Basic Literacy: addresses the need to read and to perform other essential daily tasks.
The library will provide a learning environment, specialized materials, and access to trained tutors to help people reach their personal literacy goals. The library may provide specially designed facilities and access to instructional technologies that enhance the effectiveness of tutoring efforts. Library staff, or highly trained volunteers, may be used to provide the tutoring.
Possible components of Basic Literacy Service:
- ESL programs
- Family Literacy programs
- Tutoring & exam preparation guides
- Programs teaching functional math skills
- Small meeting spaces for tutors and learners to meet
Business & Career Information: addresses a need for information related to business, careers, work, entrepreneurship, personal finances, and obtaining employment
The library will provide expert personal assistance, specialized electronic and print resources, and services of interest to the business community, to investors, to individuals who are seeking employment or who are dealing with a changing work environment, and to individuals who are contemplating a career move or change. Library users will be able to access a significant amount of information without visiting the library by using the telephone, e-mail or other electronic delivery systems.
Possible components of Business and Career Information Service:
- Career guidance counseling
- Job placement service
- Public use computer equipment for preparing resumes
- Copy or business services center
- Programs on investing, entrepreneurship, writing resumes or job interviewing skills
- WWW links to business, investment, and job placement Internet sites
Commons: addresses the need of people to meet and interact with others in their community and to participate in public discourse about community issues.
The library will provide public space for meeting and gathering that is recognized as inviting, neutral, and safe by all individuals and groups in the community. The library may provide a variety of meeting and gathering spaces including large meeting rooms, small group meeting and study rooms, and open public spaces that invite conversation and discussion.
Possible components of Commons Service:
- Large, medium and small meeting room spaces
- Community events bulletin board or kiosk
- Coffee shop in the library
- Videoconferencing facilities
- Automated room scheduling
Community Referral: addresses the need for information related to services provided by community agencies and organizations.
The library will establish ongoing relationships with community organizations and local governmental agencies. The library will develop and maintain a database of available services and the qualifications for receiving those services. The library will provide easy, convenient, confidential access to the information in a variety of ways such as walk-in service, toll-free telephoe service, or Internet access. The library may provide intake and assessment forms from referral agencies, and library staff may conduct initial interviews or provide follow-up with clients and agencies to determine whether services were provided that met the individual's need.
Possible components of Community Referral Service:
- Community Information database
- 24-hour information and referral line
- Dial-in access to community resource files
- Electronic access to community resource files through computer kiosks in public places such as malls, post offices and schools
Consumer Information: helps to satisfy the need for information that impacts the ability of community residents to make informed consumer decisions and to help them become more self-sufficient.
The library will provide expert assistance and specialized electronic and print resources to individuals who are interested in becoming more knowledgeable consumers and to individuals who need to make important consumer decisions. The library will offer resources that include critical reviews of products and services and wholesale price guides for durable goods. The library will also offer access to information on maintaining and repairing consumer goods. The library may provide programs on topics such as health, nutrition, child care, and consumer affairs.
Possible components of Consumer Information Service:
- Special programs on health, legal, or consumer topics
- Library Web page on consumer issues
- Library-produced publications and flyers on consumer topics
- Consumer complaint hotline
- Consumer affairs bulletin board
Cultural Awareness: helps satisfy the desire of community residents to gain an understanding of their own cultural heritage and the cultural heritage of others.
The library will provide in-depth collections of materials and resources in many formats and will offer programs and special displays that reflect the cultural heritage of populations in the library service area. The library staff may be multilingual. Print materials, media materials, the library's online catalog, other electronic resources and cultural programming may be offered in the languages spoken or read by the residents of the community.
Some possible components of Cultural Awareness Service:
- Ethnic resource centers
- Library catalog, publications, and collections in several languages
- Performance and exhibit space
- Cultural fairs and exhibits
- Diversity and cultural sensitivity forums
Current Topics & Titles: helps to fulfill community residents’ appetite for information about popular cultural and social trends and their desire for satisfying recreational experiences.
The library will provide a current collection with sufficient copies of titles in high demand to ensure customer requests are met quickly. Materials will be selected primarily on the basis of local demand. The library's collections will be organized in ways that make items easy to find and will be merchandised to the public through the use of displays and display shelving. Staff knowledgeable of the content of best-selling titles and the style of popular authors and performers will offer expert guidance to the public. The library will monitor prepublication review sources and publisher advertising campaigns to anticipate demand. The library may offer programs such as book talks, book signings, performances, and exhibits that promote current and forthcoming releases.
