Frank Huysmans

The Role of School Libraries in Reducing Learning Disadvantages in Migrant Children: A literature review

The educational achievement of children from non-Western migrant families in the Netherlands and other Western countries lags behind that of natives, especially when it comes to language proficiency and reading ability. This literature review pinpoints what is known and what is as yet unknown about reducing learning disadvantages through school libraries to point to directions for future research. A considerable body of research has shown that school libraries are positively related to learning outcomes in children, as well as to their reading behavior and attitude toward reading, factors that correlate positively with reading and language skills. However, on the basis of existing research, it is hard to draw firm conclusions about the effect of school libraries on students from migrant families in particular. This article indicates that future research should explicitly focus on the impact of school libraries’ reading promotion efforts on the reading behavior, attitude toward reading, and reading and language skills of migrant students, leading to more effective educational policies.

Measuring the public library's societal value: A methodological research program

Public libraries in the Netherlands face growing scepticism about their value to communities and society at large. The digitization of media, information and communication gives rise to questions about the library’s function, as it still is based mainly on physical service provision. Furthermore, the current economic recession causes local, regional and national governments to critically question every euro spent on cultural institutions. In this climate, there is a growing need for public libraries to show their worth – not only in an economical, but also in a more sociological sense. As standardized measurements for these values are still lacking, a research program was started to develop these outcome measurements. In this paper, we sketch the rationale behind this program and the steps the Netherlands Institute of Public Libraries is taking to develop a measurement instrument geared at validly and reliably demonstrating the societal value of public libraries. Results from the first stages of the research program will be presented: a theoretical framework of the (possible) impact of libraries on Dutch society, based on the findings of a literature study and qualitative research. The findings help us identify and conceptually enrich five domains of possible impact: cognitive, social, cultural, affective and economical. This outcome framework will guide the development of a measuring instrument.

Perceived outcomes of public libraries in Finland, Norway and the Netherlands

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the perceived benefits of public libraries and their structure in the major areas of life between Finland, Norway and the Netherlands. Design/methodology/approach – The data were based on representative samples of Finnish, Norwegian and Dutch adult library users. In Finland a mail survey was used and in Norway and the Netherlands web surveys were used for data collection. The distribution of the proportion of those benefiting from the library in various areas of life at least sometimes was compared across countries. The structure of benefits was compared across countries by factor analysis. Findings – The results showed that the level of the nineteen benefits observed was considerably higher, and the range of benefits remarkably broader in Finland compared to Norway and the Netherlands. It is likely that the greater supply of library services in Finland compared to the other two countries explains the differences in benefits derived from the public library...

Patterns of perceived public library outcomes in five countries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the perceived benefits of public libraries between five culturally different countries: Finland, Norway, the Netherlands, South Korea and the USA. Design/methodology/approach – The data were based on representative samples of Finnish, Norwegian, Dutch, Korean and American adult library users. In Finland a mail survey was used and in other countries web surveys were used for data collection. The distribution of the proportion of those benefiting from the library in various areas of life at least sometimes was compared across countries. The pattern of benefits was compared across countries by forming four outcome indexes from the 19 benefit areas. The differences in the outcomes between the countries were explained by demographics and library use variables. Findings – The intensity of perceived benefits differ considerably, with the Finns and Americans reporting a higher level of benefits than the South Koreans, who in turn derive more profit than the Norweg...

Adolescents’ Leisure and Well-being in the Netherlands: Trends and Correlates

Abstract This article examines trends in the time use of Dutch adolescents and the relationship between their leisure and well-being. After outlining the policy assumptions of youth research and addressing issues of measurement, especially that of measuring well-being, longitudinal time diary data are used to assess trends in adolescents’ time use. Among the issues addressed are, whether adolescents spend less time in school and doing homework, do more paid work, are more pressed for time, sleep less, or how they spend their leisure time. Using cross-sectional data we examine how particular uses of leisure time relate to adolescents’ well-being. Do playing sports and attending cultural events enhance their well-being and, reversely, is hanging out associated with doing not so well? Regrettably, the analyses of time use trends and relationships between time use and well-being are not rooted in the same empirical data base. The longitudinal analyses are based on the Dutch Time Use Studies (TUS), supplemented by other survey data on cultural and sports participation. The associations between time use and the quality of life are examined using the 2001 cross-sectional survey of secondary school students (the Dutch National Survey of Students).

The Library at School: effects on reading attitude and reading frequency

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the effects of the Dutch policy program the Library at School on primary school pupils’ leisure book reading and attitude towards reading books, in the first year of the nationwide implementation of the program.Design/methodology/approach – In monitoring the effectiveness of the Library at School, online questionnaires were administered to students (grades 2‐6), teachers and reading‐media consultants. The study is based on data collected in the school year 2011‐2012 from a sample of 4,682 students from 229 classes, with 284 teachers of 68 schools.Findings – Multilevel regression analyses show that effects of the Library at School on reading attitude and leisure reading cannot yet be discerned in 2011‐2012, although slightly positive univariate effects are found.Research limitations/implications – As yet, the number of participating schools is limited, hence statistical power is low on that level. Whether the sample can be considered representative for all Dutch primar...

Effect of a school library on the reading attitude and reading behaviour in non-western migrant students

There is a lack of clarity as to the effects of school libraries on children with a non-western background in the Netherlands, an educationally disadvantaged group. Using a longitudinal design involving an experimental and a control school, the present study examined whether an integrated library facility in a Dutch primary school has an effect on the reading attitude and reading behaviour of non-western migrant students (n = 140). The results showed no statistically significant effect on the degree in which students think reading is fun. On the other hand, over time, students attending the experimental school considered reading more useful than students visiting the control school. With regard to reading behaviour, no statistically significant effect of the school library was found. However, the school library programme was not implemented in the most optimal form, which may have affected the findings. Reading climate at home was found to be an important predictor of both reading attitude and reading behaviour, stressing the importance of parents as partners for school libraries when it comes to reading promotion.

Reliability and validity test of a Scoring Rubric for Information Literacy

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure reliability and validity of the Scoring Rubric for Information Literacy (Van Helvoort, 2010). Design/methodology/approach Percentages of agreement and Intraclass Correlation were used to describe interrater reliability. For the determination of construct validity factor analysis and reliability analysis were used. Criterion validity was calculated with Pearson correlations. Findings In the described case, the Scoring Rubric for Information Literacy appears to be a reliable and valid instrument for the assessment of information literate performance. Originality/value Reliability and validity are prerequisites to recommend a rubric for application. The results confirm that this Scoring Rubric for Information Literacy can be used in courses in higher education, not only for assessment purposes but also to foster learning.

Kultur und demografischer Wandel in den Niederlanden

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Netherlands: Archives, Libraries and Museums

This entry provides an overview of the development and current state of archives, libraries, and museums as institutions, and the related professions and disciplines within the Netherlands. The entry describes social and political issues affecting information institutions from the early nineteenth century through contemporary concerns and issues. An overview is provided in regard to Dutch contributions to archivistics (archival science), including the principle of provenance and the early publication of archival methodology and standards (Manual for the Arrangement and Description of Archives, 1898). Included in the entry are brief profiles of a few of the major institutions and associations, as well as a discussion of historical figures, and achievements