Describes Living Stage Theatre Company of Washington, DC, project that uses art of improvisational theater with special needs youth to affect social change. Specific initiative of project that focuses on group of young mothers between ages of 13 and 16 is described. This initiative strives to change their self-perceptions and choices in relation…

Examines trends in college completion, family earnings, and unemployment among Blacks and Whites from 1970 into the mid-1980s, when federal grants and scholarships began to decrease. Describes programs by which the academic community could assist the Black community, to the benefit of both sectors. (DM)

Describes the Business Skills Outreach program of the Rochester (New York) Educational Opportunity Center, which targets Hispanic Americans 17 years or older, offers courses in clerical skills, and provides job placement. (JOW)

As the community's richest information and learning resource center, the public library is an essential partner of parents and schools in achieving the national education goals. The public library could help reinforce teaching and assist parents in preparing young children for school. Adequate funding is necessary for public libraries' continued…

The paper describes an "Outreach Study" in a British community which identified 46 adults with mental handicap over 50 years of age who were not in contact with specialist mental handicap service providers. The study's methodology and process are described including a discussion of issues concerned with defining the population.…

Discusses the role of libraries in providing emergent literacy experiences for children in day care and preschool programs. The importance of exposure to print is discussed, and a study is described that evaluated a library outreach program that was developed to promote emerging literacy in preschoolers. (LRW)

Sharon (Massachusetts) Public Schools developed an alternative procurement process for school food services that complies with state public bidding laws while evading "low-bid" constraints. The new process features evaluative criteria covering nutrition education, community outreach, management expertise, site visits, and price…

When metropolitan universities refer to serving the entire metropolitan area, they often refer to rural fringes as well as concentrated urban populations. Working with rural communities requires somewhat different approaches to planning programs and understanding needs. Survey research helps the campus understand the perceptions and realities of…

Data from several national research and evaluation projects involving 32 diverse institutions offer insights into what motivates college-faculty involvement in public service and outreach efforts, what faculty find to be obstacles to involvement, and what institutions can do to facilitate involvement. One salient policy supporting faculty…

Discusses how collection-development librarians can customize their workstations by building a Web page to cover public service and outreach efforts to constituencies, links to tools to enable selectors to use the Web and work more efficiently, and selection of Web resources. Describes Web sites in the three categories of communication with…

Examines whether student enrollment in a pre-college minority intervention program was associated with academic performance, retention, and success, as measured by such things as GPA, retention rate, and degree attainment. Found that African-American students who participated performed at or above the level of nonprogram students on all measures…

Discusses the role of philosophy both in public life and the university in addressing difficult public policy issues. Examples noted include a program applying principles of medical ethics to death and dying and a leadership development project at Indiana University South Bend, and the "Just Caring" research and outreach project, which…

Describes the Children's Health Matters project, which helps eligible families enroll their uninsured children in Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Lists strategies to be used by Catholic schools: connect children to health insurance through the School Lunch Program; distribute outreach materials; discuss this issue at…

Discussion of the need for library outreach programs for children focuses on the idea of partnering and building community relationships. Highlights include the need for a model change for library outreach; library images; staff changes; networking and marketing; communicating; and changing attitudes. (LRW)

Describes the author's experiences directing at an interactive health education theater piece on acquaintance rape. Discusses personal and professional challenges and ethical dilemmas that came up regarding Post Traumatic Stress disorder, the activating of traumatic experiences. Argues that input from healthcare professionals was crucial, and…