This study reviews trends in public library finance; examines recent political, economic, and technological changes; and assesses the impact of these changes on public library services. A history of the public library in America is presented, as well as an analysis of the principles of economics and public finance which reveals that current…

As community college learning resource centers deal more with student instruction, librarians are gaining credence as true educators. In an effort to reinforce library usage and understand teaching faculty constraints, some librarians--many of them teaching "drop-outs"--have returned to the classroom. This paper describes the experiences of one…

The case for public library support for open university programs. Description of some existing public library projects and discussion of ways in which libraries can participate in adult degree programs. (LS)

An annotated bibliography covering the open university in the United States and Great Britain as well as the role of the library in such programs. (LS)

The results of a 2-year study on the interactions between government and private sector information activities are presented in terms of principles and guidelines for federal policy to support the development and use of information resources, products, and services, and to implement the principles. Discussions address sources of conflict between…

At the request of the Chief Officers of the State Library Agencies, the Gallup Organization, Inc. studied attitudes and behavior concerning the use of public libraries in America and reported their findings. In the first phase of this national survey, 1,561 adult men and women were asked their sources of information; the extent to which the…

This summary of the deliberations and proposals of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science includes brief discussions of programs goals, a needs analysis, and the concerns of both libraries and the private sector. Recommendations for a national program are presented as eight priority objectives, and various facets of the…

This study focuses on the question of whether the public library can or will be one of the non-formal providers of lifelong learning in Minnesota, and uses the Delphi method to discover in what way the public library as it is perceived by various publics could become an active participant in this dimension of the educational process. Five groups…

This collection of essays and responses by 18 specialists and librarians focuses on three research perspectives: (1) governmental, economic, and technological changes; (2) possible results of change in the humanities, education, and social institutions; and (3) the process of change and ways to create conditions for change. Each specialist's essay…

Intended as an immediate source of practical help for teachers of the research paper, this bibliography is also a contribution toward establishing a foundation of professionalism for research paper instruction. The approximately 200 entries are arranged alphabetically under the following categories: (1) the debate over whether and when to use the…

This report presents the findings of a study conducted between July and October 1979 to analyze the information needs of New England citizens, their information seeking patterns, and the effectiveness of libraries in meeting those needs. It examines everyday information needs, both occupational and non-occupational, of adult residents from 2,400…

Prompted by an awareness of the general public's lack of access to scientific literature in the medical field, this paper documents the practical and ethical desirability of eliminating obstacles to those seeking health information. Discussions based on a survey of the literature focus on (1) the concepts and definitions of information, knowledge,…

This paper discusses the library services that complement growing university and college off-campus programs and specifically centers on the years that fall between the start of such services and the final establishment of a physical satellite library. Suggestions, drawn partly from the literature and primarily from experiences at the University…

This issue of "Illinois Libraries" is a report of the Illinois White House Conference on Library and Information Services, held in Springfield, November 12-14, 1978. After a brief introduction, the planning process for the conference is described, including committee work, timetables established, the efforts of state agencies, delegate…

Literacy being a major concern at state level preconferences, a theme conference was held to develop recommendations as to how libraries, in cooperation with other concerned agencies, can work toward solving the continuing problems of illiteracy in the U.S. Approximately 200 participants representing the library and educational communities, the…