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tag: Public libraries

Upcoming Event
November 6, 2024

What’s on Your Website?

Findings From a Nationwide Inventory of Basic Needs Services on Library Websites

With funding from ECMC Foundation, Ithaka S+R launched the Maximizing Public-Academic Library Partnerships research initiative examining opportunities for collaboration between academic and public libraries and how they can best support basic needs and holistic student success. At the Library Assessment Conference in Portland, Oregon, Sindy Lopez, Sage Love, and Melissa Blankstein will share insights and findings from the project. Community members can act on this research by reviewing the findings to pinpoint potential information gaps within their own libraries…
Blog Post
July 16, 2024

Exploring Basic Needs Support Across Public and Community College Libraries

New Report Released

We are excited to announce the publication of a new report for the Maximizing Public-Academic Library Partnerships project, funded by ECMC Foundation. The project explores how community college and public libraries facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration to create and sustain productive partnerships that promote basic needs services and information. The first phase of the project focused on examining the landscape of basic need services advertised on library websites. The inventory analysis of websites surveyed eight basic needs categories: Technology,…
Research Report
July 16, 2024

Exploring Basic Needs Support Across Public and Community College Libraries

Opportunities for Collaboration

There are many intersections between public and community college libraries, both in the populations they serve and their functions within their local communities. Both types of libraries play a crucial role in supporting the diverse needs of their communities, serving as hubs for education, information, and essential services. Maximizing partnerships between public and community college libraries therefore presents a significant opportunity.
Blog Post
April 8, 2024

Maximizing Public-Academic Library Partnerships

Seeking Case Study Partners

Through our Maximizing Public-Academic Library Partnerships project funded by ECMC Foundation, Ithaka S+R is investigating different types of cross-sector library partnerships at a national level, with a focus on identifying their strengths and challenges. These partnerships can range from formalized agreements with shared resources to more informal collaborations where public and academic library leaders convene periodically to address their priorities.
Past Event
March 6, 2024

Unpacking Emerging Threats to the Culture of Learning and Academic Libraries

Ithaka S+R’s Roger Schonfeld will participate in the closing keynote panel at Camp ER&L, on March 6 at 11:00am – 12:00pm, alongside panelists John Chrastka, Kathleen McEvoy, and Nancy Kirkpatrick. Closing Keynote Panel The dangers making headlines for school libraries and public libraries are beginning to impact academic institutions and their content and technology providers. State-level threats to academic libraries come from mandated shifts from the social sciences and the humanities to STEM at state-funded universities, the elimination of…
Blog Post
November 7, 2023

Suicide Prevention in the Library

Current Service Offerings and Future Opportunities

As an important frontline community center, libraries play a vital role in connecting people to resources, services, and materials that meet their holistic needs. Over the past decade library services have grown to address the acute need for mental health and crisis support, especially in light of the growing issue of college students’ mental health. With suicide a leading cause of death in the United States, now increasing after a period of decline, efforts to help…
Blog Post
March 20, 2023

Supporting Public-Academic Library Partnerships

There are many intersections between public and community college libraries, both in the populations they serve and their functions within their local communities. However, there is little guidance on how to forge partnerships between these sectors to maximize resources and better serve students and the larger community. Today, I am delighted to announce the launch of a three-year research initiative funded by ECMC Foundation to help equip the library community to develop and maximize partnerships in order to better provide…
Blog Post
June 27, 2019

Measures that Matter: Review of State Public Libraries Survey Now Available

Last Tuesday, the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) released Measures that Matter Action Plan Step 2.1: A Review of State Public Library Survey Data Elements. We were excited to conduct this phase of work on COSLA’s behalf and believe the findings from this important systematic review of current state public library surveys, as well as states’ data collection and reporting practices, will be helpful for a wide range of libraries.