Contents of August 1998 American Libraries

News Fronts

6  ALA

• Gallup Poll Shows 66% of Adults Are Library Users
• 1999 National Library Week to Feature Photo Contest
• Kids Pick the Best of the Web
• AASL Unveils Information Literacy Standards
• Chapter Report, by Christine Watkins

11  Washington

• FCC Votes to Scale Back E-Rate Program
• ALA Wins Delay in Copyright Bill
• Subcommittee Passes Filtering Requirement
• Senators Urge Placing CRS Reports on Web
• House Passes Database Collection Legislation

14  USA

• Jersey City Board Ignores Protests, Votes to Privatize
• South Dakota Tornado Demolishes Library
• Medina Director Resigns, Foes Quick to Take Credit
• Librarians Scarce at Book Expo America, by Gordon Flagg
• Canadian Library Association Checks Reality in Victoria, by Martin Dowding
• Medical Librarians Return to Philadelphia for Centennial, by Leonard Kniffel
• Special Librarians Do It Knowledgeably in Indianapolis, by George M. Eberhart

34  International

• Open Society Institute in Budapest Examines Role of Association, by Carol Erickson
• Caribbean Librarians Meet in Miami
• Global Reach

Features

44  Satan's Shelving: Urban Library Legends

      BY STACEY HATHAWAY-BELL
      Librarians possess a rich and varied body of orally transmitted tall tales.

50  Diversity Takes Children to a Friendly Family Place

      BY SANDY FEINBERG and CARYN ROGOFF
      Working with other agencies is the key to finding families who don't yet patronize the library but need what it offers.

53  Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction Do Matter

      BY ELLEN ALTMAN and PETER HERNON
      Assessing service quality is the first step in retaining customers in today's competitive environment.

56  Mom and Me: A Difference in Information Values

      BY WAYNE WIEGAND
      Has information studies theory taken librarians for a ride?

60  Changing of the Editorial Guard

      She speaks softly, but for three decades Lillian Gerhardt, the tenacious editor of School Library Journal, has carried a big stick forged by integrity and a passion for the profession.

64  The OCLC Connection

      Upon his retirement, K. Wayne Smith catalogs the record of his MARC on librarianship.

66  Creating a Muniversity

      BY MELANIE LEVINSON
      Palm Springs Public Library brokers education by offering real-time interactive courses.

70  ALA Thinks Globally, Acts Federally

      The Association reaches around the world to give librarians a touch of Washington. Plus: Council and Executive Board reports.

100  Who Are These People?

      BY MARY JO LYNCH
      A new survey paints a portrait of public library trustees.

Departments

37  Money Matters

38  Reader Forum

39  ALA President's Message

      "Restricting Internet Restrictions"
      BY ANN K. SYMONS

40  Editorial

      "Give Me a Break"
      BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

58  On My Mind

      "Lamenting Librarians' Linguistic Lapses"
      BY KIRK DORAN

102  Currents

104  Internet Librarian

      "Ultra-Cool Cybertools" 
      BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER

106  Technically Speaking

108  Librarian's Library

109  Quick Bibs

      "Stormy Weather"
      BY BILL OTT

110  Datebook

112  This Month

      "100 Years Ago . . . "
      BY WAYNE WIEGAND

113  Career Leads

135  Index to Advertisers

138  Will's World

      "A New Pragmatism"
      BY WILL MANLEY