A Public Library as a Gateway for Social Work Community Practice: An Information-in-practice from Kerala, India

ABSTRACT

Placing social work trainees in public libraries is a relatively new concept in India. Library social work offers a fresh perspective by locating social work activities in the public library setting. Integrating social work practices within public libraries facilitates community development and social change. This paper considers the unexplored opportunities related to library social work in India through Rajagiri’s Model of Library Social Work.

KEYWORDS:

• Social work
• public libraries
• library social work
• community engagement
• Kerala

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to the Management and authorities of Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, the faculty members of the Department of Social Work and Library and Information Sciences, the students, the library council, and the members of Kairali Library for their wholehearted support and belief in this unconventional field placement.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Abshana Jamal

Abshana Jamal is a Doctoral Scholar (JRF) with the Department of Social Work, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Cochin. She has served as a faculty member of the Department of Social Work for two years. Her areas of interest are ecosocial work/ green social work, library social work, entrepreneurship development and community development.

M.K. Joseph

Dr M.K. Joseph is an Associate Professor at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Cochin. He was the former Head of the Department of Social Work and has taught social work students for over 20 years. His primary interests lie in developing partnerships for civil society organisations and rural producer organisations with governmental and other resource systems in addressing issues related to sustainable development.

P.V. Vijesh

P.V. Vijesh is a librarian at the Rajagiri College of Social Sciences in Kerala, India. He has more than 15 years of experience in college library administration. His research interests include User studies, digital literacy, content analysis, and others.