Describes services to children offered by the Washington, D.C., public library from 1896 to the 1980s. Topics addressed include early collections and facilities, the growth of branch libraries, and recent construction and programs. Several photographs are included. (four references) (MES)

Chronicles the history of the Dallas Public library and the life of Siddie Joe Johnson, a children's librarian at the library from 1938 to 1965. Topics addressed include library collections and facilities; Johnson's innovative programing for children, including creative writing groups and book parades; and her publications. (eight references) (MES)

Explores the use of audiovisual materials in children's programing at the Seattle Public Library prior to 1920. Kinds of materials discussed include pictures, reflectoscopes, films, sound recordings, lantern slides, and stereographs. (17 references) (MES)

Describes the work of Educational Information Centers (EICs) in public libraries, using several case histories as illustrations. Ways in which EICs change libraries and their roles are discussed, and the support of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for development of EICs is reviewed. Four references are listed. (MES)

Discusses issues of preservation of and access to library materials from a historical perspective, based on a story by Washington Irving. Topics addressed include the founding of the Astor Library, early access and service problems, preservation issues and remedies, and new definitions of access. (14 references) (LRW)

Chronicles the evolution of the position of consultant in poetry (in 1989, officially titled Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry) at the Library of Congress from the 1930s to the present. Poets highlighted include Howard Nemerov, Alan Tate, Robert Penn Warren, Robert Hayden, Joseph Brodsky, Rita Dove, and Stanley Kunitz. A sidebar discusses…

Reviews the history of United States librarianship. Suggests that the profession has failed to analyze the meaning of library service and its significance to users. Argues that this has limited the ability to understand the present role of the U.S. library and thus affects efforts to plan for the future. Contains 131 references. (Author/LRW)

Discussion of the female-intensive specialization of youth services librarianship and their role in the American Library Association focuses on their jurisdiction over the Newbery Medal. Topics include the question of realism in children's literature; the Sayers Institute; and evaluation criteria. Contains 65 references. (LRW)

Through American Library Association (ALA) projects in Latin America, American librarianship progressed from conceptualization to implementation as the model in modernizing Latin American library practices and societies. Development of library practices was fundamental to pursuit of a "modern" society. In fighting fascist propaganda, the…

Discussion of diversity in higher education focuses on a comparison of Stanford University and UCLA (University of California at Los Angeles) libraries' responses to increasingly diverse student populations from 1960 to 1990. Historical backgrounds are given and recommendations for promoting diversity are considered. Contains 70 notes. (LRW)

Traces the development of reference service in American libraries during the second half of the nineteenth century and examines the evolution of reference service in the Providence Public Library. The article focuses on how the distinctive features of reference service were conceived and merged into the current concept of reference service. (43…

Discusses the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress which has been documenting the nation's folklife since 1977. Highlights include the history of the Center; projects; public presentations (live events, workshops, lectures); exhibitions; publications and future plans. (AEF)

Describes sources of information at the New York State Library that pertain to hearing impairment. Topics addressed include New York State's role in the development of deaf education; background on the state library; and library services aimed at special populations. A selected bibliography of 45 relevant items in the library collection is…

Describes three public library summer reading programs for children in the 1890s: Hewins' Vacation Reading Club; the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Summer Playground Program; and the Library League of Cleveland. The growth of similar programs and related reports in the library literature of the early twentieth century are discussed, and summer…

Shows how l'Heure Joyeuse, a children's library started in Paris in 1923 as a gift from U.S. philanthropists, became a model of open-access, user-oriented public libraries. L'Heure Joyeuse's unique role in the development of public libraries in France from before 1900 to the present is described. (41 references) (EAM)