Old Skills and New Practices Mean Radical Change for Library Education Deborah Turner College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University. Email: [email protected]

Tim Gorichanaz College of Computing and Informatics, Drexel University. Email: [email protected]

Technological advances and other societal change have resulted in public libraries’ in- creased reliance on online resources when providing access to information. However, a portion of those served by public libraries includes members of urban poor populations who may prefer to interact with information by talking. How can library educators en- sure graduates are prepared to serve these populations? Using the participatory action research method this paper reports the Oral Present research project. This project is part of an on-going study conducted to identify how public libraries studied meet the infor- mation needs of this constituency. Results reveal how current service practices involve a radical twist on using traditional collection development skills. Discussion includes recommendations to ensure library education curricula can better prepare graduates for applying age-old professional practices in radical new ways.

Keywords: library services, libraries and metropolitan areas, oral information, urban poor, LIS education, everyday life information

Introduction recommendations for improvement in this area. Analysis of focus group, interview, echnological proliferation has led to a and observation data reveals how library Tdecrease in ready reference services, and information science (LIS) educators including less reference desks, and to pub- can better prepare librarians for meeting lic libraries finding technology-based ways the information needs of those who pre- to meet patrons’ information needs. How- fer to interact with oral information. The ever, members of urban poor populations preliminary findings presented are part of in the United States tend to belong to oral an on-going research project focused on li- cultures, or those that traditionally prefer brary services extended to the urban poor. to interact with information by talking (Heath, 1983; Ong, 2005; Purcell-Gates, Exploring the Problem in the 1995). How do librarians in the United Literature States meet the information needs of talk- ers? The study reported in this paper was Members of underserved within the developed to increase understanding of (1) general populations of the United States in- this population, (2) how libraries extend clude, but are not limited to, families with services to it, and (3) how people inter- children (birth to age 17) living below the act with one type of informal, specifically poverty line (as defined by the American oral, information. By identifying practices Office of Management and Budget, which that urban public librarians in the United implements and enforces Presidential pol- States use to meet urban poor population’s icy and is revised annually in accordance information needs, this study provides with U.S. code section 9902[2] of title J. of Education for Library and Information Science, Vol. 57, No. 3—(Summer) July 2016 ISSN: 0748-5786 © 2016 Association for Library and Information Science Education 239 doi:10.12783/issn.2328-2967/57/3/2 240 JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE 42), individuals with disabilities, senior Turner, 2009). People prefer informal citizens, and residents of all ages unable to information when they want to find out access library programs and services due about something new (Daft and Lengel, to factors including geographic, language/ 1983; Fidel and Green, 2004; Mackenzie, linguistic, technological, and socioeco- 2005; see also Ikoja-Odongo and Ocholla, nomic barriers (Minnesota Department of 2004). As examples, prenatal women rely Education, 2007). The study focuses main- on oral information to build relationships ly on one underserved U.S. demographic, with key information providers to become those considered urban poor. This portion informed (McKenzie, 2009); co-workers of the population has poor social protec- use it to build teams and socialize new tion from risk—including limited access colleagues (Hall, 1993; Mirivel and Tracy, to education, employment, healthcare, and 2005; Meehan, 2000; Sole and Edmond- housing (Gilderbloom, 2008). Culture, son, 2002); community members—who race, and social psychological factors also rely on old technologies—consider it contribute to their poverty (Wilson, 1996). when deciding whether to adopt new tech- African Americans and other minorities nology like smartphones (Burrell, 2012); are likely to be a part of the urban poor and, managers share it to convey important (PEW, 2012). When conducting research information (Case, 2007; Turner, 2012; on African Americans, DiTomaso (2012) Leckie, Pettigrew, and Sylvan, 1996; see finds that their social and economic status also Bhaumik, 2005). remains unchanged because they routinely Increasing and facilitating access to lack access to the type of social connec- online information will not bring about tions needed to achieve socioeconomic social change for many of these groups. mobility. This research indicates where Instead, access to information must be intervention is needed to positively impact coupled with effective social connections the urban poor. that foster the flow of informal informa- Evidence of public libraries’ on-going tion. This discussion is consistent with the interest in those considered underserved small-world model of information seek- can be shown by the way LIS literature re- ing, which posits that people rely on in- fers to the urban poor in a broad range of network providers of information, usually domains: from early-20th-century efforts oral information, over out-network provid- to “Americanize” immigrants to current ers (Chatman, 1996, 1992). A key aspect efforts to help those disadvantaged, needy, of this model is that community members underprivileged, or underserved (Office of do not