Hanging Tough at Our Neighborhood Libraries.

The recession in the American economy touches all of us. Budget cuts, layoffs, and reduced service hours may be among the most obvious signs in our neighborhood libraries. Beneath the surface, however, one finds resilience in the face of adversity. At the Information Desk in the Colonial Heights, Elk Grove, and Rancho Cordova branch libraries of the Sacramento Public Library one encounters people who are full of life and vitality as they struggle to find work, fix what is broken, and complete difficult assignments, whether at work, home, or school. Some of their stories are recounted in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]