This travel report includes descriptions of university libraries, public libraries, and national libraries in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia. (PF)

Librarians in Stamford, Waterbury, Syracuse, and Southbridge (Massachusetts) are all involved in a program called Literacy Volunteers of America. This private nonprofit agency has one overriding concern, and that is to help adults and teenagers who are inadequate readers, or "functional illiterates." (Author)

Describes the adult education programs of the Free Library of Philadelphia. (PF)

Discusses future possibilities for information technology in public libraries, particularly in view of decreasing computer costs and developmental trends in data processing. The technological developments of the Pikes Peak Regional Library are outlined as an example of feasibility. (CWM)

Examines the forces for change in reference and information work in the public library--politics and economics, society and the individual, the profession, technology, and the growth of information--and considers the possible future for such service in individual libraries. (CWM)

The author traces the growth of public library building in Finland, discusses the role of public subsidy legislation, and expresses the need for better library planning. (MF)

Practical ways for making public libraries more profitable tools for students include the following: (1) making students more familiar with what their public library offers; (2) making sure materials for assigned topics are accessible and that topics are not too irregular; and (3) giving written assignment instructions whenever possible.…

Advocates a more militant approach to facing problems directly related to certain practices among publishers: discount, delivery, and a general disregard for the significance of libraries in the market. This can be seen by comparing the way publishers treat public and school libraries to the way they treat retail booksellers. (JPF)

An historical discussion of three types of film--teaching, information, and entertainment--is presented. The numbers of films in each category, especially the last, which includes the animated, unnarrated, iconographic, underground, and avant-garde, has grown substantially. Libraries have quickly accepted all except the revolutionary philosophies…

The development of public library film services to the elderly is traced from its beginning at the Cleveland Public Library in 1941, through legislation that strengthened it, to current services, e.g., outreach programs. Guidelines for the improvement of service are included. (MBR)

Library film services for the hearing-impaired are discussed. Captioned and nonverbal films are defined, and a discussion of changing attitudes that resulted in integrated showing of these films is presented. Pointers on how to integrate, and sources of information on films for the hearing-impaired are also included. (MBR)

Describes strategies that were successful in passing library bond issues for the Atlanta Public Library and the Marion (Ohio) Public Library, as well as legislation providing for cooperative library areas and additional state funding in Michigan. Some lessons learned from an unsuccessful campaign by the Clearwater (Fla.) Library are included. (JPF)

Introduces a series of articles reporting progress made in library services to the Spanish speaking in the past eight years, despite the undeniable discrimination that exists against the Hispanic-heritage librarian and the delivery of library and information services to this ethnic group. Each article is followed by an interview with a Hispanic…

Narrates the events leading to one Spanish-speaking community's politicalization for improvement of its library services, and poses some hard questions about equal opportunities for library services. (VT)