trust outsider information sources. Education, Bureau of Libraries and Learn- ing Resources, 1973; Townes, 2015). Method More recent efforts to improve quality of life have aimed to get urban poor commu- To learn more about how urban public nity members online. Although these ef- librarians serve populations that prefer to forts have led to some positive outcomes interact with oral information, the current for this population, they fail to improve study design relies on the Participant Ac- economic prosperity, political participa- tion Research (PAR) method (Kemmis, tion, and social interaction systemically McTaggart, and Nixon, 2014; Kindon, (Frisby-Greenwood, 2013; Wolfson, Pain, and Kesby, 2010) to examine and 2013). determine how to improve library educa- The study reported here also emerges tion curricula. PAR involves relying on from new understandings about oral in- researcher and, as appropriate, participant formation, mainly in the western world. knowledge to arrive at study conclusions. This type of information has been catego- Preliminary data was gathered at the Cleve- rized as informal information (Case, 2007; land Public Library (CPL), a large, urban Old Skills and New Practices Mean Radical Change for Library Education 241 system with 27 branches and the first of library. The participants received their three research sites. Data sets include in- choice of a mini USB flash drive or a can terviews with librarian administrators (9), of nuts (both valued at 5 US Dollars) as an interviews with eligible library users—re- incentive for the fifteen to twenty minutes gardless of whether they use CPL (47), a of their time needed for an interview. focus group with representatives (7) from Finally in recognition of how initial community service organizations (5); and, data gathered revealed persistent coop- limited observation data. eration between libraries and community Library administrators included ad- service organizations, data was gathered ministrators charged with system-wide to learn more about the organizations’ responsibilities and branch managers. roles in meeting the information needs of Central administrative librarians helped underserved populations. Specifically, the ensure that most data was gathered in or researcher facilitated a 90-minute focus near library locations serving the city’s ur- group with representatives from five dif- ban poor—the majority of which are Afri- ferent community service organizations. can American. Several of these librarians Focus group members responded to semi- had worked in more than the one capac- structured questions focused on what pop- ity since beginning at the library system. ulations they served, how they advertised The library administrators responded to their services, how they got information to semi-structured interview questions about their target populations, and whether and what populations the library served, how how the organizations worked with public it worked to meet their information needs, libraries. Although held in a library facil- which populations had information needs ity, the focus group involved no library that were the hardest to reach, and why do- staff members. ing so proved challenging. Librarian par- Data was coded to identify emergent ticipants also suggested potential places to themes. Consistent with the PAR meth- gather data by interviewing eligible library odology, member checking helped ensure users. accurate analysis of the data and identifi- Next, community members provided cation of emergent themes. insight into how they obtained informa- tion. To learn from community members Results who use the library and from those who do not, the researcher interviewed communi- Data from librarian participants. When ty members inside the library and nearby, asked which constituents they considered or outside of, the library. Three sites were underserved, librarian participants replied selected for interviews during different that underserved community members times of the day (for safety reasons, no tend to be from diverse backgrounds, in- data was gathered after 6pm): a high traf- cluding urban poor. While this included fic area of a branch library, a common area homeless, un- and underemployed, and of large, senior citizen complex, and a side single parents, most librarian participants of a community room in a large church (8 of the 9) commented that the hardest to that functions as a community center (for reach within this population were adoles- example by hosting events attended by cents (including teen mothers), and senior church members and community residents citizens. Most participant librarians (7) who are not members). Participants re- continued to describe that a significant sponded to structured interview questions portion of those hard-to-reach constituents about how they resolved a recent situation prefer to interact with oral information. in which they needed information that they This finding was reiterated when these did not have, how they obtained informa- participants responded to a question about tion in general, and whether they used a the best methods used for informing com- 242 JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE munities they serve about library resourc- Additionally, several librarian par- es and services. The library uses radio, ticipants described attending community print, online advertising (including social meetings—held by a range of constitu- media), and signage (posters and bill- ents including community activists, civic boards). Most agreed (7) that using word administrators, local professionals, social of mouth—whether ethnic radio stations service providers, and volunteers—in or local librarians—led to more effective order to talk about available library re- outcomes. One librarian participant attrib- sources. For example, one participant de- uted this effectiveness to the fact that this scribed having regularly attended a local method can provide personal referrals to government public