On Public Library Service Brands

This paper makes a comprehensive analysis of the building of public library service brands in China since the initiation of the reform and opening up in 1978 and anticipate their future development in five aspects,i.e.,critical interpretation of its established culture and analysis of its characteristics,logic of the time,vivid practice,virtuous approaches,as well as future development.

Public library services to older adults in China:An empirical study based on content analysis

Purpose:The research is undertaken to help the Chinese public libraries answer the growing needs for library services to the elderly.Based on an investigation of the current situation of the services to older adults in China and a comparative analysis of the services in the U.S.,we attempt to explore what improvements the Chinese public libraries can make to better serve the needs of older adults.Design/methodology/approach:We empirically analyzed the older adults services of 271public libraries in China from 2002 to 2011 via content analysis of both the print materials such as the regulations and policies released by these libraries and the related information on the libraries' websites and the Internet Web pages.Findings:Great strides have been made in the Chinese public libraries' services to older adults in constructing service systems,providing facilities and equipment,exploring cooperative programming,and planning diversified and regularly scheduled activities.Compared with American counterparts,however,the Chinese public libraries need to catch up in understanding the elderly people as library users,planning customized services,formulating service guidelines and evaluation systems,and working with other local agencies for cooperative programming for seniors in communities.Research limitations:It is hard to collect more data covering more geographical areas and longer periods of time.The content analysis of libraries' policies and regulations is a very rough approximation of the libraries' 'real' services.The study should be extended to visits to public libraries in the future.Practical implications:This study provides useful information for the Chinese library policymakers to formulate regulations and policies to provide services to older adults.Originality/value:To the best of our knowledge,the comprehensive survey reported in this paper is the first in-depth investigation of the current situation of public library services to older adults in China,providing the analysis framework for more in-depth surveys in the future.

A questionnaire survey on reading and public library utilization of the disabled in Beijing

To investigate the reading activities and library use of the disabled, the authors conducted a questionnaire-based survey among 306 disabled people in four districts of Beijing. The result shows that the disabled mainly take reading as a way of self-education and leisure. They have interest in reading but spend little time on it. Moreover, their age and education level have certain influence on their reading time and effect. Libraries play an important role in the reading activities of the disabled, who have a very strong interes in using libraries, but are limited by such factors as long distance between their home and the libraries, their misperception of libraries, and lack of barrier-free facilities in the libraries. Therefore, public libraries are highly recommended to improve their layout resources, and facilities to provide better services for the disabled.

Towards equal and universal access to public library services in China:Consolidation of local public library systems in the context of cultural services for all

This paper reports on a LSC(Library Society of China) funded project 'Library Service Network Development' and its major findings.The primary objective of the project was to investigate the work that Chinese local governments and the library profession has devoted to consolidating regional and local library systems for equitable access since the beginning of this Millennium.The study shows that in the past few years,local governments and library professionals have proactively sought ways to establish community based libraries,build contract based main-branch relations and develop regional library service networks.The study also shows that although these endeavors have produced visible improvement to local public library systems and have accumulated valuable experience for promoting equality of access,a true and sustainable equality of public library access requires radical changes to the governing structure of Chinese public libraries:it requires a redefinition of their development agents and administrative unit.

On the "chain system and grassroots sites of libraries" service system construction of public libraries in the western region of China:The example of the service system design of public libraries in Baoji

In the context of constructing national public cultural demonstration areas all over China and taking the system innovation history of Baoji as an example,this paper studies the path choices and service system design of the development of service system of public libraries in the western region of China.The results show that the key issue the China public library service system is facing is to promote system innovation;the 'chain system and grassroots sites of libraries' is a new synthesized innovative program on public library service system in accordance with the actual situations of Baoji area and other areas in the western region of China;the service system design of local public libraries should insist on seeking truth from facts,and carrying out an integrated,simple and feasible reform according to local conditions.

