Data on the 81 largest libraries in the "Public Library Data Service '96 Statistical Report" were examined to determine the validity of commonly held assumptions, namely that the age, educational level, and economic status of a community correlate, one way or another, with public library use and support in that community. No evidence to…

Over the past two decades, an increasing number of American children are left in self-care after school each day. Parents of these latchkey children often turn to the library as a safe place for their children to go. The purpose of this study was to determine whether public libraries have responded since 1990 to the call put forward by concerned…

Describes guidelines issued by the Public Library Association which base evaluation of individual public libraries on community standards rather than national; identify eight basic roles of the library within the community; and provide a suggested process for libraries and communities to assess service needs and determine which activities to…

ERIC/CLIS has compiled this bibliography in an effort to assist the members of the library community who are concerned with the role of public libraries. Although unpolished it is hoped that this tool will serve as a general reference source for those who wish to undertake the preparation of critical review articles or substantive state-of-the-art…

With funding from the Council of Library Resources, visits were made in the summer of 1974 to the public libraries of ten large cities in order to examine their procedures for setting goals and objectives. Since the goal-setting process implies the selection of priorities and the application of leadership by the library administration, the…