Is Your Library Website Missing Essential Information?: A Comparison and Evaluation of Public Library Websites in Australia, Canada, and United States

Abstract

This paper describes the findings of a quantitative study of 1,698 public library websites in Australia, Canada, and the United States over a period of three years using a spreadsheet protocol. The purpose of the research was to evaluate public library websites, available online sources, and whether library staff were available to respond to users’ questions and concerns regarding the website. Descriptive statistics are used to report the results. The study provides public library website information regarding which protocol criteria each country’s libraries attained.

Keywords:

• Australia
• Canada
• United States
• public library
• websites
• evaluation

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the following students who assisted with the research while undertaking information management studies at the University of South Australia: Elizabeth Adair, Maxwell Archibald, Megan Becke, Zoe Bianchi, Jayden Black, Elvira Blake, Caitlin Brook, Sonia Brown, Morgan Burgess, Steven Cincotta, Amy Clarke, Charlotte Cooper, Anna Corkhill, Charles Crompton, Hilary Culshaw, Greta Delaland, Anita Dewi, Bianca Ebeling, Laura Goodwin, Snezana Gashi, Bronwyn Gould, Lisa Grbin, Amanda Griffin, Kevin Lee, Jessica Leonardson, Ashlee Lawrence, Shaye Malsem, Abbey Meiselbach, Nikki Moore, Katherine O’Brien, Katerina Panagiotakis, Amber Parrington, Helen Pertsinidis, Thaya Raguramankumar, Alexandra Roger, Nathan Roper, Emily Schnitzer, Taylor Schramm, Jack Samson, Rebecca Sellwood, Marija Sijakovska, Debra Squire, Kirsty Tasney, Matthew Thompson, Sophie Turtle, Min You.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Diane L. Velasquez

Diane L. Velasquez is the Program Director of the Information Management Program at the UniSA STEM, University of South Australia in Adelaide, Australia. Her research interests include risk management and disaster recovery of public libraries, administration and management of information agencies, marketing of libraries, and evaluation and assessment of public library websites. She holds a PhD in information science from the University of Missouri, a MA in information resources and library science from the University of Arizona, an MBA in management from Golden Gate University. Prior to being in academia Dr Velasquez spent 23 years in corporate America in marketing, administration, and human resources and feels she has escaped to a better work-life balance. Dr Velasquez can be reached at [email protected].

Jennifer Campbell-Meier

Jennifer Campbell-Meier is a senior lecturer in the School of Information Management at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington. Her current research projects examine digital resilience and evaluation of digital inclusion efforts. Her research interests include professional development, mentoring, and library futures.