BEYOND FOUR WALLS: ADULT LITERACY SERVICES IN QUEENSLAND PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

Fifteen years on from the 1988 International Literacy Year many public libraries in Queensland have come a long way in the level and depth of adult literacy services they provide. Many library services offer programs that 'work in the context of people's lives in the community', and this has meant that more staff are venturing beyond the four walls of the library. This paper describes the role of the State Library of Queensland in offering adult literacy services statewide, and showcases a number of libraries providing services and programs to rural and remote, Indigenous, and metropolitan communities, Although resource constraints apply, the main limitation for libraries and their communities in providing adult literacy services are negative attitudes to a need in all communities, a need which is often hidden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]