Academic libraries, apart from their main function, which is to provide information services to academic communities, may also perform a number of social roles in the broad meaning of the term. Accordingly, they now tend to serve as the third place offering inclusion and animation activities to academic as well as local communities (including…

Given the increasing power and prominence of political figures in the United States who openly espouse xenophobic, misogynistic, white nationalist positions, it is only natural to anticipate encountering students who express these views in our libraries and classrooms. This essay uses a classroom encounter with a student expressing xenophobic…

The controversy involving the challenge and possible banning of books has existed since the first person set pen to paper. These challenges have historically been based upon political and religious differences, but as time has passed, have become increasingly more to do with sex, race and culture. With these issues facing libraries, the role of…

A recent American Library Association (ALA) report has shown that less than 1% of credentialed librarians are African American males. This article discusses possible reasons for this dearth; and, in an effort to inform future LIS recruiting and marketing campaigns, the included study attempted to discover which factors lead African American males…

This pamphlet summarizes the results of a national survey funded by the U.S. Department of Education which asked Americans how they perceived the role of the public library in their lives. Those surveyed included a cross section of the national population, minority groups, and community opinion leaders. Most of those surveyed regard public…

Argues that the study and preservation of popular culture would lead to better understanding of the American people but that these cultural patterns have been largely ignored by the academic community. Four steps are outlined to facilitate the collection of popular culture materials by academic libraries. (CWM)

Discusses the need for library collection development to address the needs of the increasing elderly population by providing information in the areas of gerontology, nutrition, and consumer health. Works cited concern the positive aspects of aging or ways of coping with negative aspects. (29 references) (Author/CLB)

Argues that the inability or refusal of librarians to define their own mission has resulted in school libraries without professional staff, academic libraries perceived as warehouses, and public libraries that fluctuate with society's whims. The premise that saving the library is a primary concern, regardless of the quality of the institution, is…

The overriding goals of this research project, which investigated the extent to which the rural public library is meeting the information needs of its constituents, are to enable the rural public library to become a more efficient disseminator of information and to enhance its role in the development of rural America. The study targeted both rural…

This paper is a call for academic and public libraries to contemplate their role in meeting the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) information needs of their patrons. Librarians are urged to consider the potential negative consequences of neglecting to provide up-to-date and representative collections of AIDS materials. It is suggested…

Argues that conflicts existing within the professional value system of librarianship have made it difficult for librarians to fulfill their obligation to represent fairly the values and viewpoints of all segments of society. Professional goals and ideals that demonstrate such conflicts are discussed, and possible means to their resolution are…

Multicultural reading advocates believe in the power of literature to transform and to change people's lives. They take seriously the arguments that racism and prejudice can be lessened through multicultural reading, and also that children from undervalued societal groups who read books that depict people like themselves in a positive light will…

"Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development: Lessons and Voices from the Field," published by the Forum in partnership with the Urban Libraries Council, captures key challenges and lessons learned from an innovative, four-year initiative sponsored by the Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds that awarded six million dollars to nine…