meeting and routinely relevant and quality resources: “people are telling meeting participants about recently just bombarded with so much [informa- acquired library books. At one such meet- tion] all the time . . . if the librarian says ing, she instead shared information about ‘hey guys, you should come to this’ then employers who hire felons, which led to they’ll come.” Others explained that talk- an increase in the use of library resourc- ing with library users proved more effec- es about jobs for former prisoners. The tive. Librarians who managed a branch library had always maintained informa- explained that telling library users about tion about resources for former prisoners. programs more routinely resulted in high- However, the librarian’s actions at that er attendance than when the library relied meeting seemed to have made a difference solely on traditional delivery methods or in community members’ use of those re- social media. sources. The data did not indicate whether While these initial questions led to in- her presence at multiple meetings was a formation about what underserved popula- factor in this outcome. Future research in tions librarians target and how librarians this area may shed light on this aspect of worked to increase these groups use of information provision. the library, remaining questions focused Relying on oral information did not on how librarians worked more directly to consistently yield expected results. In an- meet this population’s information needs. other example, a librarian talked to teen- Interview and observation data reveal that age girls to encourage them to attend and practices used to this end include: to ensure attendance at an upcoming li- brary program aimed for this constituent. 1. Engaging members of the urban poor Despite telling many teen girls repeatedly in talk that may seem peripheral to about the event, a small number attended. their information need(s); However, more teen girls came to the li- 2. Making certain all levels of staff un- brary before and after the event behaving derstand the importance of talking in ways that demonstrated interest in who with library users; and, did attend and what happened during the 3. Enlisting community service organi- program. From a traditional standpoint, zations, with objectives compatible to the low turnout was disappointing. How- the library’s, to join in efforts to meet ever, the librarian’s word-of-mouth mar- those users’ information needs. keting increased the use of the library as a gathering place for teens, which sug- In other words, talking to library us- gested increased interest in and use of the ers—for example, in a brief greeting or library—a lost battle, but a won war. a longer conversation while in front of a Data regarding eligible library users. public computer—was an important part Comments made by eligible library users’ of information provision typically thought and observations of library interactions of as being limited to a reference inter- reinforced librarian participants’ com- view. ments about urban poor constituents and Old Skills and New Practices Mean Radical Change for Library Education 243 oral information. Eligible users who were es again in the future. For example, most interviewed inside the library consistently eligible library users who used the library refer to ‘librarians’ even when gesturing and some (interviewed at a non-library lo- to areas of the library—the circulation cation) who did not use the library consid- desk, security staff areas, and community ered the library as a place in which they rooms—staffed by non-librarians. And, could get information they needed. several librarian participants (3) intro- Finally, data reveal evidence of practic- duced me to non-librarian staff members es that librarian participants used to man- in ways that encouraged the subsequent age their efforts to work with community conversation to which those introductions service organizations. Those practices in- led. Each of those librarians was observed clude: subsequently engaging eligible library us- ers in the same manner that led to those • Monitoring community needs and users having similar, brief conversations available community services for meet- with non-librarian staff. Two of those li- ing those needs; brarian participants later explained that • Aiming to augment and not duplicate taking time to train non-librarian staff on those services; how to greet and talk with library users • Evaluating each community service tended to have a positive impact on over- organization for its dependability, all library use—e.g., the users return for integrity, quality, and stability before future visits, ask staff for help when they establishing a relationship with it; need it, attend programs when library staff • Managing library resources (calendars suggest they do, etc. This kind of training of events, displays, spaces, staffing, and outcomes to which it led also rein- etc.) to ensure patrons’ access to com- forced the importance of oral interactions. munity service organizations; and, One librarian commented that not greeting • As necessary, changing or ending the a patron could result in that person leaving library’s reliance on any community and not returning—an outcome she had service organization for meeting infor- observed. This evidence of librarians re- mation needs. lying on oral information further substan- tiates research findings regarding small Such practice is further informed by information worlds (Chatman, 1992). By information gleaned from library users’ engaging in small talk and reinforcing the about their information needs, patterns of importance of talk, librarians become part library resource usage, community demo- of their patrons’ small information world. graphics, and user feedback. For example, Data also revealed that this type of en- librarian participants, who made arrange- gagement extended beyond the library. ments for a community legal organization Specifically, librarian