Services and Resources for Children in Public Libraries, 1988-89. Survey Report

摘要

This report presents the findings of the first national survey of public libraries on the services and resources available to children. As part of its mission to collect and report education data, the National Center for Education Statistics has occasionally conducted surveys of public libraries. These previous surveys, however, were not designed to provide statistics for childrens services in libraries. This survey was requested by the OffIce of Library Programs in the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, to fti this void. The survey, Survey on Library Services to Children in Public Libraries, was performed under contract by Westat, Inc., for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education, through its Fast Response Survey System (FRSS). Data were collected for individual library buildings rather than for library systems. Survey items included the availability of library resources and services to children, the usage of library services by children, the number of group programs at the library for children and child care-givers, the amount of library cooperation with schools and with preschools or day care centers, and the number and educational level of public service and childrens librarians.