Open AccessMaking Connections: Challenges and Benefits of Joint Use Libraries as Seen in One Community
Author(s) -
Joanna Kluever,
Wayne Finley
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
school libraries worldwide
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2816-3788
pISSN - 1023-9391
DOI - 10.29173/slw6828
Subject(s) - general partnership , context (archaeology) , joint (building) , public relations , school library , library classification , library science , sociology , political science , business , economic growth , engineering , geography , computer science , economics , finance , architectural engineering , archaeology
This paper explores research relating to the challenges and benefits of joint use libraries and places these issues in the context of one community's joint use library. In 2002, the Julia Hull District Library, located in rural Stillman Valley, Illinois, USA, entered into a contractual agreement with the village School District to move the library from a small family home, to a new facility which was built on to the Village high school. Originally, the partnership, as is common with joint library endeavors, was created for economic reasons: the school and library districts would share costs, materials, and resources for the benefit of local taxpayers to accommodate student and public patrons. While new opportunities to connect student and public library users through library programs and services have arisen, since the merger, the community has realized additional benefits and challenges foreshadowed by prior international research.