The document summarizes Leo Appleton's PhD research on how public libraries demonstrate their impact on citizenship development in the UK. It outlines the background, theoretical concepts, research questions, methodology, and results of a pilot focus group study. Next steps include conducting longitudinal focus groups in 5 UK cities over 2 years to understand how library use influences access, integration, and knowledge and how this relates to concepts like social capital and information society. The anticipated findings are compelling evidence on the value and impact of public libraries.
The library-like civic institutions: new Renaissance of a book in EstoniaMai Poldaas
The results of the study about spontaneous library services offered by civic institutions in Estonia are introduced. Why do communities feel the need to create their own libraries? What is their motivation behind these activities and what are they missing in already existing public library services? Two cases were investigated as examples of this phenomenon: library at Sänna Cultural Mansion in a small village in Southern Estonia and library of the New World Society in Tallinn. Qualitative research methods were used to carry out the study.
Understandings of the role of a public library in EstoniaMai Poldaas
Methodology and some results of the study about understandings of the role of a public library in Estonia are introduced.
Keywords: public library’s role in the society; public library’s policy; challenges before libraries today
The library-like civic institutions: new Renaissance of a book in EstoniaMai Poldaas
The results of the study about spontaneous library services offered by civic institutions in Estonia are introduced. Why do communities feel the need to create their own libraries? What is their motivation behind these activities and what are they missing in already existing public library services? Two cases were investigated as examples of this phenomenon: library at Sänna Cultural Mansion in a small village in Southern Estonia and library of the New World Society in Tallinn. Qualitative research methods were used to carry out the study.
Understandings of the role of a public library in EstoniaMai Poldaas
Methodology and some results of the study about understandings of the role of a public library in Estonia are introduced.
Keywords: public library’s role in the society; public library’s policy; challenges before libraries today
A library visit is not just a number: Seeking a new language for the vaule of...Christian Lauersen
Talk at The Swedish Library Associations Network for Development Methods: https://www.biblioteksforeningen.se/kalender/traff-med-expertnatverket-for-verksamhetsutvecklande-metoder/
Demystifying Research Data: don’t be scared be prepared: A joint JIBS/RLUK event, Tuesday 17th July 17th July 2012, Brunei Gallery at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), London.
Diversity Equality Inclusive Initiatives in UCC and USCElaine Harrington
The goal of the International Librarians Networking Program (ILNP) is to assist librarians from around the world to network and expand their skills in librarianship through a cooperative and collaborative program. The program is designed to be self guided, allowing participants to form a collaborative relationship with one another for four months and the opportunity to continue networking after the program ends. The International Librarians Networking Program is part of the American Library Association International Relations Round Table.
The 2021 cohort comprised 62 people from 27 countries selected for pair networking. There had been 270 original applicants from 39 different countries. I was paired with Dr Win Shih, Director of Integrated Library Systems at the University of Southern California. The ILNP final project was to create an academic poster arising from the conversations during the four month period. We completed one on Diversity Equality Inclusion initiatives in UCC & USC.
The impact of grassroots community campaigns on public library closures in th...John Mowbray
This presentation is derived from a short research paper accepted to the i3 conference, which is being held at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen between 23rd and 26th June 2015. Conference themes include information and its societal impact. The research was carried out in June 2014, and sought to determine the impact of those grassroots campaign groups which are fighting to save substantial portions of their library provision from closure. These groups have proliferated across the UK, and are engaged in an ongoing struggle with their respective local authority decision makers.
A library visit is not just a number: Seeking a new language for the vaule of...Christian Lauersen
Talk at The Swedish Library Associations Network for Development Methods: https://www.biblioteksforeningen.se/kalender/traff-med-expertnatverket-for-verksamhetsutvecklande-metoder/
Demystifying Research Data: don’t be scared be prepared: A joint JIBS/RLUK event, Tuesday 17th July 17th July 2012, Brunei Gallery at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), London.
