Borrow it
Coverart for item
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

Creator
Author
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 clear and engaging 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 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 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. 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"--
  • "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"--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
331 pages
Contents
  • 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
Instance
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
Title variation
  • People's history of the American public library
  • Part of our lives
Title variation remainder
a peoples history of the American public library
Creator
Author
Subject
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 clear and engaging 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 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 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. 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"--
  • "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"--
Tone
Writing style
Assigning source
  • Provided by publisher
  • Provided by publisher
http://library.link/vocab/ext/novelist/bookUI
10450867
Cataloging source
DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1946-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Wiegand, Wayne A.
Dewey number
027.473
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/resourcePreferred
True
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Public libraries
  • Libraries
  • Public opinion
  • Library users
  • Public libraries
  • Libraries and community
  • Libraries and society
  • Books and reading
  • HISTORY
  • HISTORY
http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/titleRemainder
a people's history of the American public library
Label
Part of our lives : a people's history of the American public library, Wayne A. Wiegand
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
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
ocn907657663
Dimensions
26 cm
Extent
331 pages
Isbn
9780190248000
Isbn Type
(hardcover)
Lccn
2015014209
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)907657663
Label
Part of our lives : a people's history of the American public library, Wayne A. Wiegand
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
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
ocn907657663
Dimensions
26 cm
Extent
331 pages
Isbn
9780190248000
Isbn Type
(hardcover)
Lccn
2015014209
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
(OCoLC)907657663

Subject

Library Locations

    • Central LibraryBorrow it
      710 W. Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX, 78701, US
      30.2713021 -97.7460168
    • Milwood BranchBorrow it
      12500 Amherst Dr, Austin, TX, 78727, US
      30.4223444 -97.7161692
    • Manchaca Road BranchBorrow it
      5500 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX, 78745, US
      30.2166039 -97.79733689999999

Library Links

Structured data from the Bibframe namespace is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Austin Public Library. Additional terms may apply to data associated with third party namespaces.