The Kent Free Library (Ohio) evolved from the Great Atlantic and Western Railroad Reading Room of 1875, into a municipal Carnegie library, and then grew to be a medium-sized public school district library, in the city of Kent, Ohio. Its original building has been enlarged through three separate expansion campaigns, in order to have space to house…

In the province of Quebec, the role of language and religion has been a significant feature in defining nationality, educating the young, and building infrastructures such as libraries. In contrast to English-Canadian provinces, only after 1960 did the government of Quebec authorize public support for public libraries to serve its francophone…

Argues for a reevaluation of the old-maid stereotype that will allow professionals in the library and information science (LIS) field to embrace digital technology while remaining mindful of their distinctiveness and recognizing the stereotype as an important part of their collective identity and professional history. (Contains 55 references.)…

The Florida Library History Project (FLHP) began in January 1998. Letters requesting histories were sent to all public libraries in Florida with follow-up letters sent after an initial response was received from the libraries. E-mail messages were sent out to FL-LIB listservs encouraging participation in the project. A poster session was presented…

Historical studies of public libraries are important because they provide insight into the development of these institutions and serve as an aid to future researchers. This paper examines the development of the Tuscarawas County Public Library (TCPL), in Ohio, for the years 1937-60, in order to discover how the library's building, budget,…

This report summarizes the activities of the South Carolina State Library. Sections include: (1) the library governance and mission statement; (2) a brief library history; (3) details about the organization and operations of the library, including a list of the responsibilities and personnel assigned to each of six departments, as well as charts…

Very little has been written about Bible college libraries in the United States, even though they have been in existence since the early 1880s. This study presents the history of Cincinnati Bible College Library, tracing its development from its inception in 1928 over the years and showing how it has followed the mission statement of its parent…

Investigates what has changed in librarianship in the last decade, challenges the profession has faced, and positions library professionals should take in the rapidly evolving technological environment. Provides information on the demands of the profession, changes library schools have made, and the future outlook. (AEF)

This report summarizes the activities of the South Carolina State Library for 1995-1996. Sections include: (1) library governance and mission statement; (2) brief library history; (3) details about the organization and operations of the library, including a description of each of six departments with a list of employees and their duties, an…

This document is based on transcripts of recorded informal interviews with: (1) selected senior professors in the library schools at Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw (Poland); (2) the director and a member of the Books and Readers Institute of the National Polish Libraries; and (3) a group of Polish librarians and students in the field. The report…

Describes the findings of a 1991 survey of automation in Iranian academic libraries. Findings about libraries participating in the study, including subject area focus, library size, users, staffing, services, and budgets, are presented as a context for information about computer facilities. Copies of the survey in English and Arabic are appended.…

This book, written by graduate students at the Catholic University (District of Columbia) School of Library and Information Science, examines current priorities, policies, and practices of public libraries. Following an introduction, "Reinventing Libraries: Responding to the Forces of Change" (Lisa Crisman), chapters include: (1) "A…

This report summarizes the activities of the South Carolina State Library for 1996-1997. Sections include: (1) library governance and mission statement; (2) brief library history; (3) details about the organization and operations of the library, including a description of each of the six departments with a list of employees and their titles, an…