Search

The article focuses on the new library design in the U.S., as of November 2021. Topics discussed examples of how the modern public library is much more than a place to borrow books, significance of the furnishings that libraries can play in enhancing the patron experience, and the adoption by many libraries of best practices from retail stores to highlight their collections.

The article discusses the work of public libraries to find employment and secure better jobs and promotions for library users in the U.S. Topics include increase seen by libraries across the country in the use of virtual career and business resources during the pandemic, initiatives that seek to address the needs of patrons who lack the reliable internet access to apply, interview and train for new jobs, and programs that target specific career paths created by some libraries.

The article discusses the results of the "Library Journal's" 2021 survey on readers' advisory (RA) services in U.S. public libraries. Topics include the challenges reported by RA librarians, the necessity for multilingual RA resources, and the most useful question one asks patron when conducting one-to-one RA.

The article focuses on the 2019 "Library Journal" Index of Public Library Service based on the most recent findings from the Institute of Museum and Library Services Public Library Survey, Fiscal Year 2017. It discusses the addition of Wireless Fidelity sessions to the measures used to determine the Star Libraries in the U.S. It presents the number of libraries that retained their Star status and of those that lost theirs. It also describes the factors that affect the Star status of libraries.

The article discusses the efforts by libraries in the U.S. to support patrons and library staff who are experiencing mental health challenges. Topics covered include proportion of U.S. adults who live with a mental illness as of 2017 according to the National Institute of Mental Health, best practices for library staff on dealing with patrons with mental illness, and information on Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, a course developed by the National Council on Behavioral Health.

The article discusses the author's claim that the implementation of innovative ideas and programs at U.S. public libraries is helping library patrons find reliable wellness information and health-related aid as of 2016, and it mentions an open access movement and health literacy in America. Library nurses in places such as Arizona are examined, along with health care collaborations involving libraries in Sale Lake County, Utah and South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The article discusses the annual State of America's Library Report released by the American Library Association (ALA) on April 15, 2021 which focused on the COVID-19 pandemic and how public, school, and academic libraries worked to meet patrons' and communities' needs. Topics include comments from ALA President Julius C. Jefferson Jr., ALA's own stories which were included in the report, and critical resources for the report's broad mandate.

The article presents an overview of the impact that a global recession and a challenging economic situation in the United States is having on the services that U.S. libraries are being asked to provide to library patrons, and in particular to unemployed library patrons, in 2009. A discussion of cases in which librarians have gone above and beyond their job descriptions to provide additional assistance to needy patrons is presented.

This article focuses on the need for library systems in the U.S. to enact security policies tailored to their respective communities and resources. It discusses variety in library patrons' behavior and ways for libraries to address this issue, the hiring of professional security guards or off-duty police officers by public libraries, and the need for libraries to establish relationships with their local police force.

Provides information on the Orange County Library System (OCLS) in Orlando, Florida. Small user base problem faced by the library; Budget support received by OCLS according to director Mary Anne Hodel; Percentage of OCLS library card holders in the U.S. INSET: Beam Me Up, Scotty.

Discusses how librarians can protect patron privacy after the U.S. Congress passed the USA PATRIOT Act. Ratification of the act after the anthrax contamination scare in 2001; Reasons the law was enacted, including to grant the government greater surveillance powers; Arguments from privacy advocates who belive the Act violates civil rights; Implications for how librarians turn over patron records to federal law enforcement; Discretion that librarians have for the creation and maintenance of records; Detailed description of the statute. INSET: What You Can Do.

Focuses on the attraction of Internet and computer access for library patrons in the United States. Findings of the assessment of the Library Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Issue of defining the digital divide; Increase in workload and work-related stress for library staff from increased patronage since the installation of computers; Details of the 'Gates Model' library program; Outreach to the poor and in urban areas.

Focuses on selecting library materials for a Spanish-language parenting collection in the United States. Highlights a selection of resources that are available as of September 2000 in the categories of books, audio- and videocassettes, pamphlets, and periodicals; Books such as 'Your Pregnancy Week by Week' or 'Su embarazo semana a semana.'

The author talks about a report released by New America which shows that U.S. libraries' efforts have successfully led to greater online access during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that those efforts failed to fully close the access gap for those need it most. She discusses two major infusions of cash for libraries, the challenge for libraries, and implication of the report for users of color.

Stresses the important services an online catalog offers and lists some of the most important trends and changes in library cataloging. The emergence of a trend to link local catalogs to each other; Changes in the way library users search the catalog; Assertion that many librarians lack understanding of the role that catalogers should play; Commitment of the American Library Association to address the recruitment of catalogers; Efforts of librarians to ensure that the bibliographic records created can be used in the catalogs of all libraries; Discussion of MARC formats and ways to order bibliographic records on the online catalog screen; Opinion that a change in the approach to subject cataloging could accomplish a great deal. INSET: The National Coordinated Cataloging Program.

