Paul Ricoeur's narrative theory, when combined with the social theory of Pierre Bourdieu, fosters a fresh perspective on the debate about the language of business and its influence in librarianship. It is suggested that narratives about readers hold promise because they capture the active nature of reading. (Author)

Examines commercial, educational, and existing library sources to establish a practical perspective for librarians seeking to establish collections of popular culture materials, with emphasis on sound recordings, nonstandard materials, and concerns of bibliographic control and professional education. Seven references are listed. (RAA)

Argues that in an age of information overload, the public library role is to promote books and reading and warns that public libraries that focus on technologies and information services will become cogs in the engine of material progress rather than fulfilling their role as sources of knowledge. (19 references) (EJS)