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Abstract
How important is the presence and location of the public library within the city center? In other words, is the geographic location of a public library a significant determinant of 1) the quality of public life within a town and 2) the efficacy of the library in accomplishing its primary goals? In order to better understand the role of the library in civic life, this thesis discusses the history of the library, both globally and within the United States. Subsequently, it investigates the ways in which town planners have engaged with the problem of determining locations for public libraries. Finally, it examines how a public library can be an effective institution as a component of a vibrant town center through a close examination of the Mary Willis Library in Washington, Georgia.