participants- de to provide information to library users on scribed and were observed facilitating site on a regular basis, planned other li- conversations between library users and brary programming to address non-legal community service organizations. Each topics. Another librarian participant de- librarian participant described coordinat- scribed a need to offer programming that ing programs during which community disseminated information about early service organization representatives could childhood education when a community talk with members of the urban poor as a organization that had been offering such way to meet this constituent’s information information and services to the commu- needs. Engaging in this manner not only nity served by the library lost funding and led to meeting immediate information ceased to exist. needs, but also to encouraging members Data regarding community service or- of that population to use library resourc- ganizations. Finally, practices that involve 244 JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE librarians collaborating with community services outside of its facilities, these final service organizations involve librarians comments suggest that these participants ensuring that the organizations are po- were not aware of the library’s efforts in sitioned to provide information to com- this area. That stated, additional research munity members. This differs somewhat to investigate comments like these may re- from how librarians ensure community veal additional strategies for meeting the members’ access to and use of informa- information needs of the underserved. tion through containers or objects—from books to web sites and more—inside of Discussion libraries; representatives from the organi- zations have a larger role in information The data reveal how librarians’ meet the delivery and use. Focus group participants needs of library users who prefer to inter- described library staff as dependable and act with information by talking mainly by knowledgeable individuals whose work talking with such patrons and by working ensured the library’s reputation as being in ways to ensure staff from other com- an accessible, neutral, and safe space. This munity service organizations can talk to view informs all the participants’ desire to them as well. While librarians talking with collaborate with libraries. patrons and collaborating with commu- Focus group participants reached no nity service organizations is hardly new, consensus on which community members a closer look at how librarians accomplish were the hardest to reach in part because these tasks provides insight for library the organizations provided a range of ser- educators who ensure that graduates are vices—healthy food, legal aid, religious prepared to serve urban poor populations. community, safe homes, and youth servic- This closer look reinforces assertions that es. That stated, all participants commented a social component must accompany ef- on how the poorest community members forts to make online resources available proved hardest to serve. to community members when working to Acknowledging how they collectively meet their information needs (Wolfson, offered different but compatible services, 2013). the focus group participants expressed the Themes that emerge from this study lead importance of and challenges involved in to questions about how librarians manage remaining aware of all the different avail- and use skills needed to meet the informa- able services in order to refer their clients tion needs of urban poor library users. At and customers as needed. The participants first glance, analysis of the data suggests assumed the library maintained this type that the practices noted in the data emerge of awareness as well. In fact, data reveal from trial and error or on-the-job experi- that effort needed to facilitate these col- ence. On closer examination, data reveal laborations results in librarians maintain- evidence of librarians using skills taught ing a complex understanding of commu- in LIS programs yet applying those skills nity services. in different ways when working with those Two focus group participants expressed who prefer to interact with oral informa- concerns that the library underutilized its tion. Evidence of these practices has a influence and role in the community. The number of implications for LIS educators. two wondered whether the library could Practices involving communication. have an even broader impact on the com- First, data analysis reveals evidence of munity by repeating successes that oc- librarians using communication skills fre- curred inside the library in parts of the quently addressed in LIS curricula, yet community where no library facility was more as a resource for business operations located. Given that observation data did (fund raising, managing human resources, reveal how the library system provides performance reviews, problem situations, Old Skills and New Practices Mean Radical Change for Library Education 245 reference interviewing, etc.) not for ex- in this study reveal that practices used to tending public service. Consider how the manage library collaborations with such librarians knew that they needed to talk organizations resemble those used to man- to certain types of library users and de- age traditional collections (Turner, 2015). scribed doing so in such a way that infor- Briefly, the librarians identify the desired mal greetings, in effect, became an initial scope needed for library resources to meet part of what may be considered a multi- community needs; determine gaps in cov- stage reference encounter (Turner, 2015). erage of existing resources; locate rel- Future research in this area may better in- evant items or community organizations form reference interviews and public ser- that may help fill those gaps; determine vice. This outcome also suggests that LIS whether and how to collaborate with the management curricula could be altered to organization(s) if