From the humble beginnings of a single bookcase in 1873, the Kansas City Public Library grew into a bedrock cultural institution with an ambitious mission of bolstering the people’s welfare, inspiring lifelong learning, and empowering citizens through knowledge. Across one and a half centuries, Kansas Citians ranging from Walt Disney to entrepreneur Ewing Kauffman, civil rights activist Alvin Sykes, Mayor Kay Barnes, and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II, have sought out the Kansas City Public Library’s resources for professional inspiration, personal respite, and community uplift. Kansas City’s public library is an indispensable agent of community empowerment. On its 150th anniversary, its continuity of purpose—and its place at the heart of the city’s civic culture—is clearer than ever. Ever since its formative years in a wild western setting, and spanning decades of urbanization and social upheaval, the spectrum of the Library’s history is inseparable from that of Kansas City. Generations of patrons have sought out its resources for self-improvement, community uplift, or as a safe space to exist without obligation or payment. This meticulously researched book explores the Library’s record of achievement, the challenges it has weathered, the diverse backgrounds of its supporters, and, in some cases, its historical shortcomings. Today the Library enriches its community with innovative programming (recognized with a National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services), cutting-edge technology, and a commitment to serve all members of the community.

The ninth edition of this popular overview of the various programs and services offered by libraries offers best practice and useful tips for implementing them effectively. Building on the strong foundation of the previous editions, award-winning author G. Edward Evans returns with a new co-author, Stacey Greenwell, for this update that combines their signature style of textbook readability, informality, and sometimes humor, as well as their knack for balancing foundational topics and new trends. A new feature in this edition is the incorporation of the concept of "library social work" through "Social Work Connections" sidebars in each chapter. Anecdotes throughout the text and "Career Connections" sidebars offer practical advice and specific current examples. Greenwell and Evans have combined several chapters from the previous edition and expanded discussions of new trends while retaining and updating the fundamentals. The ninth edition is a welcome update for library and information science courses and a valuable handbook for public services librarians.