Here's an interesting article from the Nashville Public Library's director about what they found after conducting focus groups with various people - including library users and non-library-users:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080729/OPINION01/807290353/1008

One of the phrases that struck me from this article is that people want the library to be a "civic living room." This is similar to the "third place" concept that's been floating around recently -- not home, and not work, just a place to go and hang out and read magazines, use the Internet (either on library computers or wireless), participate in programs, etc.

This is a really interesting time to be a librarian, that's for sure.

Here's an interesting article about how libraries are busier than ever now that the economy is tanking (and speaking of tanks, now that people can't afford to travel far!)

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/public_libraries_boom_as_econo.html