Many public libraries in the UK may not be adequately meeting the information needs of LGBTIQ+ patrons. Research has shown that this is due to a variety of factors, such as slashed budgets, lack of staff knowledge and the lingering effects of Section 28, which sought to prevent the ‘promotion’ of homosexuality by Local Authorities. This study exa…[Read more]

The advent of digital technologies has caused significant disruption to the operations of public libraries. The Internet-connected user can access information and e-books instantly online, throwing the role of the public library into question. Libraries have responded in different ways: some have focused on expanding digital collections and remote…[Read more]

‘Reading for Pleasure’ has become a popular phrase in children’s education and literacy. The Open University and United Kingdom Literacy Association have a joint research portal dedicated to the phenomenon (The Open University, 2020), and many extol the benefits: if we can just get our children reading for pleasure, they will be less stres…[Read more]

Collections development refers to the practice of adding items to the collection of a library, and collections management refers to what happens to these items after they join (Johnson, 2018). These terms encompass diverse activities from deciding the scope of a collection to a policy for de-selection (or ‘weeding’). Practice will vary between spe…[Read more]