Diversity Equality Inclusive Initiatives in UCC and USCElaine Harrington
The goal of the International Librarians Networking Program (ILNP) is to assist librarians from around the world to network and expand their skills in librarianship through a cooperative and collaborative program. The program is designed to be self guided, allowing participants to form a collaborative relationship with one another for four months and the opportunity to continue networking after the program ends. The International Librarians Networking Program is part of the American Library Association International Relations Round Table.
The 2021 cohort comprised 62 people from 27 countries selected for pair networking. There had been 270 original applicants from 39 different countries. I was paired with Dr Win Shih, Director of Integrated Library Systems at the University of Southern California. The ILNP final project was to create an academic poster arising from the conversations during the four month period. We completed one on Diversity Equality Inclusion initiatives in UCC & USC.
The impact of grassroots community campaigns on public library closures in th...John Mowbray
This presentation is derived from a short research paper accepted to the i3 conference, which is being held at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen between 23rd and 26th June 2015. Conference themes include information and its societal impact. The research was carried out in June 2014, and sought to determine the impact of those grassroots campaign groups which are fighting to save substantial portions of their library provision from closure. These groups have proliferated across the UK, and are engaged in an ongoing struggle with their respective local authority decision makers.
Public libraries are key community partners for hospital systems looking to address the health needs of their communities. In May 2014, Margot Malachowski and Annamarie Golden (Baystate Health) and Anne Gancarz (Chicopee Public Library) presented their community outreach work at the Massachusetts Library Assoc. Annual Meeting in Worcester, MA.
OSL: A history of its impact on the Wood River Valley, Idaho_part02The Community Library
History of the Oregon Short Line in the Wood River Valley, late 1800s, by John Lundin. Presentation given for the opening of "Railroad Ties," an exhibition at the Sun Valley Museum of History. Part 2
A Presentation About Community, By The CommunityNeil Perkin
A crowdsourced presentation about how online communities work with contributions from 30 planners, strategists, digital specialists and some of the most reknowned thinkers in social media strategy.
Using a longitudinal focus group methodology to measure the value and impact ...Leo Appleton
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
Using a multi-location, longitudinal focus group method to conduct qualitativ...Hazel Hall
Paper presented at 13th Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Libraries International Conference (QQML2021) (virtual conference), 25-28 May 2021. Full text available at https://www.napier.ac.uk/~/media/worktribe/output-2755729/using-a-multi-location-longitudinal-focus-group-method-to-conduct-qualitative-research.pdf
The liaison librarian: connecting with the qualitative research lifecycleCelia Emmelhainz
A discussion of user needs in anthropology and ways in which academic liaison librarians could support the lifecycle of qualitative research in a holistic way.
Presents the structure and strategy for a research project focused on information literacy instruction in public libraries. Important topics include data collection methods and tools, data analysis procedures, and the scope and significance of the proposed research.
L-Index: Designing a New Method for Measuring Library Impact in CanadaHamilton Public Library
Presented at OLA Super Conference 2016
In recent years, libraries around the world have been conducting impact studies, predominantly economic impact studies, to communicate their value to stakeholders. While these studies are useful, they often exclude the social, educational and cultural impacts that libraries make within their communities. To address this gap, Dr. Mary Cavanagh, Dr. Bill Irwin and Kimberly Silk are collaborating to develop the L-Index, a library evaluation methodology and toolkit designed to aid libraries in assessing their economic, social, cultural and educational impact. The team will present their work to date, and invite feedback from session delegates.
