Community Information and Referral Services: Final Report to the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science from the CI and R (Community Information and Referral) Task Force

摘要

Community Information and Referral Services (CI&R) began with the formation of social service agencies in the early part of this century. CI&R is the active process of linking people with needs to resources (agencies, programs, people, institutions) that can handle those needs. Originally the social service personnel responsible for delivering direct service programs also attempted to deliver CI&R. As new social programs developed, as eligibility requirements were established, and as the maze of Federal, state and local funding sources began overlapping, the need for a centralized, all-inclusive CI&R for a given locality to enable people to find appropriate resources became apparent. Public libraries became involved in CI&R around 1969. Since that time many libraries have expanded their information role to include the provision of CI&R. The Task Force was asked to review the status of CI&R in libraries and social service agencies and to make recommendations to NCLIS on the appropriate role for libraries in the field of CI&R in the future.