December 1998 cover

Contents of December 1998 American Libraries


News Fronts

6  ALA

13  Washington

14  USA

26  International


Features

36  A Life in Literacy

      BY GARY STRONG
      A longtime advocate of literacy programs looks at where we've been and where we should go in the coming century.
      Plus: Toward a New Definition of Literacy, by Audrey Gorman

40  From Among Us: Literacy Programs Offer Tangible Benefits

      BY MARY ANNE DiALESANDRO
      Adult learners and tutors share their tales of libraries and literacy.

46  Literacy 101 for the Digital Age

      BY CARLA J. STOFFLE
      Academic librarians must rethink their roles.
      Plus: Learning from the Teaching Libraries, by Kimberley M. Donnelly

49  Real-Life Empowerment: through Family-Centered Literacy

      BY CAROLE TALAN
      Participants strive to fulfill their roles in the areas of work, family, community, and self.

52  21st-Century Literacy: Librarians Must Lead

      BY JO ANN ELLINGSON
      Libraries will avoid obsolescence if they become literacy brokers.

54  National Leadership Grants Fund Innovative Institutes

      BY KATHLEEN DE LA PEÑA McCOOK
      The venerable program moves to a new federal agency.

58  The Changing Face of Youth Services in China

      BY LEONARD KNIFFEL
      An American delegation assesses how kids are faring as libraries adapt to the contradictions of a socialist market economy.


Departments

29  Money Matters

30  Reader Forum

31  ALA President's Message

      "An Open Letter to Karen Crane"
      BY ANN K. SYMONS

33  Editorial

      "What to Say to Somebody Who Thinks Libraries Are Passé"
      BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

35  On My Mind

      "Ethics: It Isn't Just Presidents Who Get in Trouble!"
      BY JAMES CASEY

62  Currents

64  Internet Librarian

      "So They Won't Hate the Wait: Time Control for Workstations"
      BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER

66  Technically Speaking

67  ALA Executive Board Quarterly Report

68  Librarian's Library

69  Quick Vids

      "Seeking Refuge"
      BY GARY HANDMAN

71  Datebook

72  This Month

      "299 Years Ago . . . "
      BY WAYNE WIEGAND

73  Career Leads

103  Index to Advertisers

104  Will's World

      "Can't We All Get Along?"
      BY WILL MANLEY

105  American Libraries Index, vol. 29, 1998