An empirical research on strategic planning in public libraries of China's Mainland

Purpose: As an important issue, strategic planning in public libraries has been paid more attention in China recent years. However, a comprehensive and systematic research, especially strategic models based on empirical studies, is required in the public library strategic planning. The purpose of this research is to investigate the current practices and propose an appropriate reference and guidance of strategic planning in public libraries in China’s mainland.Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire-based survey method is carried out to collect the views of public libraries staff at different levels in China’s mainland. The questionnaire is designed on the following four aspects toward strategic planning in public libraries: The attitude, the status quo, basic issues and the guides. The 882 valid questionnaires are processed by a statistic analysis to reflect the current practices of strategic planning in public libraries in China’s mainland.Findings: Our research results reveal that the unclear and confused understanding of the strategic planning still exist among the public libraries staff in China’s mainland. However, the majority of respondents still believe that the strategic planning in public libraries is significant and the library developments will be affected for lacking strategic planning. Moreover, it is considerable that the strategic plans are jointly made by independent agencies and public libraries, or by the public library itself. Also, guidelines and a set of softwares in strategic planning are needed.Research limitations/implications: The study was restricted to six main areas in China. A wider geographic sampling can preferable show the basic status of strategic planning in public libraries.The procedures of data collection would be another limitation. Nevertheless, case studies should be used in the further research.Originality: The importance of this research originates from a large number of first-hand data about strategic planning in public libraries in China’s mainland. The results provide extra perception into the future development of Chinese public libraries. The understanding obtained from this study will play a part in forthcoming evolution of this area of research.

Investigation and Analysis on Websites of Public Libraries in Jiangxi Province

This paper analyzes the significance of the library website establishment. On this basis, the author investigates the present situation of the websites of public library at and above the count3＇ level in Jiangxi province according the investigation： we point out the problems of the public library websites in Jiangxi province, and then give some corresponding measures.

Investigation and Analysis on Websites of Public Libraries in Jiangxi Province

This paper analyzes the significance of the library website establishment. On this basis, the author investigates the present situation of the websites of public library at and above the county level in Jiangxi province according the investigation; we point out the problems of the public library websites in Jiangxi province, and then give some corresponding measures.

Public libraries in China:Development and challenge

Since the start of the new century, public libraries in China have shown a healthy trend of development, featuring an ever-increasing scale, an initially established service system, a steady progress in infrastructure construction, improvement in networking, digitization and modernization levels, and strengthening of service efficacy. Nevertheless, there are also serious problems, such as a weak foundation, insufficient funding, lagging legislation,and shortage of professionals. For the present and for a certain period to come, the focus of the building of public libraries should be placed on further seeking financial support, promoting the building of service systems covering both urban and rural areas, and improving services.

Research on the Linkage Effect and Coordinated Development Between Public Libraries Construction and Innovation Efficiency:Theoretical and Empirical Evidence from China

Based on the panel data of 29 provincial administrative regions in China from 2011 to 2022,this study uses the entropy weighting method and the global super-efficiency SBM model to evaluate and measure the public libraries construction level and innovation efficiency in China,uses the vector autoregression model,theαconvergence model and theβconvergence model to evaluate and test whether there is a positive linkage effect between public libraries construction and innovation efficiency,and uses the coupling coordination model to calculate and analyze the coupling coordination degree between public libraries construction and innovation efficiency.The results show that China’s public libraries construction and innovation efficiency are generally in a good development trend,but there is still a large gap from reaching a high level.There is a positive linkage effect between China’s public libraries construction and innovation efficiency,which can not only promote each other’s development,but also drive each other to achieve regional balanced development.The coupling coordination degree between China’s public libraries construction and innovation efficiency is showing a steady upward trend,but it is still on the verge of imbalance as a whole,and the eastern region is significantly better than the central region and western region.The results reveal the positive linkage effect between public libraries construction and innovation efficiency,which has enlightenment significance for building a strong country in culture and innovation.Based on this,this study puts forward suggestions on increasing investment in public libraries construction,optimizing the configuration structure of innovation factors,and strengthening the deep integration of public libraries construction and innovation activities,so as to give full play to the positive linkage effect between public libraries construction and innovation efficiency.

