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The research was undertaken to explore the role of the UK public library as a public sphere and the ways in which this role relates to the epistemic, community and political functions of public libraries.

A longitudinal, multi-location focus group approach was developed and deployed in three phases. Data were collected from 53 active public library users in a total of 24 focus groups conducted in eight different public library services in England and Scotland in 2015–2016 (Phase 1), 2016–17 (Phase 2) and 2017–18 (Phase 3). Data collected were transcribed and coded using NVivo 10- for thematic analysis.

The public library's role as public sphere aligns closely with its epistemic functions, adding a dimension to information services provision beyond access to “traditional” print and online sources. New information and knowledge emerge through the person-to-person interactions in public library space. Through such exchanges, the community function of public libraries is made evident, notably as a platform for citizens to participate actively in society, including its democratic processes.

Unlike much extant prior work on public library value dominated with accounts of societal and/or economic impact, w hich is frequently based on the analysis of quantitative data, here the fundamental epistemic value of public library services is demonstrated. This research also adds an important perspective to the domain of Information Society Studies where, to date, the place of the public library as public sphere has been treated as peripheral.

In the modern “student focused” university setting, quality assurance and continual service improvement have become more and more important in the delivery of academic library services. Working in partnership with their students, academic libraries can enable meaningful engagement, through qualitative methods which allow individual students to contribute to performance measurement activities and service development. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how qualitative methods can be used to engage students in the performance measurement activities of academic libraries.

Through a review of relevant literature, discussion around the main themes and some case study examples, this paper illustrates how effective student engagement through qualitative methods can contribute to the quality assurance, performance measurement and ultimate service improvement of academic libraries.

The paper focuses specifically on focus group and reflective methods and also details some elements of user experience (UX) which brings together different qualitative techniques available for academic libraries. The paper concludes with a feature case study which discusses how meaningful student engagement was achieved through a large-scale UX project at the University of the Arts, London.

The paper brings together many different discussions around qualitative methods in performance measurement and is original in its discussions around such activity as student engagement initiatives.

This research aims to investigate effective public library environmental education interventions in order to inform the development of a framework for public libraries.

A qualitative research method was developed incorporating surveys and follow-up interviews with librarians working in USA public libraries, who were known to have been involved in environmental education initiatives.

The research determined which environmental education interventions were most likely to lead to action and behaviour change in public library users. The resulting discussion has allowed for the creation of a framework which establishes factors useful for successful implementation of environmental education programmes and activities. These elements include partnership, institutional commitment, inclusion and outreach and practical activities linked to a larger vision.

The research participants were limited to those libraries in the USA which were all affiliated with the American Library Association (ALA) Resilient Communities programmes and had received grants.

The paper concludes with a framework for implementing environmental education programmes in public libraries. Effective interventions are also shared which provide practical ideas and strategies.

Providing structure and considerations for establishing an environmental programme enables libraries to build on experiences of other libraries. As climate change action becomes a more pressing issue, providing these interventions supports action.

The paper discusses the concepts of environmental education and the role which public libraries can play in this arena, concluding that sustainable development should be treated as a new tenet of librarianship and environmental education as a new research field of library and information science.

Bringing together diverse areas of a university means having to work with several different methods and frameworks for measuring and assuring quality and identifying key performance indicators. The Business and Strategic Planning area of Library and Student Support at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) has been involved in such a case study, and this paper aims to present the findings of this work, which may be of interest to performance measurement practitioners.

This paper applies a case study approach, in that the background of the institution and change management programme will be clearly presented in order that the subsequent overview of the performance management work can be placed into context. The newly‐formed department already had several quality assurance and user satisfaction measurement instruments which were being used within the constituent parts of the service area (i.e. LibQUAL, SCONUL benchmarking exercises, Matrix assessment, enrolment surveys) as well as the results of the annual National Student Survey. The work in question has allowed for an investigation into how to establish a framework for inputting measurement and key performance data from all of these instruments and being able to respond to them as a single department. Having consulted some of the university's external corporate partners (namely Shop Direct and Merseytravel), the resulting framework now incorporates embedding departmental values and behaviours, and identifying particular moments of truth within the student lifecycle, where Library and Student Support has a particular impact on the student experience. By identifying these “moments of truth” the department is better placed to measure its impact and subsequently assure quality. The paper will present the experience of Library and Student Support in their efforts to find a single framework, made up of constituent methods and instruments, by which it can measure and assure quality.

