Think Globally and Act Locally:
Sharing Practical Experience from Major American Public Libraries’ Services
and Survival Strategies, and Adopting for Development of Public Libraries, as
well as Reading Culture in Africa
By
Garoma Daba, Librarian,
African Union Commission,
September 19 – 21,
Johannesburg, South Africa
Introduction –ALL PROTOCOLS ARE OBSERVED;
Greetings and best wishes from Mr. Mandala Madonsela, Director of
Strategic Policy Planning…(SPPME-RM), who could not be here due to
prior commitment
My presentation – visits of 23 Librarians (9 from Africa)
Objectives:
• To examine the role and functions of libraries
and information specialists in U.S. Society
• To explore the importance of communitybased partnerships and the strategies for
promoting sustainability within a library
system
• To learn more about the diversity of library
services, and
• To explore the advancements and impact of
digital and online technologies within various
types of libraries.
Library development –
Libraries in U.S. have had Presidential blessings
and Congress’s support (If I don’t respect my
child, who else will?)
From 1st President (George Washington) great
values attached to libraries and their
establishment, as GW wrote to his friend James
Mchenry wrote on 3 April, 1797:
“I have not houses to build, except one, which I
must erect for the accommodation and security of
my military, civil and private papers, which are
voluminous and may be interesting”. This was
written after his retirement from office.
The Library of Congress (LOC) was established in
1800 to serve Congress’s research information needs,
and the public at large.
- The LOC’s initial 3000 core collection were burnt
in 1814,
- US Congress bought 6487 vol. of books Thomas
Jefferson (the then US President),
- Amazing (Collection size – PI LM, NIE /NKE,
NO/D resources,…if he lived today, may be
builds stadium-sized library?);
- 1815 TJ seems regretted? “I can’t Live Without
Books”
US Policy Support LD - US Congress also passed the
Presidential Libraries Act of 1955. The Act highlights:
• Establishing a system of privately erected and
federally maintained libraries,
• Once completed, the libraries shall be handed
over to the National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA) to operate and maintai,
• So far, 13 Presidential Libraries were built,
mostly in the home towns of the presidents, and
in their names,
• The Libraries and Museums operated by he
National Archives and Records Administration
(NARA), whose details are found at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_library
.
Also many Presidential Libraries and Museums
were built in the name of US presidents, such as
Abraham Lincolin, and others, but administered /
operated by private foundations, historical societies,
or state governments.
(see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidential_library)
Development of Public Libraries in U.S.A.
1.
New York Public Library (NYPL) – major ones.
The first NYPL was established with donation of
wealthy, generous and a visionary, one time
governor of New York City:
• Samuel J. Tilden (1814-1886): upon his death
donated about $2.4 million to "establish and
maintain a free library and reading room in the
city of New York.". To be world’s great centers of
urban culture, NC must have great library.(Don’t
Africa have a visionaries?)
• John Jacob Astor (1763-1848), an immigrant from
German donated $400,000 for the establishment
of a reference library in New York.
• Strategy – Inclusiveness matters (Can we find
books in Johannesburg Public Library in
Amharic or other African Nation’s languages?)
• The 3rd contributor - James Lenox, who
donated in the form of primarily his personal
collections, consisting rare books, such as the
first Gutenberg Bible, , manuscripts, and
Americana.
• Sooner, however, financial constraint emerged,
which in turn necessitated, devising strategy for
survival strategy.
• Hence, by 1892, both the Astor and Lenox
libraries were combined, forming a new entity,
which is, to be known as The New York Public
Library
Services Expected / Rendered by PL in U.S.A.
Handbook of Library Trustees of the New York State
states
that:
“Libraries provide the “oxygen” for today’s information
economy. In cities and towns, rural, suburban and
urban, throughout New York State, libraries are
equipping people with the tools necessary for life
success. With skilled and knowledgeable library staff,
a wide array of online resources, traditional print
collections, exciting program offerings, and inviting and
welcoming public places, libraries are experiencing
unprecedented
increases
in
public
use.
(……continued)
New York’s public libraries are community
gateways to the world’s information resources.
Whether in pursuit of an entertaining escape from
today’s complexities or a timely solution to a difficult
business question, New Yorkers use their local
libraries to advance and enhance their personal,
educational, and working lives. As essential
community resources for lifelong learning, public
libraries are indispensable parts of this state’s
economic, cultural, educational and social
infrastructure. ”
Current State/Development/Service Rendered, and
Strategies Pursued by the NYPL:
• NYPL is also known as public palace,
• Has 90 branches in the city, and
• Open/serves the general public, regardless of their
age, academic and social status, etc.
• has babies’ and children’s section, resources and
services that perfectly fit to their interest.
• Other important responsibilities:
o serving as academic and
o research library, catering information sources
and services for researchers, writers, etc.
•
•
•
•
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NYPL in figures
Collection:
Population:
Card holder members:
Annual budget:
o
o
o
o
o
City of New York:
NY State and Federal Gov’t:
Contributions (individuals): 12%
Revenues:
Others
54.41%
7.97%
o
o
Employee
Volunteers
2536
1894
o
o
o
o
Children:
Young adults:
Adults:
Outreach
17,539
6966
12,265
5254
Staff :
Computer use
Database accessible:
Programs:
6.17%
17%
Visitors of web site:
Electronic resources accessed:
Users:
53 million
8.5
3,119,677 (37%)
245,337,000.00, composed of:
4430, composed of:
3,300,000
339
43,065, composed o:
25,369,015
4,884,135
17.7 million
Because of the availability of free high speed internet services in public
libraries, there is no single Internet café in the entire New York City.
