Social information behaviour in Bookshops: implications for digital libraries

We discuss here our observations of the interaction of bookshop customers with the books and with each other. Contrary to our initial expectations, customers do not necessarily engage in focused, joint information search, as observed in libraries, but rather the bookshop is treated as a social space similar to a cafe. Our results extend the known repertoire of collaborative behaviours, supporting further development of models of user tasks and goals. We compare our findings with previous work and discuss possible implications of our observations for the design of digital libraries as places of both information access and social interaction

Patterns of Perceived Public Library Outcomes in Five Countries

Purpose - The aim of the study is to compare the perceived benefits of public libraries between five culturally different countries: Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, South Korea and the U.S. Design/methodology/approach - The data was based on representative samples of Finnish, Norwegian, Dutch, Korean and American adult library users. In Finland a mail survey was used and in other countries web surveys were used for data collection. The distribution of the proportion of those benefiting from the library in various areas of life at least sometimes was compared across countries. The pattern of benefits was compared across countries by forming four outcome indexes from the 19 benefit areas. The differences in the outcomes between the countries were explained by demographics and library use variables. Findings - The intensity of perceived benefits differ considerably, with the Finns and Americans reporting a higher level of benefits than the South Koreans, who in turn derive more profit than the Norwegians and the Dutch. The large difference in library supply between Finland and other countries may explain the differences in the perceived benefits in part of other countries but the U.S. Research limitations/implications - The study covered only some socio-economic and library usage factors as independent variables explaining the variation of benefit patterns. A more thorough analysis of library supply between the countries may explain some differences in perceived benefits. Practical implications - The policy implications of these findings are discussed. Originality/value - This is the first across-country study comparing and explaining the patterns of perceived benefits between culturally different countries

Digital Information Literacy: A Case Study in Oslo Public Library

This paper examines the digital information literacy (DIL) of public library professionals in Norway and explores the ways to improve their skills as well as identify barriers to improvement. The case study method was used and semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with twenty public library professionals. The knowledge sharing approach was visible among the staff, but the slow adaptation of technology, and organizational, personal, and technological barriers were hindering the DIL development. Online training modules, mapping the staff competencies, assessment of the staff needs, advanced and customized training programs, long-term strategies, and decentralized initiatives were suggested for the improvement of DIL