Libraries in Communities: Expected and Unexpected Portrayals in State Case Law

Social analyses of libraries are important for understanding their community roles. State case law from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona was examined for references to public and academic libraries from 1900 to 2002. Qualitative analysis was used to group references into categories, and historical context is also discussed. Libraries are important in communities as physical and social places, as community and information centers, and as parts of political and economic structures. Conclusions were that libraries were used in both expected and unexpected ways by social actors.