The introduction of the New Public Management (NPM) approach to public libraries globally brought with it a quality management paradigm typical of that used in for-profit corporations, characterized by an audit-intensive environment. This led to a desire for a “culture of assessment” to be the preferred standard within public libraries, largely in response to the threat of budget reductions and library closures. This review examines literature from the last two decades on the impact of this strategy, including themes such as the apparent consensus around library value (both in terms of qualitative facets and quantitative economic measures such as return on investment) and traditional and more recent approaches to measuring that value in both research and professional practice publications. Issues identified in the literature with the quantitative emphasis and threat narrative of the culture of assessment are discussed, as well as studies which examine the direct impact of NPM’s neoliberal ideology on public libraries.
{"title":"Examining the \"Culture of Assessment\" in Public Libraries","authors":"Allison Ferguson","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder55","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder55","url":null,"abstract":"The introduction of the New Public Management (NPM) approach to public libraries globally brought with it a quality management paradigm typical of that used in for-profit corporations, characterized by an audit-intensive environment. This led to a desire for a “culture of assessment” to be the preferred standard within public libraries, largely in response to the threat of budget reductions and library closures. This review examines literature from the last two decades on the impact of this strategy, including themes such as the apparent consensus around library value (both in terms of qualitative facets and quantitative economic measures such as return on investment) and traditional and more recent approaches to measuring that value in both research and professional practice publications. Issues identified in the literature with the quantitative emphasis and threat narrative of the culture of assessment are discussed, as well as studies which examine the direct impact of NPM’s neoliberal ideology on public libraries.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"8 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123697189","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Through the digitization of rare or special manuscripts, academics have researched the impact of digitization and its relationship with the physical manuscript itself. Past literature has focused on how the digital can complement the physical, the changing manuscript’s identity when its digitized, and past research around the quality of a digital surrogate. The importance of carefully considering the impact of the quality of a digitized manuscript is essential. However, every edition (physical or digital) changes in some way and moves further from the original, be it an issue with the digitization or pages being removed or altered in the physical manuscript. Though some scholars find that content may be lost when digitized, there can also be more information added by cataloguers. Ultimately, digital surrogates allow for wider access, but their quality must be considered and properly addressed in research. A researcher who is aware of and within their work clearly states the relationship between the digital surrogate and the physical manuscript will find that it is a great support for any researcher.
{"title":"The Relationship Between a Historical Manuscript and its Digital Surrogate","authors":"Olivia Staciwa","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder51","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder51","url":null,"abstract":"Through the digitization of rare or special manuscripts, academics have researched the impact of digitization and its relationship with the physical manuscript itself. Past literature has focused on how the digital can complement the physical, the changing manuscript’s identity when its digitized, and past research around the quality of a digital surrogate. The importance of carefully considering the impact of the quality of a digitized manuscript is essential. However, every edition (physical or digital) changes in some way and moves further from the original, be it an issue with the digitization or pages being removed or altered in the physical manuscript. Though some scholars find that content may be lost when digitized, there can also be more information added by cataloguers. Ultimately, digital surrogates allow for wider access, but their quality must be considered and properly addressed in research. A researcher who is aware of and within their work clearly states the relationship between the digital surrogate and the physical manuscript will find that it is a great support for any researcher. ","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"162 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131477364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study examines the intersection of metadata and accessibility in the digital museum space. While virtual museums can remove physical barriers to heritage institutions, virtual spaces still have barriers for certain impairments. Work done in the field of digital libraries has shown that accessibility metadata can help to remove some of those barriers. This exploratory research project aims to provide understanding of the ways that metadata in virtual museum spaces is being used and how that metadata can improve accessibility in these spaces. How can universal design be best applied to metadata in digital museum catalogs and objects? What kinds of metadata in digital museum collections can potentially increase accessibility? Are museums currently including metadata that increases accessibility for people with disabilities and impairments? These questions were explored using a content-analysis approach applied to textual information collected from forty objects in four digital collections found on the publicly accessible webpages of Canadian institutions of cultural heritage.
