Some say America's attention to community is in decline. As people work longer hours, endure longer commutes, and have less time to socialize and join community organizations, they are not getting to know their neighbors and communities. Schools exist in a vacuum, having little or no association with the surrounding neighborhood, and many…

Specific marketing strategies for successful extension program planning include (1) assessing the nature and extent of demand, (2) assessing campus and community resources, and (3) identifying the institution's marketplace position. (SK)

Highlights steps for carrying out a needs assessment survey research effort in the Black community. Stresses the need for understanding (1) cultural-linguistic and historical factors, (2) the potential or inadvertent role of the researcher, and (3) the obstacles and resistance one may encounter in carrying out the survey and implementing its…

Discusses "The New Planning for Results" manual published by the American Library Association that helps create local standards of public library service, and provides implementation examples based on experiences in Vermont. Highlights include evaluating community needs; service responses to those needs; developing library objectives;…

Traces philosophical appraisals of technology, both as devices for human purposes and, as technological rationality, as ways of thinking and acting. Two applications of communication technology in the context of Canadian coastal communities illustrate the distinction between training and education, and the importance of public space in which to…

Reports on a study of changing trends in public libraries. Interviews with public library leaders identified five areas of changing emphasis: information technology, community needs, strategic planning, public relations and marketing, and funding. (seven references) (EA)

A strategy that integrates community service learning with community needs assessment keeps costs low and local involvement high. An example using agriculture students shows how it provides opportunities for experiential learning and leadership in community development. (SK)

Describes an effective process for strategic planning of telecommunications in rural areas that includes a needs assessment and an action plan as well as input from businesses, public agencies, and households. Lists elements of a telecommunications needs assessment. Describes the planning processes used in Northeast Wyoming Economic Development…

Communities across our nation--whether geographic, ethnic, or issue-based in their composition--are struggling to be healthy, to grow, and thrive. The production of knowledge and the sharing of knowledge by both the community and the higher education institution is the key to helping our communities improve. Retaining and valuing community-engaged…

This paper examines the high levels of social connectedness and civic engagement between the [North] Brisbane School of Arts and the local metropolitan newspapers in their eagerness to establish and promote a reading club that would curb what they felt was the local community's preoccupation with reading popular novels. The Brisbane Literary…

Primary school languages education continues to be a challenging issue for all states in Australia. In Victoria, LOTE study is provided at the primary level to address the needs of linguistically diverse communities, as well as to provide an enriching learning experience for monolingual speakers of English. The challenge remains to ensure that…

This report is a summary of discussions that took place at the "Get Heard" Regional Rural Youth Dialogue on Employment, Education and Communication, held in Castlegar, British Columbia, on November 19, 2005. The "Get Heard" Regional Rural Youth Dialogue was organized in partnership with the BC Rural Network (BCRN). This Network…

A conference on minority rights and training held in Gatwick, England, in April 1997 had the following purposes: (1) to explore training about minority rights and the need to make majorities aware of minority rights and attitudes that improve cooperation between communities; and (2) to look at the need for and possibilities of training relief…

These materials have been prepared to help communities identify child care needs and appropriate services or policies for meeting those needs. The materials can be used by community groups to answer two questions: (1) Is there a need for child care in a specific community? (2) What kinds of child care services or policies would be most useful for…

A community needs assessment study was conducted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College (MGCJC) to obtain information for program planning and evaluation. Specifically, the study sought to identify educational needs not being met in the district; determine the general attitude of the community toward MGCJC; and measure the impact of the college…