Indices of the impact of public libraries on their municipalities are made by measuring the relationship of registrants against the municipal populations. Three indices based on registrants in households are developed. The methodology is based on "pairs" of libraries exhibiting two comparable characteristics--the population served and the per…

Criteria have been developed to determine the adequacy of public library services and establish priorities for awarding grants to municipalities under the Library Services and Construction Act. Special groups designated for funding consideration under Title I include municipalities in low-income areas, institutional residents, and physically…

This report is an interpretative review of the state laws and aspects of the general governing structure of Ohio public libraries that are important for development of a statewide library program in accordance with accepted professional standards. Library and municipal laws were analyzed, questionnaires were submitted to public libraries, and…

This issue of "The Bookmark" contains 23 essays examining the challenges facing public library trustees and changing community needs. Topics considered include: the role of the trustee, fund raising, lobbying and the legislative process, library building programs, library automation, literacy, intellectual freedom, information access, preschool…

Recommendations to the Library Development Commission to be used as a guide in planning a new program for library development are reported. The purpose of the publication is to elicit constructive comment and suggestions and to establish guidelines for province-wide organization of library services. Specific topics discussed include: public…

Summarizes 20 statements on the tying of state aid to performance measures which were presented at the 1989 Spring Conference of the New Jersey Library Association. The discussion covers the need to derive a formula for the award of aid, and the complexity and difficulties involved in deriving any such formula. (18 references) (CLB)

Reviews the history of proposals for accrediting public libraries nationally and examines four distinct proposals made from 1960 to 1988. The discussion addresses barriers to national accreditation of public libraries and the prospects for the success of the most recent proposal of the Commission for the Accreditation of Public Libraries. (23…

Examines the value of the Public Library Association Planning Process and Output Measures. It is concluded that the planning process is wasteful, in that it ignores existing literature and addresses conditions that libraries cannot change. It is also argued that adoption of the output measures would be dangerous, as it involves serious egalitarian…

Objectives of this survey were: (1) to review existing data on public library progress in Kansas since 1956 and to identify needs for further study, (2) to relate the data to public library standards and to the purpose of the Library Services and Construction Act, and (3) to recommend guidelines for planning for state-wide library development. It…

The concept of total planning as applied in this presentation refers to planning as a part of library organization. It is felt that greater care should be taken at top-level planning to ensure that some proportion of the income and credit available is allocated to various services to allow departmental planning to be carried out effectively. This…

Increased recognition of the public library in Nebraska came about in 1901 with the establishment of the Nebraska Public Library Commission. In the seventy years of the Commission's history, the number has grown to 260 public libraries. With the establishment of regional library systems on a cooperative, contractual basis in Nebraska, in 1957, all…

The purpose of the survey was to discover how to offer the best library service to all residents in the county with the most efficient use of funds. The survey involved the following aspects: (1) legal structure, (2) fiscal structure, (3) administration, (4) standards of public library service, (5) standards of physical facilities, (6)…

A needs assessment of the library services of the Lake Agassiz region of North Dakota was begun in 1974. A mail survey of the area population and an in-library user survey were conducted. Almost all libraries in the region fell below state standards on holdings primarily because the population base was inadequate to support 11 municipal libraries.…

More significant public library measurements and standards, and better and prompter statistics on which to base them, are needed. Suggestions for developing new standards are given. (Author/JS)

The purpose of this plan is to provide a guide for designing improvements in public library service in the Denver metropolitan region and for evaluating the libraries as they develop. The report examines the background of public library planning activities, characteristics of the region, local library systems, area library resources and minimum…