Volkmarsdorf (www.volkmarsdorf.de) ist ein multikultureller Stadtteil in Leipzig. Diese Bezeichnung ist nicht Modewort, sondern wirklich angebracht. Ca. 20% der Einwohner sind Migranten. Das ist ein Spitzenwert in Leipzig und in den neuen Bundesländern überhaupt.

This study investigates the history of the phenomenon illiteracy and the response of the public library in selected countries for about one hundred and fifty years with particular focus on the Republic of south Africa. The influence that this manifestation has on the individual Black urban adult, the society in which the illiterate adult lives and the economy of the country are sharply focused. The principal argument is that public libraries have historically adapted their services to meet new social challenges, and in South Africa illiteracy among Black urban adults constitutes such a challenge. As an extension of its traditional educational function, the public library is beginning to meet this challenge in the role of literacy support. The reasons for the high illiteracy rate among the Black adult urban population are discussed in their historical context. As far as the methodology is concerned, extensive literature studies were undertaken on international as well as local data bases. Correspondence was entered into with overseas research institutes, academics and consultants. Interviews were conducted to ascertain the most recent developments relating to the literacy problem in a well-defined geographical region. Conclusions are made to the effect that there is a historical imperative for the South African public library system to fully discharge its responsibility to Black South Africans. In order to achieve this the public library in South Africa should re-examine, re-interpret and extend its educational function to include the challenge of the role of literacy support. It is further reconunended that the Provincial Library services in south Africa should coordinate disparate efforts and activities in this regard. The marketing of the public library has become more important in the prevailing economic climate. If the public library wishes to remain an indispensable social institution in the lives of the citizens of South Africa and specifically if it takes the role of literacy support seriously, it will of necessity have to market its services. Other organizational implications for public libraries of this new challenge of literacy support are spelled out clearly and areas requiring further research are indicated. / Information Studies / D. Litt. et Phil.

This study explored public library provision to the Tamil Community in Singapore using a focus group methodology. Results of the study were analysed and implications for the library services for the Tamil community in Singapore outlined. Improvement is needed in collections, facilities, programming and services, particularly in the area of provision to young people. Among other suggestions, the participants proposed an Internet portal in Tamil. Many indicated that the library could help in promoting the usage of Tamil language in Singapore through facilitating the reading and use of the Tamil language. Participants perceived this as vital to preserve the Tamil culture in Singapore and ensure its survival as part of the country’s unique cultural heritage in the future. The Tamil language among the other Indian languages has been given official status in Singapore, and this recognition of Tamil as a national language has given the Tamils intrinsic satisfaction. The language provides them with a living link to their ethnic culture. They believe the library can help them regain their cultural identities and also assist them in repositioning themselves well in Singaporean society. The contribution of this study to the professional literature is the idea of cultural identity being central in public library services to special user groups.

