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Danny, I couldn't agree with you more! Our public library is rated tops in all the "polls/research" and also our academic library rated "excellence/no. 1" by ACRL/ALA group. We are having problems with state and local education budgets and are losing all elementary and middle school librarians/media specialist/computer gurus in my county. Though we have campaigns/maybe even a local bond issue, I fear they are lost. It's so shortsighted- it's where it all begins- the young child/beginning reader- connection with books and libraries - and most of all librarians. No other library serves all school children and makes the connection to the public library, too. Somehow we have failed in our messages including LIS - so sad. Shirley Fitzgibbons Quoting "Wallace, Danny" <[log in to unmask]>: > If libraries are at the "bottom of the food chain," why do do NCES > data indicate that gate count in academic libraries increased 25% and > the number of students served by group presentations increased 22% > between 1998 and 2008? Why do IMLS data indicate that visits to > public libraries in the U.S. increased 17% between and total > circulation increased 12% between 1998 and 2007? And why does so > much anecdotal and popular press information indicate that public > libraries in the current economic environment are being completely > overwhelmed, not by people seeking shelter and physical comfort, but > by people turning to the public library as a source of critical > information on topics such as how to gain shelter and physical > comfort, how to update personal technology skills, and how to > identify and find jobs? > > Danny >