Asserts that the undergraduate library must, as part of its mission in the academic community, serve a multicultural campus. Discussion of the historical role of the undergraduate library and library user education programs; Observation that the undergraduate library became the "teaching library," engaged in teaching, research, and service; Topic of acculturation for undergraduates and the role of the services and collections of all campus libraries; The implications of the 1988 study "One Third of the Nation," from the Commission on Minority Participation in Education and American Life of the American Council on Education and the Education Commission of the States; Ideas on "intellectual capital" and the role of academic community in fostering intellectual capital in college education; View that the needs of minority college students are the greatest area of concern confronting undergraduate education in the next several decades.

Presents the seventh annual Godort "Notable Documents" list, which has been compiled by the Notable Documents Panel of the American Library Association's Government Documents Round Table. Aim of the list, which is to promote the acquisition of government publications by libraries and their use by library patrons; Criteria which are used to select documents for the list, including the extent to which the title reflects the actual contents; Mention of documents which cover military history, U.S. politics and government, economic policy, military conflict, and other topics.

Reports on the architectural library projects of 1989 for academic libraries, public libraries and libraries in progress. Project names, locations, costs and all other pertinent project data; Additions, renovations, new buildings; View that thought must be given to the preservation of library buildings, in light of the destruction of libraries by earthquakes and hurricanes; Mention of the Medgar Evers College Library of the City University of New York in Brooklyn; Projects which have sought to provide access to physically challenged patrons and staff.

Presents information concerning changes which have been made to the Dewey Decimal Classification system (DDC) by the Decimal Classification Division (DCD) staff at the Library of Congress. System in which libraries may feel that it is useless to report feedback from librarians and library users concerning the system to DCD; Argument that initiatives and surveys concerning the use of the system in libraries have not had an impact on the DCD; Criticism that the index volume needs to be revised; Concern that those in charge of the DDC do not understand the complaints of librarians about the system; View that a revision solution would be to integrate new or expanded topics within existing schedules by adding digits to current numbers, reviving latent notations, or redefining the scope of active numbers.

Describes the Business Information Center (BIC), which is located in the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. The primary aim of the BIC, which is to access business information, to support the integration of information and technology into the curriculum, and to act as a center for research and development for state-of-the-art information technology applications in education and business; Design of the BIC, which serves as an electronic hub for the school, making it the only fully networked business school in the country; Strategy of Dean Roy Herberger in developing the BIC; Online database services which the BIC subscribes to, including DIALOG, DataTimes, ORBIT, and the DOW JONES NEWS/RETRIEVAL; Discussion of reference services which are available to library users.

Reports on the use of online catalogs to stimulate effective library use in the U.S. Improvement of subject searching through coordinated approach of assigned descriptors; Introduction of advances in online catalog design to users; Retrieval of information from the databases.

Presents findings of the 1982 survey of adult users in public libraries of New York to provide statistical data on current and future library user patterns in relation to the youth services program. Development of library habit in preschoolers, who continued to visit it; Reasons for the public library use; Frequent usage of the library by children of adult users; Need for youth services in the plan of every public library. INSET: The survey methodology..

The article provides information on the Public Libraries Survey (PLS) Report issued by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) on August 2, 2018 which offered a look at public library use, financial health, staffing and resources in the U.S. active public libraries in fiscal year 2015. Findings include total public library visits in 2015, number of collection items made by the library during the period, and how libraries are working to rebound from the Great Recession of 2009.

The article reports on the state of American libraries in 2007. It is noted that circulation and use of library services is strong. It is suggested that much of the use of public libraries is driven by the desire on the part of library users for Internet services. The book buying trends by libraries are analyzed. INSET: HOT READS IN THE LIBRARY.

The article discusses the Traveling Library Center (TLC) implemented by the King County Library System in Issaquah, WA. Two box trucks and one cargo van sit at the edge of the parking lot. Around the corner sit a renovated Winnebago called the Techlab, the slightly smaller ABC Express, and an older van. This fleet, and the outreach technicians and librarians who run it, is KCLS's answer to how to reach those who can't get to the library. TLC visits 130 nursing homes, assisted living and retirement facilities, senior centers, low-income housing, rehab centers, and hospitals across King County. Beyond TLC's dedicated collection of 44,802 items, the staff draws from the KCLS collection. Such intensive service is expensive. In 2003, each TLC circulation costs $10.19 compared with an average circulation cost of $5.38 across KCLS. The answer to lowering costs might be to tap volunteers, who already do approximately 29 percent of the homebound runs, and work with getting technology into patrons' hands, automating some of the manual activities, and working with remote holds. INSET: On the road.

