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…

Bibliographic classification is culturally bound. This research examines the classification systems created for social libraries in the first half of the nineteenth century in the United States. Social libraries are defined as institutions that have voluntary membership and are dependent on membership fees. Seventeen classified catalogs were…

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…

These Guidelines constitute the third edition of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) "Multicultural Communities: "Guidelines for Library Services." This revision follows the IFLA Section of Library Services to Multicultural Populations' "2006-2010 Strategic Plans": to review and revise the…

Today's communities are diverse in composition, not only ethnically, but also in matters of age, sexual preference, physical and mental ability. However, as different as we all are, there are certain common threads that bind us all together. If libraries are to thrive and serve the whole community, they must respect the differences, but at the…

Examines what is being done to implement cultural diversity in libraries. Topics addressed include affirmative action; defining cultural diversity, including the significance of ethnicity, race, and race relations in the workplace; problems in implementing cultural diversity; and examples of successful implementation programs. (Contains three…

Defining and expanding diversity in the workplace may involve reassessment of the dominant workplace culture in libraries, in order to foster better understanding and more effective management, retention, and promotion of librarians of color. Highlights include a selected bibliography and a survey instrument that analyzes the dominant culture of a…

Through a story of experiences at a library and two museums, a Cree university student demonstrates how such institutions fail to adequately respect and portray Native culture, despite good intentions. (TD)

Argues that as libraries adopt more technology, reference librarians must recognize diverse users and their needs, gauge user knowledge and connectivity, use technological terminology clearly, emphasize critical thinking, stress the existence of print sources, pursue innovative ways of doing reference, and learn new concepts. (PEN)

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…

Discusses the 1992 conference of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE). Topics discussed include job seekers and available positions; the influence of libraries versus the influence of information theories on library school programs; award-winning research; cultural diversity issues; and accreditation by the…

New supervisors often come to management positions with experience and expertise in their specialty, but with little or no training in how to supervise. Aimed at the new library supervisor, this publication addresses basic supervisory skills and provides practical information needed by supervisors. As library organizations become more complex,…

Latvians are among the ethnic groups dispersed to many parts of the world. The history of the Latvian diaspora is traced, and the maintenance of Latvian ethnic identity is explored, including the status of Latvian libraries. Latvian independence is expected to have an impact on Latvian culture abroad. (SLD)