The public library is unique in its information mission. It is important to make this activity as strong as we can in our libraries. The public library's mission is to meet the information needs of everyone who lives in the community, not just the people who use the library. The library must often reach out to people who have information needs but have not thought of using the library. The library must also take steps to assure that all who do contact the library are made to feel welcome and at ease.
Libraries try to meet the information needs of everyone in the community.
The public service staff are the people who talk to the patrons, find out their needs and follow up to make sure those needs have been met. Many people in your own library and throughout the state work to support library service, but the public service staff are the only ones who have direct public contact. No one else can have the same influence you do on the day to day success of the library in actually meeting information needs of people. Therefore, the library staff working directly with the public has the ultimate responsibility for making sure the patrons' information needs are met. This may involve enlisting the cooperation of other library staff and administrators in ensuring that strong emphasis is placed on the role of the library in providing information to the public.