Presents standards for reference services developed by the Suburban Library System (Illinois) and discusses the effects of the standards on youth services. Standards for a written reference plan, reference staff, reference sources, and evaluation are included. (11 references) (MES)

This column, part of a series of commonly asked questions on library law, completes discussion of two previous columns on common questions about the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Highlights include: procedures if a request for records is denied; appealing a denial of records; how FOIA is enforced and interpreted by the courts; personal…

Describes activities developed by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University and the Illinois State Library to prepare librarians for a new role in local economic development. Discusses results of a survey on library support for community development in terms of services and business materials collections. (AEF)

Discusses the need to think of public libraries as businesses rather than as functions of society. Topics include keeping old customers and attracting new ones; taxes; competition from the private sector; the use of technology; training people to use technology; mission statements; library services; and marketing. (LRW)

Articles in this theme issue focus on young adults and genealogy, music videos, public access microcomputer software selection, literature for and about Black adolescents, library services to reluctant readers, booktalks, historical fiction, the role of young adult services librarians, and the need for adolescents to find their roots through…

Three award-winning papers from an Illinois Library Association competition discuss topics related to the future of libraries: recruitment and education of young librarians; traditional roles of librarians in the future, including preservation of books and the historical record; and rapid change in the library environment in response to…

Presents papers from Illinois State Library and Shawnee Library System's "Libraries on the MOVE" conference focusing on how libraries can impact economic/cultural climate of an area. Topics addressed included information services of rural libraries; marketing; rural library development; library law; information access; interagency…

Discusses information literacy in the emerging information age, describes the Internet, and reviews the role of public library trustees in helping to provide access to the information superhighway. Topics include providing equal access to the Internet; staff training; adequate funding; and the leadership role of librarians. (LRW)

This issue provides a detailed overview of the Illinois literacy effort, including committee lists, project proposal forms, rules and regulations, financial support information, and a chronology of events. Several articles focus on the planning and implementation of literacy programs and the role of the library in literacy education. (CLB)

Explains the need for family literacy programs in Illinois and describes efforts to improve adult and child literacy. Topics discussed include poverty; reading, writing, and computing instruction; interaction between parents and children; families and books; partnerships between state agencies, private organizations, and public libraries; and…

This first of three consecutive articles examines trends for the future that emphasize libraries expanding their role in the community and individuals becoming more involved. Discusses the library as the community center for civic renewal, library as navigator, and library as coalition builder. Presents comments from librarians on reasons for and…

Examines the effects of bookstores on public libraries. Topics discussed include the role of libraries as organizers of information; bookstores as competition; reading trends; library collections; libraries' emphasis on user services, including interlibrary loans; partnership programs; marketing strategies; user needs; hours of operation; and…

Describes the "Jump Start" program, developed with Library Services and Technology Act funds and designed to provide more pre-school services to children in a poor community in Chicago. Discusses the project plan; workshops for area child care providers and future workers in the field; collection development; outreach to educational institutions;…

Considers the implications of community connections by examining a coalition developed by the Pekin Public Library (Illinois): the Pekin Intergenerational Network (PIN). Highlights include recognizing the need for coalitions; developing a team; and evaluating the coalition's progress. (AEF)