Public libraries have long been considered important spaces of adult education and learning. However, major social changes over the past few decades, and the impact these have had on libraries' work, have received little attention. Our three-year cross-national study of libraries in Canada and Britain explored how librarians navigate the discourse…

Culturally diverse older adult learners are among the fastest growing age groups for which public libraries promote the needs of lifelong learning today. This article explores the past, present, and future of informal and non-formal public learning environments as safe and welcoming, with supportive educational programming provided by librarians…

Since their inception, free public libraries have been a source of information, knowledge and culture for all. They are spaces where anyone can go, for as long as they like, without feeling pressure to buy anything, and without feeling judged for whatever it is they want to read. For these reasons, library services are crucial to adults who wish…

Project Read at the San Mateo Public Library is one of 106 library programs in California helping adults improve their reading, writing, and communication skills. Like many adult literacy programs, Project Read trains and matches volunteer tutors with students. About 30% of the Project Read students are men in Project 90 (P-90), a residential drug…

Traces the development of adult learner's advisory programs in libraries, and discusses the librarian's capacity to perform the counselor's role in the contexts of societal factors, popularly-held assumptions, and professional confidence. References are provided. (FM)

Discusses public libraries' imperatives for training older adults in computer use and surveys current literature on older adult learning. Concludes that older adults do learn differently from younger adults; explores how learning differences are relevant to computer learning; and suggests implications for trainers of older adults. (Author/LRW)

The state of adult literacy programs, including the Chicago Public Library Literacy Initiative, is described. After the Vietnam War, Congress passed adult education legislation, and Laubach Literacy Action and Literacy Volunteers of America became the nation's largest network of literacy providers. These and other literacy programs have problems:…

This chronology highlights milestones for libraries and adult lifelong learning and literacy from 1924-2001, including the following events: William S. Learned's "The American Public Library and the Diffusion of Knowledge" is published (1924); establishment of the ALA (American Library Association) Adult Education Section (1946); the…

Survey results of adult library use indicate that educational, family life cycle, and environmental factors, in that order of importance, affect the rate of adult library use. (DS)

Describes programs at the Toronto Public Library that teach Internet skills to adult learners, including English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) classes and undereducated adults. Highlights include a sample lesson plan; experiences with adult-literacy classes; expanding Internet training; and Web sites for ESL and adult-literacy classes. (LRW)

This conference explored the relationship between the public library, community-based adult education, and lifelong learning. The eight commissioned papers presented include: "Community Based Adult Jewish Learning Program: Issues and Concerns" (Paul A. Flexner); "Rural and Small Libraries: Provisions for Lifelong Learning" (Bernard Vavrek);…

Based on bibliographies in Arthur Chickering's "The Modern American College," a search in the ERIC database, a manual search in "Library Literature," and additional sources, this annotated bibliography presents 57 items on the evolving relationship between the independent adult learner and the public library. These sources of information examine…

The purpose of this paper is to consider the nature of small and rural public libraries in the United States in the light of the existing opportunities that they provide for adult lifelong learning, and to ponder the future of collaborative services. The role of the public library is explored in relation to lifelong learning, and rural libraries…

This document summarizes the activities of a 2-day conference (April 12-13, 1995) during which educators heard eight papers and discussed federal research priorities in the areas of libraries, community-based education, and lifelong learning. Libraries, museums, agricultural extension services, religious organizations, health care organizations,…

This booklet, prepared as background information for the White House Conference, describes recent developments in providing learners' advisory services to adults beyond traditional school and college age. In particular, it focuses on the Woodbridge, New Jersey, Public Library, one of nine participating libraries in an Adult Independent Learner…