Outlines the history of censorship and intellectual and expressive freedom in American libraries; discusses the two main types of ethical theory, utilitarianism and deontology; and maintains that libraries have a special role to play in promoting unconditional intellectual freedom. (Author/LRW)

The pervasive, personal crisis of intimate partner violence (IPV) demands community information resources in workforce, health care, mental health, public housing, criminal justice, and social service arenas. Although generally underutilized, public libraries have a pivotal role to play as the only public institution specifically structured to…

There has been much talk about libraries, including public libraries, being uniquely positioned to act as key agents for developing the critical skill of information literacy in their communities. Yet there is a notable lack of literature addressing information literacy and the public library, especially when compared to the volume of material on…

In response to the rapid advances in information technology, greater pressure has been placed on academic libraries and teaching faculty to incorporate information literacy skills into the curriculum. Although these skills have been taught for decades, the principles and concepts of information literacy have taken on new urgency as they are…

For Americans to engage in a global information society, it is critical that they have access to high-speed, high-bandwidth Internet, meaning broadband. Network connectivity opens up a wealth of possibilities to K-12 educators. While it has the potential to result in fundamental changes in teaching methods, it can definitely be used to enhance…

Today's schools--and today's teachers--are looking for strategies that help them address challenges inherent in ensuring all students meet standards. A key is identifying and making maximum use of all possible resources available in the school. The media center is one of these, as is the media center specialist. Teachers can help ensure their…

In 2003 at the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) 11th National Conference in Kansas City, the AASL Task Force on Recruitment for the Profession noted that 68 percent of school librarians will retire by the year 2015. They also reported extremely severe shortages of school librarians in ten states and severe shortages in 30 states…

In these days of increased testing and continued failure of inner-city and poor rural schools to meet the grade, it is becoming more and more necessary to turn to the public library to help students reach the ever-increasing goals being set for them. It seems somewhat unfair to hold the schools solely responsible for continued failure when the…

The problems that have persistently plagued directors of oral history projects are (1) understanding the role the library plays as "publisher" and (2) justifying the expense of an oral history project. (Author)

The intention of this essay is to serve as a guide to the literature treating the historical development of the American public library. It also provides a selective analysis of the literature dealing with the role of the public library. An extensive selected bibliography is included along with an appendix which is a short critical essay on the…

At Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the library-college concept is proving to be a decisive factor in shaping new methods of teaching. (Author)

The president of Sangamon State University (SSU) discusses the role of libraries in teaching and the strategies at the university to place the library at the center of the academic community. (JPF)

Traces literacy and library developments throughout the USSR; the focus is on publications in the various languages of the USSR, and on the role of the libraries in the dissemination of such materials. (Author)

The technological university library (TUL) is not in any strict sense an information center for industry, but it has specific important functions in a network of Scientific and Technical Information Systems and Services (STI/SS) which coexist in a kind of symbiotic or feedback structure. (Author/PF)

The independent research libraries have diverse origins and have traveled many paths toward today's complex of library resources in this country. The motives for their founding are many, and their varying sizes belie the uniform significance of their collections to the national resource. (Author)