The American Library Association's (ALA) Annual Conference, June 24?30, in steamy Orlando, drew 19,575 people, including 5,739 exhibitors, the lowest total since Miami in 1994, not counting the SARS-shadowed conference in Toronto last year (see statistics, p. 15). Although this years conference was filled with exciting events, this abstract is…

This study reviews the current status of public library service in Metropolitan Dade County, Florida, with particular reference to: (1) the governing structure of the existing public library agencies; (2) the sources and levels of their financial support; (3) the available library facilities, resources and personnel; (4) the services that are…

A study assessed the current status of library services in Florida state-supported institutions in order to establish a long-range plan for the future of those libraries. Through reviews of materials, site visits, and interviews, the services of each library and their relationship to the community were studied, areas for improvement were…

Describes a teen volunteer program sponsored by the Clearwater Public Library System. The discussion covers promotional activities, job responsibilities and training, program evaluation, staffing, and funding. The volunteer application and guidelines are appended. A sidebar reports the results of a national survey of the public library resources…

Living in the vast shadow cast by the spires of the Magic Kingdom presents special challenges for Orlando's Orange County Library System (OCLS), the most formidable of which is increasing its relatively small user base. The library additionally faces tension between the administration and staff, political strife on the board, and looming contract…

A collection of short essays by Alphonse Trezza, Edwin Beckerman, Albert De Caprio, Marilyn Gell, Ed Sayre, Elizabeth Hage, and Shirley Echelman on the development of library networks and the possible implications of the establishment of metropolitan library authorities.

This report summarizes the "Public Library Facilities Master Plan for Metropolitan Dade County," prepared by Nelson Associates (ED 027 053). Some of the proposals of the master plan which are summarized in this report state that: (1) by 1985, a fourth and possibly a fifth regional library ought to be built to serve Dade County's…

In January 1973 the Broward County (Florida) Commissioners authorized a study to find out what library facilities and services existed and were needed in the county, and to develop structure and guidelines for setting up a county library system. Data were collected from existing census and other reports, from a questionnaire to community libraries…

The need for new standards has arisen in Florida public libraries as a result of the library profession's shift from quantitative, input-based standards to qualitative, output-based standards to measure library performance and excellence. The standards in this document were developed after over 100 participants identified subjects to be addressed…