Describes the collection development plan implemented by the Tulsa City-County Library system to support their perception of the role of the library as providing more than recreational reading. Topics discussed include raising staff consciousness, rejecting demand buying, evaluating the collection, streamlining acquisitions, and procedures for…

A successful director must delegate authority and manage available resources to allow time for legal affairs, lobbying, public speaking, and community and institutional involvement. (RAA)

"Community involvement," the standard cliche, does not come close to capturing the spirit and action that have structured the building, programs, collections, and services of the Haines Borough Public Library (HBPL), AK. Those achievements make HBPL the winner of the first annual award for the Best Small Library in America, cosponsored…

Discusses the Benton Foundation's report on the public's opinions of library leaders' visions for the future. Highlights include public libraries in the digital age; the competitive information environment; education about and access to information; roles of the public library; changing demographics; importance to minorities; collaboration with…

Describes how the Linda Vista branch of the San Diego Public Library (California) developed services for three Asian American constituencies--Vietnamese, Lao, and Hmong. Topics addressed include bilingual library assistants; getting to know the community; coalitions with business and religious leaders; special programming; and collection…

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)

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…

An unusual experiment involves older readers in evaluating and selecting books for library collections serving senior citizens. (Author)

Examines health concerns affecting African Americans, and presents an annotated bibliography of 22 resources written for African Americans and arranged under the subheadings of general information, statistical data, keeping healthy, AIDS, social issues, community involvement, reference sources, periodicals, and databases. (LRW)

The city librarian sketches the history of the San Francisco public library. (PF)

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)

In response to evidences of critical human need, the King County Library Board and staff have been exploring ways in which to do their part in alleviating the problems of unemployment, hunger and malnutrition and related social and health problems among the people they serve. (3 references) (Author)