{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,25]],"date-time":"2026-02-25T22:40:54Z","timestamp":1772059254618,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,8]],"date-time":"2020-03-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1583625600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JD"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>Public libraries' relevance and raison d'\u00eatre towards society is an often discussed subject within public, politics and research. The objective of this systematic literature review is to provide a synthesis of empirical studies of stakeholders' perceived values of public libraries.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>The review is based on a structured literature search that was conducted in seven databases. Two independent participants carried out a two-step screening of the identified studies. Firstly, the studies were screened on basis of title and abstract. Secondly, studies that were included in the title\u2013abstract screening were full-text screened. Conflicting studies were discussed, and consensus between the reviewers was reached. Citation searches of each included study were conducted along with scrutinising cited literature. The included studies were subject to a risk of bias assessment on basis of a developed risk of the bias tool, and qualitative analysis was provided.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Of all, 4,086 studies were screened and 19 were retained for the review. The studies consisted of both quantitative and qualitative investigations of different stakeholders in a variety of countries. The reported values varied across the studies and stakeholders.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This is the first study that systematically reviews empirical literature that explores stakeholders' perceived values of public libraries. The paper suggests further recommendations for empirical research of values connected to public libraries.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/jd-10-2019-0201","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,3,9]],"date-time":"2020-03-09T05:20:06Z","timestamp":1583731206000},"page":"909-927","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["The values of public libraries: a systematic review of empirical studies of stakeholder perceptions"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"76","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6569-390X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kristian M\u00f8hler","family":"S\u00f8rensen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","reference":[{"key":"key2020060408060981300_ref001","volume-title":"The Value of Public Libraries: A Methodological Discussion and Empirical Study Applying the Contingent Valuation Method","year":"2004"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2020060408060981300_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"205","DOI":"10.1177\/0961000605057855","article-title":"The role and value of public libraries in the age of digital technologies","volume":"37","year":"2005","journal-title":"Journal of Librarianship and Information Science"},{"issue":"7\/8","key":"key2020060408060981300_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"311","DOI":"10.1108\/03074800910975142","article-title":"Libraries and return on investment (ROI): a meta-analysis","volume":"110","year":"2009","journal-title":"New Library World"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020060408060981300_ref004","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1016\/j.lisr.2009.07.008","article-title":"How do public libraries function as meeting places?","volume":"32","year":"2010","journal-title":"Library and Information Science Research"},{"issue":"1","key":"key2020060408060981300_ref005","article-title":"Public space, public discourse, and public libraries","volume":"13","year":"2003","journal-title":"Libres"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2020060408060981300_ref006","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"275","DOI":"10.1177\/0961000618769987","article-title":"UK public library roles and value: a focus group analysis","volume":"50","year":"2018","journal-title":"Journal of Librarianship and Information Science"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2020060408060981300_ref007","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.1177\/0340035205054882","article-title":"How do politicians and central decision-makers view public libraries? 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