Contents of May 1999 American Libraries
News Fronts
6 ALA
- Teleconference to Explore New Copyright Laws
- FamiliesConnect during National Library Week
- PLA Spring Symposium Draws Record Attendance
- Special Report: ACRL Gets Fired Up in the Motor City
- Chapter Report, by Christine Watkins
13 Washington
- Freedom of Information Day Celebrates Access
- Administration Opposes Mandated Filters
- Justice Department Appeals Blocking of COPA
- ALA Voices Opposition to Database Bill
16 USA
- Ex-Senator Paul Simon Says Literacy Needs Librarians
- NYPL, Columbia, Princeton Cooperate on Storage Site
- Internet Watchdogs Blast Overreach of SmartFilter
- Court Gives Indianapolis Go-Ahead for Tax Increase
- Special report: Popular Culture Association
- Special report: Art Libraries Society of North America
- Censorship Watch
30 International
- Booking It in Zimbabwe
- USIA Libraries Trashed in Yugoslavia
- Mexicali Hosts Foro Conference
- Leipzig Book Fair Turns New Leaf
- Global Quick Takes
- Global Reach
Features
44 Bucking the Monoliths: Publishing with a Mission
BY ANDRÉ SCHIFFRIN
A publishing veteran tells why we must resist the major-market scene.
47 Bits Is Bits: Pitfalls in Digital Reformatting
BY WALT CRAWFORD
The notion that digital copying is the solution to preservation problems and changing formats is a mistaken presumption.
50 Don't Power Up That E-book Just Yet
BY STEPHEN SOTTONG
The e-book is far from ready for library prime time, warns a leery librarian.
54 Reference As Others Do It
BY STEVE COFFMAN
Customer call centers offer models that libraries would be wise to emulate.
57 What's Right with Reference
BY DAVID A. TYCKOSON
The failures and successes of reference reform.
Plus: Common Sense and the Golden Rule, by Bill Miller
64 Outstanding Reference Sources: The 1999 Selection of New Titles
BY JOHN R. M. LAWRENCE
Plus: 1999 Dartmouth Medal Winner, by Richard H. Bleiler
And: Better Reference for 40% of Your Community, by Audrey Gorman
74 Conference Call: Internet Reference: Boon or Bane?
The Internet may be revolutionizing reference work, as Mary Ross argues, but traditional sources prevail, says John Lawrence.
80 Countdown 2000: Y2K and Its Impact
BY RON CHEPESIUK
Will the coming of the millennium be disastrous or noneventful?
BY BARBARA ALBEE AND BRENDA DINGLEY
Overall increases remain at double-digit levels. Plus: U.S. Serials Services Price Index for 1999, by Nancy J. Chaffin
Departments
Money Matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Opinion
Reader Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
ALA President's Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
“An Open Letter to Amy Owen”
BY ANN K. SYMONS Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
“Survey Says Librarians Rank Low in Stress. Hel-lo?”
BY LEONARD KNIFFEL
“Will Marvin's Legacy Be Placed in Jeopardy?” . . . . . . . . . . 40
BY ELLEN ZYROFF AND JACK FORMAN
On My Mind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
“Full Circle, Back to Selecting and Organizing”
BY JUDITH METCALF
Currents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Internet Librarian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
“Let Your Fingers Do the Collection Development—Online”
BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER
Technically Speaking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Librarian's Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Quick Bibs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
“The New Western”
BY BILL OTT
Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
This Month . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
“113 Years Ago . . . ”
BY WAYNE WIEGAND
Career Leads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Index to Advertisers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Will's World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
“Who Has the Best Secretary in Libraryland?”
BY WILL MANLEY