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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Shirk, John C.
Format: Recurso educativo Open Access
Language:en
Published: 1976
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED143348
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author Shirk, John C.
author_facet Shirk, John C.
Shirk, John C.
collection Education Resources Information Center
contents An Experiment in Library Communications. Shirk, John C. Branch Libraries Communication (Thought Transfer) Community Relations Community Services Library Administration Library Services Low Income Groups Mexican Americans Program Development Program Effectiveness Public Libraries Spanish Speaking The Carnegie Branch of the Houston Public Library (HPL) has attempted to establish credibility in a low income, Spanish speaking neighborhood by making the library visible to individuals on the street, contacting community leaders, and working with dropouts. The Branch, selected to implement a Neighborhood Information Center (NIC), established a shopping center book table and canvassed the community to distribute library cards. The shopping center distribution was quantitatively successful; both methods permitted the staff to meet non-library users. The Library established cooperation with the Mexican American Education Council, resulting in consideration of a cooperative learning center and community education program. Programs for the aging and Adult Basic Education (ABE) were established. The Library discovered, however, that guidelines and limits were needed for community group activities within the library. Experience showed that: (1) ABE programs help identify and serve non-library users; (2) agency cooperation enhances the possibility for success; (3) credibility must be established with community agencies and leaders to achieve cooperation; and (4) materials in a particular language must be available to serve the needs of a language group. Through the NIC, support from the HPL, and staff committed to community service, the Branch achieved the communication of innovative active in the community. (Author/KP)
format Recurso educativo Open Access
id eric_ED143348
institution ERIC Institute of Education Sciences
language en
publishDate 1976
record_format eric
spellingShingle An Experiment in Library Communications.
Shirk, John C.
Branch Libraries
Communication (Thought Transfer)
Community Relations
Community Services
Library Administration
Library Services
Low Income Groups
Mexican Americans
Program Development
Program Effectiveness
Public Libraries
Spanish Speaking
An Experiment in Library Communications. Shirk, John C. Branch Libraries Communication (Thought Transfer) Community Relations Community Services Library Administration Library Services Low Income Groups Mexican Americans Program Development Program Effectiveness Public Libraries Spanish Speaking The Carnegie Branch of the Houston Public Library (HPL) has attempted to establish credibility in a low income, Spanish speaking neighborhood by making the library visible to individuals on the street, contacting community leaders, and working with dropouts. The Branch, selected to implement a Neighborhood Information Center (NIC), established a shopping center book table and canvassed the community to distribute library cards. The shopping center distribution was quantitatively successful; both methods permitted the staff to meet non-library users. The Library established cooperation with the Mexican American Education Council, resulting in consideration of a cooperative learning center and community education program. Programs for the aging and Adult Basic Education (ABE) were established. The Library discovered, however, that guidelines and limits were needed for community group activities within the library. Experience showed that: (1) ABE programs help identify and serve non-library users; (2) agency cooperation enhances the possibility for success; (3) credibility must be established with community agencies and leaders to achieve cooperation; and (4) materials in a particular language must be available to serve the needs of a language group. Through the NIC, support from the HPL, and staff committed to community service, the Branch achieved the communication of innovative active in the community. (Author/KP)
title An Experiment in Library Communications.
topic Branch Libraries
Communication (Thought Transfer)
Community Relations
Community Services
Library Administration
Library Services
Low Income Groups
Mexican Americans
Program Development
Program Effectiveness
Public Libraries
Spanish Speaking
url https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED143348