What does it take to have a great library? The right leader? A great team? A wonderful facility? The best services? How can you transform your library to better meet the demands of tomorrow? This author visited 10 exemplary public libraries in the United States and Great Britain to find answers to these questions. She interviewed directors and key staff, researched archives, and observed facilities, operations, and interactions. The results of her explorations are contained in this volume, providing readers with nuts and bolts information on public library management along with general insights into what libraries have been, are today, and can be in the future. Each chapter begins with background information on the library's location, community, and facilities; as well as its mission statement, history, and organization. Interviews (or, in some cases, summaries of interviews) with directors and key staff follow. Chapters close with the author's observations about distinguishing features of the library; and those comments are summarized in a final chapter-"The Public Library: A Tradition of Service, A Future of Performance." A selected bibliography, historical timelines, and black and white photos of each of the libraries help make this a unique and treasured resource for library administrators and staff, as well as faculty and students in courses on public libraries, library history, management, and facilities. It will be of interest to anyone interested in library history, library management, and the future of public libraries.

Public librarianship is a constantly changing field, and the direction of its development depends on theoretical and applied research. This book examines many of the research needs in public librarianship and discusses appropriate strategies to meet those needs. The chapters, written by active researchers in the public library field, reflect a variety of issues and opinions. Included are chapters on the evaluation of collections, community awareness of the library as an information source, models for library siting, and communication between librarians and public library educators. Recommendations for further investigations provided by the researchers identify possibilities for increasing knowledge in this field, and a bibliographic essay organizes and summarizes much of the work discussed in the text.

Professionals in all areas of librarianship will find inspiration in the essays collected here-each of them innovative tips for increasing circulation, enhancing collections, and improving flexibility. With extensive experience in the nation's top libraries and media centers, the 73 contributors describe what really works based on their real-world experiences Organized by subject, the essays offer succinct and practical guidelines for dozens of tasks. Topics include preparing and delivering distinctive presentations; forming a successful grant proposal; hosting a traveling multimedia exhibition; organizing effective community partnerships; writing blogs; hosting authors; creating cybertorials; preserving local culture??????and many others.