Fundamental changes in the California environment from how libraries are funded to how the electorate views immigration and diversity pose tremendous challenges for libraries and librarians in the 21st century. Despite these challenges, the outlook for California s public libraries is bright because support for public libraries runs wide and deep.
Public libraries are places where people help people get closer to their potential.
This is, perhaps, the most human of endeavors. The California State Library convened the Convocation on Providing Public Library Service to California s 21st Century Population on May 22-23,1997 with the goal of creating a vision of public library service in California. Over 100 library leaders and supporters gathered for two days of meetings and work sessions. Their purpose was to assess the state of library services to diverse populations and develop recommendations for new statewide programs that respond to the needs of California s population in the 21st century. The recommendations contained herein reveal participants ambitious dedication to redefining the role of public libraries in their communities.