Inside Libraries, Issue Two, April ‘96

Out of the ashes of Library Video Magazine (which went to that great video magazine editing suite in the sky back in 1990), a phoenix arises, Inside Libraries, and if the first two editions are any indication, we're betting that this bird is gonna have wings. At its best, LVM offered stories which either touched the heart, the head, or the funny bone (or were just quirky), and it looks as if IL is following in that tradition. The opening segment of Issue Two--on getting the friends group to help during a library initiative campaign (what a novel concept!)--found me repeatedly pressing the channel changer, until I remembered I wasn't watching TV. The next segment, however, grabbed me squarely by the lapels of my 30% cotton sweater: "Reaching At-Risk Families" chronicled the innovative efforts of three library programs which went out to meet the community in childcare clinic waiting rooms, Head Start centers, and through library sponsored tutor programs. The library went even further out in the following section, which looked at Anne Arundel's latest branch: an unmanned (job seekers beware) electronic kiosk in the mall, where patrons could browse the library catalog and access basic reference materials. The tape closed with an uplifting piece about teens volunteering as puppeteers for the library. With ALA members receiving an additional $10 off, the $100 investment for three episodes works out--on my $4 K-Mart calculator--to $33.3333333. A pretty good bargain, I think. One or two fruitful ideas out of the myriad presented over the course of a year will easily cover the subscription price. Recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)