CILIP | Daniel L. Walters

Biography
Daniel L. Walters is President of ALA's Public Library Association and serves as Executive Director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District. The District received the John Cotton Dana Award in 2003 and 2004 for exceptional public relations campaigns and was selected as the Gale Publishing / Library Journal 2003 Library of the Year. In the last five years, District circulation of library materials has increased 105%, and in 2004 the District led the nation in programme attendance.

Daniel previously served as Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library (New York), Director of the Spokane Public Library (Washington), and held various positions in Washington State's King County Library System (Seattle) and North Central Regional Library (Wenatchee).

Abstract - The Emerging Agenda for Public Libraries

If the 1990's were years of growth for library construction and technology, the last five years have been characterized by shrinking budgets, shifts in service emphases, fewer open hours and the closure of libraries. The rapid expansion of new technologies has continued nevertheless. Libraries have also been compelled to deal with contested federal legislation affecting access by library patrons to court-protected content from the Internet and legislation infringing on library patrons' privacy and civil liberties.

This presentation will provide a view from the United States regarding major social and governmental forces that continue to set the agenda for public library funding, policy, management and services.

Updated: 04 October 2005