Support for Adult Learners in Libraries

Citation

Revill, D. (2001), "Support for Adult Learners in Libraries", New Library World, Vol. 102 No. 10, pp. 409-412. https://doi.org/10.1108/nlw.2001.102.10.409.3

Drodge draws on his experience in adult education to update a work first produced in 1988. He says that it is not a research report although it rests on research he once undertook. His intended audience is mainly young professionals in public libraries but he hopes that more senior managers, including those in educational establishments, might find it of interest. Drodge looks at the information available about adult learners (who they are, and how many there are), information about adult educational opportunities, what educational guidance exists, the materials and resources required (even including the “book box”), ICT support, basic skills and open and distance learning. This “personal view” is written in a colloquial style that makes easy reading but which might irritate. Sentences frequently begin with prepositions and conjunctions – and no verbs in some. While Drodge encourages the provision of information about adult classes in public libraries, in this reviewer’s experience there is little evidence of the converse, that is information on public libraries in adult classes. Similarly adult education tutors seldom tell their classes about the services the public library might be able to offer them, perhaps never having been approached themselves. Yet I, and Drodge, have every sympathy for the public libraries’ dilemma in “trying to fit learners in among a thousand other client demands” (p. vi). It is all a matter of market identification and segmentation. Do public libraries get credit and extra resources for such activities? The solution, as usual, rests on librarians talking to those who provide the courses – administrators, tutors, advisers and the class members themselves. It takes a lot of time and effort. University libraries find it difficult enough despite their having a more or less captive, known, audience. All this is within a context of worsening staff to user ratios and ever tighter budgets.

Drodge believes the public library should produce a “local” database of adult learning opportunities. Such an activity should really be the responsibility of the educational providers, yet individual colleges or groups of colleges, never mind local TAPs and other agencies, seldom seem to cooperate with neighbouring authorities to produce a comprehensive guide, covering say a 25‐mile radius. People cross, and may not recognise, local authority and other administrative boundaries. The public library sees the problem and proceeds to step in. The Web offers the possibility of a solution. Will “learning partnerships” and “learning and skills councils” now do this work ?

The advice available to would‐be learners is discussed. One worry is that despite “thorough” training an awful responsibility is assumed by librarians and advisers. I would argue that you are not truly capable of offering “correct” advice unless you have personally undertaken the particular course of study itself recently and qualified in it. Otherwise your advice is based on hearsay and second hand knowledge. Like the careers teacher who really only knows about teaching as a career and who is susceptible to all the generally held misconceptions lay people have about jobs (vide librarianship). So advisers ought to be able to call upon people who have first hand experience of a field – an additional referral service perhaps. Drodge also touches on the possible need to keep records arranged by the name of the enquirer so that further information, or advice on a continuing basis, can be given on subsequent approaches or as new material comes in. This is a good idea and one that special librarians, and some academic librarians, can exploit given a known (and small?) clientele. There will be obvious objections here in the public library context.

As ever, cash is at the root of it all. “Some quite ambitious and successful (advice) services have run for the period of their initial funding and then disappeared as the source of cash dried up and was not replaced” (p. 17). Nor does Drodge evade the problems in acquiring, advertising availability, and controlling, suitable learning materials including copyright and licensing difficulties and the expendable nature of some material (a new experience for some libraries). A particular difficulty, which might have been given more extensive coverage, is that of the multiple copy problem. Public libraries operate best when individuals request single items rather than in a situation where several members of a class ask for (say) “Admiralty chart 5011” (which is not a chart). An enquiry on flower arranging might be easier to handle. On ICT Drodge has a realistic and practical understanding of the possibilities and problems.

Drodge suggests that a class might best be “fired with enthusiasm and obtain extra reading matter … at the end of the class” hence a visit to the library. Yet all too frequently, even if the library is open in the evenings its closing times coincide with that of the class. My experience is that it is better for the tutor to take the whole class to the library during at least one of the half‐time breaks. This then provides an opportunity to discuss sources and stresses the tutor’s approval of wider reading. As a class ends members are, usually, all too motivated simply to go home, or to the pub. Typical, perhaps, is the provision at the high school, where I am currently attending an evening class. The library has never been open, most of the lights are off, the nearest toilet is locked and there are no refreshment facilities. Parking is good though, as most people have gone home!

Taking ideas from this title could lead to a useful discussion for any library offering, or considering offering, services to adult learners. There is a final chapter called “Twenty‐five practical ways to work with adult learners” that could form the basis of a helpful discussion. Yet £25 seems a little on the high side for just some 100 pages.