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January 1998 cover

Contents of January 1998 American Libraries


News Fronts

7  ALA

  • William Gordon Selected Executive Director
  • Long, Gomez to Compete for 1999-2000 Presidency
  • ALA and ACLU Receive Hefner Free-Speech Award
  • Outsourcing Task Force to Meet at Midwinter
  • Spectrum Initiative Gathers Steam
  • ALA Joins "Read Across America" Campaign Launched by NEA
  • Chapter Report, by Christine Watkins

19  Washington

  • ALA Praises Internet Copyright Bill
  • Senator Coats Introduces CDA Successor
  • Elizabeth Sywetz Named IMLS Deputy Director

21  USA

  • Internet Summit Seeks Ways to Protect Kids Online
  • Will the New Year Sprout a New Leaf for DCPL?
  • Director Shoulders Blame in Assessment Dispute
  • Following Merger, Dialog Dismisses 330
  • Troubled Las Vegas Staff Asks Union Recognition
  • and more

40  International

  • Field Trip to Palestinian Libraries Yields Audience with Arafat: Special Report by Ron Chepesiuk
  • Guadalajara Book Fair Offers Peerless Spanish-Language Collection: Special Report by Ron Chepesiuk

Features

66  The McLibrary Syndrome

      BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER
      The furor over outsourcing is much more than a bottom-line battle—it cuts to the heart of librarianship

72  Why Outsourcing Is Our Friend

      BY RONALD A. DUBBERLY
      Only the outsourced will survive in the growing clamor for lean, mean service machines

76  Return of the Native

      BY RICHARD ABEL
      An outsourcing pioneer maintains that the concept has been misunderstood and abused

80  The Politics of Cultural Authority

      BY WAYNE A. WIEGAND
      High-profile library positions are persistently "outsourced" because we haven't learned from our professional history

84  At Age 32, the Amistad Center Is Poised for Attention

      BY K. G. WILKINS
      ALA's Midwinter Meeting-goers: Take time to see a unique collection of African Americana

88  StoryLines America Joins Libraries and Public Radio in Smash Kick-off

      BY GEORGIA LOMAX and SUSAN BRANDEHOFF
      Regional literature reaches readers over the airwaves

91  Guidelines for Writing Children's Internet Policies

      BY SHARON CAMPBELL
      An Internet professional offers a practical checklist


Departments

48  Money Matters

52  Reader Forum

54  ALA President's Message

      "Visions, Values, and Opportunities"
      BY BARBARA J. FORD

56  Editorial

      "Tortilla Soup Instead of Turkey, Por Favor"
      BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

62  On My Mind

      "Why People Still Need Libraries"
      BY DOROTHY BRODERICK

94  Currents

96  Internet Librarian

      "Predictions from the Magic Eight Ball" 
      BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER

98  Technically Speaking

100  Librarian's Library

102  Quick Bibs

      "Personal Bests"
      BY BILL OTT

103  Datebook

105  ALA 1998 Annual Conference Registration

112  Career Leads

134  Index to Advertisers

136  Will's World

      "The Worldwide Vanity Press"
      BY WILL MANLEY

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