a sphere of influence that involves all cultural activities, whether economic or social in nature. In the context of lifelong learning, cultural and artistic environments represent tools and media of significance for formal and informal adult learning. The availability of learning opportunities in the cultural…

Patronage of public libraries in Nigeria has declined over the years and is in urgent need of revitalization. Outreach efforts would revitalize the interest of university students in the patronage of public libraries in Nigeria because they need access to resources, especially when on holidays. The study investigates the outreach programs used to…

In today's society, individuals and households without reliable Internet connections are increasingly at risk of facing significant disadvantages. This article describes an Extension-led pilot project in Oklahoma centered on addressing this issue through the establishment of a hotspot lending program in four rural libraries. Through the program,…

Many Americans lack the skills required to use public access computers and the Internet at public libraries (PLs). Staff members of a PL in the Midwestern United States provide basic computer training to support patrons' Internet and public access computer use. However, adult patrons who are beyond the basic skills level and those with…

In this first issue of "Research Library Issues" ("RLI") in 2019, the authors explore privacy from a legal, digital, and applied perspective, with a focus on the implications and opportunities for research libraries. The current privacy landscape highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of the complicated nature of…

Librarians often act as default copyright experts at their institutions and thus must have an awareness of copyright law and practices. Nevertheless, there is little in the scholarly literature about how well informed librarians are about copyright law. Through a national survey of professional librarians, this study illustrates librarians'…