Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Abstract
Research is a policy-making imperative for public library practitioners.
It helps them understand the cognitive errors that limit their operation,
establish a policy framework for their operations, and assess operational
efficiency and effectiveness. A growing insufficiency of applied or action
research on public libraries creates the need for practitioners to undertake
studies themselves. This need is greater because of rapid demographic,
economic, and cultural changes associated with the information age.
These changes and public library responses to them are explored in
some detail. The research projects of the St. Louis Public Library are
summarized. The article ends with an invitation for cooperation to
obtain more research on public libraries and a call for a second Public
Library Inquiry as an appropriate mechanism to inspire new
commitment to such research.published or submitted for publicatio
