When the O-Jays sang their hit song “Give the People What They Want” in 1975, they could have had no idea that thirty-three years later it would become one of the theme songs for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. The sentiment resonates as strongly now as it did then. As any political leader knows, the challenge is to determine just what the people want, and then to have the resources, means, and will to deliver it.
We who work in the library community face this challenge all of the time: it is in the unspoken request at the heart of the reference interview, in the choices we make between “popular” and “literary” novels with a shrinking collections budget, in the decision to limit one program (ready to read?) in order to expand another (computer literacy for adult learners?). The articles in this issue of Alki explore the challenges of finding out what our communities want and then delivering it to them.
Alki Editor: Julie Miller
Alki Editorial Committee: Sue Anderson, committee chair; Matthew Berube; Michael Cook; Diane Cowles; Lynne King; Bo Kinney; Erin Krake; Rayette Sterling
Alki was designed by Tammy Reniche, Director of Publications for Melby Cameron & Anderson.
Front Cover: Summer reader Ben Seran adds a piece to the Mona Lisa at Jefferson County Library. Photo provided by the Jefferson County Library
