ABSTRACT
Public libraries are committed to providing equal access to information for a widely diverse clientele. Getting beyond the rhetoric to make libraries and the information they provide truly accessible to all is the real challenge and arguably one which we have not always met with great success. It seems safe to say that in the view of many, the public library is an elitist organization primarily serving a white, well-educated, middle class clientele. Historically, patterns of use have borne this out. 1 This stereotype is further narrowed when such articles as “Click! The Feminization of the Public Library” 2 are taken into account. If the perception exists that we offer a service of limited value because it is designed for and delivered by a limited segment of our population (i.e., white, middle class, female) and if we are indeed committed to providing equal access to a diverse clientele, then we must make greater efforts to provide service that is flexible enough to aid an infinite variety of patrons.
