This paper reports on part one of a multi-part research project investigating Australian public library responses to the requirement close their physical sites due COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The aim was examine how libraries responded crisis during periods closure terms services and resources, challenges they faced, role locality played response. In total, 212 authority managers completed an online questionnaire survey August 2020 representing 695 branch locations. results showed that sites,...

The role of librarians in the development and promotion institutional repositories is discussed. It presented as a continuation their existing functions acquiring, organising making readily available resources needed by academic staff students. Library are collaborating with IT academics to disseminate scholarly material learning objects emanating from institutions. Open Archives Initiative its Protocol for Metadata Harvesting, which provide technical structure support enable...

Introduction. Ethnography has increasingly been utilised by social science researchers outside of and cultural anthropology. We report here an analysis the extent nature its use in library studies research over past decade. Method. Our study adapts extends a content literature conducted Khoo et al. (2012), using systematic search process to identify potentially relevant published since 2011. Analysis. coded resulting corpus establish whether articles were ethnographic two interpretations...

Public library staff are increasingly required to work with members of the public high social needs. libraries places sanctuary and connection for people experiencing challenges such as homelessness, poverty, mental illness, domestic violence substance abuses. In recognizing their role serve needs all who enter buildings, often asked outside areas expertise meet community members. can experience feeling overwhelmed anxious when working this community, wanting help but not knowing where...

This article reports the findings of a survey more than 100 Australian outer regional and remote public library managers. Public libraries in these areas serve 2.5 million Australians, representing an important yet under-researched topic. Using online questionnaire, with response rate 40%, we asked managers rural Australia about services provided by both fixed-site mobile (where applicable), as well other outreach services. Questions also covered value, issues challenges respondents'...

Studies have consistently found that prisoners who undertake education while in prison are less likely to reoffend, and return prison. However, an environment where post-secondary is increasingly being offered via online delivery, with no access the internet experiencing barriers by non-prison providers. This study examines Australian environment, needs of prisoners, their current education, information technology internet. Recent future international developments delivering examined.

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 library closures. A questionnaire survey was administered users four networks in New South Wales, Australia. About 19% 1,295 respondents missed their "a great deal," another 28% "quite lot." Most commonly browsing shelves, taking children for visits, studying, reading, socializing there. They also quiet, relaxing, friendly environment,...

ABSTRACTThis article reports on findings of an international scoping review literature social work in libraries. The explored how is practised libraries, and barriers facilitators to embedding professional within public Using a search protocol, databases were systematically searched, results refined through several phases data screening, resulting 16 articles eligible for inclusion. dataset was thematically analysed by the research team. Data analysis revealed that most emanate from...

The COVID-19 crisis has had a significant impact on public libraries around the world. In Australia, almost all experienced some period of building closure, requiring to adapt their services and delivery models. This article reports findings from large-scale survey library managers in which was conducted August 2020. particular, it presents results thematic analysis participants’ free-text responses open questions asked as part survey. reveals important insights relating closures, staffing...

ABSTRACTThe aim of this paper was to find out how knowledge and skills in demand by libraries compare with librarians' preoccupations aspirations. Two sets data were analysed using content analysis. A) 972 criteria 127 Australian library-related job advertisements (from 2021) coded against ALIA's Foundation for entry-level library information professionals. B) 465 articles published INCITE (an professional LIS magazine) from 2018 2020 mapped the framework afforded IFLA Trend Report 2019...

Research priority setting in health care has historically been done by expert providers and researchers not involved patients, family or the public. Survivors & members have particularly absent from this process field of resuscitation research specifically adult out hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). As such, we sought to conduct a exercise partnership with survivors, lay responders their families order ensure that priorities were visible. We partnered James Lind Alliance (UK) used commonly...

Purpose The purpose of this article is to explore the influence books, libraries and reading on experience time within prison environment. Design/methodology/approach Using semi-structured interviews with Australian adult prisoners, a phenomenological data analysis method, researcher has been able identify lived experiences that explain how time, Findings Prisoners' differs from outside prison. Unlike readers library users prison, prisoners are motivated use pass time. They using assist in...

To understand the roles that Australian public libraries are aiming to play in their communities, mission statements from a sample of fifty library networks were extracted corporate documents and subjected both quantitative qualitative content analysis. The five broader most commonly articulated facilitate learning discovery, increase social connectedness, provide spaces places, access information resources, inclusion celebrate diversity. Overall, focuses more on community building than...

With the rise in numbers of people experiencing homelessness our cities, towns and regions, public libraries are seeing an increase visits from members this community. Public library staff increasingly required to assist work with homelessness, often little training without guidance policy documents advise them. This article reports on a survey Australian who were asked about their experiences in, attitudes toward working The finds frequently homelessness. Although largely believe community...

Carers who wished to share their experiences with a national working group (the Consumer Group) prepared narratives as way of identifying areas for discussion.The were submitted one author and subjected thematic qualitative analysis. The themes fed back the Group discussion.Five main identified: difficulties in obtaining diagnosis; acting an advocate; stresses caring; practical problems social care; emotions experienced by carers.The provided means sharing carers' creating initiatives...

The continuing high costs of scholarly information provision have encouraged the proliferation eprint servers. We seen establishment Chemistry Preprint Server, PhilSci Archive and ClinMed, to mention just three examples. Both well‐established evolving repositories offer hope that academic libraries can continue provide access required at reasonable cost. paper describes advantages servers possible obstacles their acceptance.