Volume 5 #2 Full Issue

Volume 5 #2 Full Issu

An evidence-based approach to prison library provision: aligning policy and practice

The aim of this paper is to enable a better understanding of the possibilities ofprison library services and offer evidence that can help to support efforts to align policy and practice in prison library provision. Alongside an examination of existing policies, guidelines and literature, the paper presents findings that emerged from interviews with six prison library experts, undertaken as part of a recent national review of prison library services in Ireland. Following a discussion of these findings, a set of ten principles for prison library provision in Ireland is presented which holds relevance for global prison library policy and practice. As well as providing research-informed evidence for those in policymaking roles, the findings willbe of interest to practitioners and researchers advocating for improved access to prison library services

Resource Reviews

Reviews of Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bible, by James Vanderkam. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2012. 188 pp. $17.00; ISBN 0-8028-6679-0. Reviewed by Robert Burgess, Head, Acquisitions, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. Jerusalem Testament Palestinian Christians Speak, 1988-2008, by Melanie A. May. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2010. 180 pp.$16.00; ISBN 0-8028-6485-7. Reviewed by Robert Burgess, Head, Acquisitions, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind, by Mark A. Noll. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2011. 180 pp. $16.99. ISBN 978-0-8028-6637-0. Reviewed by Jane Scott, Public Services Librarian, George Fox University, Newberg, Oregon. Romans: Interpreted by Early Christian Commentators. Translated and edited by J. Patout Burns Jr. and Father Constantine Newman. Edited by Robert Louis Wilken. The Church Bible. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012. 428 pp.$30.50; ISBN 978-0-8028-2575-9 (Hardcover). Reviewed by J. Craig Kubic, Director of Library Services, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. Sunday School That Really Works: A Strategy for Connecting Congregations and Communities, by Steve R. Parr. Grand Rapids: Kregal, 2010. 218 pp. $11.10; ISBN 978-0-8254-3567-6 (Softcover). Reviewed by J. Craig Kubic, Director of Library Services, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. Tasting Heaven on Earth: Worship in Sixth-Century Constantinople, by Walter D. Ray. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2012. 158 pp. ISBN: 978-0-8028-6663-9. Reviewed by Rebecca Russo, Instruction Librarian, Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, California. Unlocking the Growth: You Will Be Amazed at Your Church’s Potential, by Michael Harvey. Grand Rapids: Monarch, 2012. 191 pp.$26.30; ISBN 978-0-8572-1198-9 (Softcover). Reviewed by J. Craig Kubic, Director of Library Services, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. A Week in the Life of Corinth, by Ben Witherington III. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press Academic, 2012. 158 pp. $16.00; ISBN 978-0-8308-3962-9. Reviewed by Kathleen Kempa, Reference and Electronic Services Librarian, Steelman Library, Southeastern University, Lakeland, Florida

Evolution of research on prison library: A bibliometric study

The primary objective of the article is to present the historical evolution and current state of research in the field of prison libraries: what has been published, when, where, how and by whom it was published, the topic covered, etc. The study is based on the results obtained from the bibliographic databases LISA (ProQuest) and LISTA (EBSCO Publishing) up to early 2023. Entries were manually checked for irrelevant publications, and filters and specific tools, such as OpenRefine, followed by a final manual check, were used to remove duplicate entries. The same mechanisms were used for detecting duplicated entries regarding author, country, journal title, topic, etc. The analysis shows a prevailing publication profile of scarce scientific relevance, with a predominance of the description and the speculation rather than empirical statements. To overcome these limitations, it is proposed the use of scientific methods and techniques that enhance the rigour of results; to progress from the simple description of services, programs, activities, collaborations, etc., to an evaluation of them; and to work with other professionals, both from the library sector and from other disciplines

Evolution of research on prison library: A bibliometric study

The primary objective of the article is to present the historical evolution and current state of research in the field of prison libraries: what has been published, when, where, how and by whom it was published, the topic covered, etc. The study is based on the results obtained from the bibliographic databases LISA (ProQuest) and LISTA (EBSCO Publishing) up to early 2023. Entries were manually checked for irrelevant publications, and filters and specific tools, such as OpenRefine, followed by a final manual check, were used to remove duplicate entries. The same mechanisms were used for detecting duplicated entries regarding author, country, journal title, topic, etc. The analysis shows a prevailing publication profile of scarce scientific relevance, with a predominance of the description and the speculation rather than empirical statements. To overcome these limitations, it is proposed the use of scientific methods and techniques that enhance the rigour of results; to progress from the simple description of services, programs, activities, collaborations, etc., to an evaluation of them; and to work with other professionals, both from the library sector and from other disciplines

Globalization and Legal Information Management

Draft of Chapter 2 of the IALL International Handbook of Legal Information Management by Jules Winterton, Associate Director and Librarian, Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London. This chapter is a relatively brief survey of what globalization means in the field of legal information management and what effect it has had and will have on a range of activities and policy areas relevant to the practice of legal information management. There are firstly some comments towards a definition of globalization for the purposes of this chapter and then a survey of the following in the light of that definition: legal systems, information consumers, legal information needs, information and management, legal publishing, digitization, intellectual property rights, lobbying and advocacy on policy issues (the politics of law librarianship), international networking, and legal information managers and law librarians of the future

What is the Role of the Prison Library? The Development of a Theoretical Foundation

There has been little examination of how criminological theory may help to inform library practice in correctional settings. This article takes steps to address this deficit by presenting a new and timely approach to prison library research. It suggests that situating prison library research within the disciplines of librarianship, education and criminology can lead to a deeper understanding of the contribution made by libraries to the lives of those in prison. The authors propose a theoretical model which draws on theories of desistance, informal learning theories and critical librarianship. This model can be used by both library and education researchers and practitioners to build a body of evidence on the value of the prison library, and may act as a roadmap to good practice. It is an initial framework, intended to be adapted and refined as more empirical evidence is collected in this area