publishing is thriving. A lot of electronic information is not
very easy to use, and its validity can be questionable. Staff
training is stressed at Thrall in this changing environment.
Currently (Summer 1996) Middletown Thrall Library has staff
Internet access only. Policy is being formulated to cover a
variety of situations in which the public will be given Internet
access, and the role of the reference staff in assisting patrons
is being determined.
Mr. Gallagher sees the new library as the cornerstone in
downtown urban renewal. "Middletown Thrall Library was a big
investment for this city," he said. O. Mindful of this
investment Mr Gallagher keeps the city well informed about the
library's programs, offerings, and policies. This spring he
wrote a brief brochure for the public highlighting events that
took place the first year in the new building. (See a copy of
"Middletown Thrall Library: Year One" in the Appendix. ]
A shared goal of both Mr. Gallagher and Mrs. Aumick is to
continue to build up existing print collections, especially
fiction classics. For years the space constraints in the old
building made retrospective collection development impossible.
Another service goal is to reach out to more of Middletown's
minority populations. The information "haves" and "have nots"