Discusses the importance of libraries, books, and reading. Highlights include: the role of libraries in our culture; literacy, reading, and writing as the essence of thinking; the relationship between the book and the reader; and the impact of information technologies. (MES)

Addresses the Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds' experiences working with school libraries and the lessons learned from the Library Power initiative, including: how school libraries can support national education goals, particularly in meeting the challenges outlined in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001; current threats to library reform; and how…

Considers the response of the public library to public demand for goods and services. The discussion makes distinctions between needs and wants and considers the roles of the public and private sectors in meeting user wants and needs. (two references) (MES)

Discusses the traditional role and functions of research library technical services departments and examines the impact of electronic information and information technology on technical services. It is argued that technical services units will stagnate if they do not accept the responsibility of becoming technologically adept. (19 references) (CLB)

Looks at the issue of professional relationships between teachers and librarians and how those relationships affect curricular decisions. Suggests teachers and librarians see each other as team-teachers who support each other's programs. (MG)

Argues that school libraries should maintain a commitment to encourage reading and have concern for the enrichment of the individual's imaginative and creative life. Describes a variety of ways the school libraries in the United Kingdom promote reading. (RS)

Discusses the current widespread acceptance of the public library model for prison libraries, in which preferences of the inmates are the chief consideration in programing and collection development. It is argued that this model results in recreational programs and collections that fail to fulfill the prison library's role in education and…

Reviews common technical services policies relating to circulation, cataloging, and collection development that routinely prevent full access to public library resources for children and adolescents. It is argued that technical services librarians can work closely with those in youth services to ensure intellectual freedom for children and youth.…

Details the design, financial support, organizational structure, and evolution of a program to facilitate the automation of small public libraries in Massachusetts and to promote resource sharing among those libraries. A sidebar by Governor Dukakis expresses his views on the role and importance of libraries. (MES)

Reviews publications that examine the quality of American higher education and suggest methods for improving education at the baccalaureate level. The discussion covers the treatment of the role of college libraries in these reports, reactions of librarians to the reports, and the need for librarians to gain full participation in the education…

Describes library services of the Miami-Dade library system for the Hispanic community. The system provides a variety of bibliographic and community outreach services for Hispanic American users, who constitute about 40 percent of the population. Services to this community may be threatened by English Only legislation pending in South Florida. (AF)

Discusses the need to make the public aware of the role of the school library media center in order to gain their support. It is suggested that the dissemination of the contents of "Information Power," a document presenting guidelines for a strong media center, can foster this awareness. (four references) (CLB)

Reviews the general climate of demands for censorship of library materials, and argues that librarians must follow the Code of Ethics and accept the responsibility for resisting censorship pressures. Suggestions for the promotion of a positive climate for intellectual freedom by librarians in public libraries are offered. (23 references) (CLB)

Presents the revised "Standards for University Libraries" approved by the Association of College and Research Libraries Board. Areas covered in the standards include a basic statement of purpose, underlying assumptions, goal development, measuring achievement and forming a statement of expectations, and evaluative criteria. Resource…

Describes an exploratory study of government agency libraries that was conducted as a first step in the development of a theoretical framework to study the role of information provision by libraries in policy-making contexts. The library functions discussed include tracking issues and clientele, retrieving relevant information for clientele, and…