Libraries and Society: Role, Responsibility and Future in an Age of Change (Chandos Information Professional Series)

This book reviews both the historical and future roles that public, private, academic and special libraries have in supporting and shaping society at local, regional, national and international levels. Globalisation, economic turmoil, political and ethnic tensions, rapid technology development, global warming and other key environmental factors are all combining in myriad and complex ways to affect everyone, both individually and collectively. Fundamental questions are being asked about the future of society and the bedrock organisations that underpin it. Libraries and Society considers the key aspects of library provision and the major challenges that libraries - however defined, managed, developed and provided - now face, and will continue to face in the future. It also focuses on the emerging chapter in cultural, economic and social history and the library's role in serving diverse communities within this new era.* Looks at all types of library in a period of major and discontinuous change, tackling the fundamental questions of the future of libraries in the context of major societal, political and environmental issues * Poses important questions for the profession and policy development * Fills a major gap in literature (recent discourse and debate on the future of democracy, for example, the library is rarely included) Content: Front matter , Pages i-iii Copyright , Page iv Foreword , Pages xvii-xx , Ellen R. Tise Preface , Pages xxi-xxii , David Baker, Wendy Evans Acknowledgements , Page xxiii List of abbreviations , Pages xxv-xxviii List of figures, tables and case studies , Pages xxix-xxxi About the authors , Pages xxxiii-xlvi 1 - Libraries, society and social responsibility , Pages 1-16 , David Baker, Wendy Evans 2 - I wouldn’t start from here ... provision and use of UK libraries , Pages 17-33 , Claire Creaser 3 - From people flows to knowledge flows , Pages 35-51 , John Dolan 4 - Scholarly communication and access to research outputs , Pages 53-66 , Claire Creaser 5 - Free and equal access: a conundrum for the information society , Pages 67-79 , John Feather 6 - The more they change, the more they stay the same: public libraries and social inclusion , Pages 81-99 , John Dolan, Ayub Khan 7 - Widening access to information: the haves and the have-nots? , Pages 101-118 , Jenny Craven 8 - Tackling inequalities around the globe: the challenge for libraries , Pages 119-139 , Jonathan Harle, John Tarrant 9 - Islands in the cloud: libraries and the social life of information , Pages 141-152 , David Vogt 10 - From the passive library to the learning library – it’s an emotional journey , Pages 153-164 , Les Watson 11 - The modern academic library , Pages 165-178 , Edward Oyston 12 - Libraries and distance education , Pages 179-192 , Chinwe Nwezeh 13 - Syllabus independence and the library , Pages 193-202 , David Harris 14 - Libraries in the information society: cooperation and identity , Pages 203-218 , Bas Savenije 15 - Children’s reading habits and attitudes , Pages 219-234 , Sally Maynard 16 - The user of tomorrow: young people and the future of library provision , Pages 235-251 , Judith Elkin 17 - Redefining the librarian , Pages 253-262 , John Feather 18 - Redefining librarianship , Pages 263-278 , Biddy Fisher 19 - The future of librarians in the workforce: a US perspective , Pages 279-302 , José-Marie Griffiths, Donald W. King 20 - The value of libraries: the relationship between change, evaluation and role , Pages 303-325 , Stephen Town 21 - The future of and for library and information services: a public library view , Pages 327-340 , Tony Durcan 22 - The future of public libraries and their services: a Danish perspective , Pages 341-359 , Hellen Niegaard 23 - Library landscapes: digital developments , Pages 361-377 , Derek Law 24 - Towards Library 2.0: building the library of the future , Pages 379-397 , Sarah Porter 25 - Library 2050 , Pages 399-416 , Chris Batt Index , Pages 417-426 This book reviews both the historical and future roles that public, private, academic and special libraries have in supporting and shaping society at local, regional, national and international levels. Globalisation, economic turmoil, political and ethnic tensions, rapid technology development, global warming and other key environmental factors are all combining in myriad and complex ways to affect everyone, both individually and collectively. Fundamental questions are being asked about the future of society and the bedrock organisations that underpin it. Libraries and Society considers the key aspects of library provision and the major challenges that libraries – however defined, managed, developed and provided – now face, and will continue to face in the future. It also focuses on the emerging chapter in cultural, economic and social history and the library’s role in serving diverse communities within this new era.

• Looks at all types of library in a period of major and discontinuous change, tackling the fundamental questions of the future of libraries in the context of major societal, political and environmental issues
• Poses important questions for the profession and policy development
• Fills a major gap in literature (recent discourse and debate on the future of democracy, for example, the library is rarely included)

The authors of this book, both librarians with international experience define the role of the public library and information professional on this new frontier. The book includes a review of current practice and a look at future possibilities as it examines the need for a social conscience in public libraries.