{"title":"Metadata, Digital Museum Spaces and Accessibility for Persons with Impairments","authors":"Kimberly Jones","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder58","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder58","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the intersection of metadata and accessibility in the digital museum space. While virtual museums can remove physical barriers to heritage institutions, virtual spaces still have barriers for certain impairments. Work done in the field of digital libraries has shown that accessibility metadata can help to remove some of those barriers. This exploratory research project aims to provide understanding of the ways that metadata in virtual museum spaces is being used and how that metadata can improve accessibility in these spaces. How can universal design be best applied to metadata in digital museum catalogs and objects? What kinds of metadata in digital museum collections can potentially increase accessibility? Are museums currently including metadata that increases accessibility for people with disabilities and impairments? These questions were explored using a content-analysis approach applied to textual information collected from forty objects in four digital collections found on the publicly accessible webpages of Canadian institutions of cultural heritage.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"71 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132126778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Public libraries have an ethical and professional responsibility to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for their entire patron community, including those individuals experiencing homelessness, in part by providing equal and equitable access to information and library services. This literature review examines the small but growing body of LIS literature—both internationally and in the Canadian context—on the self-reported informational and social needs of people experiencing homelessness, and their use of public libraries. Key findings reveal that while some homeless people use public library spaces to meet basic physiological needs, most visit public libraries for many of the same reasons as their housed counterparts. Importantly, homeless library users indicated that spending time at the library contributed to their sense of belonging and social inclusion. The literature also demonstrated a clear trend toward partnerships between public libraries and professional support agencies to better address patrons’ needs. Services relevant to homeless people should be developed in consultation or collaboration with this target group to ensure that resulting recommendations are appropriate to their needs, reduce or remove barriers to equal access, and contribute positively to social inclusion.
{"title":"Public Libraries and the Social Inclusion of Homeless People: A Literature Review","authors":"M. Forrest","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder52","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder52","url":null,"abstract":"Public libraries have an ethical and professional responsibility to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for their entire patron community, including those individuals experiencing homelessness, in part by providing equal and equitable access to information and library services. This literature review examines the small but growing body of LIS literature—both internationally and in the Canadian context—on the self-reported informational and social needs of people experiencing homelessness, and their use of public libraries. Key findings reveal that while some homeless people use public library spaces to meet basic physiological needs, most visit public libraries for many of the same reasons as their housed counterparts. Importantly, homeless library users indicated that spending time at the library contributed to their sense of belonging and social inclusion. The literature also demonstrated a clear trend toward partnerships between public libraries and professional support agencies to better address patrons’ needs. Services relevant to homeless people should be developed in consultation or collaboration with this target group to ensure that resulting recommendations are appropriate to their needs, reduce or remove barriers to equal access, and contribute positively to social inclusion.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"112 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128347560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Many public libraries offer early literacy storytime programs to child patrons and their parents. Based on current research and best-practice periodicals, more children’s librarians are incorporating and modeling play-based activities in their storytime programs at the public library to emphasize the importance of parent-child interaction in guiding early literacy learning. Play as a method of learning is often underutilized and misunderstood by parents. This literature review aims to investigate the role of public libraries (and librarians) in informal early literacy education, the shift towards play-based practices in early literacy programs at the public library, the importance and significance of quality parent-child interaction in early literacy experiences, and the documentation of the experiences and perceptions of parents attending early literacy programs at the public library with their children. As previous studies correlate the benefits of parent-child interaction in play-based activities with early literacy learning, it is evident that further qualitative research into the actual experiences of parents attending play-based early literacy public library programs is needed in order to identify moreareas for improvement of public library services and storytime programs for child patrons and their parents.