Building a Diverse Collection at the MIT LibrariesEugenia Beh
Are We Doing Enough?: Four Stories of Diversity in Library Collections
Presenters
Eugenia Beh, Electronic Resources Librarian, MIT
Jade Alburo, Librarian for Southeast Asian and Pacific Islands Studies, UCLA
Paolo Gujilde, Coordinator of Collection Development, Georgia Southern University
Rachel Keiko Stark, Manager, Library Services, Kaiser Permanente Napa/Solano County
Description
Do your collections reflect the diversity of your constituents? Are you equipped to meet the diverse needs of future users? In light of budgetary and spatial challenges, diversity in collections may not be a priority for most libraries. Yet, changing demographics practically ensures that there will be an increase in the demand for diverse materials. See how librarians from 3 different types of academic institutions and 1 medical library have been dealing with (or not) with this issue.
Library futures: converging and diverging directions for public and academic ...lisld
The major influence on library futures is the changing character of their user communities. As patterns of research, learning and personal development change in a network environment so library services need to change. At the same time, libraries are focused on engaging with their communities more strongly - getting into their work and learning flows. This means that libraries are becoming more unlike each other, they are diverging as they meet the specific needs of their communities. Research libraries diverge from academic libraries, and each is different from urban public libraries, and so on.
At the same time, at a broader level libraries are experiencing similar pressures. The need to engage more strongly with their communities. The need to assess what they do. The need to configure space around experiences rather than around collections. Libraries are converging around some of these issues.
This presentation will consider the future of libraries from the point of view of convergence and divergence between types of libraries.
Engaging students through user experience (UX) at UALSandra Reed
An overview of two library user experience projects, undertaken at University if the Arts London. One, now complete, looks at spaces across our services. The other, still in progress, focuses on our online presence.
Ten Northumbrias: contribution and celebrationStephen Town
Joan Stein, Carnegie Mellon University and Stephen Town, University of York. Delivered at the 10th Northumbria International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services, 22-24 July 2013, York, UK.
Libraries and Librarians: Nexus of Trends in Librarianship and Social MediaIdowu Adegbilero-Iwari
Outline:
Libraries and Librarians
Traditional libraries vs Modern libraries
Library trends
Nexus of trends in librarianship and social media
Social media and libraries
Why social media in libraries?
Social media Strategy for Libraries
Uses of social media in libraries
Who does social media in library?
Library social media policy
Web tools for managing platforms
Social media in American libraries
So what must we do?
What if?
Some of my recent thoughts about academic libraries. These focus a fair bit on spaces, but there is also a focus on services, technologies and our programs.
It is from a presentation that I gave by Skype to the SCU Library on 27 November 2015.
A talk delivered by Lauren Smith at the Anybook Oxford Libraries Conference 2015 - Adapting for the Future: Developing Our Professions and Services, 21st July 2015
Presentation on the 23rd of November of 2010 in Newcastle at the New Professionals Information Days organized by CILIP Career Development Group. This presentation contains effects, it is recommended to download it in order to view it properly
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Safalta Digital marketing institute in Noida, provide complete applications that encompass a huge range of virtual advertising and marketing additives, which includes search engine optimization, virtual communication advertising, pay-per-click on marketing, content material advertising, internet analytics, and greater. These university courses are designed for students who possess a comprehensive understanding of virtual marketing strategies and attributes.Safalta Digital Marketing Institute in Noida is a first choice for young individuals or students who are looking to start their careers in the field of digital advertising. The institute gives specialized courses designed and certification.
for beginners, providing thorough training in areas such as SEO, digital communication marketing, and PPC training in Noida. After finishing the program, students receive the certifications recognised by top different universitie, setting a strong foundation for a successful career in digital marketing.
Introduction to AI for Nonprofits with Tapp NetworkTechSoup
Dive into the world of AI! Experts Jon Hill and Tareq Monaur will guide you through AI's role in enhancing nonprofit websites and basic marketing strategies, making it easy to understand and apply.
Normal Labour/ Stages of Labour/ Mechanism of LabourWasim Ak
Normal labor is also termed spontaneous labor, defined as the natural physiological process through which the fetus, placenta, and membranes are expelled from the uterus through the birth canal at term (37 to 42 weeks
Macroeconomics- Movie Location
This will be used as part of your Personal Professional Portfolio once graded.
