What do school librarians fear most? Hands down, their biggest fear is a formal challenge to a resource in the school library. There are no accurate statistics about the number of challenges to school library resources. The staff of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom estimates that only about 20 percent are reported to ALA annually. For the…

In response to a charge from the library administration, the Circulation Committee of the Harold B. Lee Library at Brigham Young University designed and implemented a thorough assessment of circulation policies. Using multiple assessment methods including surveys, focus groups, and statistical analysis, the committee determined that the…

The relationship between the library and its patrons is damaged and the library's reputation suffers when returned items are not checked in. An informal survey reveals librarians' concern for this problem and their efforts to combat it, although few libraries collect objective measurements of errors or the effects of improvement efforts. Brigham…

This document presents standards for Utah public libraries. The benefits of standards for public libraries and for the state library are listed, and responsibilities, benefits, and characteristics of three types of public libraries (i.e., volunteer, transitional, and certified public libraries) are summarized. Specific standards in the following…

This paper provides background on the Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) program, describes the context for making decisions about future priorities, and presents proposals for changes in the Utah State Library Division policies, services, and funding. A discussion on federal funding for library services includes a brief history of LSCA,…