ABSTRACT
This chapter explores three major themes together to begin to chart a roadmap for how public library services could be developed. It discusses the need to put social justice at the heart of what public libraries are about; the vital need for leadership and direction for services; and the development of proper needs-based library services. The chapter focuses on a range of ideas and activities from the UK and abroad and brings together the best existing practices and research. It also explores two case studies; first case study is the Working Together Project in Canada, introduced by Kenneth Williment, Community Development Manager, and Halifax Public Libraries. The chapter draws on the research carried out by Kerry Wilson and Briony Birdi, on the role of empathy in community librarianship. This research has indicated that the greatest weakness and the biggest challenge facing library services which want to tackle social exclusion is how to change the role of the librarian.
