“Youth service librarians…are not just providers of books”: Caregivers' perceptions of the value of public library services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries had little opportunity to gather data on what resources were needed or valued by families during this unprecedented crisis. To understand how caregivers perceived the value of learning resources provided by public libraries, interviews with 26 caregivers were conducted. To analyze the interviews, Sørensen's (2021) framework was adopted and three recurring types of value were examined: provision of resources, role of libraries in communities, and promotion of social capital. Findings indicated that caregivers valued the provision of resources such as book bundles and online programming. Further, caregivers had new appreciation for the community aspect of libraries and for libraries as providers of social resources. In addition, caregivers valued the sense of trust they felt towards libraries and librarians. Findings have potential to inform future decision-making processes concerning learning resource provision, particularly during times of crisis.