Librarians tend to view themselves as agents, advocates, or promoters of educational and cultural processes, and these functions are important; but rural librarians can and should play a broader role in the community, including a role in community development activities. As information specialists, librarians have access to critical resources for…

Until 1972, library services in Salt Lake County consisted of a group of branch libraries with nearly identical collections for recreational reading. Because the needs of the community had become more complex, a new regional library was built to coordinate library operations and establish new services. Among the innovations in public library…