The library faith: myths and reality of the American public library (First part)

Authors

  • Anna Galluzzi Biblioteca del Senato "Giovanni Spadolini", Roma

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2426/aibstudi-11750

Keywords:

public libraries, history, United States of America

Abstract

In the last years the public library has been the subject of a wide debate all over the Western world, not only in the library community, but also in the public opinion. The economic crisis and the technological revolution have raised new questions about the identity of the public library and have made librarians uncertain about their future. The article wonders if public libraries are really going through an unprecedented crisis, or if this is a typical phase of a cyclical process. In order to give an answer to this question, the essay retraces the history of ideological building and search for legitimacy by the American public libraries from the ‘40s to the 2000s, pointing out the characteristics of these libraries that weaken their identity and public perception in some historical and economic phases.
(NB: this is the first part of a more extensive study. The second part will be published in AIB studi 2/2018)

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Anna Galluzzi, Biblioteca del Senato "Giovanni Spadolini", Roma

Anna Galluzzi lavora presso la Biblioteca del Senato della Repubblica. È stata inoltre professore a contratto di "Biblioteconomia" e "Management delle biblioteche" presso l'Università di Roma "La Sapienza", nonché docente in numerosi corsi di formazione per bibliotecari e relatrice in diversi convegni nazionali e internazionali.

Published

2018-06-25

How to Cite

Galluzzi, A. (2018). The library faith: myths and reality of the American public library (First part). AIB Studi, 58(1). https://doi.org/10.2426/aibstudi-11750

Issue

Section

Themes and analyses