Focus Group Interviews

Social Services in Public Libraries (February - March 2024)

This 2023-25 Florida State University study was funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services via a National Leadership Grant for Applied Research. It explored the experiences and perceptions of library managers, adult services librarians, and youth services librarians in providing social services information and working alongside social workers in public libraries. This project focused on the viewpoints of public library managers, adult services librarians, and youth librarians to understand how they see the professional scope of librarianship and what their visions are for how to best respond to the social service needs of their communities. Keith conducted six focus group interviews that provided input for the design of a national survey.

Improving Telepractice of School Speech Language Pathologists (July 2020)

Responding the the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of  researchers at Florida State University, including faculty of the College of Communication and Information, are investigating the kinds of online tools and resources that might aid SLPs in delivering via telepractice the services to students they used to deliver at schools.  Keith moderated four focus group interviews of practitioners representing SLPs in Florida and nationwide who work with students at all grade levels.

PRISM Planning Project: PRISon libraries as Motivators of pro-social behavior and successful re-entry (April 2020)

The Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC) and the Colorado State Library  (CSL) collaborated to design and assess the viability of a study of the impact of prison libraries on their users–specifically their development of pro-social behavior, information literacy skills, and skills needed for successful re-entry.  Keith moderated two focus group interviews of formerly incarcerated individuals to obtain their feedback on the wording of survey questions to be asked as part of such a study.

Colorado’s State Program Plans for Library Services and Technology Act Funding (Oct. 2021-March 2022, Oct. 2016-March 2017, Oct. 2011-March 2012)  

All state library agencies must produce five-year State Program Plans for spending Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds.  To support planning for the FY 2008-2012, FY 2013-2017, and FY 2018-2022 cycles, Keith facilitated conversations with the State Library Management Team and units to develop ideas for these new plans.

Limitless Libraries Project, Nashville Public Library & Metropolitan Nashville School District (2011-2014)

In October 2011, Keith facilitated a conversation among stakeholders of the Limitless Libraries project, a partnership of Nashville Public Library and the Metropolitan Nashville School District. As a result of this conversation, he assisted them in developing a proposal to the Mayor’s Office, City of Nashville, to study the impact of the Limitless Libraries project on students and other beneficiaries.

Norlin Commons, University of Colorado Boulder Libraries (2007-08)

In 2007-08, Keith interviewed focus groups of University of Colorado Boulder Libraries faculty and staff to inform their planning of a Learning Commons and to assist them in achieving some consensus about the definition of leadership in the Libraries.