The article examines the dynamic, database-driven website of the Phoenix Public Library (PPL), which sets the standard for library websites. If we ignore the high-end nature of the site for a moment, there is still plenty at which to marvel. What really stands out, especially after talking to some of the people involved with the project, is the attention to how things work, and don't work, on the popular, commercial sites. PPL's web team looked closely at Google, Amazon, and other consumer sites their customers use regularly. Then they applied what they learned, with embellishments, to the delivery of library services. The robust nature of these applications, together with the dynamic nature of the site and the integration of information and services, puts this site head and shoulders above other library web sites. Most of the site was built from scratch. The best off-the-shelf products couldn't deliver the seamless integration that the web team wanted. Even the graphic design was done in-house. Now, the library world will be watching Phoenix Public Library's web team, enhancing library services for their customers while creating a new model for the online library. INSET: Let's Go Shopping.

Reports on the increasing popularity of reference linking, the ability to transmit bibliographic data through hypertext links. Importance of reference linking to library and information users; Information on a beta testing conducted by Ex Libris in Boston, Massachusetts in 2000; Details of Caltech's Knowledgebase. INSETS: Link Resolver 101;Considering a Link Resolver?.

Recent census statistics reveal that the foreign-born population in the United States rose 44 percent between 1990 and 2000 and, at 28 million, represents roughly ten percent of the total population. Serving a multilingual community requires librarians to identify the needs of patrons with whom they can't easily communicate. Most libraries buy materials based on reviews, but multilingual collecting requires a different set of tools since reviews often are unavailable or written in the language in question, unless of course the authors reviewed are famous beyond their native borders. Using WorldCat to view how similar materials were cataloged elsewhere allowed the librarians to see who was collecting the needed titles, presenting another source for locating vendors. INSET: WESSWeb: One-Stop Shopping for European Language Materials.

Reports on efforts to add computer resources to rural libraries in Colorado. Reasons for the installation of computers in Colorado rural libraries; Use of Application Service Provider (ASP) technology. INSET: Keeping It Public.

Reports the results of the 2002 annual book-buyings survey of public libraries in the United States by this periodical, 'Library Journal.' Data on library budgets and circulation; Discussion of meeting patron demand for and tastes in literature; Importance of promoting programs in the community to attract patrons; Topic of book discussion groups; Spanish-language collections; Popularity of fiction; Indication that adult nonfiction use is being replaced by the Internet; Use of online bookstores such as Amazon.

Discusses how libraries can get the public support they need using the Kalamazoo Public Library (KPL) in Michigan as an example. How Kalamazoo County receives more money per capita than the average public library; Citizen support for the library; Efforts of KPL to communicate its needs to local communities.

Discusses changes libraries in the United States must make to stay relevant as of March, 2001. Need to remain relevant in terms of technology; Change in the way the public wants to receive information; Ideas on how to recruit library staff with relevant training; Thoughts on the library's role as a community center; Suggestion that libraries need to market themselves.

Presents the views of Cleveland Public Library's director, Marilyn Gell Mason, on how to provide the best library service. Discussion of how the library offered access to complete Associated Press (AP) reports during Operation Desert Storm; View that the library is able to predict what library users need and respond in a timely way to these needs; Construction of a dial-up service by the library, which offers in its online catalog a current index to articles in a number of magazines and other information on periodicals and library materials; Thoughts of Mason the partnerships of the library with electronic publishers, including software and database publishers.

Claims that in addressing demand, public libraries should first distinguish between public wants and needs. Explanation that in the U.S. society, the private sector provides both the wants and needs of people; Reasons for the limitations of the public sector in providing goods and services to people; Argument of the author that the public sector should only provide the goods and services that the private sector cannot meet; Debate on the issue of whether public libraries should supply popular materials for its users.

Discusses the idea that the need to provide library services to the Spanish-speaking population continues to intensify, in light of the significant growth of this population in the U.S. Recent growth trends which show the beginning of change in the pattern of Hispanic concentrations; Reading interests of new immigrants, including a desire to learn English; Reading interests of settled immigrants, including self-help books; Idea that major Hispanic groups are interested in reading material about political systems; Mention of Maria Kramer of the Biblioteca Latinoamericana in San Jose, California, who serves a Hispanic community.

Presents letters from readers of ' Library Journal' concerning issues covered in the previous issues of the United States periodical. Measure of a librarian; Protection of legitimate users of libraries; Online searching by library users.

Focuses on a decision to buy microcomputers for the public's use at the St. Louis Public Library, St. Louis, Missouri. Emphasis on practicality; Background on the Library's Apple Corps program; How the library and how it has offered teaching assistance to those in need; Response to the demand for remedial education assistance; Approach; Details of the proposal; How the Apple Corps was set up; Problems with hardware and software; User response.

