Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries

Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries (call # US NF 4.2 In8x)

The library’s role as a technology resource has increased dramatically, and now nearly every library in the country offers free access to computers and the Internet. Millions of people rely on library technology to find work, apply for college, secure government benefits, learn about critical medical treatments, and connect with their communities.

Unfortunately libraries are struggling to maintain the technology necessary to keep pace with demand. The University of Washington Information School, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, conducted this first of its kind, large-scale study of who uses public computers and Internet access in public libraries, the ways library patrons use this free technology service, why they use it, and how it affects their lives.

About the Report:
Title: Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries (PDF, 2.57 MB, 212 pages)
Prepared by: University of Washington Information School and the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Date Published: March 2010

Young Adults Deserve the Best (book)

Flowers, S. (2011). Young Adults Deserve the Best: YALSA's Competencies in Action. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

As high school enrollment continues to rise, the need for effective librarianship serving young adults is greater than ever before. "Young Adults Deserve the Best: Competencies for Librarians Serving Youth,” developed by Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), is a document outlining areas of focus for providing quality library service in collaboration with teenagers. In this book, Sarah Flowers identifies and expands on these competency areas. This useful work includes

• Anecdotes and success stories from the field
• Guidelines which can be used to create evaluation instruments, determine staffing needs, and develop job descriptions
• Additional professional resources following each chapter that will help librarians turn theory into practice

The first book to thoroughly expand on this important document, Young Adults Deserve the Best is a key foundational tool not only for librarians but also for young adult specialists, youth advocacy professionals, and school administrators.
(book description)

I Found it on the Internet (book)

Harris, F.J. (2011). I Found it on the Internet: Coming of Age Online (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Today’s teens immerse themselves in the world of technology as never before. But texting, tweeting, chatting, blogging, and other social networking largely occur in a free-for-all environment of unbridled access; quality takes a backseat to quantity. To help librarians, educators, and parents step in to guide teens’ decision making, Frances Jacobson Harris offers a thoroughly updated edition of her classic book, including

• Advice on how to help young people make good decisions, especially in such thorny areas as music and media sharing
• Tools for formulating information and communication policies, with research and commentary on the latest technology
• Practical ways of dealing with the problematic issues of hacking, cheating, privacy, harassment, and access to inappropriate content

Packed with timely information, Harris’s book remains the best resource for being an effective technology mentor for students.
(book description)

Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read (book)

Doyle, R.P. (2010). Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Celebrate your freedom to read!

Published every three years, this comprehensive book helps bookstores, libraries, and schools develop and organize their programs in support of the First Amendment. Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

For more information about Banned Books Week, please visit www.ala.org/bbooks.

(book description)

Think for Yourself and Let Others Do the Same (supplement)

Doyle, R.P. (2010). Think for Yourself and Let Others Do the Same: Books Challenged or Banned in 2009-2010. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.

Celebrate your freedom to read!

The annual supplement to the Banned Books Resource Guide contains information on recent bans, challenges, and successes in libraries and schools nationwide. Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

For more information about Banned Books Week, please visit www.ala.org/bbooks.

8.5" x 11"
8 pages

(supplement description)