Recovery of significant achievements by exemplary individuals and institutions in public education and librarianship informs our present understanding and motivates future efforts. This narrative history recounts some of the struggles and successes of a great city library when the very conception of a free, public library was still being defined.…

Discusses a public library film literacy program offered to adolescents and young adults which incorporates films that are not curriculum-oriented and center around specific themes such as self-identity, creativity, speculations, and lifestyles. Seven films selected for program on social issues and viewers' evaluations are highlighted.…

Describes four successful public library programs for families and gives suggestions for planning programs and measuring their success. (LLS)

Discusses program evaluation concepts and methods and how they can be applied to children's library services. What program evaluation is not is explained, as well as three levels of evaluation, including a variety of "threats" to the possible effectiveness of a program. Examples of program evaluation instruments are appended. (EM)

Provides an overview of "Read on the Wild Side," a summer reading program for young adults established by the Webster (New York) Public Library, and "Read Hard, Play Later," a young adult summer reading program of the Pioneer Library System (New York). Highlights include reading logs, T-shirts, publicity, program evaluation,…

Noting that Lekotek means "play library" in Swedish, this brief report describes the Lekotek Center, a resource and support center for the parents of disabled children under the age of five, which is affiliated with the Galesburg (Illinois) Public Library. Background on the Lekotek organization, whose goal is to integrate children with…

The Massachusetts Public Library Materials Conservation Project was a year-long program sponsored by the Massachusetts Bureau of Library Extension and conducted by the New England document Conservation Center (NEDCC) under a grant from Title I, Library Services and Construction Act. Its purposes were to provide public library administrators,…

Discusses the effectiveness of nonbook activities as a public service or in support for other services in the public library, and describes the programing activities of the Logan Square branch of the Chicago Public Library. Ten references are listed. (CHC)

Discussion of public library support systems for at-risk teens focuses on the Bay Area Library and Information System (BALIS) that was developed to improve library services to at-risk teenagers in the San Francisco Bay area. Highlights include needs assessment; staff training; intervention models; and project evaluation. (10 references) (LRW)

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…

For more than five years the Houston Public Library has collected statistics for measuring networked collections and services based on emerging guidelines. While the guidelines have provided authority and stability to the process, the clarification process continues. The development of information discovery software, such as federated search tools…

This review and evaluation of bookmobile service in Madison, Wisconsin (1) identifies the major issues and problems which exist in regard to urban bookmobile service in general and those which are specific to Madison; (2) evaluates the current bookmobile service against community needs, library objectives, program purposes, and cost effectiveness;…

Presents an overview of the need for a multicultural program in the Indian Prairie Public Library District (Illinois). Describes the grant-based collection development; cataloging; promotional materials; judging success of the program; and how improvements could have been made. (AEF)

A seminar held in October 1978 brought together teams from public and school libraries in 36 Illinois communities representing the 18 Illinois library systems, in order to: (1) provide an environment where school and public librarians who work with young adults could identify their problems, assess their needs, and begin working toward mutual…

This report summarizes the activities and results of library programs in Texas that received financial support in FY 1987 through the State Library's Statewide Library Development program, which included funds from both the state's general revenues and the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA). Individual TItle I programs described include:…