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Investigates the growing significance of project‐based work in the public library sector, using as an example the field of reader development. Drawing on the Branching Out national reader development initiative (1998‐2001), and on input provided by staff in participating authorities and members of the project management team, it examines the role of the project manager. It looks specifically at the requirement of project managers to co‐ordinate a piece of work from a central position in the organisational structure. The paper acknowledges the difficulties of managing change, and suggests means of overcoming these, using the Branching Out model. It concludes that cultural and structural change will only be achieved in the longer term with the support and commitment of all staff, which will only be achieved through widespread project dissemination.

A recent research project examined partnerships between booksellers, publishers, library suppliers and librarians that were being used to promote books and reading. The full project report, Partnership in Promotion, contains an extensive literature review, referring to over 70 items – journal articles, books, conference proceedings, manuals and news items – as well as a range of organizations and resources in the field of reading promotion. In this article, the seminal texts of the last ten years (1992‐2001) are reviewed in order to highlight the rise of reader development and the growing partnership working among sectors of the book industry. The purpose of the article is to draw together the principal texts in this largely uncharted area in order to provide practitioners with a concise and reliable guide to developments of the last decade.

Social inclusion is high on the Government’s agenda but the role of public libraries in this area has not always been clearly defined. This paper first examines the issue of social exclusion, attempting to define the inclusive society. Drawing on recent work by the Library and Information Commission (2000), it then proposes that research conducted by the University of Central England – A Place for Children and The Value and Impact of Homework Clubs in Public Libraries – demonstrates the capacity of the public library service to combat the exclusion of the child from society, by enabling access to the adult world. The paper concludes that the public library service supports the educational, social and cultural development of all citizens, indeed that it is the essence of inclusion. Public libraries must therefore be integrated into the infrastructure for inclusion, and recommendations towards this end are made.

This paper considers the capacity of the public library service to support adult basic skills education. Research and policy documents pertaining to this subject in the fields of librarianship and education are presented, from which issues are identified that can prevent the public library from being effective in its basic skills provision. The Vital Link project (2001‐2002) is introduced as an example of a recent initiative that attempted to create a sustainable link between adult literacy and public libraries. Findings of a key aspect of the qualitative evaluation of The Vital Link are presented, with a focus on recommended changes to the public library service. The paper concludes that although barriers preventing effective service delivery are complex, the key to removing them may be more straightforward.

Until recently, performance measurement in public libraries had largely failed to address the issue of evaluating the quality of service provision. Investigates the potential to measure the impact on staff and users of reader development, currently a key concern to the public library sector. Uses examples as the best value inspection process, a current form of performance measurement, and Branching Out, an ongoing national reader development initiative. Concludes that the qualitative, person‐centred evaluation methodologies developed via projects such as Branching Out could support any local authority preparing its own service evaluation, and could arguably enhance any evaluative documentation, for example the Best Value Performance Plan.

To provide a comparative review of the teaching of Readers' Advisory Services in schools of library and information science in selected schools in the USA, Canada and Europe.

After reviewing the literature, schools are selected based on their known activity in providing readers' advisory service courses or on their national ranking (in the case of US schools) to provide a snapshot of current level of readers' advisory instruction.

Instruction in readers' advisory services is a very small part of the total curriculum in schools examined. Librarians who wish to gain more insight to readers' advisory services must depend on continuing education opportunities, such as workshops and conference programs, not on courses in the curriculum of schools of library and information science.

This paper raises questions as to the relationship between library and information science curricula and the needs of practicing librarians to provide services to leisure readers. It finds that, despite an increased interest in providing readers' advisory services in libraries, library education is not responding to that need and continuing education and training programs are essential to providing librarians who are well prepared to serve leisure readers. For schools which are contemplating adding coursework in these areas, the case studies detail courses as they are offered at other institutions.

This paper presents a summary of international research in the field of family reading, a subject which refers both to the development of the literacy skills of family members, and to their shared process of reading.

It begins by defining the key terms in family reading, then introduces the research methods employed in research in this area.

Research specifically focusing on parents is presented, with particular reference to young parents and fathers in prison. The issue of intergenerational reading is also introduced, whereby (in this instance) the young and the elderly share experiences via reading. The final theme of the paper is that of families sharing reading for pleasure, and public reading events for families are described. The paper concludes with a series of barriers to family reading, and a suggested model of effective family reading, for families and communities in any country.

In a paper of this scale and length, it is impossible to give more than a limited perspective of international research on family reading, yet the author believes that sufficient examples are given – and the research methods sufficiently globally applicable – for the paper to be of theoretical and practical value to public and school librarians, and academics.

The paper collates and reflects on examples of international research and practice, whilst providing a solid framework of research methods in the area of family reading.

The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the literature within the fields of public librarianship, social exclusion and empathy.

The cross‐disciplinary review involved the consultation of material from disciplines including library and information management, politics, social policy and social sciences, cultural studies, psychology, management and organizational theory. It was structured according to the following themes: exclusion, inclusion and social policy, social inclusion in public services and the cultural sector, the role of public libraries in social inclusion and professional empathy and the public library service. Findings –The concept of social inclusion remains at the core of public library policy and strategy, and is embedded in contemporary social theory. Conflicting views have emerged as to the perceived and actual role of the public library in combating social exclusion, with a need expressed for research to be conducted that bridges the gap between the “philosophical” interpretations of community librarianship and the more practical, “real world” studies, in order to fully understand the concept of community librarianship. A critical link is made between social inclusion and public librarianship to professional empathy.

The paper provides an edited version of the overall literature review, yet it is felt that it would be of theoretical and practical relevance and value to the professional and academic communities.

Empathy is a relatively new concept in librarianship research, and prior to the study of which this review forms a part only limited findings have been available.

The purpose of this paper is to present findings of a study investigating the reading of, and engagement with minority ethnic fiction in UK public libraries, with a particular focus on Black British fiction and Asian fiction in English.

A quantitative study of the reading behaviour of a large population of public library users (n=1,047) from the East Midlands region. A survey was distributed at issue points in 16 libraries in nine participating local authorities, to investigate respondents' reading choices, and factors that may affect these choices.

Findings have emerged regarding the readers and non‐readers of Black British and Asian fiction in English. Social identity theory and reader response theory, whilst initially appearing contradictory, are helpful in understanding patterns of reading behaviour.

The paper provides a valuable starting point for future research in materials portraying, and originating from, minority ethnic communities.

The paper identifies areas in which public libraries, publishing houses and minority ethnic community groups can improve the provision and promotion of minority ethnic fiction.

It is hoped that longer‐term effects will be to increase the involvement of members of all communities in the selection and promotion of culturally appropriate materials.

The paper addresses a gap in previous research and practice, whereby the provision of multicultural resources was always considered only in linguistic, rather than in broader cultural terms, the latter felt to be more appropriate to contemporary society.