Restrictions on incremental financial investment in the construction of modern public cultural service system: Based on investigations of county public libraries

The establishment of the goal of building a national public cultural service system in 2015 has set up a clear goal that the state public financial investment should maintain a steady growth.However,through continuous observation of public libraries at the county-level,it was found that the traditional management mode of"increase output by increasing public investment"is losing its strength due to the dual constraints of growing institutional costs and the transformation of residents’cultural consumption patterns.On the whole,the cultural industry has entered an overlapping period of"soft contraction"and structural transformation.The rising disparity between eastern,central,western China and northeastern China in the 21 st century combined with different variables such as financial subsidies,employees,population base and GDP affects the performance of public resources in county libraries,leading to ineffectiveness of the format management mode formed under the planning system to varying degrees and"L-type"performance mode in county-level public library.To raise the performance of grassroots public cultural institutions,it is no longer merely a technical issue of"increasing staff and adding money",but mainly the issue of deepening the reform of the structural management in the industrial system.At the macro level,it is necessary to go beyond the traditional ideas of largely increasing public input to motivate business development and performance improvement,and establish the policy design principles on the premise of"increasing public investment"and"innovation management system".At the middle level,the grass-roots units of culture should explore the establishment of independent status,improve the corporate governance structure,and transform from"input-driven mode"to"management innovation-driven mode".At the practical level,the government should further improve the system of purchasing public cultural services by social forces,explore the establishment of a voting mechanism for residents’consumption of public cultural products,and enlarge the leverage function of the incentive policy which guides the consumer-side to supply-side reform.

Pluralistic Choice of Government Public Service Pattern： Trend and Strategy

20世纪80年代以来，在治理理论不断兴起的背景下．政府公共服务方式的多元化发展成为一种趋势，这也是源于公共服务主体的多中心、公共服务需求的复杂化、现代科学技术与工具手段的发展等多重动因。创新公共服务方式，关键在于公共服务多元方式与技术工具的集成运用。为此，应通过选择实施流程再造、构建电子政府、引入竞争机制和志愿机制等策略，实现公共服务的一站式、电子化、市场化和社会化的全方位供给。

The Role of Library and Information Science Education in the Development of Community Health Information Services for People Living with HIV/AIDS: Perspectives of Directors and Managers of Public Libraries

This article identifies the role of library and information science (LIS) education in the development of community health information services for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Preliminary findings are presented from semi- structured qualitative interviews that were conducted with eleven directors and managers of local branches in the Knox County Public Library (KCPL) System that is located in the East Tennessee region in the United States. Select feedback reported by research participants is summarized in the article about strategies in LIS education that can help local public librarians and others in their efforts to become more responsive information providers to PLWHA. Research findings help better understand the issues and concerns regarding the development of digital and non-digital health information services for PLWHA in local public library institutions.

Public Relation Practices in Polytechnic Libraries for Effective Service Delivery in North-Central,Nigeria

This study investigated public relations practices for effective service delivery in polytechnic libraries in North-Central,Nigeria.The study was guided by two research questions.The descriptive survey research design was adopted for this study.The population of the study was 107 library staff consisting of both federal and state polytechnic libraries in North-Central,Nigeria.There was no sampling as all the population of the study was used as sample.Two sets of instruments were used to collect data for the study:questionnaire for library staff and interview guide for the polytechnic librarians.The instruments were subjected to face validation by two experts.Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while the qualitative data were transcribed,coded,and analyzed through document analysis as confirmatory to the quantitative data collected.The formulated hypotheses were tested using t-test.The findings revealed that public relations practices used by librarians were attending to users’enquiries on the public information desks and providing suggestion boxes to collect users’opinions,etc.(X=3.20,Sd=0.77;X=3.10,Sd=0.73);Projectors and bulletin boards were the facilities employed in public relations practices(X=3.21,Sd=0.86;X=3.18,Sd=0.69).Based on the findings,it was recommended that,the library management should create awareness on the public relations practices used for effective service delivery through such fora as workshop,orientation,and seminar to educate library users on the relevance of public relations;also librarians should use every possible avenue to be abreast with state-of-the-art facilities that can be employed in public relations practices in polytechnic libraries for effective service delivery,among others.

