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The purpose of this paper is to describe developments and results of the Global Libraries Initiative project in Latvia, known as the “Father's Third Son” project, which started in 2006.

This is an analysis of the results of the assessment of the impact of the “Father's Third Son” project so far among the public libraries of Latvia.

Public libraries in Latvia play an important role in reducing the digital divide. No one is left behind and the public library offers opportunities for everyone, with a library always in reach within 20 minutes. Survey data shows a high potential for public libraries to reduce social exclusion, especially in rural areas. The project team believes that after the full implementation of activities, every public library in Latvia will have competence, confidence, capacity and growing number of strong library supporters to advocate for sustainability.

The paper provides a wide range of improvement examples that can be easily transferred to other countries.

This paper aims to draw together the evidence‐based advocacy experience of five national programs focused on developing public access information and communications technologies (ICT) via public libraries as grantees of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Libraries Initiative.

The authors describe a common approach to strategic advocacy and to impact planning and assessment. They then outline the experience of each program in using a range of evidence to help meet specific advocacy objectives. They give particular attention to how each program is using specific evidence to convince key players of the importance of public access ICT provided by public libraries in meeting the objectives of the key players.

This collective experience shows that when advocating at the national level, statistical data and empirical evidence can demonstrate that public libraries contribute to stakeholders' goals. Such data can include technology skills that users have gained as well as how users improve their businesses, become better educated, and access government services. Common denominators from the programs include a disproportionate positive impact achieved (or anticipated) in rural communities and on relatively disadvantaged groups such as older workers, old people and unemployed people.

Both the general approach to evidence‐based advocacy described and the specific messages about targeting advocacy efforts on key players and on the service users who are most likely to benefit from public access ICT are of potential value to anyone planning a national, regional or local advocacy program focused on public libraries and their services.

As the paper deals with global library advocacy issues, and impact planning, it is hoped it is a step towards more measurable social impact for libraries.

This is the first full public report of the Global Libraries approach to evidence‐based advocacy as conducted in the five countries represented in the paper. It is part of a steadily growing body of knowledge being amassed by Global Libraries about effective provision of public access ICT via public libraries in a range of countries.

This paper aims to present a methodology, early findings, possible applications of results and lessons learned from the research study “Public libraries: value, trust and satisfaction”, which has been conducted within the public library development project ‘Father's Third Son’ in Latvia.

A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used (although the findings reported here are largely drawn from the quantitative study) drawing on various theories of information behaviour and use‐oriented information service evaluation.

The study gives a good picture of user information needs in Latvia, the sources they use to fulfil them and the role of public libraries within this picture, especially in relation to cultural and recreational interests and public support for public libraries in terms of potential funding. The public library influence on people's leisure hours and their support for education are highlighted. The advocacy implications of this work are reviewed.

Although this report is confined to the early stages of the study, the work was conducted on a substantial scale.

The work reported here provides new evidence of library use and appreciation in Latvia. The later results of this study, combined with evidence gathered by other participants in the Global Libraries initiative, will provide a commanding view of the significance of public libraries across a range of countries.

As more countries have joined the Global Libraries (GL) Initiative, the IPA Specialists have gradually evolved into a cohesive team that finds opportunities to meet fairly regularly. Their discussions about the practicalities and challenges of conducting IPA at the country level have drawn attention to a number of issues that are likely to be relevant to other IPA specialists working in similar roles in other countries and to library service managers who are interested in impact evaluation. This paper aims to summarise some of the collective experiences.

Several of the IPA Specialists have “adopted” an issue. Some describe their own country approach to the topic; others have been more analytical in their presentations.

Opinions and findings about four topics are described. They are: sharing learning within the country and sharing beyond that country; ensuring that IPA evidence reflects government and international priorities, and finally combining qualitative and quantitative evidence‐forming strategic collaborations and telling stories.

The value of the paper lies in informing other IPA specialists in similar roles in other countries, and library service managers who are interested in impact evaluation.

This paper seeks to present a methodology for measuring the outcomes of public access computing as well as presenting and comparing the main results of baseline studies conducted in Lithuania and Latvia.

Both baseline studies use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods and both include multi‐perspective, longitudinal design and nation‐wide samples.

The benefits that users can gain from using PAC in public libraries include access to ICT, technology training and assistance, expanded employment opportunities, conducting commercial transactions, access to and assistance with local, state and federal government electronic services, and support for learning, communication and personal identity.

Since these are two baseline‐studies, they do not yet offer scope for comparisons over time, although these will be addressed in both countries. The main problem of impact‐focused research is that it is very tightly linked to influences on individuals, so it is difficult to trace changes and improvements back to the library. The paper shows methods that are currently being tested and used.

The paper reports on the baseline stage of systematic impact assessment programmes being conducted in Latvia and Lithuania as part of their public access computing in public libraries development work, supported by their respective governments and part‐funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.