Questions on the many services offered by community agencies in the St. Louis area are now being answered by librarians in the city-wide St. Louis Public Library system through CRIS, the Community Resource Information System developed by the Health and Welfare Council of Metropolitan St. Louis Access to the comprehensive index of human care and specialized educational resources is provided to each of the eighteen branch libraries through a central directory located at the Main Library. Persons seeking specific information concerning where and how to get aid for their problems-including inquiries related to income and economic opportunity, basic material needs, health, knowledge and skills, family and individual assistance and development, and community services-may visit or call their nearest St. Louis branch library of Main Library, 1301 Olive Street. Addresses and telephone numbers of branch libraries are listed in both sections of the telephone directory under Libraries-pub -lie. Information is provided also at the Main Library, 1301 Olive Street, telephone 241-2288, extension 301. When libraries are closed, telephone inquiries to library’S night reference number, 241-2277, will be recorded and answers called back the next business day. The comprehensive index in microfiche form provides an alphabetical and cross-referenced listing of more than 1,000 agencied and their 5,000 services, including hours, parking information necessary to enable persons to determine which of several possible resources best fit their needs. CRIS service is provided free to all persons by the St. Louis Public Library system in an effort to make the information more widely and easily available throughout the community. Continual updating of the index is provided by the Health and Welfare Council to the library system and 25 other subscribers to the service. CRIS serves also as a resource adjunct to the library’s new Live and Learn educational referral and counseling program.
Originally published in The Paper, February 1975.
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Original source: SD_Times1975_02.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
