Libraries are supposed to serve all people in the community, but some still struggle to provide support for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In an age of increasing social consciousness and awareness of diversity, individuals with IDD deserve the greatest attention and support to achieve equality, yet how to do so remains a legitimate question as most library services are not yet prepared to offer the help needed. In Libraries and Reading, expert authors Matthew Conner and Leah Plocharczyk examine the modern history of libraries and diversity, the recent legislative history of those with IDD such as No Child Left Behind and mainstreaming policies; learning theories such as social constructivism, cognitivism, preliteracy, and Universal Design for Learning; and case studies of library outreach around the globe. Including real-world examples, they show how we can make big changes through small steps. In a climate of tightened budgets and severe demands on public literacy resources, the moral imperative of helping those with IDD runs up against practical barriers. Conner and Plocharczyk go to the foundations of social justice in Cultural Studies to show how the means of integrating those with disabilities into libraries and communities can be found in our everyday practices.

What is the future of the academic library, and how are institutions coping with the challenges that are already being imposed by its changing functions and purpose? Using the results of a year-long study, Conner profiles four academic libraries that are transforming themselves with extraordinary ingenuity and diligence. Topics such as reference, personnel, technology, collections, buildings, campus roles, and library culture-and how they're changing in response to current trends-are examined at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which has adapted amidst the forces of change to become one of the premier academic libraries in the nation The University of California at Merced, an institution which prioritizes collaboration and networking, offering a living, working example of the library of the future The University of Hawaii at Manoa, whose focused rebuilding after a disastrous flood in 2004 spurred a rethinking of priorities, showing how a library can thrive despite limited resources The University of California at Davis, a model of the public university system, with an agricultural legacy that makes it a paradigm of the land-grant university Eschewing abstract theory and speculation, Conner details real-world practices and innovations that point the way forward for all academic libraries.