As bookstores and the Internet march forward, the library community continues to question and forecast its role in society. Innovative libraries nationwide have seized the opportunity to reinvent themselves, bringing a new level of excitement to the industry. Yet puzzlement remains on what strategies, what roles will work in communities where…

A 3-year project to generate awareness and utilization of the nontraditional services offered by the Florida public libraries is described. The presentation is divided into two sections: an overview of the program to date and examples from the media campaign. Within section 1, three distinct phases of the project are identified and described:…

Literary festivals offer a unique proposition to libraries: host one, bring the reading public up-close and personal with writers of all kinds, and they will bask in the glory of that connection. Indeed, festivals can be the pathway for libraries to "own" the literary niche in their community. Bob Cannon, executive director of the Broward County…

The two purposes of this report are to present concrete proposals related to the need for the National Library of Canada to facilitate the development of nationwide bibliographic and associated communications networks, and to outline the relevant network concepts assumed in framing the nine recommendations and the related implementation proposals…

School library media specialists (SLMSs) in the Rochester (Michigan) Community Schools decided it was crucial to come to a consensus about key roles of SLMSs in successful school library media programs. They identified the following roles: information specialist, instructional partner, and program administrator. To educate administrators, staff…

Designed to give the citizens of Texas information on the 1990 White House Conference on Library and Information Services process, this book is intended to disseminate information on the White House Conference and the Texas Conference; provide information and forms to encourage conference involvement through delegate nomination and resolution…

The development and current status of Friends of the Library groups in Canada and the United States are discussed. Suggestions for forming a group and fostering cooperation between the Friends and the library are offered. The resulting benefits to the library and the community are explored. (25 references) (CLB)

Describes the Health Information Project, a plan created by the Maryland State Department of Education that allows residents to obtain health information from public libraries. Examples of patron situations involving health questions illustrate the plan's main elements: collection development, staff training, networking with community agencies,…

Explains the benefits of pediatric literacy programs. Discusses forming partnerships, training volunteers, role of the children's librarian in building coalitions with community organizations, fundraising and free publicity, and working with doctors' busy schedules. Includes addresses and phone numbers for the "Born to Read" and "Reach Out and…

This manual is designed to help public libraries in Arizona to plan their summer reading programs. The theme of the 1991 program is Arizona and its characteristics. The material in the manual is prepared for libraries to adapt for their own uses. Topics covered include: goals, objectives, and evaluation; procedures for getting started; common…

The Adult Literacy Program at the Alameda County Library provided employment oriented programs. The project served a community of over 200,000 people, and targeted workforce/workplace learners. The project served 578 adult learners and provided 35,904 hours of direct tutoring service. The report provides a comparison of actual accomplishments to…

Discusses the role library media specialists can play in promoting community-school interaction through use of the media. Highlights include newspapers; television and radio; electronic media, including Web sites and electronic publishing; newsletters; journals and magazines; conferences and workshops; and honors and awards. (LRW)

This manual for the 1993 Louisiana Summer Reading Program has ideas for libraries to get the summer program started. The theme is trains, and all of the ideas have something to do with this theme. The following topics are covered: (1) evaluation; (2) promotion, publicity, and programs; (3) calendar; (4) decorating the library; (5) storytime…

The Mid-York Library System (Utica, New York) conducted a project that involved recruitment and public awareness. The project served a community of over 200,000 people, and targeted potential tutors and learners. The goal of the project was to produce and develop a sustained publicity project to promote the services of Literacy Volunteers of…

This final performance report describes Project FLASH (Family Learning Action Starts Here), a literacy project of the Fitchburg (Massachusetts) Public Library designed to provide opportunities for parents to improve their own basic skills while at the same time enhancing their ability to provide literacy-based activities to their children. The…