Develop the competencies needed to provide effective adult services in modern public libraries with this comprehensive guidebook. Public librarians are directly responsible for providing a large proportion of the American population with access to the Internet and guidance in obtaining important government information. Effectively servicing today's adult library users is already a pressing need, and will only become a larger priority as the nation's population ages. Library Services for Adults in the 21st Century is for library science students interested in working with adults in public libraries. As the first text dedicated to adult library services to be published since 1991, this title has been sorely needed and much anticipated. This book will provide a model for training public librarians for the specific challenges of providing adult services. Part I provides a survey of the history and development of adult services. Part II addresses planning and tools for service development. Part III examines the different types of services for adults and best practices, while Part IV presents training methods. 12 separate bibliographies-one following each chapter An index enables direct reference to information by topic Resources for additional information, Internet resources referenced in the book, and best practices