Introduction: Our paper describes three examples of how public libraries in at-risk-neighbourhoods have worked with social innovations in order to develop and strengthen their services for minority groups. The libraries were chosen because they are frontrunners in the field of cultural diversity and social inclusion in Denmark. Method: The…

Academic and public libraries are facing the challenge of finding new avenues of service and of creating value for their constituencies. This value is in the form of outcomes that result in bettering the people who use libraries and the community at large. The authors feel that librarians must find creative ways to make their communities better…

Introduction. The purpose of this research is to investigate the significance of public libraries as educational institutions. The meaning of lifelong learning in public libraries from the perspective of women's autonomous activities is re-examined. Method. The literature of the grassroots library movement and that of the empowerment of women is…

The Bagby, Oklahoma, Human Resources Center was conceived in the mid-1970s as a model of community education and unified services. It was built with federal grant money to serve as a middle school, library, human services office, and meeting space for Bagby, a growing town of about 5,000. As envisioned, it was to serve all parts of the population,…

The dedication in June 1979 of a newly constructed library facility in Olney, Texas, brought together the collections of the school and public libraries, which had been administered as a single unit with one board, library coordinator, and budget, since 1974. A study conducted to evaluate the coordinated library which existed from 1974 to 1979…

Citizen perception of public service quality was examined to determine its relationship to demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the community, variations in service expenditures, and quantitative service performance measures. The Bureau of the Census, state agencies, and a mail survey of residents in all 100 North Carolina counties…

Once a librarian has made the decision to conduct a study of the economic community, several interrelated questions must be addressed: What is meant by the term "economic community" and what is known about it? What will be the objectives of the survey? Which businesses, industries, and services should be included? Who will conduct the…

The Internet has considerably empowered libraries and changed common perception of what they entail. Public libraries, in particular, are using technological advancements to expand their range of services and enhance their civic roles. Providing community information (CI) in innovative, digital forms via community networks is one way in which…

This document from Broward Community College (BCC) in Florida provides an overview of the recent trend toward joint ventures in education, with both the public and private sectors, while suggesting possible concerns of both parties involved. The report states that before entering into a joint venture it is important that each party: (1) evaluate…

Librarians tend to view themselves as agents, advocates, or promoters of educational and cultural processes, and these functions are important; but rural librarians can and should play a broader role in the community, including a role in community development activities. As information specialists, librarians have access to critical resources for…

Community colleges and public libraries have much in common, can both learn from each other, and have a great deal to share with each other as they carry out their respective roles: both profess to have total community-wide service as their goal/objective; both draw upon the same population and tax base; and the general public often makes use of…

Libraries have a special obligation to provide educational opportunity to all segments of the population, especially the disadvantaged and minority groups. Libraries have made some progress in this mission, but it is important to organize to continue work. Libraries should seek systematic participation of schools in joint programs, encourage the…

The digital divide remains a formidable issue in rural areas where the only broadband access to the Internet may be at public schools or city governments. As the only locations in rural areas with adequate technological resources, schools, libraries, health facilities, and agricultural extension facilities can be places where citizens learn about…

Assesses the state of the public library, briefly reviewing the history of the institution and discussing library purpose, services, and patrons at the present and in the future. Seven references are provided. (EJS)

A velcro board presentation of an input-output model, illustrating the public library as a community information system, can be used to define the library to citizen taxpayers. The major input to the system is tax dollars and its basic components are librarians, recorded information, facilities, and equipment. The output depends on the library's…