Social capital and inclusion in rural public libraries: A qualitative approach

Griffis, Matthew R; Johnson, Catherine

doi:10.1177/0961000612470277

Cited by 45 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Kranich (2001) suggests that the commons within libraries creates a public space where people can work together on personal and community problems. More recently, Griffis and Johnson (2014) noted that public libraries contribute to social cohesion by acting as: …”

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confidence: 99%

Assessing outcomes and value: it’s all a matter of perspective

Matthews¹

2015

Performance Measurement and Metrics

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If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to explore a wide range of performance measures, while acknowledging that of late, outcome measures have become increasingly important. Several initiatives are underway to develop a broad framework and suggest approaches to developing outcome measures for all types of libraries. However, while outcomes may be increasingly used, determining the value of a specific outcome is complicated by the reality that value is determined by a combination of perspective and each individual experiencing a specific library service. Design/methodology/approach -This paper reviews the literature about outcomes and determining the value of outcomes as a foundation for exploring these two inter-related issuesoutcomes and value. Findings -The findings of a number of reports and studies are reported. Originality/value -Separating the question of identifying the outcomes associated with library services and the value of these outcomes are shaped by the perspective of value and determining value will assist libraries in attempting to measure the impact of the services they provide.

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confidence: 99%

Assessing outcomes and value: it’s all a matter of perspective

Matthews¹

2015

Performance Measurement and Metrics

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“…Case studies have often been employed to investigate social capital in libraries (Elbeshausen and Skov 2004;Gong, Japzon, and Chen 2008;Audunson, Essmat, and Aabø 2011;Birdi, Wilson, and Mansoor 2011;Vårheim 2011;Griffis and Johnson 2013;Svendsen 2013). The case study allows a detailed qualitative investigation of a phenomenon and has the potential to address real issues and be of benefit to the community in which it is based.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A later essay by Bourdieu, "The Forms of Capital" (1986), describes social capital as a kind of currency among other types of capital such as economic capital and cultural capital. A number of library studies have been influenced by Bourdieu's definition (Elbeshausen and Skov 2004;Gong, Japzon, and Chen 2008;Vårheim 2009;Griffis and Johnson 2013). Coleman (1988, S101) also describes social capital in relation to other forms of capital and the concept of trust:…”

Section: The Concept Of Social Capitalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Capacity building entails equipping individuals and groups within a community with the skills, tools and resources required to take control of their lives and strengthen the community as a whole (Hillenbrand 2005a). Griffis and Johnson (2013) discovered that rural libraries create social capital in the following ways: by facilitating social meetings between people resulting in sharing of information, integrating newcomers into the community, symbolizing local identity and networking with other community organisations (Griffis and Johnson 2013, 12).…”

Section: Mechanism 3: Social Capital and Community Buildingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Comparative Study of Public Libraries in Edinburgh and Copenhagen and Their Potential for Social Capital Creation

Miller

2014

Libri

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Public libraries have always been under pressure to earn their place in society -but can their benefit to the community be proven? Although the concept of social capital can be traced back to 1916, in the past 10 years social capital theory has been linked increasingly to the public library. Social capital refers to links between people in society -"networks, norms and trust" (Putnam 1996, 34) -which produce positive outcomes for the community as a whole. The purpose of this article is to investigate the library as place and the potential of the public library to create social capital. This comprises the examination of two cases, Edinburgh City Libraries in Edinburgh, Scotland and Københavns Biblioteker in Copenhagen, Denmark in the form of a comparative case study. The methods used to elicit data included qualitative interviews with library managers, observation, and consultation of organizational documentation. The case study was limited by a small sample size, possibility of cultural bias, and lack of generalizability of evidence. Findings show that library staff in Edinburgh and Copenhagen are actively involved in creating social capital in a number of ways: through facilitating or organizing meetings, providing an informal meeting place, forging links between groups in the community, creating a welcoming environment, and by meeting community educational needs. It was found that Copenhagen and Edinburgh share in many characteristics, but have different attitudes to trust. Conclusions demonstrate that three main factors affect the library's potential to create social capital; the library building and space, the library's staff and volunteers, and the links that the library has with the community. It is recommended that further research should be carried out in the area of library as place and on the identification of factors generating social capital.

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“…This can be initiated by their existing association as a 'friend' of the library group. As they associate to attain some purpose or govern some activity defined by them as important to their interests, trust builds (Hirst, 1994).The social networks in libraries could be said to reflect bridging networks, consisting of individuals who are involved in civic engagement and a common cause, who through face-to-face contact build the network and a sense of connection.According to Griffis and Johnson (2014), a community with high levels of social capital is likely to achieve high social cohesion and will work towards common goals.This appears to be demonstrated in volunteerled libraries: they are mutual-aid, self-help organisations,'the product of people's ability to work together to meet shared needs and address common problems' (Lyons et al, 1998: 52) and an expression of active citizenship. However, for libraries transferring to voluntary groups, does the required level of social capital for sustainability exist?…”

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confidence: 99%

From public to volunteer library provision in the UK: lesson to be learnt – one size does not fit all

Forbes

Findlay-King

Macfadyen

et al. 2017

Voluntary Sector Review

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This paper reports on research findings on the transfer of public library services to volunteer delivery in the UK between 2014 and 2016, as a result of austerity and budget cuts by local government.The research asked two key questions: are libraries sustainable after their transfer and what lessons can be learnt from these transfers that will ensure success and sustainability? Initial findings indicate that cases in different locations vary and that 'one size does not fit all'. key words library • volunteers • asset transfer • sustainability

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Social capital and inclusion in rural public libraries: A qualitative approach

Cited by 45 publications

References 21 publications

Assessing outcomes and value: it’s all a matter of perspective

Assessing outcomes and value: it’s all a matter of perspective

A Comparative Study of Public Libraries in Edinburgh and Copenhagen and Their Potential for Social Capital Creation

From public to volunteer library provision in the UK: lesson to be learnt – one size does not fit all

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