Objective:
Prepare a presentation or a paper using research, basic comparative analysis, data organization and application of economic information. You will make an informed assessment of an economic climate outside of the United States to accomplish an entertainment industry objective.
Strategies for Effective Upskilling is a presentation by Chinwendu Peace in a Your Skill Boost Masterclass organisation by the Excellence Foundation for South Sudan on 08th and 09th June 2024 from 1 PM to 3 PM on each day.
Your Skill Boost Masterclass: Strategies for Effective Upskilling
Value and impact of public libraries - Leo Appleton Northumbria July 2015
1. • Leo Appleton, PhD Student, Centre for Social Informatics, Edinburgh
Napier University (@leoappleton)
• Supervisors: Professor Hazel Hall (@hazelh), Professor Alistair Duff,
Professor Robert Raesides
• Paper presentation for the 11th
Northumbria International Conference
on Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services,
20th
– 22nd
July, 2015, Edinburgh
“How do public libraries demonstrate their impact upon
citizenship development in the UK? Results of a focus
group methodology”
2. • Background to the research project
• Theoretical concepts
• Research questions
• Methodology
• Pilot study overview
• Analysis and results if pilot study
• Next steps
Overview
3. • Professional interest
• Why public libraries?
• Literature review themes:
– Role of the public library
– Value and impact as performance measures
– Exchange theory
– Information Society
– Social capital, Human capital, Transactional capital
– Concept of citizenship
Background to the research project
4. • Borrowed theory
• Exchange theory and social exchange theory
• Information Society Studies
– Information sector
– Information flows
– Information technology
– Information overload
• Social capital
– Public libraries creating and generating social capital
Theoretical concepts
5. • 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?
Research Questions
6. • Focus group methodology
– Constructed questioning and discussion
– Deep, focused data
– Standard social science approach
• Interviews with senior library staff
– Reflections on the focus group discussion
• Longitudinal cohort approach to focus groups
– Each focus group is convened 3 times during the course of the study
– Senior library staff interviewed upon presentation of the results of each focus group
• Scope of project
– Representative of UK library users
Methodology
7. Pilot study
• Focus group at Liverpool Central Library (Sept 2014)
Age Gender Occupation Nationality Libraries
used
Reasons
Participant 1 45 - 54 F Lecturer Indian /
British
Central Books,
Computers,
Events
Participant 2 75 - 84 M Retired
professor
Indian Central Interest /
Knowledge
Participant 3 65 - 74 F Retired mental
health worker
British Breck Rd. Borrowing,
Reference,
Computers
Participant 4 16 - 24 M College
student
British Central Reading,
Computers
Participant 5 55 - 64 M Retired German Central Computers,
Internet
Participant 6 35 - 44 M Photographer Venezuelan Central Books,
Borrowing,
Internet
Participant 7 55 - 64 F Retired British Central,
Allerton,
Childwall
Books, Studying
Participant 8 55 - 64 F Social worker British Central,
Allerton,
Childwall
Books,
Borrowing,
Studying
8. Pilot study
• Questions on:
– Feelings and attitudes?
– Who are libraries for?
– Citizenship?
– What do you like about your library?
• Results categories:
– Knowledge
– Inclusion
– Access
10. Pilot focus group analysis
• “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!”
11. • “…handling all those really old manuscripts and
books,….it’s knowledge, just a body of
knowledge. And knowledge is power I believe.
Knowledge is power!”
Pilot focus group - Knowledge
12. • “The library is a place of great safety and security.”
• “It’s inclusive. It makes you feel part of the group. I think that society
consists of groups doesn’t it? But I see the library more as a coherent
group and it’s very inclusive of people from different backgrounds,
different ethnic backgrounds and cultures.”
• “It is the one place where everyone is equal”
• “When you’re on the streets no one cares about you. It’s like every
man for himself. When you come in here you can just communicate
with anyone, you can discuss things with people. There’s loads of
things that you can do.”
