Discusses the role of library trustees or board members in public library administrative decisions, examines managerial styles among public library directors, and describes situations that invite the board to micromanage. Sidebar "Success in 10 Steps" suggests ten steps to maintain a balance of power between staff and trustees. (LRW)

Describes a survey of Ontario (Canada) medium-sized businesses that was conducted to investigate the impact of the public library on business success and discusses results that found a significant relationship between public library use and business success. A copy of the questionnaire used is appended. (Author/LRW)

Discusses results of a survey questionnaire of public and school libraries that investigated the use of Internet filtering software. Considers filter alternatives; reasons for filtering or not filtering; brand names; satisfaction with site blocking; satisfaction with the decision to install filter software; and guidelines for considering filters.…

Presents ideas for activities geared to children ages seven and up that revolve around the Harry Potter books, based on a Harry Potter Holiday Club developed at the Beverly Hills (California) Public Library. Includes costs, craft activities, theater performances, and games. (LRW)

Discusses school and public library relationships and maintains that an integrated, coordinated, and systematic planning process at both local and state levels will meet the needs of children and young adults. Topics include developments in the 1990s, barriers to cooperative efforts, examples of cooperative projects, and combined school-public…

Summarizes universe data on public libraries in the United States. Includes information about public libraries' administrative structure and legal basis, operating income and expenditures, staff, collections, and services. (Author/SLD)

Reviews the literature of e-government deployment world-wide, focussing on two possible roles for public libraries in e-government. The first is a continuation of their traditional role of information provision and managing library transactions electronically and the second, a move to handling government business transactions as well. Identifies…

A lot of literature from the past few years has discussed the importance of bridging the digital divide that exists between those with Internet access and those without. Public libraries have often declared themselves to be that bridge. This article looks at how Indiana's public libraries allow the citizens they serve access to the Internet. With…

The potential of videoconferencing to enrich distance learning needs to be widely recognised as well as the technology embedded in curriculum delivery and in distance learning programmes. The argument is supported by reference to a wide range of case studies from the author's experiences over a period of six years as International Officer with the…

This article reports the results of Library Journal's 2005 Book Buying Survey. The results of the survey overall showed that attendance is high at the library and circulation is up as well. The survey also reported that fiction is what most people are reading. The how-to books also proved to be very popular. The article goes into detail concerning…

This study examined the access of books among six communities in the greater Los Angeles area: Brentwood, Beverly Hills, South Central, Watts, East Los Angeles, and Compton, participants included 60 students, ages 7 to 12 years, selected from each community. The survey examined access to books in the home, classroom library, school library and…

It bothers Michelle Jeske that many people still don't know all that their public libraries can do for them, even in Denver, where 80 percent of the population has a library card. Fortunately, as manager of web information services at the Denver Public Library (DPL), she can reach out to people who never come through the library doors. Jeske and…

The role that a public librarian can play in teaching on-line research classes is put forth. The manner in which school and public librarians can work together to help teachers and students deal with information overload is discussed.

This article discusses the current status of teens in society. The article reports that half of all teens have been affected by the divorce of their parents; one in five lives in poverty; and approximately one in six suffers from depression. Thirty-five percent of teenage girls get pregnant at least once before age 20. This article discusses ways…

How Do You Manage, is a column in Library Journal where librarians send in stories based upon actual events happening in libraries across the United States. This story recounts a public relations situation where a reporter from a local paper interviews by phone, a librarian in charge of audio and video services in a small town library. The…