World War II presented America's public libraries with the daunting challenge of meeting new demands for war-related library services and materials with Depression-weakened collections, inadequate budgets and demoralized staff, in addition to continuing to serve the library's traditional clientele of women and children seeking recreational reading. This work examines how libraries could respond to their communities need through the use of numerous primary and secondary sources.

Reviews

'meticulously researched… The book's content is complemented by a detailed index; a fifteen-page bibliography that will provide excellent guidance' - Joanne E. Passet, Libraries and the Cultural Record