Pilot focus group - Integration
13. • “It’s the total safety of being in an environment where you
can study. It’s a place of peace. Every book is open to
you.”
• “As a teenager, I was always aware that the library, when
you walked through it, nobody stopped you reaching for a
book on anything….. as a child and a young teenager, it
does empower you. You don’t have to understand what’s
inside it. You’re just able to hold it.”
Pilot focus group - Access
17. • Focus on access, integration and knowledge
– Linked to social capital and Information Society
• Acknowledgement of benefit and development of longitudinal period
– Discussion and reflection at each stage
• Understanding of citizenship development through public library use
• Compelling evidence of the value and impact of public libraries
Anticipated findings
18. • Public Libraries
• Huysmans, F. & Oomes, M. (2013) Measuring the public library’s societal value: a methodological research
programme. IFLA Journal, 39(2), 168 – 177.
• Kerslake, E. & Kinnel, M. (1997) The Social Impact of Public Libraries: A Literature Review, London : British Library.
• McMenemy , D. (2009) The Public Library, London, Facet
• Orr, R. H. (1973) Measuring the goodness of library services: a general framework for considering quantitative
measures. Journal of Documentation, 29(3), 41 – 50.
• Social Capital
• Coleman, J. (2000) Social capital in the creation of human capital. in E. L. Lesser (ed.) Knowledge and Social Capital
(pp. 17 – 41), Boston : Butterworth-Heinemann.
• Goulding, A. (2004) Libraries and social capital. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 36(1), 3 – 6.
• Johnson, C. (2012) How do public libraries create social capital?: an analysis of interactions between library staff and
patrons. Library and Information Science Research, 34, 52 – 62.
• Putnam, R. D. (2000) Bowling Alone: the Collapse and Revival of American Community, New York, Touchstone.
• Information Society
• Duff, A. (2000) Information Society Studies London : Routledge.
• Feather, J. (2013) The Information Society: A Study of Continuity and Change (6th ed.) London : Facet.
• Webster, F. (2007) Theories of the Information Society, 3rd ed., London : Routledge
• Focus Group Methods
• Bloor, M, Frankland, J., Thomas, M. and Robson, K (2002) Focus Groups in Social Research, London : Sage.
• Krueger, R. and Casey, M.-A. (2009) Focus Groups: a practical guide for applied research, 4th
ed. Los Angeles, Sage.
• Morgan, D. (1997) Focus Groups as Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks, Sage.
Selected readings
Editor's Notes
Originally planned to do a value and impact study on academic libraries but felt that such a study on public libraries could potentially have more political impact
Commenced with literature reviewing in order to identify particular themes, concepts and theories with which to work
Library and Information Science draws on several disciplines and domains and therefore there is a tradition of ‘borrowed theory’
Notion of exchanging or giving capital resulting in beneficial outcomes – Exchange theory, social exchange theory and gift giving are all prevalent in library transactions
Information Society Studies allows us to look at information as an exchangeable commodity and therefore as capital. Grounded in several different theses Information Society Studies accounts for the (post industrial) knowledge and information economy as opposed to a labour based economy thus putting information, its creation and exchange, at the heart of society and of economics
Social capital is a well established form of non-monetary capital and is easily connected to public library usage in the literature (as indeed are intellectual, human and transactional capital).
Within the Information Society and with an understanding of the generation and exchange of social capital, what role does the public library play?... In particular with reference to my research questions
The nature of the study lends itself to qualitative research methods and will be reliant on anecdotal and reflective data regarding how public libraries have an impact on the citizenry. This can be achieved through talking to library users and asking them about how their library usage benefits them and has an impact on their development as active citizens.
One such method of capturing qualitative data is the focus group, and one of the key elements of the methodology being tested is that of the focus group interview.