在資訊科技蓬勃發展和網路資源不斷快速成長的影響下，圖書館應用數位方式提供參考服務為時勢所趨；如何保有參考服務本質並應用創新科技來推行服務，成為圖書館的重要議題。公共圖書館為地方知識門戶，扮演著蒐集和提供社區民眾有關生活和學習資訊的角色；藉由網路強化參考諮詢服務，可進一步接觸原有讀者與潛在使用者，促進民眾對於圖書館各種服務的使用。 為瞭解國內公共圖書館推行數位參考服務之現況，本研究以台灣本島縣市與文化局圖書館為對象。透過問卷調查各縣市圖書館的參考服務模式、推行情況、館員知能等情形。再進一步以訪談法，探究縣市圖書館在施行數位參考服務時所面臨的困境、館員對於服務的看法等面向，以提出未來發展服務的相關建議，藉此提昇我國縣市圖書館數位參考服務之品質。 經調查顯示，國內縣市圖書館在數位參考服務的整體情況，有71%是透過電子郵件方式進行服務，其次14%是提供主題式線上參考資源，而僅有5%的圖書館建立知識庫。雖有各種不同類型的服務方式，縣市圖書館仍缺乏一個專屬於數位參考服務的管道，而數位資源的建置也需進一步加強，同時圖書館面臨了專業人員與資訊人員不足的困境。在使用者方面，學生為主要使用族群，常提出關於學校課業的諮詢問題。在館員認知方面，縣市圖書館館員雖偏好傳統面對面參考服務，但對於推動數位參考服務仍抱持著樂觀其成的態度，並贊同未來朝向數位合作參考服務的方向發展。 由研究結果歸納建議，縣市圖書館發展數位參考服務應重視組織規劃、服務推展與館際合作三大部份：在組織規劃方面，圖書館應積極研擬數位參考服務發展策略並設立專屬管道，進行人力重整或以合作方式解決人力缺乏問題，同時需提供相關教育訓練課程給予參與參考服務的館員們。在服務推展上，應掌握讀者認知習慣，透過利用教育課程提升讀者的資訊素養，同時進行服務狀況的紀錄統計，並著力於數位資源建置。在館際合作方面，可與學校圖書館一同推展利用教育課程，並結合圖書館現有合作服務項目共同發展數位合作參考服務，以創造雙贏局面。 / Due to the ubiquitous information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the blooming resources on the Internet, libraries now inevitably provide reference services with emerging ICTs. The phenomenon is highlighted within public libraries because of their obligations of equally offering information and its accessibility to the general public. By conducting the questionnaire survey and personal interviews, this study intends to investigate the current status quo of digital reference services in public libraries in Taiwan; to identify the challenges of improving their digital reference services, and to present corresponding solutions. Based on the results of 19 questionnaires and 10 interviews, the study finds that: (1)71% digital reference services are provided via email; 14% are via online pathfinder, and 5% are via knowledge base created by library. (2)Digital reference services are not prioritized in organization developing plan. Accordingly, the promotion of digital reference services, the acquisition of digital resources, and the need of full time librarians and IT staffs are often neglected. (3)From the educational perspective, the digital reference services can help the librarians for advising on students’ school projects and implementing information instructions to the public. (4)Although most librarians showed their willingness to promote digital reference services, they still preferred the traditional face-to-face reference services. However, they also agreed that the collaborative digital reference service will be the emerging trend . This study suggests that: (1)Public libraries should have digital reference services development strategy. (2)To solve the labor force deficiency, organization reengineering or cooperation should be considered. (3)The statistics of the digital reference services usage should be collected and analyzed. (4)The online reference resources for public libraries should be expanded. (5)To enhance users’ information literacy, library instructions and promoting events are necessary. (6)Public libraries could cooperate with the school libraries on improving the information literacy of students. (7)Public libraries should offer digital reference training programs to enhance librarians’ professional capabilities, such as electronic resources management. (8)Combine digital reference services with other interlibrary cooperation.

<p>The purpose of this study is to investigate responses to New Africa Book&rsquo / s Siyagruva Series among six enthusiastic teenage readers (ages 10 -16), at Eersterivier Public Library in Cape Town. The series aims to provide a series of popular books accessible to second language English readers. The question that underlies the research project is whether they fill a gap in the South African teenage reading market. There are several motives behind this study besides the fact that South African learners read very little:</p> <p><br /> &bull / The need to investigate reading preferences and choices among South African teenagers<br /> &bull / To find out factors which affect reading choices of South African teenagers<br /> &bull / The need to encourage reading culture in South Africa.</p> <p><br /> The qualitative case study of reading response tries to answer the research question through face to face interviews with selected readers. The nature of the small-scale case study means that it can make no generalised statements about all South African teenagers. It explores the views of only six teenagers.</p>

