In the United States, individual states have different means of determining and distributing funding. This influences library service and access to information particularly as it pertains to critical Internet access. Funding and service trends have changed, especially as it relates to public libraries, with some modifications working to their…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is committed to bringing together museums and libraries across the country for conversations dedicated to developing a better understanding of the roles of libraries and museums as providers of public service to communities. The Future of Libraries and Museums in the 21st Century Planning…

Prepared for the members and staff of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS), this report responds to the April 1985 charge to the White House Conference on Library and Information Services Preliminary Design Group to: (1) make recommendations on the kinds of appointments which should be made by the President, Senate,…

Provides background on federal literacy programs and legislation. Proceedings of a national literacy forum for state libraries are summarized, and priority issues identified by participants are listed. The importance of the library role is emphasized. (MES)

Provides a history of the Captioned Films/Videos for the Deaf program and describes the kinds of films and videos available, including feature films and educational materials. Silent films are discussed; captioning processes are described; implications for librarians are discussed; and regional depository libraries for captioned films for the deaf…

Results of a five-city pilot project on information and referral (I&R) services--the nature of I&R, the public library's role, evaluation of the three-year program, the project's implications, and the future of I&R. (LS)

Over 5 million students aged 6 to 21 received services under the "Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)" during the 2000-2001 school year. In partial response to this growing population of diverse learners, the relatively recent and highly controversial "No Child Left Behind (NCLB)" legislation has served as a…

This document begins with an overview of the authority, functions, and responsibilities of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS/BPH), an agency of the Library of Congress that is responsible for administering the national program to provide reading materials for the nation's blind and physically handicapped…

In common with many other people, librarians have been too prompt to assume that availability of books and materials will necessarily lead to their utilization. What has happened in all too many American communities is that libraries are intensively used by only a small portion of the population, while the vast majority are untouched by the…

In the late 1980s, when few Canadian citizens had Internet access, federal departments and agencies in Canada were already preparing for the future by putting information and documentation online. This paper outlines several government-sponsored programs--SchoolNet, the Canadian Investment Fund, Community Access Program, Canada Foundation for…

This paper urges teachers and librarians to join hands and make their voices heard prior to the convening of the White House Conference on Library and Information Services (WHCLIS) in July 1991. Issues librarians should consider include how libraries can more effectively support formal literacy education; assist greater numbers of learners and…

In order for the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) and depository libraries to assume their new role in the electronic environment, librarians need to examine their current technology, deal with political realities, and be critical of FDLP ideals. The FDLP needs to be reorganized into a new system of information centers to provide the best…

This paper presents an overview of how American libraries have responded to the health crisis caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS information dissemination practices of libraries and the social role which American librarians have articulated regarding their special responsibilities are…

This final performance report for the Bay County (Florida) Public Library literacy project begins with a section that provides quantitative data about: (1) the size of the community served; (2) type of project; (3) targeted populations; (4) tutoring methods used; (5) measurement of student progress; (6) printed items produced; and (7) total…

Examines the need for and uses of statistical data about school library media centers; describes data currently collected by the states; discusses national data collection efforts, including an increasing emphasis on output measures; recommends further actions that should be taken; and suggests future possibilities. (six references) (LRW)