Transcript Office for Literacy and Outreach Services

“Rural Libraries in Reno”
Nevada Library Association
Bernard Vavrek, Professor and Chair, Department of
Library Science, Clarion University
[email protected]
October 22, 2005
Where in the world is Clarion, PA?
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85 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.
Exit 62, Interstate 80.
Near Cook Forest State Park.
Community of 6,000.
Clarion University began in 1867
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Approximately 6,000 students.
80 academic programs.
Department of Library Science.
started in 1937.
Accredited by ALA since 1976.
Outreach programs in the DLS
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Harrisburg, PA.
Philadelphia Free Library.
Online Cohorts: Rural and Small
Libraries, School Media Services,
Specialized Information Centers
(2007).
Clarion campus.
Center for the Study of Rural
Librarianship
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Started in 1978.
Educational, research, rah-rah.
Publishes “Rural Libraries” and
“Bookmobiles and Outreach
Services.”
www.clarion.edu/rural
New virtual library associations
supported by the CSRL
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Association of Rural and Small
Libraries http://arsl.clarion.edu
Association of Bookmobile and
Outreach Services
http://abos.clarion.edu
Please join on complimentary basis.
Otherwise, dues is $39/year for
each.
Assignment is to define the current
culture of rural and small libraries
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“Rural” means many things.
Depending on the section of the
country, rural places are
disappearing as exurbanization
takes place.
Rural is equated with “country.”
“Where all the women are strong,
the men good-looking, and the
children are above average?”
Rural places include those that are
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Farming.
Industrial.
Ranch.
Resort.
Extractive.
College/university.
Seats of government.
New housing developments.
Depends who defines it
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In Canada, e.g., rural consists of
places of fewer than 1000 people.
In US, urban starts at 2500 folks.
Recently, in the US, “micropolitan”
has been introduced to identify
towns of fewer than 10,000.
Rural=nonmetroplitan.
And the numbers show
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That most Americans live in urban
[suburban] places.
The rural population is about 49
million.
PA has the largest rural population
with about 4 million.
Largest growth is by Hispanics,
25%.
Advantages of living in rural places
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Far from the madding crowd.
More room to breath.
Sense of “community.”
Where everyone knows your name.
Cost of living.
Relative safety.
Disadvantages of living in rural places
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Distances between places.
Lack of services.
Less income, education, food, etc.
Problems of abuse, despair etc.
Methamphetamine labs.
As a soldier, better chance of being
sent to Iraq to serve.
Challenges for declining rural areas
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Believing the rural “myth.”
Providing a modern infrastructure.
Keeping young people at home.
Broadband access to the Net.
Keeping services available.
Being optimistic for the future.
Challenges for places that are
developing
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Not enough roads, schools, and
overall infrastructure.
Conflict between the “come here’s”
and locals.
Saying, no, to McDonald’s.
The aroma of fertilizer in the air
during garden parties.
Believing the “rural myth.”
Public libraries serving <2,500
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29% (2,666) of 9,137 total libraries.
Public Internet terminals—3.
Total operating income--$37,374.
On average, one paid FTE staff.
9% (242) have ALA/MLS librarian.
Books/serial volumes—11,414.
Public libraries serving <25,000
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79% (7,185) of 9,137 total libraries.
Public Internet terminals—5.
Total operating income--$201,005.
On average, four paid FTE staff.
33% (2364)--ALA/MLS librarian.
Books/serial volumes—27,607.
Some national “library’ trends
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Rural libraries are a "hot” topic.
Major players include: Western
Council of State Libraries; Gates
Foundation; [CA] Rural Library
Initiative, ALA/OLOS, etc.
Bookmobiles are rolling along.
Opportunities for distant learning.
Technology is “wagging the dog.”
Lingering library issues
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Budgetary concerns.
Insufficient number of staff.
Training and education of staff.
Identifying public’s perception.
Articulating goals/objectives.
Maintenance of technology.
Keeping “technology” in its place.
Technology: unanswered questions
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Effect on key borrowers?
Are there sustainable budgets?
And the poor will inherit the tech?
Disinterest by staff?
Effect on future staffing?
Does it increase remoteness?
And the future is?
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Concepts of rural and urban will
continue to mix. It will not make
any difference where a library is
located.
The key issue will be for library
and community leaders to work
together to define the role of
their library and insure its
sustainability.
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The End.