Library Services for the Poor: Theoretical Framework for Library Social Responsibility

Aliza Racelis

doi:10.20897/pr/90831

Full Text (PDF)

Aliza Racelis ¹ ^*

More Detail

¹ University of the Philippines, Virata School of Business, University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, PHILIPPINES
^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Organizations are being called upon to take responsibility for the ways their operations impact societies especially the marginalized sectors. Libraries are not exempt from such social responsibility. The paper proposes a theoretical framework for Library Social Responsibility. The paper briefly traces the history of library services for the poor. Then, through such literature review, it identifies the common characteristics of the inclusive services and puts these together in a conceptual framework. The approach is, thus, inductive. The paper’s proposed theoretical framework for workable and potentially successful library services for the poor includes the following elements: 1) Planning process and Critical discourse; 2) Informational justice (as part of social justice), and 3) Assistive technologies and Inclusive education. It is hoped that all --librarians and library users alike-- may take inspiration from this work so that they may do all they can to provide services to the poor, keeping especially in mind the success factors of the existing libraries' work for the poor and marginalized, as set forth in this paper.

Keywords

social responsibility
inclusion
libraries
library social responsibility

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/90831

PEDAGOGICAL RES, 2018 - Volume 3 Issue 2, Article No: 06

Publication date: 13 May 2018

Article Views: 4385

Article Downloads: 2803

Open Access References How to cite this article

References

Abdullahi, J. (2015). Policy framework on social welfare information management and services for Nigerian public libraries. Library Management, 36(4/5), 281-288. https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-08-2014-0088
American Library Association [ALA] (2012). Extending Our Reach: Reducing Homelessness through Library Engagement. Available at: http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/extending-our-reach-reducing-homelessness-through-library-engagement (Accessed 18 March 2018)
Anonymous (2009). Exceptional public sector organizations: Valuable lessons from the National Library Board and Singapore Airlines. Strategic Direction, 25(11), 37-39. https://doi.org/10.1108/02580540910999711
Ayers, S. (2006). The poor and homeless: An opportunity for libraries to serve. Southeastern Librarian, 54, 66-74.
Birdsong, L. and Freitas, J. (2012). Helping the Non-Scholar Scholar: Information Literacy for Lifelong Learners. Library Trends, 60(3), 588–610. https://doi.org/10.1353/lib.2012.0003
Bunic, S. (2013). Libraries and the homeless: Experiences, challenges and opportunities - socio-economic background of homelessness in Croatia. Library Review, 62(1/2), 34-42. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531311328131
Burgess, J. T. F. (2013). Virtue Ethics and the Narrative Identity of American Librarianship. 1876 to present. Doctoral Dissertation. Tuscaloosa, Alabama: The University of Alabama.
Campbell, T. and Miller, S. (2005). Human Rights and the Moral Responsibilities of Corporate and Public Sector Organisations. New York: Kluwer Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-2361-8
Clark, S. and MacCreaigh, E. (2006). Library Services to the Incarcerated: Applying the Public Library Model to Correctional Facility Libraries. Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.
Cummings, J. (2009). "How Can We Fail?" The Texas State Library's Traveling Libraries and Bookmobiles, 1916-1966. Libraries & the Cultural Record, 44(3), 299. https://doi.org/10.1353/lac.0.0080
D’Amato, A., Henderson, S. and Florence, S. (2009). Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Business: A Guide to Leadership Tasks and Functions. North Carolina: Center for Creative Leadership.
DuMont, R. (1991). Ethics in Librarianship: A Management Model. Library Trends, 40(2), 201-215.
Farrell, M. (2012). A Brief History of National Support for Libraries in the United States. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Garriga, E. and Domènec M. (2004). Corporate Social Responsibility Theories: Mapping the Territory. Journal of Business Ethics, 53, 51-71. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:BUSI.0000039399.90587.34
Gaudet, F. (2013). What kind of services supply to the poor? A survey directed toward homeless. Library Review, 62(1/2), 43-46. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531311328140
Geary, M. (2003). Trends in prison library services. Bookmobiles and Outreach Services, 6(1), 79-90.
Gehner, J. (2005). Poverty, Poor People, and Our Priorities. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(2), 117-121.
Gold, H. E. (2005). Engaging the Adult Learner: Creating Effective Library Instruction. Libraries and the Academy, 5(4), 467-481. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2005.0051
Goldberg, J. and Wilgosh, L. (2007). Editors’ Note. Developmental Disabilities Bulletin, 35(1/2).
Haider, J. and Bawden, D. (2007). Conceptions of “information poverty” in LIS: a discourse analysis. Journal of Documentation, 63(4), 534-557. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410710759002
Holt, L. E. and Holt, G. E. (2010). Public Library Services for the Poor: Doing All We Can. Chicago: American Library Association.
International Federation of Library Associations. (2017). IFLA Guidelines for Library Services to People Experiencing Homelessness. Netherlands: International Federation of Library Associations. Available at: https://www.ifla.org/publications/node/12642 (Accessed 18 March 2018)
