We live in a time of increasing ideological conflict, when threats to global peace--including climate change, terrorism, cyberattacks, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and poverty--increasingly impact the daily lives of many. This situation necessitates a turn to peace education, which encourages the development of values,…

With the Poetry Center at San Francisco State University, the author has begun to build an open-access digital repository for poetry chapbooks. The repository is essentially a chapbook exchange: a place for poets to share their current works. Users are invited to share their chapbooks via upload and as such gain access to the chapbook repository.…

Technology may not be a magic wand, but innovative technology programming can genuinely help children become adept at navigating our increasingly wired world while also helping them develop deductive reasoning, math, and other vital literacy skills. One of the simplest and most powerful tools for technology-based public library programming is…

On June 4, 2004, a crazed man rammed an unstoppable, armor-plated bulldozer into eight buildings in Granby, Colorado. The library was one of them. Three days later, Cindy Eubank and other volunteers salvaged what they could from the wrecked building. The collection had also suffered rain damage, so this was a grubby labor of love for the…

Suggests tools to increase community interest and support for public libraries including a public relations campaign, neighborhood action group, and community board. The advantages of community independence and decision sharing are discussed. (SW)

Describes the role of the Monroe County Public Library in Bloomington, Indiana, in the development of a Community Access Channel through a local cable television (CATV) franchise. The services offered on the channel, the resources required, and the potential of the channel as a community communications resource are outlined. (JL)

The diverse histories of the public libraries in the towns of Bonne Terre, Desloge, Farmington, Flat River, and Leadwood (Missouri) are presented. Each library is examined individually from its inception through its first few years of existence. Emphasis is placed not only on the tasks undertaken by the newly formed libraries but also on the…

From 1988 to 1995, Partnerships for Change (PFC) led the way in developing innovative library service programs and forging new community partnerships. Today, many PFC principles--planning, needs assessment, valuing diversity, community linkages, public relations and evaluation--have been incorporated into how California public libraries plan for…

Describes the Greensboro (North Carolina) Public Library's "Community of Readers," a network of community representatives who provide strategic planning for literacy services and act as advocates for literacy students. Also highlights the "Literacy in Libraries Across America" project as well as 13 public libraries in four…

Reports the results of 23 referenda on funding public library capital campaigns. The location of each referendum, the pass/fail rate by season, and data summarizing referenda over the past six years are provided. Two sidebars cover the failed referendum in Westerville (Ohio) and the successful referendum in Saratoga Springs (New York). (KRN)

As part of a series on library services to disadvantaged adults, this pamphlet provides guidelines for the use of community advisory committees in libraries: the duties and capabilities of such committees, their influence on the library, and their relationships with library boards. The size and composition of the committee are considered, as are…

Public libraries that engage and employ teenagers can realize mutual benefits, including meaningful activities for young people and strengthened ties between libraries and their communities. This report summarizes both the potential benefits and challenges learned from Wallace's Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development initiative. The…

Reviews the accomplishments of Ernestine Rose, a pioneer in providing library services to Blacks in Harlem from 1920 to 1942. Her activities included involving community leaders in library governance; establishing a separate collection of Negro materials; work with the Negroes Round Table of the American Library Association; and the Harlem…

Suggests four methods for implementing a successful library planning process, based on experiences at the Anaheim (California) Public Library. Highlights include maximizing the level of public input; engaging staff at all levels in all stages of the process; assessing all input critically; and proper use in decision making. (Author/LRW)

Offers guidelines for planning fund raising events for small public libraries, with examples of activities that have been used successfully. Areas discussed include involving librarians and trustees as fund raisers; group discussion activities to encourage brainstorming; developing strategies based on community resources; and capital fund drive…