Les services aux usagers des bibliothèques représentent un sujet fondamental en bibliothéconomie. Or, les usagers sont un groupe hétérogène à qui l’on doit offrir les mêmes services ou, à tout le moins, la possibilité d’obtenir des services répondant à leurs besoins en matière d’adaptation des lieux et des services. Malheureusement, les bibliothèques publiques ont parfois du mal à rendre un service adapté adéquat et les personnes concernées connaissent souvent mal les services dont elles pourraient bénéficier. Pourtant, les personnes handicapées font partie intégrante des usagers et leur présence augmente, notamment à cause du vieillissement de la population et d’une meilleure capacité d’établir des diagnostics. Notons que ces citoyens revendiquent de plus en plus leur autonomie et le fait de pouvoir profiter des mêmes services que le reste de la population. Ceci est d’autant plus vrai depuis l’apparition d’aides techniques et des outils technologiques tels les ordinateurs, les tablettes, les logiciels, etc. qui leur permettent de vivre leur vie à part entière. Aussi, les bibliothèques et leurs gestionnaires doivent impérativement s’assurer que l’accueil de ces usagers « comme les autres », mais aux besoins particuliers, sera assuré convenablement. Puisqu’il manque d’études concernant les services offerts aux personnes handicapées dans les bibliothèques publiques du Québec, nous avons décidé de procéder à une enquête, par le biais d’un questionnaire électronique administré aux employés de bibliothèques dont les fonctions sont de participer aux services aux usagers. Les réponses obtenues ont permis de dresser un portrait de la situation actuelle en matière de services aux personnes adultes handicapées dans les bibliothèques publiques québécoises et d’avancer certaines recommandations. Les résultats devraient aider les responsables de bibliothèques à déterminer où et comment concentrer leurs efforts pour rendre leurs établissements plus accueillants pour les personnes ayant des incapacités. Plus précisément, les objectifs de la recherche étaient les suivants : 1. Recenser les services offerts par les bibliothèques publiques québécoises aux usagers adultes handicapés. 2. Recenser les éléments d’accessibilité présents dans les infrastructures des bibliothèques publiques québécoises. 3. Évaluer l’impact de certaines caractéristiques des bibliothèques sur l’offre de services aux usagers adultes handicapés et les éléments reliés à l’accessibilité. 4. Comparer les résultats des enquêtes précédentes (Bibliothèque nationale du Canada 1976 ; Bergeron 1987) pour mettre en évidence les recommandations qui ont été appliquées et celles qui ne l’ont pas été. / Services offered to library users are important to librarianship. However, users form an heterogeneous group and the same services should be offered or, at least, be made available to all members of the community. Unfortunately, public libraries sometimes are experiencing difficulties to provide adequate and adapted services to people have disabilities those, often, are not aware of the services they could benefit from. In addition, these individuals are often not aware pf the services that are offered to them. However, people with disabilities are part of the community and their number is increasing due to the aging of the population and better diagnostic capabilities. We should also mention that those people claim their autonomy more than before as well as the right to be able to enjoy the same services as the rest of the population. This has become even more true since the introduction of different technical and technological aids and services that allow them to live their lives to the fullest. For all these reasons, library managers must ensure that the reception of these users with special needs will be adequately insured, thus enabling them to become users “like the others”. As there is a lack of studies on the subject, we have decided to examine the situation through an electronic questionnaire sent to public library employees responsible for user services. The results collected have enabled us to draw a picture of the current state of disability services in public libraries in Quebec and to provide certain recommendations. The results should help library managers to establish where and how to focus their efforts to make their institutions more welcoming to this category of users. Specifically, the research objectives were: 1. Identify services offered by public libraries in Quebec to adult users with disabilities. 2. Identify current accessibility elements present in Quebec public libraries’ infrastructure. 3. Avaluate the impact of the presence or absence of accessibility measures on the supply of services for adult users with disabilities and items related to accessibility. 4. Compare the results with those of previous surveys (Bibliothèque nationale du Canada 1976 ; Bergeron 1987) to highlight the recommendations that have been applied and those that have not.