The article considers U.S. public libraries which have received Five Star ratings for their quantity of services from the publication in its annual surveys of public libraries every year from 2009-2012. Libraries cited for this accomplishment including the public libraries of Bernardsville, New Jersey, Centerville, South Dakota and Naperville, Illinois.

The article discusses the relationship between sustainable libraries and their patrons in the U.S. Topics discussed include role of libraries in empowering and energizing their users through services, libraries' support to the local community and participation in the localism movement, and how libraries can strengthen the social fabric.

This article reports that in the first lawsuit filed over a library's refusal to disable Internet filters for adults wishing to access constitutionally protected speech, three library users an organization advocating Second Amendment rights have sued the North Central Regional Library District in Wenatchee, Washington. The plaintiffs are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.

The article reports on the efforts of some Republican members of the U.S. Congress to expand the Children's Internet Protection Act in response to the spate of online predators contacting children through sites like MySpace. The Deleting Online Predators Act would require schools and libraries to also block instant messaging, online e-mail, wikis and blogs. The American Library Association opposes this motion.

The article presents the decision of the United States Senate to pass legislation renewing the United States PATRIOT Act. American Library Association president Michael Gorman disapproves the bill because it allows the government to secretly search records of library patrons without proof of suspected terrorism links.

Discusses how terrorists who were involved in the 9/11 attacks in the United States may have used public libraries to order airline tickets. Seizure of several library computers by investigators after 9/11; Issue of patron privacy; Comments on the USA PATRIOT Act.

The article looks at library services for military personnel in the United States as of September 2004. During the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, in libraries throughout the country, librarians turned on their television sets so they and their patrons could see what was happening. But for military librarians, the attacks were not just painful but deeply personal. That day, life at military libraries throughout the country changed, as the forces they served prepared for combat. The heads of the military library programs have been tightening management, performance standards, and financial accountability. Public workstations offer access to the Army Knowledge Online system. This portal offers databases, tutorials, a messaging system, and other tools designed to enable knowledge sharing among Army communities and improve military planning and decision-making. But this library is as much about fostering morale as supplying information.

This article looks at a citizen's group effort to remove books with gay content from the children and young adult sections of the Montgomery County Memorial Library System in Conroe, TX. It's another chapter in the ongoing controversy in this fast-growing county outside Houston, where in 2003 library director Jerilynn Williams won the PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award for fighting attempts at censorship by establishing a new reconsideration committee, involving five staff members and five citizens with experience working with children or youth.The group Library Patrons of Texas debuted a web site in late July, listing and excerpting 119 children's and juvenile books it would like to see moved to the adult section or to a new adults-only section. Most requests, Williams said, have been to move books to an area with adults-only access. "We don't have that. So we go back to asking parents to be responsible and acknowledge that only the parent can make the choice for their child," she said. "Not every book is appropriate for every single person, but every person should have their book. We have an extremely diverse population, and there are some individuals who do not seem to recognize that diversity has to be addressed in the public library."

This article reports on news from several library systems. The Salt Lake City Council has approved the Salt Lake City Public Library System's request for additional funding, including a $1.7 million tax increase. The Richland County Public Library (RCPL), Columbia, SC, has received a six percent increase in its funding for FY05, coming from an increase in millage, hospitality tax collections, and state aid. The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District said that patron checkouts during FY03/04 topped ten million items, making it the fourth consecutive year in which the library has broken circulation records. The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library has fulfilled another promise to the 65 percent of voters who approved a one-mill, four-year operating levy in November 2003. Hours of operation will be increased at six branch libraries, some as soon as September 7, adding a total of 45.5 hours of weekly service.

Presents information on a report released by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the American Library Association during the 2004 Public Library Association conference in Seattle, Washington. Increase in the number of public library systems offering Internet access in the U.S.; Number of public access computers awarded by Bill's father, William Gates Sr.

Reports findings from the 'Public Libraries and the Internet 2002: Internet Connectivity and Networked Services,' a report from the Information Use Management and Policy Institute at Florida State University, Tallahassee. Topics of Internet and database access, filtering, and funding; Statistics on increased access, faster workstations, increased filtering of Internet services, and funding trends; Professors who made the study; Who commissioned the study.

Reports news related to libraries as of January, 2003. Additional funding for sixty additional staff positions at the Jacksonville Public Library in Florida; Recommended raises for staffers at the Akron-Summit County Public Library; Use of a public library computer at the Warren Public Library in Michigan by a teenager who sent e-mail messages to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation threatening to kill U.S. President George W. Bush; Retirement of Harold Billings, director of general libraries at the University of Texas at Austin; Other news.

Focuses on the reinterpretation of the U.S. Commerce Department's digital divide data by the Civil Rights Forum on Communications Policy, Consumer Federation of America and Consumers Union. Number of U.S. citizens who have Internet access at home; Purpose of using the Internet in libraries.