THE FOURTH BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alexander L. Slade ©2005
CHAPTER 3
ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN DISTANCE AND OPEN LEARNING
This chapter includes works that focus primarily on the role of
public libraries in supporting distance and open learning.
Public Libraries
2002
Barsun, Rita. "Postsecondary Distance Learners and Public
Libraries: Challenges and Opportunities." Indiana Libraries
21, no. 1 (2002):11-17.
An overview is given on how distance education librarians
can help their students meet their library needs outside the
academic library. The author looks at research that studies the
natural tendency of DE students to expect their local public
library to meet their research needs. They often turn to it
because of ease of use, convenient parking, fast web access, and
ILL services offered. However, they are frequently frustrated by
their unrealistic expectations of the local library's resources
and services. The author presents examples of public libraries
which, through grants and other funding sources, have successfully
added programs and services to support community distance
learners. In addition, she lists ways that academic librarians can
forge formal and informal relationships to establish good working
relationships with public libraries with DE students in their
communities. The author stresses the importance of using tact when
encouraging students to use primarily their academic library's
services while also establishing professional relationships with
the students' local libraries. The article contains three very
useful appendices which include suggestions on how the public
library can assist distance learners and how the academic
librarian can help the public library in doing this. P.
Ortega.
Davies, Rob. "PULMAN: Europe's Network of Excellence for Public
Libraries, Museums and Archives at Local Level." In Libraries
Without Walls 4: The Delivery of Library Services to Distant
Users, edited by Peter Brophy, Shelagh Fisher, and Zoë
Clarke. London: Facet Publishing, 2002, 231-237.
The PULMAN (Public Libraries Mobilising Advanced
Networks) Network of Excellence encourages local or regional level
cooperation and growth among public, museum, and other cultural
institutions in European countries. The public library network
includes coordinators representing 26 European countries, with
plans for extended participation and further development. Its
aims are to promote policy and practice sharing, to strengthen
performance, and to spread strategic initiatives for the digital
era throughout public libraries in Europe. The details of the work
plans and organizational scheme are outlined and it is expected
that the initiative will be complete by April 2003. M.
Thomas.
Kanjilal, Uma. "Information and Communications Technologies,
Libraries and Lifelong Learning: Prospects for India." New Review
of Libraries and Lifelong Learning 3 (2002): 17-26.
Libraries, especially public libraries, must take an
active lead in consolidating, organizing and strengthening
initiatives in information dissemination and lifelong learning in
India, according to the author. An overview of the library system
in India is presented, including a brief discussion of national,
academic, government and special libraries. The emphasis of this
article, however, is on public libraries, which face enormous
challenges due to lack of resources and widespread illiteracy. The
author describes several Information & Communications
Technology (ITC) projects that have emerged in India to promote
information dissemination, social and economic development and
lifelong learning, particularly in rural areas. Public libraries,
the author contends, must assume the role of integrating these
projects, promoting literacy and emphasizing continuing education.
J. Markgraf.
Nankivell, Clare and Juliet Eve. "Public Libraries Matter." In
Libraries Without Walls 4: The Delivery of Library Services to
Distant Users, edited by Peter Brophy, Shelagh Fisher, and
Zoë Clarke. London: Facet Publishing, 2002, 219-230.
The United Kingdom government has made investments to
improve support provided to learners by the public libraries. In
addition to providing additional funding sources, the Library and
Information Commission published several key documents and steps
were put into place to address some of the needs: infrastructure,
content development and staff training. One major focus of the
document New Library: The People's Network was to develop ICT
(information and communications technology) skills among public
library staff. The "VITAL" project was initialized to assess the
value of ICT services through surveys and questionnaires of ICT
users in a public library setting. The "Training the Future"
component focused upon expectations and attitudes of the public
library staff expected to provide ICT support. This paper
summarizes the results of both studies and concludes that the
public library can serve as a valuable support to independent
learners within the local community, as long as there is continued
support for staff training in this rapidly changing environment of
learning via ICT. M. Thomas.
2001
Shapcott, Mary and Adrian Moore. "The DERAL Project."
[Distance Education in Rural Areas via Libraries] An
Leabharlann. The Irish Library 15, no. 3/4 (2001): 136-145,
The DERAL (Distance Education in Rural Areas via
Libraries) project assessed the role of the public librarians in
promoting distance learning via the Internet. The five partners
&endash; Austria, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and the UK&endash;
developed guidelines and a database of Web resources for the
public librarians to better serve the public wishing to continue
lifelong learning. The survey administered at the different pilot
sites generated variety of data: generally the Swedish and
Austrian users were interested in basic computer skills while
people from Huesca (Spain) wanted distance courses for their
personal development and job prospects. The Northern Ireland users
were interested in computer awareness and spent surfing the
Internet. Based on the results, the DERAL Gateway, a relational
database of online learning resources, was created. The DERAL
Guidelines identified five roles for the libraries and the
librarians: facilities provider, honest broker, information
provider, educator, and marketer. The results revealed that most
users liked the free websites for specific information needs.
