Public libraries support both organised and self-conducted learning in all education forms, i.e. formal, non-formal and informal learning for all age groups. They have been for centuries an integral part of the society offering free places and equal access to resources for educational and...

The article considers methodological issues which arose in undertaking a two‐year British Library funded research project – Assessment Tools for Quality Management in Public Libraries – jointly managed by the Department of Information Science, Loughborough University and the Department of...

This paper discusses statistical analyses of the effect of reductions in opening hours on book issues of public library authorities (PLAs). Monthly issue statistics over a three‐ to four‐year period for twenty‐six libraries in four PLAs (Sheffield, Ealing, Hereford and Worcester, and...

A consortium of small public libraries share an OPAC, an interlibrary loan system, and maintain reciprocal borrowing among its patrons. A study was conducted for this consortium to investigate whether or not it would benefit from centralized processing. Raw data show that the consortium should...

This article reports key results of a study of the longer term effects of one type of grant (US Library Services and Construction Act), awarded to Wisconsin public libraries over five years (1989‐1994) to improve services to specific groups of users. The study used a qualitative, case study...