Kay, H. H. A. and Luyt, B. (2010). Imagining the internet: learning and access to information in Singapore’s public libraries. Journal of Documentation, 66 (4), 475-490. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220411011052911
Kelleher, A. (2013). Not just a place to sleep: homeless perspectives on libraries in central Michigan. Library Review, 62(1/2), 19-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531311328122
Koeberlé, P. (2012). Promoting discourse analysis as a linguistic perspective to further explore strategic management issues. Journal of Strategy and Management, 5(4), 393-406. https://doi.org/10.1108/17554251211276362
Koulikourdi, A. (2008). Assistive technologies in Greek libraries. Library Hi Tech, 26(3), 387-397. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830810903319
Landorf, H. and Nevin, A. (2007). Inclusive global education: implications for social justice. Journal of Educational Administration, 45(6), 711-723. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230710829892
Locke, T. (2004). Critical Discourse Analysis. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group.
Manz, K. P., Marx, R. D., Manz, C. C. and Dillon, P. J. (2015). A Case Study of a Justice-Based Virtuous Organization. In A. J .G. Sison (ed.), Handbook of Virtue Ethics in Business and Management. Dordrecht: Springer Science+Business Media.
Mathiesen, K. (2015). Informational Justice: A Conceptual Framework for Social Justice in Library and Information Services. Library Trends, 64(2), 198-225. https://doi.org/10.1353/lib.2015.0044
Maxwell, N. K. (2006). Sacred stacks: The higher purpose of libraries and librarianship. Chicago: American Library Association.
McCook, K. P. (2001). Authentic discourse as a means of connection between public library service responses and community-building initiatives. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 41(2), 127-133.
Odasso, P. (2007). The Social Inclusion Function of the School Library. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(2), 18-31.
Pereyaslavska, K. and Abba, C. (2015). Don't Be a Reference "Tool": How to Use Internal Marketing to Build Staff Competencies in the Age of Inclusive Libraries. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 55(2), 102-108. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.55n2.102
Phenix, K. J. and McCook, K. P. (2005). Human Rights and Librarians. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 45(1), 23-26.
Racelis, A. D. (2017). Business Ethics and Social Responsibility. Quezon City: Rex Publishing.
Rendtorff, J. D. (2009). Responsibility, Ethics and Legitimacy of Corporations. Denmark: Copenhagen Business School Press.
Sanaman, G. and Kumar, S. (2014). Assistive Technologies for People with Disabilities in National Capital Region Libraries of India. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Paper 1200. Available at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/1200
Sauser, W. I., Jr. (2005). Ethics in Business: Answering the Call. Journal of Business Ethics, 58, 345–357. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-004-5715-z
Small, R. V., Justus, K. A., Regitano, J. L. (2014). ENABLE-ing School Librarians to Empower Students with Disabilities. Teacher Librarian, 42(1), 18-22.
Social Responsibilities Round Table [SRRT] (2012). Hunger, homelessness, and poverty task force (HHPTF). Available at: http://hhptf.org/article/1766/with-homeless-increasingly-shut-out-elsewhere-richmond-library-leans-into-role-as-de-facto-day-shelter/ (Accessed 18 March 2018)
Stewart, R., Narendra, V. and Schmetzke, A. (2005). Accessibility and usability of online library databases. Library Hi Tech, 23(2), 265-286. https://doi.org/10.1108/07378830510605205
Stumpf, K. H., Becker, C. U. and Baumgärtner, S. (2016). A Conceptual Structure of Justice: Providing a Tool to Analyse Conceptions of Justice. Ethical Theory and Moral Practice, 19, 1187–1202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10677-016-9728-3
Todaro, A. J. (2005). Library services for people with disabilities in Argentina. New Library World, 106(1212/1213), 253-268. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074800510595869
Venturella, K. M. (1998). Poor People and Library Services. North Carolina: McFarland.
Vogel, D. (2005). The Market for Virtue: The Potential and Limits of Corporate Social Responsibility, Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.
Winnick, P. and Lyman, H. H. (1967). Library Services to the Disadvantaged and Handicapped. ALA Bulletin, 61(9), 1065-1074.

How to cite this article

APA

Racelis, A. (2018). Library Services for the Poor: Theoretical Framework for Library Social Responsibility. Pedagogical Research, 3(2), 06. https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/90831

Vancouver

Racelis A. Library Services for the Poor: Theoretical Framework for Library Social Responsibility. PEDAGOGICAL RES. 2018;3(2):06. https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/90831

AMA

Racelis A. Library Services for the Poor: Theoretical Framework for Library Social Responsibility. PEDAGOGICAL RES. 2018;3(2), 06. https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/90831

Chicago

Racelis, Aliza. "Library Services for the Poor: Theoretical Framework for Library Social Responsibility". Pedagogical Research 2018 3 no. 2 (2018): 06. https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/90831

Harvard

Racelis, A. (2018). Library Services for the Poor: Theoretical Framework for Library Social Responsibility. Pedagogical Research, 3(2), 06. https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/90831

MLA

Racelis, Aliza "Library Services for the Poor: Theoretical Framework for Library Social Responsibility". Pedagogical Research, vol. 3, no. 2, 2018, 06. https://doi.org/10.20897/pr/90831