This book, written by graduate students at the Catholic University (District of Columbia) School of Library and Information Science, examines current priorities, policies, and practices of public libraries. Following an introduction, "Reinventing Libraries: Responding to the Forces of Change" (Lisa Crisman), chapters include: (1) "A Brief History of Public Librarianship" (Whitney M. Berriman); (2) "The Values of the Past" (Charlene Chisek); (3) "The Political, Economic, and Cultural Environments and the Public Library as 'Place'" (Crista Lembeck); (4) "The Library Environment" (Lisa S. Payne); (5) "People and Libraries" (Diane Wagner); (6) "Public Library Support Groups and Users" (Lisa S. Payne); (7) "Preservation in Public Libraries" (Whitney M. Berriman); (8) "Technology and Libraries" (Fran White); (9) "The Technology: Will the End Justify the Means?" (Lisa Crisman); (10) "Technology and Services for the Special Population" (Melanie Carlson); (11) "Sources of Funding for Public Libraries" (Suzanne Duncan, Evelyn M. Campbell, Sonal Rastogi, & Joan Wilson); and (12) "The Future is Now: Will Public Libraries Survive?" (Evelyn M. Campbell, Suzanne Duncan, Sonal Rastogi, & Joan Wilson). Each chapter contains a list of additional readings and questions for discussion. The appendix presents profiles and analyses of 13 outstanding public libraries. (DLS)