On accelerating the renaissance of public libraries in Central China

Since the implementation of the 12 th Five-Year Plan in 2011, public libraries in Central China have been slow-growing in the Central lowland. There are four main manifestations: disproportionate resources to the population served, relatively slow development speed, low level of equalization and rising comparable service costs. To revitalize public libraries in Central China, efforts should be made in the following aspects: macro adjustments of national policy, specifying and strengthening the main responsibilities of local governments, speeding up the construction of the central-branch system of public libraries on the county level, expanding and deepening the application of Library+ and Internet+, improving the guiding function of evaluations and seizing the historic opportunity to promote the construction of the public cultural service system in underprivileged areas.

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.

A study of changing information needs of contemporary public library users in China

Public libraries should be vigilant and responsive to the ever changing information needs of their clientele functioning in a society undergoing through rapid change due to technological innovations. China is currently experiencing a social and technological transformation of great magnitude in terms of metamorphosing itself from a traditional society to one that is driven by information technologies. Our research study, taking this proposition into account, did a questionnaire survey on 954 library information users at five major public libraries. This research study has discovered that the information needs of public library users today reflect some of the peculiar characteristics of their society in changing times which is driven largely by the rapid development and application of new information technologies. It shows that there is a newly added demand emphasis on certain categories of library resources and services by the Chinese reading public. Our research findings have identified such needs basically in the following five functional areas of public libraries, namely, 1) Increased demands for economic resources, 2) rising expectations for more effective and efficient library services, 3) a convenient location and an amicable environment congenial to learning, 4) a suitable place for engaging in intellectual dialogues and in socialization, and 5) a few other technological amenities and information technology-based digital resources and facilities in addition to a rich repository of library materials in print format. Finally, our paper concludes its discussion with a few observation remarks about the changing trend of public libraries' visions, missions and operations vis-à-vis a contextual background of the ever heightened public expectations for getting quality information services in a timely manner in order for them to function effectively in an information-oriented society such as that of ours today.

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.

Evaluation of Cross-Strait Public Library Website

In recent years, many evaluations on Web sites have been conducted, and relevant researches have also been carried out in academic circle. This paper introduces an innovative method called correspondence analysis to evaluate public library Websites from five aspects-traffic, visit, connectivity, speed and page views. Some suggestions based on the result of evaluation are given in this paper with an expectation to promote the construction and development of public library Websites.

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.

THE TEXTS FORMERLY OWNED BY ST. PAUL PUBLIC LIBRARY AND PUBLISHED IN SET

In 1961 T. B. Jones and J. W. Snyder published 332 texts from many collections in the United States in their book Sumerian Economic Texts from the Third Ur Dynasty, a Catalogue and Discussion of Documents from Various Collections (Minneapolis)

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.

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.

Current status and future development of Chinese Government Public Information Online

Since its launch last year, the Chinese Government Public Information Online(CGPIO) platform's basic construction has developed rapidly. This paper describes the technology and service status of the platform, analyzes its problems, and details the future development of the alliance platform in the future.

A Preliminary Study of the Training of Drawing Skills for Civil Engineering Majors in Higher Vocational Colleges Under the “1+X” System

Architectural engineering drawing skills are one of the important standards of talent ability that construction enterprises pay attention to.Under the“1+X”system,as a pilot college of“1+X”in higher vocational education,and according to the standards of“Vocational Skill Level Certificate in Architectural Engineering Drawing,”a channel to improve students’core working skills is explored through the implementation of the teaching reform.

From institutional merger integration to institutional strategic transformation:A case study of the strategic management paradigm at Shanghai Library

This article attempts to apply the strategic management theory to the subsequent shaping up of a readjusted strategic development policy for Shanghai Library after its merger with the Institute of Scientific and Technological Information of Shanghai(ISTIS)in 1995.It also tries to analyze and explicate such an empirical implementation of institutional reintegration process through strategic management at Shanghai Metropolitan Library.By doing so,it aims to present an objective case study of activities based on the strategic management paradigm at a major Chinese metropolitan public library.