“Focus group interviews typically have five characteristics or features. These characteristics relate to the ingredients of a focus group: (1) people, who (2) possess certain characteristics, (3) provide qualitative data (4) in a focused discussion (5) to help understand the topic of interest.” (Krueger & Casey, 2009 ; 6)
This research project will use a longitudinal method in which subjects (library users) are invited to discuss and share their experience of using public library services and to reflect upon how their library usage has effected them (understanding, knowledge, participation, lifestyle, citizenship, etc.) The subjects involved in the research will be revisited on two further occasions and this process will take place in five different locations (i.e. five cohorts of subjects)
A pilot focus group was arranged and took place during the morning of Wednesday 10th September in a meeting room at Liverpool Central Library and lasted for one hour.
8 people eventually signed up for the focus group, which turned out to be an appropriate and workable number. They represented different users and demographics of the user population of Liverpool Central Library, including a gender balance and representation of different age groups, ethnicity and nationality.
When analysing the transcript of the focus group and individual comments and observations made therein it becomes clear that whilst the participants themselves present a diverse mix of public library users, they are in fact just that, active public library users. Subsequently there is a general acceptance that the library always provides a positive experience and represents a general force for good. The participants are all also in agreement that the recently refurbished Liverpool Central Library is indeed a great library and have a lot of praise for the physical space, the resources and the staff support in general as well as the concept of ‘library’ and the services and resources that they generally have access to.
However, even when taking this bias into account the discussions and observations from the focus group are every enlightening and in themselves allow for a deeper understanding of potentially why people choose to use public library services, how they do so and how they benefit as individuals and community, and it is this benefit/advantage perspective which this study aims to explore as it seeks to understand how libraries play a role and have an impact on the citizenry in the United Kingdom.
From a general analysis of the focus group transcript the participants agree that the library benefits them and some of the broad comments made are quite sensational and very emotive. For example, one of the participants, a retired professor, originally from India who has spent much of his working there regard the library and libraries in general as ‘Temples of knowledge’ and ‘necessary to keep me alive’. The same participant revealed that the library “is a democratic machine for society.”
Another of the participants, a younger library user (aged 16 – 24) remarked;
“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!”
Likewise, participant 8, a social worker (aged 55 – 64) exclaimed:
“I could be quite dramatic and say that reading saved my life!”
These types of comments illustrate how fundamentally important the library service is for individuals and the significance that it has on their lifestyles and indeed abilities to live within society and their communities. Throughout the focus group the participants often discussed and referred to the rich nature of the books and resources in the library as being significant as well as how welcoming, friendly and inclusive the library is. Another overriding feature was that access and availability of what the library offers is extensive (e.g. 24 hour book return) and freely available. It is these themes of ‘knowledge’, ‘access’ and ‘inclusion’
Knowledge
The theme of knowledge and the epistemic function of the library came though very clearly as part of the discussions, although what was interesting was the major significance that books play in the lives of those who participated, in a far greater way that access to computers and information technology does. Most of the focus group members perceived that the physical printed books contained on the shelves of the library where the objects that allowed library users to obtain and gain knowledge. There was also acknowledgement of the library providing access to computers and information technology, but as one participant suggested ‘you can’t access books on the Internet.’ The same participant, a retired mental health worker, suggests that she still likes to use the books and the physical library to acquire information, and acknowledges that while she can access some information on the internet at home, she still feels that she needs to come into to the library to look things up in print
This perception that the information and knowledge which is referred to throughout the focus group comes from books rather than through electronic media is indeed interesting and validates the observation about the importance that the physical library plays in the lives of the participants. It is also in keeping with the other major attributes that the physicality of the library allows, those of access and inclusion.