{"title":"Public Library Play-based Early Literacy Programs: What is the Parental Experience?","authors":"Dorothea Jane Wilson-Scorgie","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder53","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder53","url":null,"abstract":"Many public libraries offer early literacy storytime programs to child patrons and their parents. Based on current research and best-practice periodicals, more children’s librarians are incorporating and modeling play-based activities in their storytime programs at the public library to emphasize the importance of parent-child interaction in guiding early literacy learning. Play as a method of learning is often underutilized and misunderstood by parents. This literature review aims to investigate the role of public libraries (and librarians) in informal early literacy education, the shift towards play-based practices in early literacy programs at the public library, the importance and significance of quality parent-child interaction in early literacy experiences, and the documentation of the experiences and perceptions of parents attending early literacy programs at the public library with their children. As previous studies correlate the benefits of parent-child interaction in play-based activities with early literacy learning, it is evident that further qualitative research into the actual experiences of parents attending play-based early literacy public library programs is needed in order to identify moreareas for improvement of public library services and storytime programs for child patrons and their parents.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122583361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
There is a recent movement known as Indigenous Futurisms that examines Indigenous perspectives within the context of technology. In relation to this, video gaming continues to be one of the fastest growing forms of new media, yet diversity in the industry is still an issue. There is especially apparent with a lack of proper representation of Indigenous video game characters and Indigenous storylines. While this is starting to change with the recent rise of a handful of Indigenous owned gaming studios and creators, there are still challenges around accessibility for game play. Video games made by Indigenous creators or with Indigenous characters are for the most part non-existent in most public library collections. When we discuss decolonization in libraries, video games as a popular form of media are often overlooked and not viewed as valuable educational tools that encourage literacy and creativity. This paper suggests changes that can be made to ensure that video games that share Indigenous Knowledges and traditions or are made by Indigenous creators are made accessible and are represented in library collections and spaces.
{"title":"Indigenous Video Games in Libraries","authors":"Candie Tanaka","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder57","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder57","url":null,"abstract":"There is a recent movement known as Indigenous Futurisms that examines Indigenous perspectives within the context of technology. In relation to this, video gaming continues to be one of the fastest growing forms of new media, yet diversity in the industry is still an issue. There is especially apparent with a lack of proper representation of Indigenous video game characters and Indigenous storylines. While this is starting to change with the recent rise of a handful of Indigenous owned gaming studios and creators, there are still challenges around accessibility for game play. Video games made by Indigenous creators or with Indigenous characters are for the most part non-existent in most public library collections. When we discuss decolonization in libraries, video games as a popular form of media are often overlooked and not viewed as valuable educational tools that encourage literacy and creativity. This paper suggests changes that can be made to ensure that video games that share Indigenous Knowledges and traditions or are made by Indigenous creators are made accessible and are represented in library collections and spaces.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"54 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130511579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper examines the information needs of sexual assault survivors, with a focus on the kinds of information these individuals may be seeking and how libraries can best assist survivors with their information needs. The paper begins with an overview of sexual assault as a pervasive problem in society in order to form a basis of understanding of what a sexual assault survivor may be going through and the kinds of barriers that may affect their information seeking. The information needs of sexual assault survivors are complex because of their experiences of violence and trauma, and these factors often result in mental and physical health challenges, and potentially distressing information seeking experiences. In order to best serve sexual assault survivors in libraries, I recommend a trauma-informed approach to librarianship, which underscores the importance of safety, empathy, and empowerment for the survivor. A trauma-informed approach to librarianship can assist sexual assault survivors in remedying potential distress through forming trust, validating their experiences and identity, valuing their voice, and ultimately, supporting their healing.
{"title":"Sexual Assault Survivors and Information: Needs and Recommendations","authors":"Stephanie Brown","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder54","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder54","url":null,"abstract":"This paper examines the information needs of sexual assault survivors, with a focus on the kinds of information these individuals may be seeking and how libraries can best assist survivors with their information needs. The paper begins with an overview of sexual assault as a pervasive problem in society in order to form a basis of understanding of what a sexual assault survivor may be going through and the kinds of barriers that may affect their information seeking. The information needs of sexual assault survivors are complex because of their experiences of violence and trauma, and these factors often result in mental and physical health challenges, and potentially distressing information seeking experiences. In order to best serve sexual assault survivors in libraries, I recommend a trauma-informed approach to librarianship, which underscores the importance of safety, empathy, and empowerment for the survivor. A trauma-informed approach to librarianship can assist sexual assault survivors in remedying potential distress through forming trust, validating their experiences and identity, valuing their voice, and ultimately, supporting their healing.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"123 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121597539","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The landscape of library technical services is evolving in response to the outsourcing of library work such as cataloguing, acquisitions, and processing. This literature review explores the body of research on the transitioning nature of library technical services and presents its findings with a thematic overview of the cost effectiveness of outsourcing, vendor quality control and evaluation, staffing levels, changing workloads, organizational restructuring, user experience, knowledge management as well as diversity, inclusion, and access. While the literature reveals little doubt that outsourcing has had a significant impact on library technical services, how can libraries guide their technical services teams forward through this transition? The themes explored here suggest that additional skillsets are necessary for increasingly complex workloads in response to changing library user needs. Library leadership will need to provide their staff with training and professional development to meet these changing needs all while having successful change management strategies in place that leverage existing skillsets and support the continued evolutionary landscape of library technical services.