Development in theoretical study and practice of library legislation in China

One of the most outstanding characteristics of library legislation in China is that theoretical research and legislative practice are mutually reinforcing, making important issues and basic rules and regulations closely associated with legislation and the research focus. A national library law is currently being enacted while several local library legislations have already seen fruitful results. In the enactment of 'Regulations for the Protection of Information Network Dissemination Rights', the library professional participated for the first time in enacting a national copyright law, which led to unprecedented flourishing of library activities and copyright studies. The promulgation of another legal framework,'Government Information Disclosure Regulations' further advanced the research on related issues and pushed forward government information services in public libraries in the same way. A new landmark for library legislation in recent years is the promulgation of'Guidelines for Land Utilization for Public Library Construction' and 'Public Library Construction Standards', while the framing of 'Rules of Professional Ethics for Librarians in China(On trial)' and the 'Library Service Manifesto' give indication that a framework of self-disciplinary measures of library professionals is established.

A survey of the information needs of visually impaired library users

Purpose:The research aims to investigate the information needs of visually impaired library users in China in order to increase our understanding of these users and help the Chinese public libraries improve their services for them.Design/methodology/approach:A questionnaire survey was used to study the library users’ information needs.Eleven large public libraries in different areas of China,which were pioneers in implementing services for visually impaired people,were chosen to conduct the survey.Data analysis was based on 97 valid questionnaires retrieved.Findings:Radio and television were still the preferred sources of information for visually impaired users.In information seeking,they had a strong preference for obtaining information in the most convenient way,and accessing a vast amount of information,which was updated quickly.They paid more attention to the information closely related to their work and life.Their purposes of seeking information were mainly for learning,relaxation and intercommunication.Visually impaired users felt some barriers in their access to library services such as a lack of time or a sighted companion who can come along for the trip to the library.Moreover,it was difficult for them to use the Internet to search for information,because many websites do not support the auxiliary software designed especially for visually impaired users or the websites offer only a paid subscriber service.Research limitations:A majority of the respondents were young and middle-aged people and engaged in work.The sample size needs to be enlarged,and different groups of users such as old people and students should be included to yield more useful results.Practical implications:The survey results provide insights into the information needs of the Chinese visually impaired library users.Meanwhile,the research can serve as a reference source for the future studies of the service for visually impaired library users.Originality/value:So far,few studies were conducted to investigate the information needs of visually impaired library users in China.

The construction of central and branch libraries in China since the 21st century

The process of building central and branch libraries since the year 2000 accelerates the equalization of public library services. This process can be divided into three stages. In the first stage(2000-2006), attempts are made to solve problems related to government-led administration, Borrow Anywhere, Return Anywhere(BARA) service, technical support, and centralized management. In the second stage(2007-2010), some central and branch libraries expanded their scale and achieved remarkable progress through professional reform. Theoretical research in this period shed light on the objective laws in building the central and branch libraries. The third stage(2011-present) has witnessed libraries’ active participation in building 'National Demonstration Zones for Public Cultural Services', which is initiated by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Finance. Researchers have been focusing on factors related to the sustainable development of central-branch libraries system. Such research directly promotes the promulgation of Guidance on Promoting the County Central-branch Cultural Center System and Central-branch Library System Development. Centering its discussions on the Guidance, this paper puts forward several issues that require special attention in building central and branch libraries in the new development stage. First, correctly understanding and handling the relationship between local conditions and professional requirements. Building central-branch libraries requires appropriate solutions that avoid conflicts with institutional barriers, so as to meet to the maximum the professional requirements in concept and design. Second, issues in building central-branch libraries at the county level are addressed in this paper. Third, providing universal and equitable services and fulfilling missions of the public library requires the construction of branch libraries in physical form. New types of services can only serve as integral parts and supplement of central-branch libraries. Fourth, the service innovation of 'library plus' should reflect the service concepts of public libraries, and guard against the establishment of service barriers or threshold.