Enthusiasm for online learning was dampened due to lack of
suitable courses, language and cultural barriers. The authors
found the Web lacking in good free materials. The local government
had a key role in the success of the project; where there was a
good relationship between the library and the government, the
project was well supported. M. Chakraborty.
2000
Allred, John. "The Origins, Activities and Outcomes of the UK
Department for Education and Employment's 'Open for Learning'
Project, 1992-1995." New Review of Libraries and Lifelong
Learning 1 (2000): 103-122.
The "Open for Learning" project was established to
provide access to library resources and to support adult learners
pursuing individual learning. Adults were able to take courses
and qualifications for professional and personal development on
their own via use of the materials furnished by Open Learning
Centers and available at public libraries. The pilot program was
initiated with ten participating libraries in conjunction with the
Employment Department. Although certain concerns arose, such as
copyright and bibliographic control issues and library staff
training, the program proved beneficial and well received by its
participants. M. Thomas.
Davies, Rob. "Information Society Training and Awareness-Raising
Networks: ISTAR." In Libraries Without Walls 3: The Delivery of
Library Services to Distant Users, edited by Peter Brophy,
Shelagh Fisher, and Zoë Clarke. London: Library Association
Publishing, 2000, 205-219.
ISTAR (Information Society Training and
Awareness-Raising) Networks is an interregional initiative
established by the European Commission, whose goal is to promote
computer technology awareness, and provide access to selected
areas in Europe that have limited opportunities for access to
networks, training, information, and commercial computer
applications. Benefiting a number of groups, including lifelong
learners, the self-employed, and teleworkers, ISTAR networks
utilize the public library services in selected regional sites in
Central Macedonia, Greece, Northern Ireland, UK, and Germany.
This article describes the scheme's planning and implementation
phases, management structure, and work plans, and services. The
project website is http://www.istar.org serves as a gateway to all
regional websites. M. Thomas.
Dority, Kim. "Online Learners and Public Libraries: Annoyance or
Opportunity?" Colorado Libraries 26, no. 4 (Winter 2000):
23-26.
Due to changes in the workplace and societal changes,
statistics show that many are taking advantage of distance
education opportunities offered by traditional universities,
commercial and other institutions. Host universities make great
efforts toward library services in support of online students, yet
public libraries can complement the services that academic
libraries offer. The challenges, both perceived and real, include
adult learners' negative ideas about public libraries, the cost
considerations in gathering and delivery of materials, and the
intimidation factor that many adult learners may feel about
re-entering the library. The author lists some specific ways in
which public libraries to take advantage of these opportunities to
build relationships, create increased visibility, and to market
the library in a positive way. M. Thomas.
Eve, Juliet. "The Evaluation of IT Facilities for Lifelong
Learning in UK Public Libraries: The VITAL Project." In Libraries
Without Walls 3: The Delivery of Library Services to Distant
Users, edited by Peter Brophy, Shelagh Fisher, and Zoë
Clarke. London: Library Association Publishing, 2000, 191-204.
In a climate of government and public support of learning
for all, the public library holds a unique position in providing
opportunities for lifelong learning through the expansion of ICT
facilities for local community. This article provides evaluations
of some of the important UK Government policies and papers that
assert the public library's role in lifelong and open learning.
Highlighted is the VITAL research project (Value and Impact of IT
Access in Libraries), which is a UK initiative whose aim is to
develop and assess the public library's role in its provision of
ICT services. The project seeks to query library users, non-users,
and ICT users about their expectations of the ICT facilities and
support from the library staff. At the date of the article's
publication, the results were not yet complete, but early
indications show that those interviewed want and need access to
ICT and favor the convenience of the public library facility.
M. Thomas.
Germeraad, Goffe and Jan Bronder. "How the Rotterdam Public
Library is Redefining Its Position in a Changing Society." In
Libraries Without Walls 3: The Delivery of Library Services to
Distant Users, edited by Peter Brophy, Shelagh Fisher, and
Zoë Clarke. London: Library Association Publishing, 2000,
183-190.
In response to societal changes, changes in the
distribution of information, changes in customer behavior, changes
in education and technology, the Rotterdam Public Library has
managed to do well in meeting the needs of the city's 600,000
inhabitants. Taking a proactive stance, the library has carried
out customer surveys and market research and a number of efforts
have been implemented, including structural alterations to the
main library building and to some of its 22 branches, commitment
to staff development and enhanced cooperation with the other
libraries and other entities. New services include installation
of an information call center and expanded use of the web for
frequently asked questions and forms. M. Thomas.
