Avon Grove Library: http://www.southernchestercountyweeklies.com/articles/2010/08/26/opinion/doc4c767cb2dede2426202861.txt
University of Pennsylvania Libraries: http://thedp.com/article/library-launches-text-message-service
Athenaeum Library: http://thedp.com/article/library-launches-text-message-service
In searching for newspaper articles about Pennsylvanian libraries, I somewhat predictably found a great number of articles dealing with the budgetary issues of the state’s public libraries. The articles I finally chose, however, dealt with the services provided by a public, academic, and subscription library in Pennsylvania. All of these libraries collect and organize different types of information and serve different library patrons. Each of these articles can be related to the second theme of the course, that of the role of library professionals, who in each of these types of libraries, works to provide information to users.
Chris Barber’s article in the Southern Chester County Weeklies, “Avon Grove Library is a Model for Small Town Success” describes a small public library in Pennsylvania that is experiencing greater success than most similar libraries in the state. This article was refreshing; most of the articles I found on public libraries in PA described severe budget cuts and pending closings. The Avon Grove library, however, actually had increased circulation over the summer, while almost all other libraries in the library had decreased circulation. Although Avon Grove suffered the same budget cuts as other libraries, the librarians vowed to continue providing service to their community. The fundraisers held to support library programs were very successful and contributed to Avon Grove’s ability to thrive in difficult times.
The Daily Pennsylvanian published an article about a year ago about an academic library that I believe is still relevant to the study of libraries in that state. The author of “Library Launches Text-Message Service,” Jared McDonald, reports, as the title indicates, the University of Pennsylvania’s new library text-message service. Through this program, students at Penn can text a reference librarian with their research questions. This is in addition to the instant messaging service already used by Penn libraries. Librarians using the texting service, which had been available for about a month at the time of the article, were receiving about one text a day, which was not considered a bad start. A search of Penn’s library website shows that the texting service is still active, although it gives no information on frequency of use.
The final article I chose, “Athenaeum Library in Philadelphia: Old World and Cutting Edge” by Tom Stoelker, described a more unusual type of library: the subscription library. The article in the Philadelphia Enquirer illustrates how subscription libraries were founded based on the idea that if a large number of people shared the cost of books, more people would be able to enjoy a greater a number of volumes. The library also includes an archive on architecture and an art gallery. The public may tour the library and peruse the archives by appointment, and a $200 fee allows anyone to check out books from the Athenaeum’s circulating collection. Interviewed for the article, director Sandra Tatman hopes to keep the nearly 200-year old library up to date. The library’s dedication to staying modern is obvious when reviewing its digitalized resources and online databases.
I chose to relate these articles to the second theme of the class, which deals with “professional values, responsibilities, and aspirations” (syllabus). Although each of these libraries differs dramatically in type, situation, and users from the next, they all are staffed by librarians dedicated to user service. The article on Avon Grove public library depicts a library staff that understands that community outreach is one of the most important aspects of a public library’s duties. The article indicates that it was in large part the Avon Grove librarians’ dedication to continuing programs and education for the community that contributed to the library’s success in hard times.
The article on Penn’s texting service also deals directly with how information professionals serve their users. In this case, rather than users being community members and their children, Penn’s librarians serve a large academic community. This patron base is reflected in the services they provide, including instant messaging and texting, through which students and faculty can reach the university’s professional reference librarians. That the librarians would dedicate their time to a texting service indicates their commitment to serving the library users in the most effective way possible.
Finally, the Athenaeum library in Philadelphia serves a very different user base than Penn or Avon Grove. Users of the Athenaeum library must pay a subscription fee to gain access to its collections; however, the library contains a large number of rare books not easily found at other libraries, as well as an original archive and art museum. One way in which librarians at this subscription library assist users is by helping them use the Regional Digital Imaging Center, where users can scan, with minimal damage, documents of all sizes. Obviously, the Athenaeum’s users are dissimilar from a public or academic library, but the librarians are just as dedicated to serving those users.
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