Effects of the 2008 Icelandic Economic Recession on Libraries-- Article Review

In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins.

--Ulysses S. Grant

As a current school librarian, managing a budget for my Media Center is both a blessing and a curse. I can manage money in the sense of spending it on the acquisition of materials that my students will enjoy, but then I worry about the accounting procedures. In the end, the biggest question is still and will forever be looming over my head--Will the library have enough money?

Iceland’s 2008 economic recession is quite similar to the one that also occurred in America and the results were just as catastrophic to budget spending, especially when it comes to libraries.

Between December, 2011 and April, 2012 the most noticed considerable cutbacks occurred in about a quarter of public libraries. Cuts differ between the anonymous libraries, but operational expenditures were the cause of strain on the budget. With the cost of keeping the library open rising, cuts had to be made within collection allocation and staffing. “45 percent of all the libraries show reductions of 30 percent or more. The highest level being over 70%” (Tryggvadottir, 2013).  

To better understand the effects that recessions have on libraries (because honestly, I’m unfortunately ignorant to the economics of such things), let’s take a look at two factors that would further explain what in the world is going on.

Employment

The participating libraries in this study recorded having a total of 225 employees in 2007. This number has a slight, yet steady decrease with having 218 employees in 2008, 216 in 2009, 209 in 2010, and 200 in 2011. Even though the math results in an average 11.111% decrease over the span of 4 years, the study does not mention what positions were eliminated, or how that affected overall productivity of the library. Wouldn’t this information be essential to how effective libraries were during this time frame?

Another aspect that I noticed while reading was that a large amount of changes were made in 2010, almost two years after the main events of the recession. Why did this occur? And again, wouldn’t this information be helpful in developing a more rounded idea of libraries’ effectiveness?

Materials

An obvious effect of the recession on a library would be the cuts made in collection allocation budgets. These budgets are evaluated yearly and reassessed so that libraries can maintain thorough collections that are relatable to their patrons. With budget cuts, collections run the risk of losing diversity, and being driven by popularity, which could become quickly out of date. Materials that also support local schools’ curriculums are also in dire need, but are often cut, thus resulting in a decrease in use by school age patrons. Lacking of school-age materials can also lead to a reduction of these patrons’ willingness to read, in turn resulting in negative effects on literacy. “Reading comprehension is generally decreasing among elementary school children...a clear connection has been shown between reading comprehension and students’ interest in reading books” (Tryggvadottir, 2013).

So, with these budget setbacks, and my previous experience with budgeting a school library, how are libraries in Iceland still able to fully serve their population of literary loving patrons?

To answer this, I will investigate the following:

-size of public library’s space, collection and staff

-annual budget for collection allocation

-programming sessions provided by the library

-role in the surrounding cultural community

The methods for investigating this will include tours of the facilities, interviews with staff members, and collection of statistics that will support analysis of searching goals.

Let the fun begin! :)

Works Cited

Tryggavadottir, E. (2013). Effects off economic recession on Icelandic libraries. Scandinavian Library Quarterly, 46(1).

Destination: Iceland

"I felt in myself a superabundance of energy which found no outlet in our quiet life."
--Leo Tolstoy, Family Happiness

The initial reaction of those I discuss my upcoming research trip to Iceland includes a combination of dramatic eyebrow raises, jaw dropping, and an exclamation of "oh wow", shortly followed by the dreaded question asked of a newbie researcher... "What are you going to do there?"

Oi.

As part of my undergraduate Education studies, I was always wanting to study abroad to further investigate how schools operated, and it would have been a dream come true if I had received one of the overseas jobs that I had applied for. (C'mon Hogwarts...I know you need me as a librarian on staff). For this Graduate study, I'm taking things a step further and investigating the correlation between traditional and technological literacy skills in school libraries in different cultures. TRANSLATION: how does the comprehension of using technology correlate to understanding what one has just read, and how does this compare across different cultures?

Iceland is known for their literacy skills and love for reading. In fact, five titles are published for every 1000 Icelanders, making them the global leader for literacy. The capital, Reykjavik, became a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) City of Literature in August, 2011, and joined the ranks of other distinguished cultural literary contributors Melbourne, Dublin and Prague. Icelanders also celebrate Jolabokaflod, or the Christmas Book Flood, every holiday season in which gifts of books are given on Christmas Eve and the night is spent reading as means of frivolity. "Books are the backbone of the Icelandic tradition"says industry researcher Baldur Bjarnason, and shows that even though in most countries, a small portion of individuals buy a large amount of books, Icelanders stray from the norm and the majority buy books frequently.

