Using a longitudinal focus group methodology to measure the value and impact of public libraries
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Methodological paper delivered as part of the student forum at the 12th International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries, Oxford, UK, 31st July - 2nd August 2017
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Using a longitudinal focus group methodology to measure the value and impact of public libraries
- 1. Leo Appleton, Professor Hazel Hall, Professor Alistair Duff, Professor Robert Raeside 12th International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries, Oxford, 2017 Using a longitudinal focus group methodology to measure the value and impact of public libraries
- 2. • Why public libraries? – Social function of libraries – Political agendas / lobbying against cuts – Citizenship agenda • Wider context – Information / Knowledge economies – Information Society – Exchange theory – Social capital Background to the research project
- 3. Literature review themes • Role and value of public libraries • Impact of public libraries • Performance measurement and evaluation of public libraries • Exchange theory • Social capital and public libraries • Information Society models • Public libraries in the Information Society • To what extent is an individual’s position advantaged or disadvantaged as a result of using public libraries? • What is the impact of using a public library service on individual and community citizenship Image credit: University of Glasgow, Research & Knowledge Exchange
- 4. • “I didn’t cry when I was homeless. The tears came later. I needed to care for my son and the library provided me an enchanted world to share with him. We arrived every day as the doors opened. My eager boy discovered dinosaurs, befriended librarians, and developed an on-going love of books. I devoured stories of others who face challenges. We shared story time and played on the lawn. Though homeless, the library helped me to mother my son by allowing me to give when I had nothing to spend” (Dowd, F. S. (1996) Homeless children in public libraries: a national survey of large systems. Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, 9 (2), 155-66.) Image credit: South Australian Public Library Network
- 5. Pilot focus group “When I come in, I have a dead positive vibe, when I walk through the doors straight away, ‘cos I know that I only need to spend fifteen minutes in here, and I’ll have lost myself in a book…. You don’t care what’s going on!” “I could be quite dramatic and say that reading saved my life!”
- 6. Pilot discussion – Values framework
- 7. Method – Commit to a focus group methodology • Longitudinal cohort approach to focus groups • Revisit annually over three years – Scope of project • Representative of UK library users • Approach UK local library authorities • Ensure that City/town councils, County councils and Metropolitan Borough Councils all represented. – Benefits of longitudinal approach • Familiarity of group (common experiences) • Willingness to share and discuss • Deep and reflective discussion
- 8. Empirical research 2014 - 2016 Edinburgh Liverpool Newcastle Lincoln Essex Devon Redbridge Sutton
- 11. Next Steps • Round 3 focus groups (Winter 2017) – Citizenship development • Within Information Society context • Through exchanges of capital
- 12. Thank you for listening • L.Appleton@napier.ac.uk • @leoappleton •Questions?
Editor's Notes
- The value of the public library service and the impact that it has on the citizenry that uses it can usefully be measured and demonstrated through identifying social wellbeing and citizenship development outcomes and determining whether active usage of the public library services has afforded these. Therefore, there are two broad research questions to come from the literature: •To what extent is an individual’s position advantaged or disadvantaged as a result of using public libraries? •What is the impact of using a public library service on individual and community citizenship? In order to answer the research questions all of the above needed to be considered somehow. Information Society concepts, exchange theory and the generation and exchange of capital all needed to form part of the research as well as gaining a focus on societal outcome.
- Powerful quote that encapsulates some of this particularly the societal role of libraries, the epistemic knowledge and information function as well as the exchange of transactional, social and knowledge capital. This is the stuff I need to surface with my research…. But how?
- The pilot focus group was used to test the method and took place in September 2014 at Liverpool Central Library. Bearing in mind my research questions and the research needing to Questions had been developed around: ‘feelings and attitudes towards public libraries’ ‘Who are libraries for’ ‘what would a world with no libraries look like’ ‘Citizenship’ ‘what do you like about your library?’
- This generated three main sub themes – or values: Values around the epistemic function of libraries Vales around access Values around integration and inclusion And very quickly several sub themes emerged as well: Books and print vs electronic Staff support, knowledge and expertise Understanding of libraries
- A longitudinal focus group approach has been adopted in this study in order to obtain relevant data for analysis. Eight UK local authorities were approached to take part in the study in order for the research to carried out within a sample of representative UK public libraries. Focus groups, with up to ten participants in each, were convened and carried out during 2015-16 as the first phase of the empirical study. Participants discussed and shared their experiences of using public library services and reflected upon how their library usage had affected them. A fundamental part of the methodology is its longitudinal approach. Because of the nature of the themes being discussed, it is desirable to reconvene each focus group, with the same participants at set intervals during the period of empirical research. This enables participants to reflect back on their most recent library usage and to discuss its impact and value in a current and personal context. Reconvening focus groups in which the participants are familiar with each other, also allows for a deeper and more open discussion, which in turn enables deeper and richer data to be obtained. The themes discussed during the first round of focus groups were around general library usage including: Attitudes and feelings towards public libraries The demand for and use of knowledge and information Who are libraries for and what is their role in society What is meant by the term citizenship and how does the library contribute to this The questions posed during the first round of focus groups were designed to capture the immediate thoughts of library users and their historic experience of using libraries. A second round of focus groups (phase two) was completed during 2016 in which participants were asked to discuss and reflect specifically on their personal development and involvement in their communities during the previous eight months (the period of time in between focus groups), and whether any of this had been facilitated through their library use. These themes and the questions used were largely informed by the themes identified during the first round of focus group and were intended to generate more reflection and to focus in on both individual and community learning and development afforded through public library use.
- 54 participants across the eight first round focus groups which were convened during 2015 The themes discussed during the first round of focus groups were around general library focus on the three key values of the values framework: Attitudes and feelings towards public libraries The demand for and use of knowledge and information Who are libraries for and what is their role in society What is meant by the term citizenship and how does the library contribute to this The questions posed during the first round of focus groups were designed to capture the immediate thoughts of library users and their historic experience of using libraries. A second round of focus groups (phase two) was completed during 2016 in which a reduced number of 34 participants were asked to discuss and reflect specifically on their personal development and involvement in their communities during the previous eight months (the period of time in between focus groups), and whether any of this had been facilitated through their library use. These themes and the questions used were largely informed by the themes identified during the first round of focus group and were intended to generate more reflection and to focus in on both individual and community learning and development afforded through public library use. Again the values of access, inclusion and knowledge were used as the values framework in these discussions.
- The transcripts have been analysed using Nvivo and a coding methodology has been developed accordingly, which has allowed for me to analyse the data and four clear themes are emerging: The empowering nature of knowledge and information in citizenship development Print monographs as the main vehicle for the transfer of knowledge and information The changing nature and multi-functional role of the library – particularly with regard to community cohesion Community sense of ownership and pride in their libraries 9and loss when its gone)