Abstract

Public libraries thoughts in the United States of America are all kind of theories and opinions in the process of public library economy and services. The main forms of early public libraries include parish libraries, subscription libraries, circulating libraries and school-district libraries. Although these kind of libraries are not public libraries, they have more or less attributes and characteristics like that of public libraries. The Universal establishment of public library legislation lay the foundation for the wide spread of public library thoughts, with Charles Coffin Jewett and his theories on public libraries inquiry as representatives. In the late 19th century with the mark of Public Libraries in the United States of America: Their History, Condition and Management: Special Report and the 1876 Philadelphia Conference, the public library thoughts in the United States began to grow into maturity. The public library thoughts in mature period mainly include public education theories of public libraries, collections theories of public libraries, librarians qualifications theories of public libraries and the theories of public libraries and democratic politics, etc. , with the people's university of Melvil Dewey and libraries of the people, by the people and for the people of William Fletcher being the important representative thoughts in this period. In the early 20th century, promoted by the impetuses including Carnegie Library Plan, library war service in World WarⅠand Victory Book Campaign in World War Ⅱ, the American public library thoughts disseminate and expand even further. The American librarianship attach importance to the role and function of public libraries in the public education, pay attention to the collections developments, value the improvements of librarians quali fications, think highly of the publicity and notice of the public library movement, and take seriously the relationship between the public library and the American democracy, thus bring many useful lessons and references for the constructions and developments of the public libraries in China.

Key words: Public library; Academic thought; Library science;American Library history; Library figure