Library use is also common. On average, Icelanders who live in Reykjavik will visit their library six times a year, and libraries appear to be well supported, despite the economic crisis in 2008.

Libraries in Iceland, or commonly known as Tara's finally getting to the point....

In 2005, the most comprehensive study to date provides data for key Icelandic libraries, as well as a history of their origins and use by patrons. Primarily focused in Reykjavik, these library systems are analyzed according to their classification

Public
The first public library was created in 1955 when the Icelandic Parliament developed 30 library districts that separated the country. In each of these districts, public library services were intended to serve the small communities, but were hindered by the small amount of space allotted and materials provided for their library were small in quantity and did not suffice the public interest. Fees were often also charged for library cards, and libraries were also operated by volunteers, which paints a picture of how the budget for public libraries is maintained. Within the 2000's, redevelopment of the public library included open internet access, larger housing facilities for the space, as well as incorporating full time professional librarian positions to each facility. Almost all public libraries in Iceland are connected to the OPAC Gegnir (as of 2005), thus making the network more connected than in past years. The largest public library is Reykjavik City Library with six branches in the capital city that serves almost 651,000 annual visitors and circulates around 1.3 million per year.

Research Libraries
Because of the country's size, there are few libraries dedicated solely to the purpose of research. Many academic institutions, such as the Teacher's College at Kennaraskoli Islands have libraries that serve the students purpose, but none are developed and designed to cater to multiple levels of research purposes. (Such as mine.... phooey.)

National and University Library of Iceland
The National Library of Iceland was created to preserve the nationality of Iceland from the explorer's perspective Many manuscripts, Nordic bibliographies, and other texts that helped preserve the treasures such as the Eddas and Sagas and relay their information onto the general public and travelling minds. In 1994 the National Library merged with the Library of the University of Iceland to further strengthen information seeing across multiple departments; the schools of Theology, Medicine, and Law were in high need of information, and the best place to access this would be in one place, hence the merger. This library houses the National Collections of past Parliamentary documents, special collections and reference services, as well as large reading spaces and general academic research use.

School Libraries
Elementary school libraries were introduced in the 1970s as part of an integral program to convey information seeking skills and behaviors. During the beginning of this initiative, the government paid for 50% of the elementary school library's costs, including books, with having a goal of ten books provided for every student. School libraries in secondary schools (ages 16-20) were also being developed during this time frame, however, they were developed by donations of materials and funds, or with the latter being individually designated within the school budget. Recently, legislation has mandated that technology also be made available for virtual information gathering, thereby enhancing the belief that students will learn to become independent in their search for information and knowledge.

So what does this mean in terms of Tara's research??

The correlation between technological literacy and traditional literacy varies depending on the school culture. In diverse urban American schools, there may be more individuals who know how to operate the latest computer game or iPhone app, versus the text they should be reading in class. In comparison, Icelandic schools with smaller populations may not be as immersed in the technological aspects of literacy and prefer the written word version more. So---getting to the juicy part-- where is the line in which the balance of both can create the definition of a literate teenager ready to enter the adult world?

*cue cliffhanger*

Hannesdottir, S. (2005). Library Development in the Electronic Environment: Iceland 2005. IFLA Journal 31(2). 151-161.

Teicher, J. (2012, December 25). Literary Iceland Revels In Its Annual 'Christmas Book Flood' Retrieved January 7, 2015, fromhttp://www.npr.org/2012/12/25/167537939/literary-iceland-revels-in-its-annual-christmas-book-flood

Why International Librarianship??

"Oh the places you'll go!" --Dr. Seuss

It is in human nature to explore.
It is trendy to visit places that intrigue us.
It is natural to want to meet others.
It is studious to seek further education about the global perspective.
It is being a librarian that will share the results of what is found with others.
--Tara Foor, from, well, this blog post.

I've always wanted to study abroad. In fact it is something that I regret not doing sooner in my lifetime. I have always lived with the belief that "everything happens for a reason", but still, I wish that I had travelled the World sooner. The adrenaline rush that comes with visiting a foreign place, unsure of your surroundings, getting the high of becoming more cultured, were all things that I wanted to become addicted to...and even though I'm a horrible packer, I would want to travel as much and as often as I could. As a former educator (former used loosely--after all, I still educate those who desire to learn), I have always wanted to learn more about anything and everything. I was THAT kid who looked forward to the first day of school, and whom everyone knew was going to become a teacher when she lined her stuffed toys up to play school. But, aside from all of the pretending, there was an unfed need to go around the World and see things in the flesh and satisfy my learning cravings.