•
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•
•
•
QUEENS LBRARY – BRANCH OF NYPL
Also known as “Flushing Branch Library ”,
4th largest library in the US,
Collection of 7.1 million items
Annual budget – 125.5 million (84% from City of
New York, 16% from New York State, Federal
Government, and other contributions).
Population 2.3 million (47.7% are foreign-born US
residents, non-Hispanic white, Hispanic, Asians,
black African-American, etc,),
Materials in 160 (160 ) languages;
Fully occupied by diversified group of users (as if
exam period in University life)
2011 business activities:
• Circulation of materials:
23,000,000
• Visitors of library:
14.1 million
• New users issued with cards:
98,111
• Active borrowers:
889,000
• Free programs developed:
26,000 attended by
555,000 (with teenagers, handicapped,
health….etc)
• Reference questions answered: 11.4 million
• SP to improve services through innovation:
o Commencement of self-services (patrons check-out & check-in kiosks) ;
o Mails in different languages; Virtual reference
• Queens library programs includes:
o Copying skills,
o Cultural programs; educational programs; partners; government; healthcare;
Immigrant; development partners; friends of the Library group;
Sheridan Public Library (Rural category):
• Said to be “small rural library”, but let you judge it;
• 2011 Statistics
o Established
:
over 100 years
o Collection:
25,000
o Loaned materials:
35,000
o Computers for patrons:
20 (Internet/Wifi)
o Computer users:
25,000
o Library was visited in person:
60,000
o Activities/ events/programs:
400
o Event attendants
8000
o Innovative strategies : hosting various events and programs;
Indianapolis Marion County Public Library (IMCPL):
• Renders high-quality services,
• Unique –we discovered what is known as Learning
Curve set on an “18,000.sq.ft high-tech laboratory,
where children, parents, and educators use libraryissued laptops to investigate, imagine, and invent
together.”
Under the slogan HIGH-TECH, HIGH-TECH, HIGHTECH, The future is now!, the IMPL provides what is
said to be:
o that is truly unique, inspiring and place of wonder
and learning,
• These exceptional quality services enabled to win
ALA special award
I-MPL - 2011 Statistics
• Population:
________
• Budget:
45,361,707
• Circulation:
14.6 million
• Computer use:
955,495(session hours)
• Registered borrowers/items checked out:
542,678
• Visitors to the Library:
3.9 million
• Free programs:
9916
• Reference questions answered:
655,552
• Visits of the website:
9.5 million
• Community meetings and events:
3478
• Outreach mobile visits:
4659
• Over 52,000 children and families read > 1 million books
during the Library’s summer reading program;
• Patrons downloaded:
122,444 e-books in 2011
• Library’s collection of free eBooks is : > 35,000
• 384 volunteers worked for 16,187 hours (equivalent of
US$337,499)
(2011 statistics and others continued)
• Other services includes – home bound patrons
through Library Express (in Africa we don’t have
many places to go and read),
• 12,336 individuals attended 847 free library
computers training programs and learnt from using
mouse to mastering advanced applications;
• (aren’t such trainings indispensible in Africa – where:
o computers are owned by only a few citizens, and
o many could not afford attending such trainings –
though in some places little knowledge of computer
applications grants daily breads)
Yorba Linda Public Library (Anaheim, California)
• is about celebrate its centennial year),
• 80% its population have library membership cards,
• is serving highly education society (puts pressure),
• The Library focus on teachers support, aprogram called
“Teachers Features”, assignments databases, and
• makes accessible “beautiful America” database for students to
learn about their country;
• It serves area schools, teachers with specific textbooks,
homework help, customized online services ,
• supplement lesson plans,
• preparation for tests, assignment alerts for pupils, etc.
• As the service is demand-driven, the staff always remain
engaged to fulfill users’ demands.
Subscribed and accessible databases includes:
o biographies, books/reading,
o business information plus A-Z to help the business
community
o Career related information,
o downloading audiobooks/Ebooks,
o encyclopedias, reference ebooks,
o films on demand, music,
o genealogy, health, history/news/investment,
o language, legal forms, live homework help,
magazines/newspapers, science/technology, test preparation,
etc.
• Serving those living in Orange county, but working elsewhere
• Activity guides are revised every 3 months,
• Subscription for unlimited use, downloading the entire
database is not allowed;
• Library members can download up to 3 music per week from
the music library
2011 Statistics:
• Total population:
65,000
• Library members
52,202 (80%)
• Volunteer workers:
>400 (16000 hrs. covered)
• Daily visitors:
>1100
• Databases accessible:
>30
• Summer reading:
5025 (children, teens and
adults joined ),
• Summer event participants: 21,5470
• Registered borrowers:
845,492
Contribution of Libraries to Economic and
Community Development
• Because unemployment rose beginning in 2007,
• Digital literacy skills are critical to current job market –
(application submitted online to multi-national
corporations to grocery stores).
• Many people turned to libraries seeking for
comprehensive employment and other capacity building
related information, since libraries provide users with:
o Career information,
o Computers and free broadband wireless internet
accesses,
o Testing resources, skills trainings and certifications,
o 0nline application assistances,
o The opportunity to use their resources on evenings
and week-ends, otherwise hard to get access to
valuable information;
Adopting to African Circumstances
“Thinking globally and acting locally”
US Public Libraries Service and Survival
Strategies
Funding: Bold campaign, online and in person,
Partnership, volunteers, innovative services,
inclusiveness…
Resources – Towards online/digital/demand-driven
acquisition
Users: Babies, children and young adults receive
attention
US public Libraries
Service and Survival Strategies
African Union Policy on Libraries Development
While there are a number of continental policies, such
as:
-African leadership in ICT Program (ALICT)
-African Regional Action Plan on the Knowledge
Economy (ARAPKE), we shall work out together.
Thank you