Kendall, Margaret. "Lifelong Learning Through Computer-Mediated
Communication: Potential Roles for UK Public Libraries." New
Review of Libraries and Lifelong Learning 1 (2000): 81-101.
The provision of computer-mediated communication can be a
positive means to attract patrons to the library and involve them
in lifelong learning. Many public librarians tend to be wary
about providing Internet connection in public access terminals,
citing fear of misuse, limited resources, security and privacy as
concerns. According to the author, many UK librarians generally
feel that Internet use on public access computers should be
restricted to information seeking, rather than for e-mail. Often,
public library users are introduced to ICT by using e-mail, which
can potentially lead to a fuller realization of other resources,
learning opportunities, and community involvement, all facilitated
through Internet connections. Further research on information
seeking behavior is needed and the author offers a proposal for
surveying the users, interviewing library staff, and utilizing
panel studies. M. Thomas.
Mcharazo, Alli A.S. "Public Libraries and Distance Education in
Tanzania: Issues and Dilemmas." Libri 50, no. 4 (December
2000): 295-301.
Recent developments in distance education opportunities
have generated interest among Tanzanians enrolled in higher
education; however, certain issues concerning support from
conventional libraries may hinder success in this area.
Presently, Tanzania's public libraries face major challenges in
providing support and satisfying the needs of individuals enrolled
in distance education programs. The author conducted a study of
students from the Open University of Tanzania to observe public
library usage, which revealed that many students did not use the
public library because of an inadequate supply of quality library
resources, insufficient reading space in the facilities, fees
charged to use the library, inadequate staffing, cultural
influences, and distance. There must be greater commitment to
serving the needs of Tanzania's distance learners through
increased resources and awareness. M. Thomas.
Schmidt, Anne-Marie. "Staff Training in Distributed Libraries:
Competence Development Through Distance Education in Aarhus County
Library." In Libraries Without Walls 3: The Delivery of Library
Services to Distant Users, edited by Peter Brophy, Shelagh
Fisher, and Zoë Clarke. London: Library Association Publishing,
2000, 78-83.
Aarhus Public Library conducted a study in response to a
Danish Government report, which emphasized the public library's
future role as a central player in the lifelong learning of its
residents. At the time of the 1996 study, not many of the library
staff had much formal IT training, so the staff at Aarhus County
Library (Denmark) gained valuable first-hand insight of the
effectiveness of distance learning process through developing and
implementing two modules of courses (basic Internet skills and web
design) via distance education method. It was found that distance
education could be a cost-effective method to supplement
traditional teaching methods and to improve staff skills in new
technologies. The advantages and challenges (for participants and
the teachers) of the project are summarized. Several ideas for
enhancements and future developments are offered. M.
Thomas.
Sutherland, Jennifer. Distance Education: Library Use Among
Adult Distance Learners: Its Implications for Local Public and
Academic Libraries. M.L.I.S. project, University of Denver, 2000.
51 pp. Online. Available: http://www.du.edu/lisa/capstone/Capstone_Projects/j_sutherland.pdf
(in pdf format)
Technological advances have enabled increased numbers of
participants to take advantage of distance education opportunities
at remote locations. This study focuses on the library use
patterns and resource needs of the distance education students
surveyed at the Western Colorado Graduate Center. The study
revealed that despite resources provided by the main library,
many students preferred to use local academic or public library
facilities, since most of the participants lived over 100 miles
from the host university. The results of several other similar
studies confirm the similar pattern. The author examines the
trend's impact upon public and local academic institutions and
often, there are difficulties that may impede effective use of
library resources available to the distance learner. The
challenge remains for the host institution to improve awareness
and instruction in accessing the complete range of resources
available to the distance education student. M. Thomas.
1999
"Public Libraries: Resources for Distance Learners." Distance
Education Report 3, no. 19 (October 1, 1999): 3.
The demand for quality services by distant learners has
resulted in revitalization and increased usage statistics in
public libraries. A 1998 federal report reveals an increase in
public library system-wide web use, increased spending for
telecommunications, and greater numbers of both public and school
libraries brought online. Distance learners in academic programs
have established a history of collaboration with public libraries.
An example of collaboration between University of South
Alabama-Baldwin County and the Fairhope Public Library (AL) is
given, summarizing the major points of the agreement of
cooperation, as well as some questions for future consideration.
M. Thomas.
Back to Table of
Contents
For more information, contact:
Sandy Slade
als@uvic.ca
Page updated:
June 05, 2005
|