The Resource Part of our lives : a people's history of the American public library, Wayne A. Wiegand
Part of our lives : a people's history of the American public library, Wayne A. Wiegand
- Summary
- 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 picture of Americans who value libraries not only as civic institutions, but also as social spaces for promoting and maintaining 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 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 goes on to demonstrate 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 like Ronald Reagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Oprah Winfrey
- Language
- eng
- Extent
- 331 pages
- Contents
-
- Introduction: So much more than information
- "Improv'd the general conversation of Americans": Social libraries before 1854
- For "plain people": The American public library, 1854-1876
- "The best reading for the greatest number at the least cost": 1876-1893
- "The liberty to read what they will and when": The Carnegie era, 1893-1917
- "Habitations on a literary map": 1917-1929
- "One island of refuge": The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945
- "Winning the battles of daily life": 1945-1964
- "An individual meaning to each user": 1964-1980
- "Library paste is a precious part of social glue": 1981-2000
- Information, reading, and place: 2001-present
- Isbn
- 9780190248000
- Label
- Part of our lives : a people's history of the American public library
- Title
- Part of our lives
- Title remainder
- a people's history of the American public library
- Statement of responsibility
- Wayne A. Wiegand
- Subject
-
- Public libraries -- Social aspects -- United States -- History
- Library users -- United States -- Attitudes | History
- Public opinion -- United States -- History
- Libraries -- United States -- Public opinion | History
- Public libraries -- United States -- History
- Libraries and community -- United States -- History
- Books and reading -- United States -- History
- Libraries and society -- United States -- History
- Language
- eng
- Summary
- 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 picture of Americans who value libraries not only as civic institutions, but also as social spaces for promoting and maintaining 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 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 goes on to demonstrate 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 like Ronald Reagan, Sonia Sotomayor, and Oprah Winfrey
- Title
- Part of our lives
- Summary
- Part of Our Lives challenges the conventional idea that public libraries are valuable mostly because they are essential to democracy. Instead, this book uses the voices of generations of public library users to argue that Americans have loved their libraries for the useful information they make accessible; the public spaces they provide; and the commonplace reading materials they supply that help users make sense of the world around them
- http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/bookUI
- 10450867
- Cataloging source
- DLC
- Dewey number
- 027.473
- Illustrations
- illustrations
- Index
- index present
- LC call number
- Z731
- LC item number
- .W734 2015
- Literary form
- non fiction
- Nature of contents
- bibliography
- Target audience
- adult
- http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/titleRemainder
- a people's history of the American public library
- http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/titleRemainder
- a people's history of the American public library
- http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/titleStatement
- Wayne A. Wiegand
- http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/titleVariation
-
- People's history of the American public library
- Part of our lives
- http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/titleVariationRemainder
- a peoples history of the American public library
- Label
- Part of our lives : a people's history of the American public library, Wayne A. Wiegand
- Bibliography note
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 273-310) and index
- http://library.link/vocab/branchCode
-
- CARNG-ANG
- CARNG-ANG
- SPNCR-ROC
- SPNCR-ROC
- PBODY-COL
- PBODY-COL
- WINCH-WIN
- WINCH-WIN
- MOORE-MOO
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- GBURG-GRE
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- MTCHL-MIT
- MTCHL-MIT
- NCSTL-NEW
- NCSTL-NEW
- Carrier category
- volume
- Carrier MARC source
- rdacarrier
- Content category
- text
- Content type MARC source
- rdacontent
- Contents
- Introduction: So much more than information -- "Improv'd the general conversation of Americans": Social libraries before 1854 -- For "plain people": The American public library, 1854-1876 -- "The best reading for the greatest number at the least cost": 1876-1893 -- "The liberty to read what they will and when": The Carnegie era, 1893-1917 -- "Habitations on a literary map": 1917-1929 -- "One island of refuge": The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945 -- "Winning the battles of daily life": 1945-1964 -- "An individual meaning to each user": 1964-1980 -- "Library paste is a precious part of social glue": 1981-2000 -- Information, reading, and place: 2001-present
- Control code
- 20424888
- Dimensions
- 26 cm
- Extent
- 331 pages
- Isbn
- 9780190248000
- Isbn Type
- (cloth : acid-free paper)
- Lccn
- 2015014209
- Media category
- unmediated
- Media MARC source
- rdamedia
- Other physical details
- illustrations
- http://library.link/vocab/recordID
- 20424888
- System control number
-
- (OCoLC)ocn907657663
- (OCoLC)907657663
Subject
- Books and reading -- United States -- History
- Libraries -- United States -- Public opinion | History
- Libraries and community -- United States -- History
- Libraries and society -- United States -- History
- Library users -- United States -- Attitudes | History
- Public libraries -- Social aspects -- United States -- History
- Public libraries -- United States -- History
- Public opinion -- United States -- History
- Americans -- Attitudes
- Arts and Entertainment -- Writing and publishing
- Books and reading
- History writing -- United States
- Libraries
- Libraries and community
- Libraries and society
- Library users
- Public libraries
- Public opinion -- United States -- History
Genre
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<div class="citation" vocab="http://schema.org/"><i class="fa fa-external-link-square fa-fw"></i> Data from <span resource="http://thorntown.library.link/portal/Part-of-our-lives--a-peoples-history-of-the/ku1EkoKanKo/" typeof="CreativeWork http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/Item"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a href="http://thorntown.library.link/portal/Part-of-our-lives--a-peoples-history-of-the/ku1EkoKanKo/">Part of our lives : a people's history of the American public library, Wayne A. Wiegand</a></span> - <span property="offers" typeOf="Offer"><span property="offeredBy" typeof="Library ll:Library" resource="http://thorntown.library.link/#TTPL"><span property="name http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/label"><a property="url" href="http://thorntown.library.link/">Thorntown Public Library</a></span></span></span></span></div>