| To inquire is to enlist the help of others to further our own understandings (Lindfors, 1994). This conceptualization of inquiry was the underlying assumption supporting the research reported here. The purpose of the research was to inquire into the nature of public library services for young children in early childhood care and education settings by utilizing the knowledge and experience of libraries and librarians involved in delivering such service. The research was guided by three fundamental questions: What services are public libraries providing to young children in child care settings? What factors within a given library define and shape the services for this client group? Why are services provided or, conversely, denied to this group?;The sites for the study were six public libraries in the Central Texas area. Through means of a preliminary questionnaire, sites were purposefully selected to include libraries of differing types, sizes, and service orientations. In keeping with qualitative research methodologies, data sources included formal interviews, informal conversations, observations, documents, and artifacts collected at the sites. Data were collected over an eight month period.;Analysis of the data produced descriptive case reports of each of the research sites. Each case report includes a physical description of the library, characteristics of the library staff (including the children's services provider), an account of specific services the location provides to young children in child care settings, as well as a broader look at the culture, constraints, and pressures that employees at the particular site encounter on a regular basis.;Further interpretation of the data, through a cross-case analysis, resulted in a conceptualization of the contextual factors that define a library's service emphasis and which shape the library's service response. An analytic model is presented that has potential for assisting libraries in developing and enhancing services to young children in child care settings. Suggestions for further research are included. |
