Museums Libraries and Urban Vitality

<p> This volume documents the growing trend for cities and towns throughout America to use museums and libraries as vehicles for economic development. Museums of all types and sizes and libraries from main street behemoths to neighborhood branches are being used to stimulate inner-city revitalization as well as neighborhood renewal programs. These public amenities draw citizens tourists and new development to a city's venues providing a public place for people to focus and gather. In short the small public investment paid for these cultural centers is much less than the dollars returned to taxpayers from tourism and economic development.</p><p> This collection of essays presents case studies from Austin Baltimore Boston Brooklyn Charleston Christchurch Cincinnati Denver Des Moines Hartford Germantown Indianapolis Kansas City Lanark Little Rock Memphis Minneapolis Miramar Pekin Philadelphia Phoenix Portland Prince Rupert St. Louis St. Paul San Jose Seattle Tacoma Tallahassee Toronto Valencia and Wakefield. The case study topics include the role of museums and libraries in promoting urban renewal and downtown redevelopment revitalizing urban centers enhancing smart communities influencing eco-friendly municipal construction trends and stimulating private development. The work includes several regional and national resource directories a glossary and an index to facilitate reference to particular communities and projects throughout the country.</p>