View in EDS PDF Full Text

Part of Our Lives : A People's History of the American Public Library

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Part of Our Lives : A People's History of the American Public Library
Description: Despite dire predictions in the late twentieth century that public libraries would not survive the turn of the millennium, their numbers have only increased. Two of three Americans frequent a public library at least once a year, and nearly that many are registered borrowers. Although library authorities have argued that the public library functions primarily as a civic institution necessary for maintaining democracy, generations of library patrons tell a different story. In Part of Our Lives, Wayne A. Wiegand delves into the heart of why Americans love their libraries. The book traces the history of the public library, featuring records and testimonies from as early as 1850. Rather than analyzing the words of library founders and managers, Wiegand listens to the voices of everyday patrons who cherished libraries. Drawing on newspaper articles, memoirs, and biographies, Part of Our Lives paints a clear and engaging picture of Americans who value libraries not only as civic institutions, but also as public places that promote and maintain community. Whether as a public space, a place for accessing information, or a home for reading material that helps patrons make sense of the world around them, the public library has a rich history of meaning for millions of Americans. From colonial times through the recent technological revolution, libraries have continuously adapted to better serve the needs of their communities. Wiegand demonstrates that, although cultural authorities (including some librarians) have often disparaged reading books considered not'serious,'the commonplace reading materials users obtained from public libraries have had a transformative effect for many, including people such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Moyers, Edgwina Danticat, Philip Roth, Toni Morrison, Sonia Sotomayor, and Oprah Winfrey. A bold challenge to conventional thinking about the American public library, Part of Our Lives is an insightful look into one of America's most beloved cultural institutions.
Authors: Wayne A. Wiegand
Resource Type: eBook.
Subjects: Public libraries--History.--United States, Libraries--Public opinion--History.--United, Public opinion--History.--United States, Library users--Attitudes--History.--United S, Public libraries--Social aspects--History.--, Libraries and community--History.--United Stat, Libraries and society--History.--United States, Books and reading--History.--United States, HISTORY / United States / General, HISTORY / Social History
Categories: HISTORY / United States / General, HISTORY / Social History
Database: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
FullText Links:
  – Type: ebook-pdf
Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: nlebk
DbLabel: eBook Collection (EBSCOhost)
An: 1052370
RelevancyScore: 1064
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: eBook
PubTypeId: ebook
PreciseRelevancyScore: 1063.91076660156
IllustrationInfo
ImageInfo – Size: thumb
  Target: https://rps2images.ebscohost.com/rpsweb/othumb?id=NL$1052370$PDF&s=r
– Size: medium
  Target: https://rps2images.ebscohost.com/rpsweb/othumb?id=NL$1052370$PDF&s=d
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Part of Our Lives : A People's History of the American Public Library
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Description
  Group: Ab
  Data: Despite dire predictions in the late twentieth century that public libraries would not survive the turn of the millennium, their numbers have only increased. Two of three Americans frequent a public library at least once a year, and nearly that many are registered borrowers. Although library authorities have argued that the public library functions primarily as a civic institution necessary for maintaining democracy, generations of library patrons tell a different story. In Part of Our Lives, Wayne A. Wiegand delves into the heart of why Americans love their libraries. The book traces the history of the public library, featuring records and testimonies from as early as 1850. Rather than analyzing the words of library founders and managers, Wiegand listens to the voices of everyday patrons who cherished libraries. Drawing on newspaper articles, memoirs, and biographies, Part of Our Lives paints a clear and engaging picture of Americans who value libraries not only as civic institutions, but also as public places that promote and maintain community. Whether as a public space, a place for accessing information, or a home for reading material that helps patrons make sense of the world around them, the public library has a rich history of meaning for millions of Americans. From colonial times through the recent technological revolution, libraries have continuously adapted to better serve the needs of their communities. Wiegand demonstrates that, although cultural authorities (including some librarians) have often disparaged reading books considered not'serious,'the commonplace reading materials users obtained from public libraries have had a transformative effect for many, including people such as Ronald Reagan, Bill Moyers, Edgwina Danticat, Philip Roth, Toni Morrison, Sonia Sotomayor, and Oprah Winfrey. A bold challenge to conventional thinking about the American public library, Part of Our Lives is an insightful look into one of America's most beloved cultural institutions.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wayne+A%2E+Wiegand%22">Wayne A. Wiegand</searchLink>
– Name: TypePub
  Label: Resource Type
  Group: TypPub
  Data: eBook.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+libraries--History%2E--United+States%22">Public libraries--History.--United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Libraries--Public+opinion--History%2E--United%22">Libraries--Public opinion--History.--United</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+opinion--History%2E--United+States%22">Public opinion--History.--United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+users--Attitudes--History%2E--United+S%22">Library users--Attitudes--History.--United S</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+libraries--Social+aspects--History%2E--%22">Public libraries--Social aspects--History.--</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Libraries+and+community--History%2E--United+Stat%22">Libraries and community--History.--United Stat</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Libraries+and+society--History%2E--United+States%22">Libraries and society--History.--United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Books+and+reading--History%2E--United+States%22">Books and reading--History.--United States</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22HISTORY+%2F+United+States+%2F+General%22">HISTORY / United States / General</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22HISTORY+%2F+Social+History%22">HISTORY / Social History</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectBISAC
  Label: Categories
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="ZK" term="%22HISTORY+%2F+United+States+%2F+General%22">HISTORY / United States / General</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="ZK" term="%22HISTORY+%2F+Social+History%22">HISTORY / Social History</searchLink>
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=nlebk&AN=1052370
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Classifications:
      – Code: 027.473
        Scheme: ddc
        Type: prePub
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Public libraries--History.--United States
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Libraries--Public opinion--History.--United
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public opinion--History.--United States
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Library users--Attitudes--History.--United S
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public libraries--Social aspects--History.--
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Libraries and community--History.--United Stat
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Libraries and society--History.--United States
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Books and reading--History.--United States
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: HISTORY / United States / General
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: HISTORY / Social History
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Part of Our Lives : A People's History of the American Public Library
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wayne A. Wiegand
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Wayne A. Wiegand
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2015
            – D: 18
              M: 08
              Type: profile
              Y: 2015
          Identifiers:
            – Type: isbn-print
              Value: 9780190248000
            – Type: isbn-electronic
              Value: 9780190248017
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Part of Our Lives : A People's History of the American Public Library
              Type: main
ResultId 1