The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards are an invitation to explore the endless possibilities of "why." The standards provide permission to take risks, to step beyond the comfort of four walls to truly stretch and grow. The AASL Standards provide a common language for school library stakeholders that bring into…

This paper presents a study of the specific disciplinary competencies required of library programming professionals and the training pathways where they develop those skills. Most existing competency frameworks focus on general library service or audience, rather than the specializations required for public programming. Reflecting the emerging…

Amid growing isolationism after World War I, the American Library Association transferred its wartime programs to train librarians in Europe and promote the American model of public libraries. Working in collaboration with American philanthropists and members of the French library community, ALA established a permanent library school in Paris that…

This article outlines Public Library Association (PLA) 2010 annual conference to be held in Oregon Convention Center, Portland on March 23-27. The days quickly fill up with the picks of over 100 programs as well as valuable "talk tables" and special events. The well-organized schedule, divided into eight broad tracks (e.g., technology,…

This essay served as the basis for the opening keynote speech during the Library Assessment Conference in Baltimore in 2010. It set the stage by tracing the demands for accountability in the beginning of the century and outlining progress made. It provided important background and context for the following four keynote papers delivered by Megan…

During the early twentieth century, Alvin Johnson and William S. Learned produced two separate but related studies relative to the donations of the Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) to public library construction. These reports became means for the planned disassociation of the philanthropic organization from its historical relationship with…

The perfect politician, the ideal political ally to a library, is often but not always an elected official. He or she is always an effective champion of "reasonable financial support," i.e., "the amount...which a thoroughly competent librarian can spend wisely." That is what J.T. Wyer, director of the New York State Library, said in his "What the…

The President of ALIA writes about expectations for the Public Libraries Summit, and provides an account of what took place on the day of the meeting, and what has taken place since. In funding terms, the most likely areas of productive engagement with the federal government are considered to be: children, early learning and a literate Australia;…

This article explores the historical foundations of the South Carolina Digital Library, a collaborative statewide program that ties together academic special collections and archives, public libraries, state government archives, and other cultural resource institutions in an effort to provide the state with a comprehensive database of online…

Six outstanding librarians comment on the Mission Statement from ALA's Public Library Association Goals, Guidelines, and Standards Committee. (JPF)

The complete text from the 1973 St. Croix Library Association's third annual meeting is presented. Following the opening address are presentations on St. Croix present and future public library programs, and the legislative role in these programs. The entire transcript of a question and answer period follows. A list of St. Croix Library…

Reports on efforts in the 1970's by the Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Association, to develop new standards for public libraries. (Author/PF)

The Urban Libraries Council's (ULC) Fast Facts Surveys are not intended to be scientific studies of the library community; rather, they are "snapshots" on topics of current interest. The topic of this survey is fees for library services. A total of 64 surveys were mailed to 1993 ULC member libraries in February 1993; 49 surveys were…

ALA's Public Library Association Goals, Guidelines, and Standards Committee presents this interim document--the first in over a decade to guide public library managers and lay decision-makers in assessing public library services--for review by the public library community. (Author/JPF)

A progress report to the Public Library Association from the Task Forces of its Standards Committee is presented under the following headings: Introduction, Task force on adult services working paper, Task force on young adult services working paper, and Task force on children's services working paper. (SJ)