{"title":"Evolving Nature of Library Technical Services in Response to Outsourcing","authors":"Jolene Bennett","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder50","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder50","url":null,"abstract":"The landscape of library technical services is evolving in response to the outsourcing of library work such as cataloguing, acquisitions, and processing. This literature review explores the body of research on the transitioning nature of library technical services and presents its findings with a thematic overview of the cost effectiveness of outsourcing, vendor quality control and evaluation, staffing levels, changing workloads, organizational restructuring, user experience, knowledge management as well as diversity, inclusion, and access. While the literature reveals little doubt that outsourcing has had a significant impact on library technical services, how can libraries guide their technical services teams forward through this transition? The themes explored here suggest that additional skillsets are necessary for increasingly complex workloads in response to changing library user needs. Library leadership will need to provide their staff with training and professional development to meet these changing needs all while having successful change management strategies in place that leverage existing skillsets and support the continued evolutionary landscape of library technical services.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"21 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124089644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
What does it mean to have digital literacy in a job title? In this reflection paper, two early career academic librarians discuss their experiences as Digital Literacy/ies Librarians. They reflect on the ambiguity and magnitude of the term digital literacy, and how they interpreted the term in their work.
{"title":"Reflecting on our Time as Digital Literacies Librarians","authors":"J. Nemeth, Alissa Droog","doi":"10.29173/pathfinder47","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/pathfinder47","url":null,"abstract":"What does it mean to have digital literacy in a job title? In this reflection paper, two early career academic librarians discuss their experiences as Digital Literacy/ies Librarians. They reflect on the ambiguity and magnitude of the term digital literacy, and how they interpreted the term in their work.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"68 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123804134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Autistic adults and teens are entering universities and colleges at increasing rates, yet many barriers still exist to impede student success. This literature review seeks to identify these barriers, clarify what we know about how autistic students use and perceive the library, and consider what libraries in postsecondary institutions can do to cultivate supportive environments for autistic students. A common theme in the literature is recognition of a dearth of research on this topic, and thus this literature review aims to identify avenues where further research is necessary to understand the challenges autistic students face in library environments and postsecondary education. Current literature indicates that staff training, relationships with community resources, attention to sensory issues, thoughtful design of physical spaces, adaptations to pedagogical techniques, advocation for awareness in the campus community, and calls for further research are all necessary aspects of delivering quality library services to autistic postsecondary students. A successful path forward must prioritize representation, inclusion, and consultation with autistic people.
{"title":"Library Services for Autistic Students in Academic Libraries","authors":"Erica Braumberger","doi":"10.29173/PATHFINDER39","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.29173/PATHFINDER39","url":null,"abstract":"Autistic adults and teens are entering universities and colleges at increasing rates, yet many barriers still exist to impede student success. This literature review seeks to identify these barriers, clarify what we know about how autistic students use and perceive the library, and consider what libraries in postsecondary institutions can do to cultivate supportive environments for autistic students. A common theme in the literature is recognition of a dearth of research on this topic, and thus this literature review aims to identify avenues where further research is necessary to understand the challenges autistic students face in library environments and postsecondary education. Current literature indicates that staff training, relationships with community resources, attention to sensory issues, thoughtful design of physical spaces, adaptations to pedagogical techniques, advocation for awareness in the campus community, and calls for further research are all necessary aspects of delivering quality library services to autistic postsecondary students. A successful path forward must prioritize representation, inclusion, and consultation with autistic people.","PeriodicalId":343807,"journal":{"name":"Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals","volume":"69 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130175494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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