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Determining how libraries and librarians help
Library Trends, Spring, 2003 by Joan C. Durrance, Karen E. Fisher
ABSTRACT
THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE QUESTION, "What differences do libraries and librarians make?" primarily from the perspective of geographical communities. The article first states the reasons why this is an essential research question and describes the contributions of current public library planning tools to the determination of impact. It then takes a broad look at the framework that is essential for the intellectual development of this topic and the ability to answer the question, including methodological approaches and theoretical frameworks that will be discussed throughout. While the authors pose this research problem as an evaluation question, this article examines contributions of research in several areas--particularly professional practice, especially reference research that has been informed by qualitative methods--to its solution. Finally, the authors examine approaches to studying context as a framework for determining the impacts of library services and include a brief presentation of findings from a recent study of "How Libraries and Librarians Help: Context-Centered Methods for Evaluating Public Library Efforts at Bridging the Digital Divide and Building Community," funded by the Institute of Museums and Library Services (IMLS). (1)
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WHAT DIFFERENCES DO LIBRARIES AND LIBRARIANS MAKE IN A COMMUNITY? THE BASIC QUESTION RESEARCHERS AND LIBRARIANS FAIL TO ANSWER
Periodically, the field becomes aroused because libraries have been overlooked in a landmark study of societal institutions, ignored in a major government report, or omitted from important legislation that could improve libraries' capacity to contribute to the solution to a societal problem. Why, professionals ask themselves, could the library have been ignored in this major study of X or this major federal initiative involving Y? In an essay entitled "Where are Libraries in Bowling Alone?" Jean Preer, like many before her, bemoaned the fact that "libraries are notably absent" from the consciousness of a major researcher or decision-maker. In this case the work was Robert Putnam's "compelling and widely-heralded work" on social capital (Preer, 2001, p. 60; Putnam, 1995; Putnam, 2000). Throughout her short article Preer asserts (to the readers of American Libraries) that libraries do, indeed, foster social capital, and that Putnam has ignored their contributions. She argues that for more than a century public libraries have worked to create an informed citizenry and to build community. Preer concludes that libraries contribute to most of the conditions that Putnam predicts will create "a more engaged civic and community life" including stimulating the civic engagement of young people and fostering tolerance, arts and cultural activities, and activities that inform citizens (Preer, 2001, p. 62).
Documenting the number of times the kinds of concerns raised by Dr. Preer have been voiced would fill many more pages than are allotted for this entire issue. At one point Preer quotes 1934 ALA President Gratia A. Countryman's response to the absence of libraries in a major 1930s study of American life: "What have we done or not done that this can be so? Why is it that we have not impressed ourselves, as an important and essential institution, upon the governing body or upon intelligent authors and scholars? Is it in the very nature of our work that it should be so, or is it in ourselves?" (Preer, 2001, p. 62). Since that time libraries have been absent from scores of major studies of societal issues, major legislation designed to solve societal problems, and the funding priorities of a number of foundations.
Preer's frustration "That Putnam could miss the connection is a distressing reminder of the way in which libraries are simultaneously ignored and taken for granted" reflects the frustration expressed by generations of librarians and researchers (Preer, 2001, p. 62). Putnam, of course, is only one of many influential individuals or organizations over the decades who have lacked the awareness of existing and potential impacts of library services necessary to assess libraries' contributions to the solutions to particular societal issues or problems. It is easy to replace "Putnam" with any number of major researchers, the federal government, the media, local decision-makers, etc. The sheer number of individuals and institutions who have failed over the decades to see the contributions of libraries to society should alert the field that the messages currently being sent do not convey the contributions that libraries and librarians make to their communities.
Authors in this issue were charged to identify significant and researchable questions, describe prior research that could prove useful, and suggest methodologies for future work. This article addresses the broad question, "What differences do libraries and librarians make in the lives of individuals, their families, neighborhoods, the community organizations that serve them, and the larger community?" It is essential to realize that this basic question has been elusive for a century. Librarians as a profession have been committed to excellence during this entire period, but have lacked the tools that could provide the answers. Efforts of librarians to quantify excellence for several decades were focused on standards, inputs, and more recently, outputs, none of which are capable of answering that question. In the last decade of the twentieth century two quite different external forces--1. the radically changed environment in which libraries operate, and 2. the pressure from external agencies for institutional accountability--brought this question to the attention of both librarians and researchers.
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