Explores the increasing difficulty that library decision-makers will face in proving the value of libraries to society, and suggests appropriate questions that they will want to ask in their use of community analysis. (Author/PF)

Describes the diversity in the usage of the term "community" by ecologists and paleoecologists. (BR)

Traced is the history of the Muncie (Indiana) police department from the "gas boom" days of the 1890's through the pre-World War I "dry" years, the Klan-haunted twenties, and the depression years. Events in the community that played a major role in charting the development of the police department are chronicled. (RM)

The concepts of "learning community" and "community of practice" may hold value to researchers, but questions exist as to how well they help in organizing and clarifying the type of critical thinking involved in investigative work. This paper approaches the problem from two directions. One is to deconstruct the two concepts…

The extramural work of the University of Surrey, since its establishment in 1966, has expanded into several areas: activities with the general public, activities with young adults, community studies, work with schools and colleges, work with the health and social services, study of adult education, and research and development. (SA)

Some factors influencing the intensity of school-community conflicts are: (1) degrees of community group organization and integration of such groups into the school system, (2) community racial composition, (3) racial transition threat, (4) political machine strength, and (5) community social status. (Author/RA)

Describes a college course which uses field studies to examine communities and small urban places. The course is designed for undergraduate students with little or no field experience and is offered as an intensive two-week session between semesters. (RM)

Describes high school social studies student projects involving a study of local cemeteries. Projects include charting life expectancies, creating slide shows of community grave sites, and collecting tombstone rubbings. (KC)

Discusses the importance of community study in teacher education and suggests approaches to follow in cultivating teachers' sensitivity to the community. (JG)

Criticisms of rational synoptic planning are that it is elitist, simplistic, and supportive of existing power relationships. An alternative, people-centered community planning, views the population to be studied as ideological and historical beings, uses knowledge of and by the people as a base, requires interpersonal as well as analytical skills,…

The present study utilizes a nationally representative sample of infants and families (N = 10,498) to examine Latino parenting, building upon previous studies on book reading, storytelling, singing, and teaching behaviors. The findings suggest that, once factors pertaining to family resources and characteristics have been accounted for (e.g.,…

This document reports on an examination of lifestyles, cultures, and heritage of Arab communities within the United States. After a historical overview of the arrival and settling of Arab-Americans in wave after wave of immigration, the work provides close-up views of different communities across the country. Each of those views introduces a few…

This book is the second in a series of works that seeks to examine the Arab-American experience. The original 1984 publication, "Taking Root, Bearing Fruit: The Arab-American Experience" featured surveys of 12 communities in all geographic regions of the United States. Such was the response to that report that its creators decided to…

Describes both the formal and informal methods used by the Detroit Public Library in analyzing the information needs of the residents to be served by the library's information and referral program. (Author/PF)