La légitimité d’une organisation est fondée sur sa mission, c’est-à-dire sur sa raison d’être. Des responsables des bibliothèques et de nombreux chercheurs craignent que la légitimité des bibliothèques publiques soit contestée dans la société de l’information. De plus, les textes officiels présentant les missions des bibliothèques publiques sont divers et les missions y sont délibérément non définies. Au Québec, où une grande majorité des bibliothèques publiques autonomes sont placées directement sous la tutelle des municipalités, les bibliothèques publiques doivent définir et légitimer leurs missions avec les élus municipaux. L’objectif principal de cette recherche est de comprendre, via les discours, le point de vue des élus municipaux québécois sur les missions des bibliothèques publiques autonomes, en comparaison avec les pratiques et les ressources des bibliothèques au plan local. Basé sur la théorie de la construction sociale de la réalité, un cadre conceptuel est proposé de manière à étudier non seulement les discours dans leur dimension textuelle, mais aussi à contextualiser ces discours et analyser l’écart entre ces discours et les pratiques des bibliothèques.La stratégie de recherche adoptée est une étude de cas multiples. L’objectif est de développer une analyse en profondeur de chaque cas et une analyse inter cas. Les douze cas (municipalités) ont été sélectionnés en fonction de deux critères de variation (la taille de la municipalité et le budget annuel alloué par la municipalité à la bibliothèque) et un critère discriminant (la distance par rapport à l’Université de Montréal). Des entrevues ont été menées auprès des élus municipaux présidant la commission ou le comité dont dépendent les bibliothèques publiques. Ces entrevues et les politiques culturelles ont fait l’objet d’une analyse de discours. Les entrevues auprès des responsables des bibliothèques et la documentation ont fait l’objet d’une analyse de contenu. Ces analyses ont permis la triangulation des méthodes et des sources de données.Les élus municipaux québécois, comme les professionnels, n’offrent pas un discours homogène sur les missions des bibliothèques publiques. Toutefois, un modèle de discours émerge. Il montre un discours « limité » par rapport à la littérature, dans lequel une image passive de la bibliothèque est présentée et dans lequel la tradition perdure malgré le contexte de la société de l’information. Mais l’analyse révèle aussi que les élus municipaux construisent leurs points de vue sur leurs propres convictions en tant qu’individus, sur leur rôle dans la gestion de la municipalité en tant qu’élus et sur l’image qu’ils ont des usagers des bibliothèques publiques. Enfin, l’analyse a révélé un axe de différenciation des points de vue selon que le discours s’appuie sur des valeurs fondamentales ou sur les usages (réels ou supposés) de la bibliothèque. / The legitimacy of an organization is based on its mission, i.e. its raison d’être. Some libraries directors and many researchers fear that the legitimacy of public libraries is challenged in the information society. Moreover, official texts presenting the missions of public libraries are varied and the missions are deliberately not defined there. In Quebec, where a large majority of autonomous public libraries are directly under the supervision of municipalities, public libraries have to define and legitimate their missions with city councillors. The main objective of this research is to understand, via the discourses, the point of view of city councillors in Quebec on the missions of autonomous public libraries, compared to the libraries’ practices in their communities. Using the theory of the social construction of reality, a conceptual framework is proposed not only to study the discourses in their textual dimension, but also to contextualize them and analyze the distance between them and the libraries’practices.The research strategy adopted is that of the multiple case study. The aim is to develop an in-depth analysis of each case as well as a cross-case analysis. The twelve cases (municipalities) were selected according to two criteria of variation (size of the municipality and annual budget allocated by the municipality to the library) and a discriminant criterion (the distance from the Université de Montréal). Interviews were conducted with the city councillors who chair the commissions or the committees on which the public libraries depend. These interviews and the municipal cultural policies were subjected to a discourse analysis. The interviews with the directors of the public libraries and documents were subjected to content analysis. This made possible the triangulation of methods and data sources. Neither the city councillors in Quebec, nor the professionals have a homogenous discourse on the missions of public libraries. However, a model of discourse does emerge. It shows a “limited” discourse compared to the literature, in which a passive image of thelibrary is presented and in which the tradition continues in spite of the context of the information society. But the analysis also revealed that the city councillors base their points of view on their own convictions as individuals, on their role in the management of the municipality as elected officials, and on the image they have of the users of public libraries. Finally, the analysis revealed an axis of differentiation of the points of view according to whether the discourse was based on fundamental values or on the (real or supposed) uses of the library. / FQRSC. Bourse de doctorat en recherche

Thesis book documents process of creating design schematics for a proposed public library located in Scott's Addition at 1700 Summit Avenue. The final design uses a series of meandering ramps punctuated by bookshelf stacks in order to create a narrative experience. Specificity and simplicity were two main goals for the project.

