According to Stearns (2009), culture shapes childhood. The way a society defines culture shapes: (a) how childhood is constructed; (b) the production of literary products and services for young people; and (c) training for library professionals. In 21st century America, children are viewed as a vulnerable population in need of protection, as…

Research and professional practice in librarianship has increasingly turned to community-focused information services (CIS), which allow people to participate in creating and sharing information about themselves and their communities. These information services have a great potential to empower and engage marginalized communities; however, in this…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of The Bridging Worlds Conference which was held in October 2008 in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach: One of the main topics the National Library Board of Singapore, the organising party, wished to address was the roles cultural institutions, such as libraries, may play in…

The University of Tennessee Libraries' Diversity Committee administered a climate assessment survey to determine the readiness of the libraries for a comprehensive diversity initiative. This article discusses the design and methodology of the survey and analyzes the results. The survey served as a valuable starting point in charting a successful…

Analyzed a survey of 157 Chinese American librarians working in American libraries and found that more work in academic (44.6%) than in public (30.6%) libraries, that 80.9% are satisfied with their current jobs, and that 75% have managerial positions. Major barriers at work were identified as cultural differences (35.7%), race (23.6%), and…