| Convocation on Providing Public Library
Service to California’s 21st Century Population |
[Back] [Contents]
[Next] |
Introduction
In the fall of 1996, California State Library staff approached the State
Librarian with a proposal to convene a statewide convocation to assess
library services to diverse populations and develop recommendations for
new statewide programs that would address the needs of California’s population
in the 21st century.
It has been nine years since the State Library convened a similar conference,
“A State of Change: California’s Ethnic Future and Libraries,” in 1988.
The purpose of that conference was to explore the changing ethnic character
of California and its implications for libraries. The State of Change Conference
produced a total of 177 recommendations. Conference attendees targeted
34 recommendations to the California State Library, 106 recommendations
to local library jurisdictions and library supporters, 13 to library schools,
and 24 to the library community at large.
In the following years, the California State Library responded, in one
way or another, to 19 of its 34 recommendations. Responses included
creation of the Partnerships for Change Program (1989-1995) as well as
funding of a variety of training and collection development programs for
public libraries throughout California.
Since 1988, new issues have emerged that impact the future roles of
public libraries in California, including:
-
The continued, rapid change in the California’s demographics in terms of
age, income, employment, and cultural diversity;
-
A growing proportion of young people who live in homes where English is
not the primary language;
-
A changing point of view of the electorate regarding immigration and diversity;
-
A decline in public library funding;
-
The role of information technology in libraries;
-
Widening gaps in educational attainment among our youth; and
-
The impact of corporate downsizing on the role of libraries in retraining
and preparing citizens for new employment opportunities.
Dr. Kevin Starr, State Librarian of California, accepted the proposal to
fund a “Convocation on Providing Public Libraries Services to California’s
21st Century Population.” A planning team, comprised of State Library
staff and public librarians, was convened to provide direction. The team
devised a process for selecting participants and framed an agenda for the
Convocation.Participants were selected by the team based on their:
-
Demonstrated commitment to serving California’s diverse population;
-
Experience in developing and providing public library service programs;
-
Personal contributions to the continuing enhancement and restructuring
of library services in California; and
-
Their potential ability for implementing change in the delivery of public
library services in the twenty-first century.
A profile of Convocation participants reveals that: 10 percent of participants
attended the 1988 State of Change Conference; 10 percent are members of
ethnic library organizations; 33 percent are front line public library
staff, middle managers and library professionals; 36 percent are library
policy makers; 6 percent are community members and public library supporters;
and 5% percent are library educators.
The planning team also identified the major areas of public library
service for discussion, providing a framework for drafting final recommendations.
These include: Access; Collection Development and Resource Sharing;
Community Collaboration and Outreach; Lifelong Learning; Promoting the
Value of Libraries; Staffing to Serve the 21st Century; and Technology.
To lay a foundation for work group discussion, the team also invited selected
participants to write and present perspective papers on each of these areas
of public library service.
These Proceedings are designed to give a detailed view of the Convocation,
including:
-
California’s 21st Century Population: a Demographic Profile;
-
15 Perspective Papers on the major topics of the Convocation;
-
Recommendations for the California State Library, the California Library
Association, public libraries, library schools, and library supporters;
-
Remarks of Richard Rodriguez, journalist and author, and Dan Walters, syndicated
political columnist and author;
-
Names and affiliations of Convocation participants; and
-
References and resources from the Convocation.
The Convocation can claim several major accomplishments. One was that the
Convocation continued to raise awareness and generate discussion concerning
the major issues affecting delivery of library and information services
to California’s 21st century population. Another accomplishment was that
Convocation participants went away with renewed energy and enthusiasm regarding
the future of California public libraries, and the willingness of the State
Library to provide much needed support. Finally, the Convocation
put major issues of service and equity back on the library community’s
agenda, while further enhancing a vision for public libraries in the 21st
century.
As a result, the Convocation has created an environment for success
– one where public libraries, the California State Library and the
library community-at-large work together, anticipating and preparing for
the challenges of the 21st century.
[Back] [Contents]
[Next]