This research brief describes recent methodological initiatives with the Public Libraries Survey. It describes how starting with the 2022 data, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) updated geographic identifiers to better align Census Bureau geography types with the library's legal service area, with the goal of enabling data users to…

As institutional roles change in response to contemporary pressures on them, new opportunities arise for combining forces to achieve common objectives. With today's technological revolution in handling information, the role of the public library is both challenged and reaffirmed. Resources may be allocated from state and national levels of…

The impact of the College Level Examination Project (CLEP) upon the total community has been good but not widespread enough to be classified "successful." Within the academic community there has been the overwhelming acceptance of CLEP and a continuing upgrading of credits to the benefit of the student, with a growing standardization of…

The Independent Study Project of the Dallas Public Library has as its primary goal the testing of the feasibility of utilizing an existent public institution, the library, for enabling qualified persons to earn credits toward a degree through independent study and examination. More proximate goals are: (a) the assessment of demand locally for…

Summarizes findings of a graduate school study on community networks (electronic townhalls) and their involvement with local public libraries. Representatives of 24 networks participated, answering telephone queries on network services, users, goals, funding, governance, technical design, social benefits, government information provision,…

This publication outlines the complete community networking process: planning, developing partnerships, funding, marketing, content, public access, and evaluation, and discusses the variety of roles that the local public library can play in this process. Chapter One, "The Importance of Community Networking," describes the importance of community…

Identifies issues that need to be addressed when planning combined school and public libraries. The importance of defining the role of the libraries and involving all participants in the planning process is stressed, and considerations relating to personnel selection, collection development, funding, and evaluation are discussed. (CLB)

Describes a Carnegie-funded study that examined the effectiveness of youth organizations in reaching adolescents aged 10-15 and in reaching and serving young people growing up in high-risk environments. How the study was conducted, 10 themes that emerged from the study, and the major implications for librarians and their community partners are…

"CONNECTIONS: The New Hampshire Reading Project," a project of the New Hampshire State Library (Concord), involved coalition building, public awareness, training, reading and discussion, and evaluation. The project served a community of over 200,000 people, and targeted students and tutors of library literacy programs and New Hampshire…