The Solutions

This summary highlights the thrust of delegates' recommendations, noting specific proposal numbers where applicable. Major topic areas, each the subject of discussion and refinement by specific discussion groups, cover:

• Availability and Access to Information
• National Information Policies
• Information Networks Through Technology *
• Structure and Governance
• Services for Diverse Needs
• Training to Reach End Users
• Personnel and Staff Development
• Preservation of Information
• Marketing to Communities

Specific recommendations some overlapping - cover the full spectrum of ways the library and information services can advance the literacy, productivity, and democracy of the Nation's people. Priority, Recommendations, as determined in early deliberations by the Conference, are included at the conclusion of this section and are noted within the 95 adopted recommendations and petitions at Appendix C to this Summary Report.

Delegates recognize the fundamental need to reach and fully prepare young people to achieve literacy levels required by the rapidly changing dynamics of economic, political, and information global interdependence. One major element is the comprehensive Omnibus Children and Youth Literacy Through Libraries Initiative(SER02-1) calling for strong leadership and program inducements from the federal level to focus literacy support through state and local levels. Concurrently, the pivotal role of libraries and information services at the heart of the Nation's educational system underlies the recommendation that libraries be designated as educational agencies (NIP12-1),with requisite statutory and funding support. They should be a full participating partner and a centerpiece of America 2000, the President's strategy to revitalize American schools, (GOV02-3) to develop synergistic educational progress in preparing for the 21st Century.

The demographic changes which are expanding the Nation's multicultural and multilingual pluralism, particularly noticeable in the last decade, are reflected in proposals to meet an expanding diversity of needs. Cultural, linguistic, and minority-related recommendations (NIP-11-1) include increased information collection, data bases, technical assistance, and staff training for enhanced access and availability of information to meet these growing, underserved population groups, including African Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and Native Americans.

In parallel initiatives, delegates recommend specific approaches to enhance library and information services for the disadvantaged (*SER03-1), including proactive information service outreach and training initiatives (SER08-1) for the traditionally underaware and underserved. Recommendations include not only minority groups, but also the physically disabled, blind, and sign-language-dependent, to permit their full participation in realizing the benefits of lifelong learning experiences. In addressing other special needs, delegates recommend development of networking for small, rural, urban, and tribal libraries (*NET12-1) to ensure equitable information access in low-density population areas.

On a broad front, recommendations from virtually every topic area address aspects for improving the literacy level of citizens as key to increasing productivity and strengthening the deep roots of democracy in the Nation.

The challenges presented by the emergence of the "knowledge worker" in an information-driven global economy - a development affecting virtually every segment of the Nation's economy and workforce - are the focus of a wide range of specific recommendations from the Conference. Key proposals include ensuring formal recognition of all libraries as educational institutions for lifelong learning(*GOV05-3). To enhance productive use of resources, recommendations (TRA04-1, PER01-1) call for improvement in training of students and other users in higher education and alternative methods for building a corps of library and information services professionals. Sufficient funding support is critical for library and information programs in current and future legislation in order to permit their full contribution to U.S. productivity. Adequate support is of significant concern to the delegates (*NET05-1), and is reflected in recommendations from all Conference topic areas.

Of particularly high interest to meet the challenges of the interconnectivity and speed of information transmission, major recommendations support building a "superhighway" of information sharing through the National Research and Education Network ( TEC06-1). National leadership for sharing information resources through a national infrastructure (NIP08-1), establishing national standards for system compatibility (NET15-1), and encouragement of cooperative information and technology partnerships at all levels (NET10-1, TEC07-1) are representative of the significant Conference interest in meeting the competitive demands of the global marketplace in the Information Age. In specific business related proposals, recommendations include upgrading copyright statutes to keep pace with new technologies (*NIP02-1), and establishing business focused information centers (NIP02-1).

The explosive growth of information in this microchip-driven age both in volume and new formats and media - requires national policies for collection and preservation of information(*PRE01-1). At the same time, uniform standards and guidelines are required to improve indexing and access to material in electronic formats (ACC04-2), where an increasing amount of information requires adapting methods to collect, preserve, and ensure accessibility to increase productivity.

The underpinning of a strong democracy is the intellectual freedom to inquire, discover, question, validate, and create. Delegates emphasize that libraries and information services are key to a democracy, recommending legislation declaring libraries as educational agencies essential to a free democratic society (*NIP07-1) and assuring access to information resources, particularly government information (*ACC04-1). A number of additional recommendations continue the theme underscoring the essential nature of access to information received by the federal government or created at public expense. Specific recommendations call for more clearly defined guidelines for defining "national security" (ACC04-5) and reducing other procedural access barriers, including ensuring privacy and confidentiality for users of library resources and data bases (ACC03-1).

For the role of library and information services to be fully effective for a democratic society in the Information Age, evaluation of program effectiveness and marketing to the public are key to citizen awareness and use. Development of model library marketing programs to meet educational, business, and personal needs (*MAR01-1) should include models for evaluating community impact and needs of users (SER01-1, MAR 01-3). Such proactive approaches are consistent with the tenet of a democratic Nation to afford equal information opportunity to the broadest number of citizens for their full and informed participation in all aspects of the Nation's economic, political, cultural, and intellectual life.

Recommendations also propose enhanced policy and program administration and oversight by establishing Congressional committees (GOV01-2) and a presidential advisor on libraries and information services (NIP05-2), and by strengthening the Department of Education (NIP05-2) to fully integrate the participation of libraries and information services in the educational process and the America 2000 initiative.

To further the goals of the 1991 Conference, delegates also recommend formation of a National Institute for Library and Information Services (GOV01-3). They also recommend specific funding provisions for conducting a White House Conference on Library and Information Services at least every decade (NIP10-1) to establish national priorities as rapid and innovative changes in technology and information needs inevitably evolve.

Throughout the body of recommendations and petitions, a common denominator is recognition that the Conference is one part of an ongoing, dynamic, cooperative process involving a wide spectrum of public and private interests at federal, state, and local levels. The delegates worked diligently from the perspective that nearly 90 percent of the recommendations from the first WHCLIS in 1979 were acted on in some way during the last decade to help meet the dawning of the 1980s as the Information Revolution was emerging.

With the arrival of the Information Age, delegates are committed to the urgency of positive steps to implement the results of the second Conference to meet the needs of the 1990s and prepare for the 21st Century. Given the pace of change, the library and information services community looks forward to WHCLIS III by Year 2000 as another checkpoint to keep the Nation and its citizens current as the Information Age continues to broaden its reach to reshape a truly global society.

This overview of solutions to challenges facing the Nation's libraries and information services summarizes and draws directly from the language of Conference recommendations and petitions adopted by vote of the delegates.