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This book takes a look at public library services research that serves the poor, homeless, unemployed, and other underrepresented customers in a period of global budgetary constraints. Also, this work makes an attempt to determine perceptions, in an objective manner, if library professionals in relation to the needs and desires of the underrepresented customers mentioned above. There are several selected public libraries as well as public service programs that are outlined in the section that dolly in on previous research on the subject. To be sure, the states of New York, Michigan, Virginia, and the District of Columbia as well as Leeds, England have be focused a considerable amount of attention on library services geared for these underserved customers, such as early intervention reading and literacy programs for children of diverse backgrounds as well as their parents and caregivers. In addition, there have been public library initiatives to provide vocational services for the underserved such as workshops, institutes, materials, and information about career opportunities and free training. However, the Commonwealth of Virginia lags behind in offering these special programs.
About the author
Otis D. Alexander has been a director in academic and public libraries in the District of Columbia, Indiana, and Virginia as well as worked in library management in the Caribbean and West Africa. He studied at Ball State University, Federal City College, Int'l University for Graduate Studies, and Harvard Leadership Institute for academic Librarians.
