Public Libraries Their Development And Future Organization

Public libraries play an important role in our society, and this book provides a comprehensive overview of their history and current state. The book includes information on the development of public libraries over time, as well as their current organizational structure and funding sources. Whether you are a librarian, a library patron, or simply interested in learning more about this important institution, this book is sure to be an enlightening read. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Excerpt from Public Libraries, Their Development and Future Organization At this time our main interests and thoughts are directed towards the successful prosecution of the war. The present struggle is to preserve for the nations the right to continue and to improve their social and economic life and well-being, and although the work and progress of libraries, like all other normal activities, have been interrupted and curtailed, we must not permit them to languish and die. It is not necessary therefore to offer excuse for the issue at the moment of this record of the proceedings of the important Library Conference, recently held. The programme of subjects was drawn up with the object of bringing to public notice the more pressing questions which affect the libraries and now demand attention if those institutions are to take their proper place in any considered new plans for national efficiency. The term "Reconstruction" is being freely used and has even brought forth a new department of the Ministry. The necessity for new methods and a wider outlook has impressed itself upon the people, who, suffering from the catastrophe of war, are the more alive to the lessons the war has brought. Our commercial system and aims are to be re-modelled and improved, and this can only be secured by a re-vivifying of technical and industrial training, which must be built up on the foundation of a wider educational basis. Both in the field of general education and in furthering industrial efficiency public libraries can play a great part. Following the school - elementary and secondary - and as an adjunct to the college and the university, libraries alone can meet the needs of every class. "We learn not at school but in life" - our education is but commenced at school. This war was conceived in the schools and the libraries of the German people. It will lie with the other nations to see that their schools and their libraries spread a knowledge and perpetuate a humanity which shall emancipate the world, and for ever crush the lustful ambitions of a race seeking to impose by the sword its savage "Kultur" upon all mankind. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Public Libraries and Their Communities: An Introduction provide an overview of public librarianship today. It covers library organization, policy development, staffing, fiscal organization including funding sources and budgets, the legal framework, relationships with local and state governments, advocacy, services and service development for different age groups and for different groups of users, development of programming and outreach, collection development, promotion and marketing, and current issues and trends. In addition to context and concepts, the book uses many examples from both large and small public libraries to bring principles to life. Examples include real library policies, case studies, strategic planning, organization charts and library budgets. Many think that public libraries are not complicated to run.This book aims to show that public libraries are very complicated and require much skill on the part of the director, staff, and Board of Trustees to meet the needs of their local users.Advocacy and marketing have become important parts of the work of public libraries. Funding is always challenging so public libraries must constantly be making the local government and its citizens aware of the public library – its programs, collections, and services. This book's focus is on how public libraries reach beyond the walls of their buildings and touch the lives of their citizens.Meeting community interests and needs is essential for 21st century public libraries. For students the book offers discussion questions at the end of each chapter. These questions also provide discussion starters for public library staff development.

Major changes in public libraries throughout the world have led to an increased focus on governance issues. Forging successful futures for public libraries depends on effective governance. This book defines governance and examines its many facets in relation to public library provision internationally, differentiating governance from the policies, processes and practices of public libraries. The perspectives of leaders, practitioners, researchers, decision makers, and service users are presented, offering a variety of views from the past, the present and potential approaches in the future. Decision-making and the roles of decision makers involved in governance are explored. Prominent figures from the public library community throughout the world have contributed their knowledge and experience. Wicked problems facing the public library sector are identified and the varying approaches adopted internationally to deal with them are outlined. There are many practitioner and professional practice issues associated with provision of libraries and views on library usage and delivery vary according to user and practitioner standpoints. Globally diverse content provides directions for the future development of public libraries and for dealing with the emerging challenges facing the library world.

Prepare yourself for the challenges that are certain to be facing the public library system in the coming years. Managing Public Libraries in the 21st Century predicts the types of management, planning, collections, building, funding and governing structures, and services that will be needed in the 21st century. The contributors address some of the most pressing questions with which the profession must be prepared to deal, including: What management skills will be required to administer the public library in the coming years? How can educators best prepare their students for public library administration? How will library funds be distributed in the future? The answers to these and many other important questions are highlighted in this informative new book. Public librarians, as well as library school faculty and students will find this volume to be fascinating and indispensable.

This important book examines the potential for a new community led service model in public libraries. Using theoretical approaches to working with socially excluded community members, with a direct application of those approaches in Canadian public libraries, the authors offer a powerful and persuasive case for adopting the community led approach in libraries worldwide. The book showcases good practice and outlines the challenges to community development work. With public libraries facing budget cuts, this book offers an alternative way forward based on a community led approach to developing needs based library services. This book makes a unique contribution to public library thinking and policy, synthesising the outcomes of research and best practice at the cutting edge of library service delivery, and will be essential reading for all those researching and working in the public library sector.