Spiritual needs and modern librarianship: a survey of practising librarians in a Western context

IF 0.7 4区 管理学 Q3 INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE
Pranay Nangia, I. Ruthven
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

Introduction. This study aimed to highlight the perceptions of spiritual needs in modern librarianship through a survey administered amongst practising librarians primarily in the USA and UK. In addition, this study contributes to the conceptualisation of the spiritual in library settings and discussions on service provision within Western libraries. Methods. We used a mixed-methods approach which collected quantitative and qualitative data through one survey. Analysis. We analysed the responses through descriptive statistics and thematic coding. Results. Librarians connected spiritual needs with humanness, emotions, wellbeing, religion and culture. Spiritual needs associated with love/belonging/respect and positivity/gratitude/hope/peace were perceived more often than those associated with resolution/death and the divine. The need to perform religious/ spiritual rituals and participate in religious/spiritual services was regarded as the least important to consider in modern librarianship. Conclusions. Our findings 1) Support prior research that conceptualises modern libraries as spaces for contemplation and spirituality; 2) Provide an account of how librarians understand the concept of spiritual needs; 3) Indicate librarians’ perceptions of the prevalence of spiritual needs amongst library patrons; 4) Highlight the perceived importance of considering spiritual needs in modern libraries.
精神需求与现代图书馆事业:西方背景下的图书馆员调查
介绍。本研究旨在通过一项主要在美国和英国的执业图书馆员之间进行的调查,突出现代图书馆事业中精神需求的观念。此外,本研究有助于概念化图书馆的精神设置和讨论西方图书馆的服务提供。方法。我们采用混合方法,通过一次调查收集定量和定性数据。分析。我们通过描述性统计和主题编码来分析这些回应。结果。图书馆员将精神需求与人性、情感、幸福、宗教和文化联系起来。与爱/归属/尊重和积极/感激/希望/和平相关的精神需求比与决心/死亡和神性相关的精神需求更常被感知。进行宗教/精神仪式和参加宗教/精神服务的需要被认为是现代图书馆事业中最不重要的考虑因素。结论。我们的发现1)支持先前的研究,即将现代图书馆概念化为沉思和灵性的空间;2)阐述图书馆员如何理解精神需求的概念;3)指出图书馆馆员对图书馆顾客普遍存在精神需求的看法;4)强调在现代图书馆中考虑精神需求的重要性。
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来源期刊
Information Research-An International Electronic Journal
Information Research-An International Electronic Journal INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE-
CiteScore
1.20
自引率
12.50%
发文量
62
审稿时长
45 weeks
期刊介绍: Information Research, is an open access, international, peer-reviewed, scholarly journal, dedicated to making accessible the results of research across a wide range of information-related disciplines. It is published by the University of Borås, Sweden, with the financial support of an NOP-HS Scientific Journal Grant. It is edited by Professor T.D. Wilson, and is hosted, and given technical support, by Lund University Libraries, Sweden.
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