The focus group agreed that the knowledge available to them through the library is extremely important and powerful:
“…handling all those really old manuscripts and books,….it’s knowledge, just a body of knowledge. And knowledge is power I believe. Knowledge is power!” (Participant 7)
This concept of ‘knowledge as power’ becomes even more important when the participants were asked to consider the use of libraries in a citizenship context. When asked to reflect on what they regarded as citizenship, the participants responded with concepts such as ‘participation’, ‘involvement’, ‘knowledge and understanding of community, heritage and culture, understanding one’s obligations to society and how to contribute to society’, ‘social conscience’. The focus group was then asked to consider how the library helped them to achieve these ‘citizenship’ attributes and having access to local knowledge and information about health and social care, political information and awareness of community were all suggested as ‘knowledge’ outputs of the library. Similarly, although only briefly mentioned, some participants alluded to the knowledge of the library staff in the support they provide and also the library being a place of ‘like-minds’. These are areas where a future focus group might be able to probe into the generation and exchange of social and transactional capital and needs to be considered as part of the review of this method.
Integration / Inclusivity
Inclusion and integration appeared in the focus group as another key theme. The participants talked about the library helping to establish a sense of community and society and about the library being very much a part of this, indeed enabling individuals to be part of the community and society.
Similarly the participants were all quite clear about the fact that the library provided services for ‘everyone’ and that it is an inclusive institution. The individual members of the focus group all had quite different stories to tell about how they themselves had felt included within the library and subsequently part of a wider community.
The feelings which the participants reflected upon included those of being in a peaceful, secure, safe and friendly place, whilst in the library and the library making the individual feel like they are part of something bigger:
“The library is a place of great safety and security.” (Participant 7)
“It’s inclusive. It makes you feel part of the group. I think that society consists of groups doesn’t it? But I see the library more as a coherent group and it’s very inclusive of people from different backgrounds, different ethnic backgrounds and cultures.” (Participant 8)
“It is the one place where everyone is equal” (Participant 7)
“When you’re on the streets no one cares about you. It’s like every man for himself. When you come in here you can just communicate with anyone, you can discuss things with people. There’s loads of things that you can do.” (Participant 4)
Access
“It’s the total safety of being in an environment where you can study. It’s a place of peace. Every book is open to you.” (Participant 7)
This quote from a retired member of the group also highlights the ‘accessibility’ that the library affords when she makes the point about every book being available. The fact that the knowledge and information which allows for self-study and self-development is freely available and accessible within this inclusive ‘library environment’ is significant to this particular group member, and ‘access’ to all features a great deal within the focus group discussions.
There is a real appreciation amongst the group members of the access available to them as library users, and as illustrated above frustration with the fact that not all members of society (particularly the young and those of lower social classes) are unaware of the resource that they have access to. Participant 7, quoted above’ also reflects upon what having access meant to her:
“As a teenager, I was always aware that the library, when you walked through it, nobody stopped you reaching for a book on anything….. as a child and a young teenager, it does empower you. You don’t have to understand what’s inside it. You’re just able to hold it.”
Two of the attributes which enable the access that the focus group participants are so enthusiastic about are the staff members working within the library and the library building and design itself.
“I pay my compliments to this library. I have seen great change here. Great change. The people are very imaginative. Over the years I have seen so many libraries, but this is a positive, vibrant, lively library.” (Participant 2)
Along with a very well designed, purpose built and welcoming physical library building, the library staff themselves were also regarded as being responsible for this inclusive environment, through their welcoming and friendly attitudes and therefore enabling the access that the participants speak of. The transactional capital which will be apparent here will be useful to capture in future focus groups.
One final observation is how little mention and discussion there is of computers and information technology, even within this theme of ‘access’. That is not to say that IT is not acknowledged, but amongst the participants of this focus group, it is not regarded as particularly significant with regard to access to knowledge and information. If anything the discussions suggest a slightly ambivalent attitude towards IT with comments made around Internet searching being a limiting ‘too focused’ approach to information searching and also about the continued disparity of access to computers and digital information amongst citizens. These findings are very surprising and again, will require further investigation in future focus groups.