Libraries are learning hubs that connect families to free resources, activities, and services to cultivate children's learning about topics that excite them. Despite recent technological developments which have revolutionized how we read and access information, libraries continue to evolve in order to serve their communities, especially families…

Matthew Lighthart and Creedence Spreder, librarians, describe a partnership that proved successful for the school and library in their community of Pungo, nestled in Virginia Beach's vast but sparsely populated agricultural center. This community was facing a dual challenge: their only elementary school (Creeds) was in dire need of renovation and…

Jane Maud Campbell's career demonstrated her commitment and passion for library services with immigrants and minorities as one of the first advocates for multiculturalism in librarianship. She began her career working in the Newark Public Library and soon was employed as the librarian of the Passaic Public Library. She was the first woman employed…

Games and other forms of play are used in today's libraries to attract underserved patrons, to introduce patrons to other library resources and services, and to facilitate engagement between library patrons. While many perceive gaming as a new library service, gaming services have been part of librarianship since the nineteenth century through…

Reference services in public libraries are changing dramatically. The Internet, online databases, and shrinking budgets are all making it necessary for non-traditional reference staff to become familiar with online reference tools. Recognizing the need for cross-training, Chesapeake Public Library (CPL) developed a program called the Database…

Based on the findings of a recent three-year study by Dominican University's Graduate School of Library and Information Studies, the authors can confirm what many librarians have long suspected: students who take part in their local library's summer reading program significantly improve their reading skills. This article describes the results of…

Public libraries are suffering budget cuts in most states nationwide, according to an informal LJ survey, with a significant segment--though not a majority characterizing the strictures as worse than in the early 1990s, the last time libraries were hit hard. LJ contacted state library agencies and, in some-cases, state library associations, for a…

The following basic conclusions were reached after studying the libraries of Virginia by questionnaires, interviews and visits: the current formula for distributing state and federal aid is not completely satisfactory, and the level of funding is so low that its impact is almost insignificant; a coordinated library network in which regional…

This revised edition reflects the changes that have taken place in the commonwealth's community of public libraries since the "Handbook" was published in 1991. This handbook is designed to give boards of trustees' basic information on the structure of library service in Virginia, with emphasis on their major areas of responsibility.…

A survey of interlibrary cooperative projects engaging libraries and librarians in the Baltimore - Washington metropolitan area that could be identified during the winter and spring months of 1970-71 are presented. Cooperative projects discussed included: (1) Union Lists such as the "Journal Holdings in the Washington - Baltimore area,"…

Describes the experiences at the Williamsburg (Virginia) Regional Library when the children's department closed for two months for renovations and temporary quarters were created in a bookmobile in a nearby parking lot. Discusses technology challenges involved in hooking up computers, selecting an appropriate collection that would fit, and…

This guide for the 1999 Virginia teen summer reading program for public libraries, "Read around the World," includes the following chapters: (1) "Reading and Teens," including serving the underserved, tips for teens, and a recipe for choosing a book to read for fun; (2) "Programming and Teens," including "The Why…

This manual for the 1999 Virginia Summer Reading Program for public libraries, based on the theme "Read around the World...Book a Trip," includes the following chapters: (1) "Getting Ready," including bibliographies, display and decorating ideas, equipment resources, a list of useful things to collect, sources for promotional…

Based on cooperation of public and academic libraries, the basic plan for library support of off-campus continuing education credit courses presented in this report provides for outright donation or long term deposits of library materials by libraries of teaching institutions to host libraries, usually public libraries located in areas where…

This analysis of the community was designed to identify the needs of its citizens so that the Washington County Public Library could plan more responsive library services. Sections described the physical and historical aspects of the community; demographic characteristics of its population, including age, sex, education, employment status and…