criteria warrants (quality teach LIS students about using communi- of information or services that the orga- cation skills for day-to-day customer rela- nization makes available, dependency of tions in addition to business operations. organization representatives, stability of LIS educators can explain the importance the organization, etc.); and, when needed of staff being trained to know when to rely removes outdated items or ends collabora- on oral or informal information and pro- tions with an organization again based on vide practical examples for applying this a set of criteria used to evaluate that col- knowledge. For example, instructors could laboration. Explained another way, urban teach students that staff changes (depar- public librarians use collection manage- tures, new hires, transfers, etc.) could ment skills to conduct a type of audit of impact some library users’ willingness available community services including to seek information. Therefore, libraries by evaluating: would do well to find ways to inform the community about such changes in order • An organization’s purpose (it provides to ensure some underserved community services that urban poor library us- members will be able to relate to new or ers need, targets the neighborhood[s] departing staff. This approach recognizes served by that library, is known and library staff as one of the many commu- trusted in the community, supports nity resources—along with meeting space civic goals, etc.); and physical collections—that the library • The quality of service an organization makes available. Preparing students to ap- provides (availability and quality of ply managerial skills in such ways is con- organization informational materials or sistent with how Smith (2015) reinforces ability to create opportunities in which Cheney’s assertion regarding the need for library users can talk with organization patrons to receive guidance from a librar- representatives); and, ian in person when seeking information. • Outcomes yielded from the library’s Practices involving ‘collection plan- and the organization’s combined efforts ning. Second, the findings suggest that (increase library usage, leverage avail- LIS educators can better prepare students able resources, or generate additional to apply another skill, collection planning, resources). in a new way. In an effort to leverage re- sources needed for meeting the informa- Library users who access community tion needs of underserved community service organizations through library- members, urban public librarians main- organization collaborations do so in part tain extensive knowledge about available because of measures the library takes to community service organizations in order ensure the resulting outcomes help sus- to collaborate with those organizations. tain the library’s safe, neutral, and trusted How do they get this knowledge? The data role within the community. LIS curricula 246 JOURNAL OF EDUCATION FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE would do well to prepare graduates to con- despite how increasing access to informa- sciously apply traditional collection man- tion via technology may undermine such agement skills to manage library efforts to dialog. Analysis of focus group, interview, serve the underserved. and observation data suggest that prac- Practices involving advocacy. Finally, tices used to meet the information needs librarians’ use of collection management of those who prefer oral information are skills suggests a new strategy that can be likely to not only help meet those needs, used to advocate for the library. Advocacy but also to provide a way for public librar- involves deliberate and sustained efforts to ies to advocate for themselves. Given this increase understanding of and support for suggestion, LIS educators would do well libraries (Stenstrom and Haycock, 2015). to help prepare future librarians for using LIS educators can help prepare future li- advocacy, collection management, and brarians to use their audit-type understand- communication skills in two ways. First, ing of available community services not learning to apply such skills in the less tra- only to plan library services, but also to ditional ways that emerged in the data can help ensure a more informed community. ensure librarians will meet the information For example, library administrators can re- needs of the urban poor and will better in- port insights learned from what seem to be form the broader public about available routine ‘community service organization services and the library’s role in ensuring audits’ to their parent organizations (typi- the community knows that those services cally, a city or county government), other are available. Applying these three tradi- community organizations, and library sup- tional skills in this new and other innova- porters. Such information could be useful tive ways that more effectively account for for planning non-information services that all available resources will help sustain the impact the library (or the parent organiza- kinds of trusted, local personal network tion). For example, sharing this type of connections that ensure underserved com- information widely may help inform an munity members, and by association the emerging trend to integrate social services entire community, can thrive. or social workers inside libraries (Nemec- Loise, 2014). Disseminating information Acknowledgements about service gaps that exist and how pub- lic libraries work to keep track of and fill This research was supported by the In- those gaps would be a way for public li- stitute of Museum and Library Services braries to advocate for themselves, in part, Early Career Development Grant # RE- by demonstrating how libraries add value 07-14-0051, “The Oral Present, Urban to communities they serve (see also Cleve- Library Services, and the Underserved,” land Public Library, 2012). awarded to Deborah Turner.

Conclusion References

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