This title was a wonderful read, one I'm hoping I can interest my students (and colleagues) in. I deeply appreciate htis thoughtful presentation of a subject that is crucial now more than ever.

A fascinating and comprehensive account of public libraries in America from their earliest days to the present. As much a cultural history as simply a history of libraries, the book is full of anecdotes and personal testimonies, demonstrating how important libraries have always been and the vital role they have played in the nation’s development. Changing social attitudes, censorship, popular taste, the role of the library in the community, all these topics are explored here and it makes for some fascinating reading.