Public Libraries and Their Communities: An Introduction

by Kay Ann Cassell

Public Libraries and Their An Introduction provide an overview of public librarianship today.

It covers library organization, policy development, staffing, fiscal organization including funding sources and budgets, the legal framework, relationships with local and state governments, advocacy, services and service development for different age groups and for different groups of users, development of programming and outreach, collection development, promotion and marketing, and current issues and trends.

In addition to context and concepts, the book uses many examples from both large and small public libraries to bring principles to life. Examples include real library policies, case studies, strategic planning, organization charts and library budgets.

Many think that public libraries are not complicated to run.This book aims to show that public libraries are very complicated and require much skill on the part of the director, staff, and Board of Trustees to meet the needs of their local users.Advocacy and marketing have become important parts of the work of public libraries. Funding is always challenging so public libraries must constantly be making the local government and its citizens aware of the public library – its programs, collections, and services.

This book's focus is on how public libraries reach beyond the walls of their buildings and touch the lives of their citizens.Meeting community interests and needs is essential for 21st century public libraries.

For students the book offers discussion questions at the end of each chapter. These questions also provide discussion starters for public library staff development.

Genres: Grad School

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2021

Reviews

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone who works in, for or on behalf of public libraries will find this useful. It is reference book, the outline of a textbook and a handbook all rolled into one.

There are guides to planning and sample policies regarding services. There is a very detailed staff handbook template. The collection development chapter covers not just content (which comes natural to many librarians) but includes issues such as gifts, vendors, weeding and licensing.

I am not current in library literature, maybe it has been done before, but not to my knowledge. Library administrators and board members will want this on a nearby shelf.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's fantastic. probably the most useful thing i've read in grad school.