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BC Library Conference 2017

April 19–21, 2017

Vancouver, BC

T02 - Providing Services/Building Capacity: Socially Vulnerable Populations at Edmonton Public Library

Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 9:00 AM–10:15 AM PDT
Salon F
Session Description

As with many public libraries, Edmonton Public Library strives to provide service to our most vulnerable community members. To understand needs and shape meaningful service, we required a more in depth understanding of the usage that socially vulnerable populations make of the library. We also wanted to have an understanding of staff perceptions about providing services to this varied group. EPL’s goal was to create an evidence-based model for improving services and building staff capacity. The library partnered with researchers from the Faculties of Nursing and Human Ecology at the University of Alberta to design and execute a project that would provide data to develop this model. The project consisted of two parts, a demographic and usage survey conducted by volunteers at select high needs branches and a series of focus groups with customers and staff conducted by the researchers.
Both the survey and focus groups provided rich data sets that illustrate the complexity and contradictions of modern public library services. Representatives from EPL will discuss findings from the customer survey and staff focus groups and how these are being used to inform decisions around services, policies, procedures and building staff capacity. A researcher from the Faculty of Nursing will talk about conducting focus groups, the data from youth participants, and what she learned about the library. Participants will have a chance to ask questions and review the research tools.

Speakers

Linda Garvin, Edmonton Public Library
Biography

Linda Garvin is the Executive Director, Customer Experience for Edmonton Pubic Library (EPL). Building on EPL’s Community-Led service, she is responsible for guiding strategies and delivering services, programs, and access to spaces for customers. Key areas of responsibility include Branch Services, material circulation and delivery, volunteer management, Indigenous services, and Facilities and Operations.

Margot Jackson, University of Alberta, Faculty of Nursing
Biography

Dr. Jackson is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta. Her research and professional interests focus on the area of Child and Youth Mental Health as well as vulnerable populations and community health. She incorporates the impact of the social determinants of health as well as trauma informed practice within her researching and teaching. Dr. Jackson has a strong background in qualitative methods, particularly narrative research and participatory action research.

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