Editorial

Citation

Ashcroft, L. (2007), "Editorial", New Library World, Vol. 108 No. 5/6. https://doi.org/10.1108/nlw.2007.072108eaa.001

Editorial

Public Libraries in the Knowledge Economy, a report for the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (see www.mla.gov.uk), notes that only 7 per cent of the libraries surveyed were formally involved in Economic Development & Enterprise Local Area Agreements (the local structure for developing shared priorities and joined-up services), although 25 per cent in total were involved in Local Area Agreements of some sort. However, the report also notes that libraries are increasingly seen as natural partners in economic development by other local authority departments and external agencies. The report concludes “We believe that public libraries are not on the government’s ‘radar screen’ in terms of economic development policy – including its policies for delivering its knowledge economy vision”. Local economic development and libraries form the topic of Dent’s article – but in the context of rural community libraries in Uganda. As well as providing an overview of economic development in Uganda, research data from studies at Kitengesa Community Library is incorporated to discuss some important links between the rural library and the ways it might impact upon human development areas, such as economic uplift, education and literacy.

Research suggests that reading novels is linked to empathy. In a “bookworms versus nerds” study in Canada, high scores for empathy and social understanding and awareness were associated with fiction reading, while the opposite was the case for the readers of non-fiction (see www.psych.utoronto.ca~raymond). (Although perhaps it could be the case that people who prefer fiction might naturally have higher levels of empathy.) The article by Peoples and Ward focuses on a major reader development initiative delivered by a cross-border partnership. This demonstrates that sensitive and contentious issues can be addressed through the provision of reading activities, which can also promote libraries as inclusive and welcoming environments.

The European Commission (EC) has urged member states to set up large-scale digitisation facilities, as public bodies work to comply with plans for a European digital library of cultural content by 2010. The EC also plans to fund a network of centres of competence on digitisation and digital resources. Digital libraries, in the context of the European debate, are the focus of the article by Tammaro. She discusses the roles for digital librarians, who should have a combination of technological and librarianship competences, and the approaches to digital library education provision.

Lancashire County Library and Information Service held a launch of the Online Reference Library in June 2006, with some promotion on local radio. Bookmarks, pens and banner stands were produced to advertise the service, and publicity days have been held in local libraries to tell the public what the Online Reference Library can offer them. However, staff have spent time outside the library, improving outreach about the service by travelling on the BBC Lancashire Bus as it travels round the county. This has been an opportunity to talk to people about the service and has also provided valuable airtime. Del Bosque and Chapman discuss outreach reference and instruction programs in their article. Their case study, at the University of Texas at San Antonio, provides practical information on how services, including Direct-2-U Reference, Crash Courses and Drop-In Tours, were implemented. They also discuss the ongoing evaluation, which informs the direction and marketing of the services.

The new Ascot Durning Library was opened by HRH the Countess of Wessex, who, with her husband, watched an ICT session and a storytime. The new, twice as large library is now located in the racecourse building, and the facility was provided through a Section 106 agreement connected to the redevelopment of the racecourse. Pitman, in her article, discusses the relocation of the UCL SSES library to new library premises, taking a case study approach to describe the various issues around library design, working with architects and project managers and managing a library move. Most of the processes and problems likely to be encountered in a major library building project are considered.

Libraries are becoming increasingly electronic from both the housekeeping aspect and from the ways in which information is accessed and used. Whilst libraries and IT services have been converging in many libraries for some time for functionality purposes, users seem to demand increased simplicity and clarity without any divisional boundaries (Akeroyd, 2007). As technology has become more robust, digital technology now underpins many areas of service delivery. Liu and Li’s article presents a case study of the development of an urban library service system in China. They summarize technology innovation and the significant results of the Dongguan library system redevelopment, providing an absorbing insight into developments in the Chinese public library service.

Linda Ashcroft