The findings of the paper bring together the method outlined above and allow for the dissemination of the first year's work of the Library and Student Support Quality Assurance Framework. At the time of writing, this is a work in progress, as the first year's data, analysis and resulting quality actions and responses are for the academic year 2010‐2011. This paper presents an opportunity to find out how the framework was developed, constructed and implemented, how effective it has been and what further development needs to happen in order for the framework to continue to be effective.

Super‐convergence of university support departments is becoming increasingly more common, and existing quality and performance measurement channels now appear less and less meaningful within this new paradigm. This case study should present itself as one of the first studies of a “whole service” approach to quality assurance within this new order, and will therefore be of great interest and value to anyone else currently working within the business, planning and quality areas of super‐convergence.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the reasons and drivers for academic libraries affecting university strategy with regards to shaping and developing learning spaces in response to changing pedagogic behaviours.

A review of available literature within the context of academic libraries and their position to influence and lead institutional strategic change. This theory and practice is addressed and evidenced by four case studies of university libraries in the UK.

Many UK academic libraries find themselves able to lead on and influence their institution's strategic direction with regards to teaching, learning and research. This is particularly the case in the design and development of learning spaces within the university. Academic libraries are in a unique position within a university with a view to observing student behaviours, being responsive to ever changing demands from academics and students, spotting trends and benchmarking against comparative institutions. These practices make it possible for academic libraries to advise, guide and lead on teaching and learning strategy and lead on learning spaces developments within their institutions.

Academic libraries can use existing quality assurance, responsiveness and benchmarking frameworks to influence university strategy and decision making.

This paper focuses on the concept of academic libraries influencing change, rather than responding to change, within their university. The case studies provide examples of where this has been the case, and suggest ways and frameworks which can be adopted by other academic libraries.

The paper illustrates the experiences of both academic and support staff in the use of electronic books within a higher education setting. The case studies report upon practice at Edge Hill College of Higher Education, which has allowed for successful e‐book development strategies to be employed in teaching and learning within the college. The paper will deal particularly with e‐book marketing, implementation and evaluation strategies, as well as embedding e‐books into virtual learning environments (VLEs).

The paper reports upon two significant chapters within e‐book development at the college. The first of these is an initial evaluative e‐book research project, from which strategy and policy were formulated. The second part of the paper introduces case studies in which the findings of the initial research impact upon the embedding of e‐books into teaching and learning and subsequently into the college's VLE.

User evaluations provide qualitative analytic data into the benefits and disadvantages of using e‐books in higher education teaching and learning activity.

The findings are limited to one particular higher education institution and specific curriculum areas within.

The evaluative data, as well as particular e‐book strategies identified, make the paper of value to those researching e‐book usage and activity, in particular within online learning.

The purpose of this paper is to report upon the design, implementation and findings of a research study investigating the perceptions of electronic library resources within the UK further education sector. While such resources are widely available to the sector, very little qualitative investigation has been done as to its impact upon teaching and learning and how it is viewed by those who have access to it.

The research uses a case study in which staff and students at three separate further education colleges are encouraged to explore and share their experiences of using electronic library resources. This is achieved through structured interviews with teaching staff and focused student discussion groups. Extensive reference to relevant literature is also employed as a method.

The findings of the research are entirely qualitative, and are reported through a sequence of annotated quotations, which reveal personal experiences and perceptions of using electronic library resources and the influence and impact they have had on teaching and learning activity.

The findings are limited to one case study, using three different colleges in the Merseyside area of the UK.

The qualitative data provided through the research provides insight into electronic resource use within a cross section of the further education sector. It is therefore of use to those studying the impact of electronic resources, particularly within the further education sector. The research provides evidence which can be used to inform future e‐resources policy. The findings can also be used to shape e‐resources guidelines for practitioners in the further education sector.

The purpose of the empirical study was to examine whether strategies shown to work well in one model of network development for library and information science (LIS) practitioners and researchers could be applied successfully in the development of a new network and contribute to the narrowing of the research–practice gap in LIS.

Overall, 32 members of a new professional network were surveyed by a questionnaire following the completion of a programme of four network events held between 2019 and 2021.

The analysis demonstrates the transferability of the existing model of network development to a new network and that it can be successfully adapted for online delivery of network events and activities.

The criteria deployed for the evaluation of the new network could be used in other similar settings. Funding bodies can also use these findings as demonstration of the value of their investment in network grants.

This contribution on means of growing collaborative networks to narrow the LIS research–practice gap stands out in contrast with prior research that tends to focus the support of research productivity of academic librarians in North American universities for the purposes of career development. Here wider aspects of research engagement are considered of value for LIS practitioners from a range of sectors and institutions, beyond North America, for purposes that are broader than personal advancement.