So, now here's my chance!
As a Masters of Library Science student at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, I have the option to pursue independent research into International Librarianship. The interest in this topic, well, arose from my yearning to live out of a suitcase and to learn more about how the World works, but moreover, how individuals learn from their libraries. Because I am an oddball and like to fit things into my own molds, I wanted to investigate how libraries worked in different countries and how the library as an information center helped increased knowledge gathering.... basically- how do libraries around the World help their serving populations? But there is so much more to International Librarianship than just hopping on a plane and visiting different countries and comparing libraries.

Peter Lor's Critical Reflections on International Librarianship
I owe much credit to Peter Lor, a scholarly researcher in the field of International Librarianship, and encourage any of my own readers to visit his website: peterlor.com, because his materials were some of the first that I began to research to gain more insight about this topic. Being an "international librarian" means that there must be certain criterion met and completed within this subject matter. As a student with no previous knowledge about International Librarianship, I found this both extremely helpful in providing a skeleton for guiding my own research, as well as insightful into what projects have occurred in the past, as well as issues with the research. The term "international librarianship" often limits search results to those synonymous with "foreign" and research that could occur in countries other than the United States and United Kingdom. This conflict arises due to the majority of Library Science research being completed in these countries, thereby making every other country appear under the "international" term.

NOTE: "Comparative Librarianship" and "International Librarianship" are misled as interchangeable terms.. Comparative relates to the comparison of library systems (2+), and can apply to multiple countries or within a singular one. International on the other hand, relates to relationships with multiple countries, thereby meaning multiple investigations and comparisons would need to be conducted.

How to Become an International Librarian According to Peter Lor
1.  Exoticism: This relates to curiosity. How are things done in different countries? Combine this with my love for traveling, adventure, and learning, and BINGO! To evaluate this, the researcher would need to take pictures (check), take notes (check), tour facilities (check) and just soak in the grand splendor of wherever they are (check, check, check).

2. Philanthropy: As defined by "the love of our fellow humans", the researcher would have to be personable and friendly, as well as seeking advice, assistance and/or input that could benefit both the researcher's and subject's countries. This is often achieved in third world country visits, so whereever I choose to go for my project would have to either provide or gain a benefit from my being there.

3. National Influence: Coinciding with philanthropy, how could the countries involved in the research project benefit from and to the researcher? This is also the element that influences which countries are chosen for research purposes. For example, if I am investigating roles of libraries in providing information to high risk health areas, I could visit African countries affected by AIDS, Ebola, or Malaria.

4. International Understanding: This one was the trickiest for me to figure out because it is divided into three subparts. Attitude, or the feelings of friendliness and willingness to cooperate; knowledge, understanding of behavior and strategic knowledge or the understanding of the intentions of others, are three things that a researcher would want to evaluate prior to their visit. Will the facilities you visit cooperate? Will they understand what you are looking for? What can be taken away from your research for all parties involved?

5. Internationalism: Lor says it best--"citizens of the world with a strong faith that what they are supporting is really worthwhile". Translation- I am a Librarian (albeit in training) that wants to make the World a better place. And I'm going to do it.... one baby step at a time.

6. Cooperation: The ability to work with others is a HUGE HUGE HUGE endeavor that cannot be taken lightly. Working with professors, advisors and peers here is daunting enough, but then there is a whole other set of individuals that I can only communicate with via phone and email in a different country that will need to work with me as well. This is where the most energy is concentrated, yet wields the most results.

7. Innovation: Adopt, adapt, apply. Learn new things, tailor them to your own needs, then apply what you learned to the needs of others.

8. Advancing Knowledge: This, my readers, is where you document your findings. Describe what you are doing, analyze it, classify and compare your research to previous studies and future theories to make it one of the pieces of art that exist in the field. Library Science is all about sharing and gaining knowledge, and what you've worked so hard to put together is something that can be further learned from.

And finally...

9. Self-Understanding: who, how, why and what barriers exist in relation to the libraries investigated... what are some obstacles that are still being faced within the system of information sharing?

SOOOOOO--how does this help me become a librarian that investigates global libraries? Well my friends, I will proceed to investigate the different elements of research and will report back to you here. Until then, bon (almost) voyage!


Works Cited
Lor, PJ 2008, ‘Critical reflections on international librarianship’, Mousaion, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 1-15.