Recent Views on Identifying Impacts from Public Libraries

ABSTRACT This paper provides a review and analysis of key topics and issues related to identifying and describing impacts that result from public library services. The paper first describes key terms and explores the notion of a “public good” as it pertains to library services. Based on a number of studies, the paper offers a typology of public library impacts and the importance of those impacts for local communities. Specific types of impact are identified and described with emphasis on the importance of impacts on local economic development. The paper concludes by discussing a number of issues and strategies that should be considered when public librarians wish to promote economic development as an outcome from library services.

[1]  Tony Miele,et al.  Libraries as Information Centers for Economic Development. , 1995 .

[2]  L. Vaughan.  The value of the public library to small businesses , 1996 .

[3]  Barbara L. Anderson.  The Library as a Community Center , 1994, Libr. Trends.

[4]  Leslie Fitch,et al.  Dividends: The Value of Public Libraries in Canada , 1998 .

[5]  C. Mullings.  Information and the small manufacturing firm : Capital Planning Information. Edinburgh: Capital planning information, 1982. 133 pp. ISBN 0 906011 175. £9.75 plus postage , 1983 .

[6]  Patricia Lora,et al.  Libraries and Literacy in America 1985-2000. , 1990 .

[7]  Frederick C. Lynden.  Impact of foreign exchange on library materials budgets , 1996 .

[8]  David W. Pearce,et al.  现代经济学词典 = The dictionary of modern economics , 1983 .

[9]  Glen E. Holt,et al.  A framework for evaluating public investment in urban libraries , 1996 .

[10]  John Carlo Bertot,et al.  Public Library Use in Pennsylvania: Identifying Uses, Benefits, and Impacts. Final Report. , 1998 .

[11]  Roger A. McCain,et al.  Information as Property and as a Public Good: Perspectives from the Economic Theory of Property Rights , 1988, The Library Quarterly.

[12]  Maxine Bleiweis.  Helping Business: The Library's Role in Community Economic Development : A How-To-Do-It Manual , 1997 .

[13]  R. Sawyer.  The economic and job creation benefits of Ontario public libraries , 1996 .

[14]  J. Olaisen,et al.  Pricing Strategies for Library and Information Services , 1989 .