A pesquisa aborda a biblioteca comunitária como prática social, no Brasil. Tem por objetivo principal apontar políticas públicas para o fortalecimento e ampliação dessas iniciativas. Para isso, foi necessário proceder à análise da biblioteca comunitária como espaço de articulação local, seus atores, sua organização e o uso da informação nesse contexto. Partindo do conceito de comunidade, apresentamos uma reflexão sobre as práticas sociais, os processos participativos e a relação do Estado na construção de políticas públicas para apoiar essas experiências. Discutimos o emprego do termo pela sociedade e pela área acadêmica, analisando as semelhanças e diferenças entre a biblioteca comunitária e a biblioteca pública e popular. Optamos pela metodologia qualitativa com objetivos exploratórios e resultados descritivos e analíticos. Levantamos 350 experiências no território nacional e selecionamos 29 para compor o universo da pesquisa. Lançando mão das técnicas de entrevista e observação, pudemos confirmar que o motivo principal para a criação desses projetos é a carência de bibliotecas públicas e escolares no país, o que leva a sociedade a buscar caminhos para enfrentar o problema de acesso à informação, à leitura e ao livro. A partir das experiências analisadas, foi possível perceber que, quanto mais participativa é a sua gestão, maior é a possibilidade da biblioteca transformar-se num espaço estratégico para a implantação de políticas de integração social. Apontamos como princípios básicos para a implantação de políticas para esses espaços o respeito à diversidade e pluralidade cultural, assim como a valorização do espaço público e dos processos participativos. Defendemos a consolidação do Sistema Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas como agência responsável pela implementação, monitoramento e avaliação das políticas públicas para apoiar as bibliotecas comunitárias. / The research focuses on the community library as social practice in Brazil. Its main objective is to discuss possible policies to strength and broaden these experiences. To accomplish these objectives performing the analysis of the community library as a space for local commitment, its participants, the organization and the use of information in this context became necessary. Starting from the concept of community, we deal with the social practice, the participation process and the relationship with the State for the construction of public policies to support these experiences. We discuss the use of the term by the society and academic field, analyzing the similarities and differences among community, public and popular library. We decided for the qualitative methodology with an exploratory objective survey, aiming to descriptive and analytical results. We investigated 350 experiences in Brazil and selected 29 to compose the research universe. By making use of interviews and observation techniques, it was possible to confirm that the main reason for the creation of these projects is the lack of public and school libraries in the country, which leads society to find ways to face the problems of the information, reading and book access. According to the analyzed experiences, we concluded that the more participative is the administration, the more possibility of the library becoming a strategic space, capable of implementing the social integration policies, increases. We point out, the respect to cultural diversity and plurality, as well as the valorization of the public space and participative process, as main principles to establish policies for these spaces. We support the consolidation of the Sistema Nacional de Bibliotecas Públicas, as the responsible agency for implementing, monitoring and evaluating of public policies to give support to the community libraries.

Este trabalho analisa as necessidades de informação em comunidades carentes. Conduziu-se a investigação junto a 11 comunidades que integram a região denominada de Grande Rosa Elze, situada no município de São Cristóvão, em Sergipe. Os dados analisados foram obtidos tomando-se a opinião de 75 informantes, destes 68 responderam questionários e sete foram entrevistados. A pesquisa teve como objeto de estudo a análise de como comunidades carentes, sem a presença de órgãos públicos de informação, obtém informações que respondam as suas necessidades. Nesse sentido, observou-se o atendimento das necessidades de informação, verificaram-se as práticas de obtenção, avaliaram-se as demandas criadas e as buscas realizadas e identificaram-se as necessidades de informação. Os resultados mostram que: as comunidades carentes do Grande Rosa Elze têm carências de informação; os residentes das comunidades não têm um órgão público a que possam recorrer quando necessitam de informação; a circulação da informação é frágil, pois depende, exclusivamente, de fontes midiáticas; a região é tecnologicamente atrasada, portanto distante da inclusão digital. Conclui-se que a região do Grande Rosa Elze é um lugar onde a informação não acontece, situação resultante da ausência de uma política pública de informação; e que é necessário à existência de um órgão público, para o atendimento da necessidade de informação da comunidade, integrando os processos tradicionais da informação impressa, e os modernos da informação virtual. / This work analyzes the need for information in poor communities.The investigation was conducted in the eleven communities that integrate Rosa Elze region, located at São Cristóvão municipality, in Sergipe state. The analyzed data was based on the opinion of seventy-five people, from which, 68 answered questionnaires and 7 were interviewed. The research aimed at showing how poor communities obtain information they need without having public facilities that provide information located near them. Having this in mind, not only was the fulfilment of the information´need observed but the way they were obtained was also verified.After that, the created demands were evaluated and the need for information was identified.The results of this research showed that: the poor communities at Grande Rosa Elze region are in need of information; the communities dwellers don´t have a public facility where they can require information when they need; The flow of information is poor as it only depends on social communication means and the region is technologically out-of-date, far from the digital era.In conlusion, we notice that Grande Rosa Elze region is a place where there is no flow of information due to the abscense of an information public policy.Therefore, it is imperative to set a public facility that provides not only some traditional printed information as well as some modern virtual one