A great chain of people and organizations in our society create, produce, and distribute information. Worthwhile end-products require a somewhat symbiotic relationship between related organizations. One such relationship existed between the children’s publishing industry and public library children’s departments until recent changes in the children’s publishing industry undermined this delicate relationship. The publishers’ increasing interest in the retail market has caused publishers to breed familiarity with the public market, print lavish illustrations, and change book formats, creating many difficulties that libraries must now confront.
