Questions

So I have been thinking a lot about surveys. I most certainly know that I want to ask both the public and librarians their thoughts on the topic.

These are questions that I want answered either from research or surveys. 

Topic: Privatizing libraries - should it happen?1. what are the benefits of privatizing libraries? What are its drawbacks?
2. how to finance a private library.
   a. by subscription
    b. by local funding, such as a charter school using local school funds?
    c. Libraries in Regency England were pay only for use. Would the historic model work today, or would it make books available only to the elite who could pay for access?
 3. Would large foundations, such as the Bill and Melinds Gates group, be interested in private libraries in disadvantaged areas, such as Appalachia, where public funding for libraries is minimal? Research the levels of funding for libraries in rural areas v. big cities to see if this is true.
4. If the federal, state, and local governments are cutting costs everywhere, and we have seen in Chesterfield County (my home town) that libraries are open just four days a week, is the only solution to a minimal library system privatizing libraries?
5. If government won't support libraries, will people who are unemployed and need to use the library to job hunt be able to afford to use a private library?
6. If a library uses private grant and fundraising money to operate, will the fund donaters expect to control the libraries' book orders? The kinds of patrons allowed inside? The hours of operation?

If any of you blog readers who often go to the public library want to weigh in your opinion than by all means, please do.  This will give me an even more "real world" aspect of my proposal.

The Beast!

So, when I was at ALA in New Orleans this summer I was trekking it from one end of the convention center to the other for another session (and this was a long hike)  when I was stopped by a woman at a table in the hallway with a petition board, and handing out free bags and pens.  Being someone who can't resist free stuff (I did come home with over 40 free books and 10 bags)  I stopped to see what the petition was about.  It happened to be a petition against privatization.  The lady asked me to sign, which I did, told me to check out the site, (which I am just now doing)  and gave me a really cute bag with a "privatization beast" stress reliever.  Here is the like to the site.

http://privatizationbeast.org/

And the Research Continues...

So I am struggling a bit in finding what I think are and would be considered quality articles on the topic of privatization.  Also, I don't know which online directory or database would be best for me to dig into. Ive been looking at all the sources on the BB site, but everything is so broad. What category does my topic fall into?  I'm getting worried.  I think this is something I will bring up on Wed. Maybe other's are having a hard time as well. 

I am finding more articles that pertain to either specific states, or countries, but I am looking for something more general.  Maybe  I should reshape my topic. 

Here I have updated my Livebinder with more sources.
http://livebinders.com/edit?id=185791

Article Searching

I can already tell that my lit. review is going to be kind of interesting.  The research is going sorta well, but to be honest, for such a hot topic I am not finding a whole slew of information out there.  Well, let me correct myself. I am not finding a ton of information on the privatization of public in the U.S.  If I were looking at U.K. libraries I would be golden.  Anyways, I wanted to post my Livebinder where I am gathering articles that I will be reviewing.  While this site might look kind of pathetic at the moment, I do have five article (yes, two don't come up on screen but they are there, believe me. )

http://livebinders.com/edit?id=185791

Topic Finally Picked

So I know my topic and here is the working title: Privatizing Libraries: Should it Happen?

I know that this topic is going to require fixed experiments/research and it will probably be measured in the “nominal” or “ordinal” ways. 

I have a strong argument (I believe) on why we they should go private with a few examples to back it up. 

Here are a few questions I will be keeping in mind as I research this topic.

1. What are the benefits of privatizing libraries? What are its drawbacks?

2. How to finance a private library.

   a. by subscription

    b. by local funding, such as a charter school using local school funds?

    c. Libraries in Regency England were pay only for use. Would the historic model work today, or would it make books available only to the elite who could pay for access?

 3. Would large foundations, such as the Bill and Melinds Gates group, be interested in private libraries in disadvantaged areas, such as Appalachia, where public funding for libraries is minimal? Research the levels of funding for libraries in rural areas v. big cities to see if this is true.

4. If the federal, state, and local governments are cutting costs everywhere, and we have seen in Chesterfield County that libraries are open just four days a week, is the only solution to a minimal library system privatizing libraries?

I know that I have intervening variables as part of my theory which I will piece together in time. 

So far how does this sound?

Deciding a Topic

Ok. So this is the hard part. I have been doing a lot of thinking, talking with a friend who happens to be doing surveys, lit reviews, and research for her "socol" thesis, and now I am feeling a bit more comfortable about the work I will be doing over the next few months. Here are two main topic that I think I would really like to do.

1. I want to study the effects hunger has on learning/literacy
2. The use and effects of after school programs for teens.
3. What do patrons really want out of their public library.

Ok, so this last one might be a bit vague, but sometimes I feel like a public library can do so much more than what it does, and sometimes it's doing something that people just don't want

And I'm off

To be honest with all of you, I love research. BUT I hate hate hate the very first step, and that step is to pick a topic to research. There is just too much I want to know about. Yet, at the same time I think it's better to not know. Crazy right? Well my focus as a librarian is public libraries with a concentration in youth services. I know my topic will revolve around public library service. I'm leaning towards looking into the effectiveness of storytimes to preschoolers, or where should a library direct its most attention to helping. It's a bit early for me to decide, but I know I must soon.