Public Libraries: A Misunderstood Civic Institution

ABSTRACT.

There seems to be a great deal of uncertainty concerning the role that public libraries play in our society. Are they civic institutions or cultural agencies? Is their role in society more important, less important, or just an integral part in making information accessible to the public? Even greater uncertainty descends on librarians, who are sometimes at a loss as to how to better exploit what the library, as a civic institution has to offer its patrons. This article discusses how public libraries, as civic institutions essentially serve five (5) basic functions in society.

Michael L. Porter Distance Education Librarian University of Texas at Tyler 3900 University Blvd Tyler, Texas 75703 mchael_porter@uttyler.edu (903) 599-7165 Fax: (903) 565-5562

Libraries as Civic Institutions Historically, the purpose of libraries was to safeguard democracy and to divert human behavior from socially destructive activities and expose the population to literature and acceptable recreation (Hillenbrand, 2005). In the United States, libraries, like schools, have served as "information equalizers. Libraries over time have become identified as a place where lifelong literacy and learning would be supported; as it offered to the most dispossessed citizens the opportunity to become patrons. If you were a person of color, a person without means, or a person new to the country, you went to the library to learn to read, to become socialized into a local version of American life, and to acquire the skills and knowledge required to become a citizen. (Yancey, 2005).

The Integral Role of Libraries Libraries all across America, big or small matter because they are a product of the common good (Hightower, 2004). Libraries are often at the geographic center of the communities they serve, they are naturally positioned to be community-gathering places. Combine this with a librarians talent to tolerate a diversity of opinions, their facilitation skills, and the familiarity and comfort with new technology--and you have an institution poised to be integral to every community decision (Long, 2000). Libraries are one of the building blocks of local information and knowledge, which is necessary to support knowledge-based social and economic development (Skrzeszewski & Cubberley, 1997). Libraries have long served many communities in many sectors. They exist on the premise to organize the worlds recorded knowledge and culture, to provide quality information and to deliver the appropriate subject matter to the user. Libraries serve as five types of communities: (1) neighborhoods, (2) workplaces, (3) entertainment, (4) learning, and (5) research. Not every library user, or potential user, fits precisely into just one community. They all shift interchangeably among each other; from doing research, to facilitating work environments, to finding enjoyment in leisure activities, to life-long learning with friends and families. The difference is that certain communities play a greater role in a librarys strategic importance. For example:

Neighborhoods: Typically are bound by their interests instead of geography, they are local, regional, and/or global. Communities of interest are neighborhoods of people of like mind and focus. Sometimes those interests can be expressed locally but still find their niche on a broader scale. People build neighborhoods through their interactions with their local institutions. Libraries can add to the network of users in a neighborhood and empower these communities with information and a sense of place. Libraries provide civilized and direct access to the resources for the whole community. Workplaces: Libraries create work environments because they connect to and through offices via the telephone, fax and email as well as in assembles big and small that require meeting rooms or an auditorium. Some libraries have even extended the workplace community through the addition of conferencing software, and instant messaging.

Entertainment: Most libraries serve some entertainment purpose, as they have always supplied the entertainment needs of the community with recreational reading collections, nonfiction collections such as those aimed at celebrity fans, music enthusiasts, hobbyists, genealogists, and those who enjoy gardening and cooking. These are some of the things that the library defines as entertainment, but are also indicators of the culture.

Learning: Libraries provide a forum for people to come together in communities to learn together and teach one another. The focus for libraries in this environment is to provide information and research support for new and blended learning environments; learning is no longer restricted primarily to in-person classrooms.

Research: Libraries provide research in the three primary areas: (1) personal, (2) commercial and (3) academic. Libraries provide a key location in communities for people whom want to find others who want to read, discuss, share, and view research results and opinions. However at the heart of all these communities is

people; relationships need to exist first, as no amount of technology, or communication, can create a whole community (Abram, 2005)

What Can Librarians Do to Promote the Library? The library has become a recognized place where lifelong literacy and learning are supported. While continuing in their historic service of providing books for free, libraries can re-invent themselves for the 21st century by expanding their role in communities by:

(1) Providing many kinds of materials in many ways. Library services are not limited to books. Patrons come to access many other resources: newspapers and magazines, government documents and maps, CDs and DVDs, and databases. To help patrons access what they need from this array of resources, librarians could offer individualized service. This just-in-time assistance can be delivered in overlapping waysin person at the physical site, on the telephone, and through the librarys Web site. In each case, a librarian assists one patron at the point and time of need, which is determined by the patron. Librarians can also provide assistance to groups, sometimes on an as-needed basis and at other times in the form of regular offerings. This type of instruction can be targeted to specific skills that patrons are unlikely to havesuch as using search engines, following hyperlinks, and identifying databases which would immediately enhance the patrons ability to use the library independently.

