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Abstract: While many studies have discussed the impacts of electronic government (e-government) on public libraries, little research has considered the extent to which the current federal government''s implementation of e-government relies on the public technology access, training, and support provided by public libraries. A range of data and policy materials are drawn upon in order to illuminate the co-evolution of public libraries and e-government. Beginning with a discussion of the development of e-government and its impacts in public libraries, the access, goals, and challenges of e-government are detailed as they relate to libraries, and the areas in which current implementations of e-government would not be possible without public libraries. Based on the explorations of the co-evolution of e-government and public libraries, key policy issues are offered that require reconceptualization in order to better support the interrelationship between e-government and public libraries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Information policy research is a critical tool in the arsenal of library and information science researchers. As developments occur in information access, use, technology, and management, information policies require more attention and research. The article describes the nature of government information policy and policy research, characteristics of policy research, and examples of research methods and approaches that can be used. The differences between textbook-based policy research and how policy research might be implemented in action are also discussed, as are the inter-connectedness of information policies and ways to describe impacts of information policies. The article recommends that researchers and professionals give greater education, training, and professional association attention to using policy research on a day-to-day basis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Information access is central to library and information science, yet explorations of its conceptual nature have been limited. Given the importance of information access to the discipline, there is a need for research to create a better understanding of the concept and its many roles in all activities and behaviors related to information. Drawing on the theoretical work of Elfreda Chatman, this article proposes that the study of information access can be facilitated through the recognition and examination of the physical, intellectual, and social aspects of information access. These types of access are examined through three case studies in terms of different information behaviors and contexts, with a particular focus on the importance of social access. The article also discusses the future roles that considerations of social access can play in research and theory. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Electronic government (e-government) is the provision of government information and services through the Internet to citizens and businesses and among government agencies. This electronic manifestation of government offers new levels of access to government information and services. However, if e-government usage is limited in certain segments of society, it is not achieving its egalitarian potential. Understanding reasons why people do not use e-government will facilitate the development of a more inclusive e-government that better fulfills its potential to deliver information to all citizens and increase participation in the democratic process. Two phenomena of information behavior, information poverty and normative behavior, may help explain why certain groups do not use e-government information. This article offers suggestions on how these concepts of information behavior can contribute to the e-government research agenda. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents an overview of the methods, findings, and the general implications of the 2007 Public Libraries and the Internet study. This annual study has chronicled public libraries' provision of Internet access to patrons and a range of related issues since the early 1990s. The 2007 study focused on the provision and maintenance of Internet access and services, infrastructure issues, community impacts of the technology, training, library technology funding, and e-government roles of public libraries. This article details these findings, exploring how the 2007 data compare to previous studies. It also considers the implications of these comparisons in terms of the levels of service that libraries are able to provide, the challenges that libraries face in providing these services, and the ways in which communities and governments rely on public libraries to guarantee public Internet access. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]