Impact of Urban Public Service Facilities on Distribution Pattern of Housing Price

The impact of different public service facilities is obtained by investigating the infl uence of public service facilities on distribution pattern of housing price in 25 cities.According to the survey results,public education service facilities have the highest weight and the greatest impact,which also refl ects the root of“school district housing fever”from the side.Public sports service facilities have the lowest score when compared with other options.This is not because public sports service facilities are not important,but is determined by actual situation of social development and actual living standard of residents in China.From the improvement and enhancement of urban public service facilities,the construction of public service facilities should be convenient for people’s education,health,culture and entertainment.

On the service brand of public library

Since the Reform and Opening-up of China in 1978,public libraries have made great progress,including the construction of public library service brand.From five aspects,this paper makes a comprehensive analysis and exposition of the splendid and varied public library service brands in the past decades and their future development in China.

IFLA/Systematic年度公共图书馆奖获奖项目分析及启示

国际图联设立的IFLA/Systematic年度公共图书馆奖专门授予当今世界上最佳的公共图书馆。年度公共图书馆奖获奖项目的特点有:与周边地理环境相协调,反映当地传统文化;坚持空间设计的灵活性,考虑读者的多种需求;强调绿色环保设计,倡导绿色发展理念;注重信息技术应用,提高服务的便利性;鼓励用户参与图书馆建设,重视用户的体验和需求。本文通过对评审标准和获奖项目的分析,旨在为我国图书馆建筑及空间设施的建设和利用提供借鉴。

A survey of public needs for government information service in libraries

Purpose:This paper describes a comprehensive user survey carried out in China to investigate public needs for government information service in libraries.It is expected to provide insights into the ways to help public libraries meet the user needs.Design/methodology/approach:The paper is founded on a survey among library users,librarians and non-library users.Paper questionnaires were distributed in the National Library of China and 32 provincial public libraries in China and electronic questionnaires were sent to non-library users.A total of 909 valid questionnaires were collected.Findings:A lot of attention is paid to policies,laws and regulations relating to common people’s work and lives such as science,technology,education,culture,finance,market supervision,health care,sports,urban construction and environment protection.A wide variety of government information resources is needed and information delivered to users shall be accurate and timely.Internet has become the main means of accessing government information and mobile phones the preferred Web access channel,while printed materials are considered important information sources.Users need assistance and training in the use of library information resources and services.Research limitations:The sample was limited to respondents from provincial-level public libraries,but city and county-level library users were not included.Practical implications:The survey results are beneficial for the Chinese public libraries to design service programs and improve their services.Originality/value:The paper is one of the comprehensive surveys on public needs for government information service in the Chinese libraries and some of die findings will be of wider interest for other libraries.

Current Status and Analysis on Space Service in East China Public Libraries: A Case Study

This paper provides references for the space service of public libraries in China. 51 public libraries in East China were investigated in terms of space type, space facilities and space service reconstruction;the current situation of space service was analyzed and some problems were revealed. Based on the investigation, the characteristics of public libraries’ space service in East China are summarized from the perspective of space type, space service concept and space service mode. And the problems in the aspects of new space service level, space service facility construction and space service evaluation mechanism are pointed out. Through the analysis, space service strategies of public libraries in China are proposed: libraries’ overall quality should be strengthened;space service based on information technology should be promoted;users’ needs should be respected and evaluation mechanism should be developed.

The historical contributions of the Public Library Law of the People’s Republic of China

The main historical contribution of the Public Library Law is reflected in the following aspects:it clearly defines the notion of the public library,which not only reflects the internationally accepted law but also endows with Chinese characteristics;it guides the development of public librarianship in China;it meets the needs of the historical requirement proposed by the transformation of social principal contradiction in this new era;it clearly defines the legal responsibilities of the government in establishing public libraries and in ensuring their daily management;it innovates public libraries’governing structure;it promotes the integration of public library services with modern technologies;it establishes fundamental guidelines for encouraging public participation in public library development;and it clearly defines the nature and functions of the National Library and perfects publications deposit system.

