Public Libraries in the 21st Century

Download or read book Public Libraries in the 21st Century written by Dr Anne Goulding and published by Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 628 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Public Libraries in the 21st Century presents a comprehensive analysis of the impact of recent policy initiatives directly targeted at public libraries along with broader developments in the public sector environment within which they operate. Key features include: • An exploration of the context within which public libraries are operating and analysis of their role in local and national life; • Examples of best practice in service delivery; • Evaluation of the challenges and opportunities confronting public library managers; • Wide ranging coverage, including information from published and unpublished sources, supplemented by interviews with key stakeholders in the public library sector. The book provides a unique and thorough guide to the contemporary discourses surrounding issues of identity, social purpose, value and strategy facing the public library service.