Some possible components of Current Topics and Titles Service:
- Author book signings
- Readers' advisory services
- Preview stations for movies and recordings
- Display shelving
Formal Learning Support: helps students who are enrolled in a formal program of education or who are pursuing their education through a program of home-schooling to attain their educational goals.
The library will provide informational resources, personal assistance, and educational tools that further the educational progress of students. Library activities and materials will support the curricular objectives of a teaching institution. The library will also provide physical facilities conducive to learning. Expert assistance with homework, tutoring in specific subject areas, and help with other school projects may be offered.
Some possible components of Formal Learning Support Service:
- Specialized curriculum-based collections
- Homework help center
- Tutoring
- Computer Lab
- WWW site with links to curriculum and other educational sites
General Information: helps meet the need for information and answers to questions on a broad array of topics related to work, school, and personal life.
The library will offer print, nonprint, and electronic reference resources that cover a broad variety of topics. The library will provide staff skillful in determining users' needs and in locating relevant information that satisfies those needs. Internet access will be provided for staff and public use. The library will provide telephone and e-mail information service. The library may locate, organize, and provide access to general information resources on a Web page.
Some possible components of General Information Service:
- Basic reference resources available through the library Web page
- 24-hour electronic reference service (ability to e-mail questions)
- Bibliographic instruction programs
- Dedicated telephone reference service
Government Information: helps satisfy the need for information about elected officials and governmental agencies that enable people to participate in the democratic process.
The library will provide access to a wide selection of information by and about govenmental agencies in print and electronic form. The staff and public will have Internet access. The library staff will be knowledgeable in using government documents, searching the Internet, determining users' needs, and locating relevant information that satisfies those needs. The library may serve as a federal, state, or local document depository.
Some possible components of Government Information Service:
- Electronic access to local government information
- Federal, state, and local documents and records depository
- Public hearings and public access television broadcasts of public meetings
- Government contract and procurement center
Information Literacy: helps address the need for skills related to finding, evaluating, and using information effectively.
The library will provide training and instruction in skills related to locating, evaluating, and using information resources of all types. Teaching the public to find and evaluate information will be stressed over simply providing answers to questions. The library will offer public Internet training and access. Library staff will be knowledgeable about how people seek information and learn. Staff may offer group classes, individual tutoring, or spontaneous one-on-one training in topics such as media literacy or finding resources on the Internet.
Some possible components of Information Literacy Service:
- Classroom space
- Special programs on media literacy
- Computer lab
- Listening and viewing multimedia computer stations
- Basic library skills and bibliographic instruction
Lifelong Learning: helps address the desire for self-directed personal growth and development opportunities.
The library will provide and maintain an extensive collection of circulating materials on a wide variety of topics in which the general public has a sustained interest. Collections will be easily accessible and organized to encourage public browsing by subject area. Staff knowledgeable in subjects and topics of interest to the general public will provide expert assistance in locating materials of all types and formats. The library will develop pathfinders or other finding tools to assist library users in learning about specific subjects or topics for which there are frequent requests. The library may enhance typical subject and keyword access in the online public access catalog through the addition of supplemental user-friendly terms. The library may identify important WWW sites on topics of high interest to the
public and may organize them for public access on a Web page.
Some possible components of Lifelong Learning Service:
- Electronic and printed pathfinders
- How-to programs on topics of general public interest
- Special topical displays of materials and resources
- Demonstrations and exhibits
- History and biography resources
Local History & Genealogy: addresses the desire of community residents to know and better understand personal or community heritage.
The library will provide a significant collection of materials and other resources that chronicle the history of the community or region in which the library is located. Family histories and genealogical research tools are provided. The library will provide the equipment required to read, print, and copy all formats in which information is supplied. The library will be actively involved in borrowing and lending historical and genealogical resources with other local, regional, and national libraries and historical societies. The library may maintain special collections of historical interest including photos and archival materials. The library may digitize these collections and provide computer access to them. Staff knowledgeable in genealogical and historical research methods and in archival and records
management will be available to assist library users with their research.
Some possible components of Local History & Genealogy Service:
- Instruction in genealogical and historical research methods
- Programs on local history
- Digitization of historic photographs
- Temperature- and humidity-controlled archives vault or room
- Indexing of local newspapers
- Oral histories
- WWW links to history and genealogy sites
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