April 29, 2021
Using Open Data to Inform Public Library Branch Services
November 9, 2020
This article describes the curation and use of open demographic data to inform public library services. A case study of census data curated for the Seattle Public Library (SPL) system is described. To understand the information needs of library branches, a set of SPL regional managers were interviewed, a set of use cases were created,…
The Role of Libraries in Misinformation Programming: A Research Agenda
October 27, 2020
Misinformation, or fake news, has exploded across social media platforms and communities over the past few years, with serious social and political implications. Many library practitioners and organizations have argued that libraries can and should play a central role in educating the public about this emerging issue. However, serious gaps exist in understanding how libraries…
Benefits of Crowdsourcing for Libraries in the Global South: A Case Study from Africa
October 9, 2020
Many libraries in the Global South do not collect comprehensive data about themselves, which creates challenges in terms of local and international visibility. Crowdsourcing is an effective tool that engages the public to collect missing data, and it has proven to be particularly valuable in countries in which governments collect little public data. Whereas crowdsourcing…
African Libraries in Development: Perceptions and Possibilities
October 3, 2020
Across Africa, libraries are contributing to development in their countries. However, this work remains largely unrecognized by international stakeholders in development. To bridge this gap, this research examines the current perceptions of libraries among development organizations and asks how libraries may gain visibility as partners. Interviews with development practitioners indicate that perceptions of libraries remain…
