A Forum on the Public Library Inquiry

This detailed transcript captures a pivotal mid-century discussion about the role and future of public libraries in America, stemming from the landmark Public Library Inquiry. The book presents a candid forum where leading librarians, sociologists, and educators debate the institution's purpose, funding, and its relationship with an increasingly mass-media-saturated society.

The value here lies in the raw, unfiltered perspectives that reveal the professional anxieties and ideological battles of the era. Readers interested in library science history, public policy, or the sociology of knowledge institutions will find this an essential primary source. It provides a crucial historical lens for understanding the foundational arguments that continue to shape public library services today.