A survey of public needs for digital information service in libraries and museums

Purpose:The purpose of the research is to investigate public needs for digital information service in the Chinese libraries and museums and seek ways to help these public service institutions improve their service to meet user needs.Design/methodology/approach:An online questionnaire survey was used to study the publicneeds for digital information service provided by libraries and museums.A total of 474 valid questionnaires were retrieved for analysis.Findings:The primary purpose of using the digital library and museum service was for knowledge acquisition,followed by work or class assignment and leisure and entertainment.Users need one-stop information service that provides information and service in a more integrated form and allows cross-database searching as well.Research limitations:A majority of the respondents were young and middle-aged people who often use the Internet.We would need to increase our sample size and include different groups of users such as children and retirees to make the sample more representative.Practical implications:Libraries and museums should collaborate to provide the users with one-stop digital information service.Meanwhile,the research can serve as a reference source for the future studies of digital library and museum service.Originality/value:Few studies were published on the public needs for digital library and museum service in China.This study bridges the gap and contributes to our understanding of the Chinese users’ needs for digital information service in libraries and museums.

A discourse on creating and rendering educational and cultural enrichment services to rural migrant workers by public libraries

As far as China's enormous success in her economic reforms and development is concerned,Chinese rural migrant workers indeed have had their biggest share of contributions.Yet ironically in return,they have only received a disproportionate meager share of benefit rewards.These people represent a huge economically deprived group at the bottom of the social totem pole in China's metropolises.On the whole as a social group,their educational attainment is relatively low as compared to their average urban coworkers.As such being the case,their rights to access some of the cost-free cultural and educational enrichment programs in the society are limited and not always assured.Nevertheless and in general speaking,they manifest a strong and consistent desire to acquire all sorts of new and practical knowledge by means of accessing the resources and facilities of their local public libraries.It is suggested in this paper that public libraries are in a good position to give strong support to the central government's strategic planning for the development of a public culture service systema).In implementing such a government initiative with an unswerving purpose of advancing social justice and equality,public libraries should strife to provide as many as possible their library services at no cost to the public,especially to those socially deprived rural migrant workers.

美国公共图书馆“Seed Library”服务实践

文章介绍了近十几年来在美国公共图书馆中逐渐开展的"Seed Library"服务项目,首先阐述了其提出背景、在公共图书馆中的缘起;而后介绍了这一服务的主要运作模式,并以皮马郡公共图书馆为例,描述其"Seed Library"开展步骤;最后对服务实践的开展进行思考并提出公共图书馆应努力保持与社会发展的相关性、承担更多社会职责、注重用户体验、引导用户自主学习能力的提升、积极寻求社会协作的建议。

Living Library引入公共图书馆的必要性与可行性研究

Living Library服务已相继被引入中国高校、私人、网络和少部分公共图书馆领域,美中不足的是,公共图书馆引入此项服务,呈现出规模不大、参与度低、活动形式僵化、主题单一、Livingbook类型不丰富、活动缺乏持久性等缺憾。为了延伸现代图书馆的服务功能,建设和完善中国公共图书馆多元化的服务体系,笔者在系统梳理Living Library的缘起、意义以及国内发展现状的基础上,重点分析了Living Library全面引入公共图书馆领域并使之成为规范化、常态化服务的必要性与可行性,以期将LivingLibrary服务早日纳入中国公共图书馆读者服务体系中。

A brief introduction to the development of the public librarianship in China

This paper briefly introduces the development status,background and prospect of the public librarianship in China.It contains a brief analysis of the basic situation of the public library in China at present according to the data announced by the government,and gives an explanation about China's public library orientation,working condition,service characteristics and existing problems.In addition,the author provides a detailed description of the library's present working emphasis in order to present readers with an overall view of the basic condition of China's public library development at present time.