Book details of 'Civic Space/Cyberspace: The American Public Library in the Information Age'

Title	Civic Space/Cyberspace: The American Public Library in the Information Age
Author(s)	Redmond Kathleen Molz, Phyllis Dain, Kathleen Molz
ISBN	0262133466
Language	English
Published	March 1999
Publisher	MIT Press

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The Virtual Bookcase Reviews of 'Civic Space/Cyberspace: The American Public Library in the Information Age':

Reviewer Rob Slade wrote:
The title, the preface, and even the subtitle ("The American Public Library in the Information Age") all promise something to do with the new, and particularly networked, technology. While the book is readable, well-researched, and interesting as far as libraries go, in terms of information technology it singularly fails to deliver. Chapter one is a historical overview of American publicly funded libraries over approximately the last century and a half. The text traces changing time and society, but concentrates on a fairly constant debate about the library's role, particularly in the choice of materials: should the library pander to public taste and fashion, or seek to censor and uplift? The market, management, and money for libraries is examined in chapter two. The role of the US federal government is reviewed in chapter three, but this content does not appear to lead anywhere, is, in broad terms, something of a repeat of chapter two, and is, of course, of interest only to those in the States. Chapter three really only seems to be a lead in to chapter four, which looks at US action in relation to the much discussed National Information infrastructure. Apart from a disproportionate emphasis on pornography and censorship, the material lists bills, budgets, and organizations, with remarkably little practical application. Chapter five starts out by quoting a speech to the effect that it is time to stop being awed by the technology, and to get on with figuring out how to use and integrate it in society. The text goes on to say that libraries are in the forefront of this integration. The chapter, however, does not back up that assertion. While there is discussion of building new libraries, wiring libraries, and putting terminals in libraries, there is very little talk of actual use. In fact, the material on libraries and the material on networks even within this chapter seems to be segregated by paragraph. Certainly, I have lambasted any number of books for simply including "Gosh, look at what _______ Public Library is doing!" type lists, but even that seems to be missing in this one. How does the Web search engine relate to the reference division? Does it make sense to integrate links to FAQ mailbots in the catalogue? Can you download .WAVs to take home with your CDs? These questions may be minutiae, but they have more to do with integration than whether someone else pays for part of your ISDN line. Stripped of its claim to cyberspace, what is this book? It is a lucid account of the place of, and regard for, libraries in current American society. It is a reasonable compilation of US federal legislation that may affect libraries. It has very little to say about how libraries may need to change with respect to technology. copyright Robert M. Slade, 1999
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Book description:

Quintessentially American institutions, symbols of community spirit and the American faith in education, public libraries are ubiquitous in the United States. Close to a billion library visits are made each year, and more children join summer reading programs than little league baseball. Public libraries are local institutions, as different as the communities they serve. Yet their basic services, techniques, and professional credo are essentially similar; and they offer, through technology and cooperative agreements, myriad materials and information far beyond their own walls. In Civic Space/Cyberspace, Redmond Kathleen Molz and Phyllis Dain assess the current condition and direction of the American public library. They consider the challenges and opportunities presented by new electronic technologies, changing public policy, fiscal realities, and cultural trends. They draw on site visits and interviews conducted across the country; extensive reading of reports, surveys, and other documents; and their long-standing interest in the library's place in the social and civic structure. The book uniquely combines a scholarly, humanistic, and historical approach to public libraries with a clear-eyed look at their problems and prospects, including their role in the emerging national information infrastructure.