(2) Helping patrons learn to write and to use communication technologies. Libraries provide a place where users can utilize technology to become creative. Librarians can assist users by helping them with computer literacy. Librarians can also assist users with developing their writing skills. By offering /sponsoring free writer workshops, librarians help to promote opportunities that help to develop a community of writers. By sponsoring writing events and providing individual and collective assistance and free resources, librarians can help patrons take the next step of getting published in a magazine, newspaper or journal.

(3) Helping patrons to learn to read "visually. As a society that is increasingly visual (films, television, and the Web), librarians can help users acquire a new kind of literacy, one that is infrequently taught in schools; how to read and use the computer interface screen. Librarians can teach users about the layout of a computer screen; where important links and databases are likely to appear, how multiple points of entry on a screen work, and how assistance can be located.

(4) Linking "free" library services with retail services. With the commercial success of the movie You Got Mail, some libraries have seized on an opportunity to better promote their services. Libraries can offer coffee, sandwiches, and sweets that can be carried throughout the library. Other services can include a gift shop that includes memorabilia from the library, some books (of the coffee-table variety), pottery, artwork, and jewelry. These services can go along way to creating a new community inside the library.

Addressing Specific Ideas for Specific Populations Historically, libraries have always offered programs for specific populations. Examples for consideration include: Visual Information Literacy, aimed at young adult users. Under this concept, librarians would use visual cues and software integrated into the librarys OPAC to show young adult patrons where materials are located in the library by color. The user would access the system, which would then display the layout of the library on a monitor, and by highlighting a location on the monitor; they could find the specific location of materials. This visual language works in conjunction with the verbal language that patrons receive about the various areas of the library and about the kinds of activities deemed appropriate to each patron (Yancey, 2005). Another area of consideration is Community Crisis Management, aimed at users who have been victims of disasters or terrorism or who simply want to gain knowledge about crisis issues. Libraries have the resources and expertise to address the need for prompt,

reliable, and relevant information in any crisis situation. Librarians can support or facilitate community-wide planning efforts; librarians can identify, compile, organize, and disseminate public information before, during, and after a crisis. A proactive library is an active partner in the city's emergency plans for consequence management and community recovery. The library can provide accurate information and identify authoritative Internet links and web sites for city and county planners in areas of interest. For example, biochemical warfare with related threats to water supplies may be ranked high on the list of city-identified targets for a terrorism expansion preparedness plan; this could be a topic where more information is required.

In general, people want to be able to understand what the crisis will entail, how to protect themselves, and how to obtain emergency services and information. They will want emergency information (nature and location of the crisis, what to do and what not to do, emergency telephone numbers, and reliable sources for news updates are anticipated topics) and daily life impact information (school closings, traffic detours, business closings) immediately following the crisis and continuing until the crisis is over. With the support of local government officials, the library can take on the larger task of facilitating the entire community recovery portion of emergency planning (Will, 2001).

Conclusion The notion that libraries have a social impact is an old one; libraries are directly dependent upon the objectives of society itself. This is referred to as civic librarianship, which seeks to strengthen communities and develop library services to meet social as well as individual needs (Hillenbrand, 2005). Libraries increasingly are places for ideas and for discussion. They support citizenship, promote the traditions of free speech, stimulate the imagination and encourage ideas, and contribute to building social capital (Boaden, 2005). Libraries empower individuals by providing information that they need to make informed decisions, by promoting unrestricted access to information, and by serving as community centers for lifelong learning (Ford, 1997). Libraries represent a democratic institution that allows an individual to pursue personal enrichment in the presence of others (Yancey, 2005).

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