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September 1999 cover

Contents of September 1999 American Libraries


News Fronts

6  ALA

  • GetNetWise Makes Surfing Safer
  • ALA Joins USPS in Fraud-Prevention Effort
  • Banned Books Week
  • Chapter Report, by Christine Watkins

12  Washington

  • Federal Court Upholds E-rate
  • Filtering Mandate Introduced in House
  • Moving Beyond the Beltway: An Interview with
    Outgoing Washington Office Executive Director
    Carol C. Henderson

16  USA

  • Michigan Library Charges $100 for Unfiltered
    Internet Access
  • Atlanta Library Trustees’ Hiring Process Questioned
  • Blind Protestors call for Librarian’s Reinstatement
  • Library Scofflaws Face Arrest and Jail
  • Special Report: ALA Black Caucus Hits the Jackpot in Las Vegas, by AL Managing Editor Gordon Flagg

32  International

  • Zimbabwe Fair Offers Window into Africa
  • Global Reach

Features

44  Bibliographic Good vs. Evil in Buffy the Vampire Slayer

      BY GRACEANNE DECANDIDO
      Knowledge prevails over the forces of darkness, thanks to TV’s Rupert Giles, school librarian.

48  Compared to What? Or, Where to Find the Stats

      MARY JO LYNCH
      Statistics can toot the library horn or make the case for more funding.

52  Everything Old Is New Again

      BY DOUGLAS RABER
      The public library inquiry is as relevant today as it was 50 years ago.

56  Part of the Solution: Librarians Work to Stop Gun Violence

      BY ROBIN TREMBLAY-MCGAW
      A librarian-activist sees an emerging role for information professionals.

59  Quantifying Library Quality: A Homework Center Report Card

      BY JOHN P. BAILEY
      Libraries can pry open the door to more support by closing the statistics gap between programming input and outcomes.

64  Great American Public Libraries: HAPLR Ratings, Round Two

      BY THOMAS J. HENNEN JR.
      New federal data supplies more evidence of excellence.

69  Public Library Circulation Dips As Spending Continues to Climb

      BY LISA A. WRIGHT
      Juvenile circulation up 7% while adult circulation drops 2%.

71  Up to Speed on DVD

      BY WALT CRAWFORD
      It could—and should—be your library’s next medium.

75  Conference Call: To Fine or Not to Fine

      Public librarians DUSTY GRES and KAREN HICKLIN debate the finer points of overdues management.

80  Excellence in Action: 1999 ALA Award Winners

      Plus: Fyan Grant Yields High Returns, BY ERIC HANSEN.

Departments

36  Money Matters

38  Reader Forum

39  ALA President’s Message

      “The Spectrum Initiative Needs You”
      BY SARAH ANN LONG

40  Editorial

      “Mouths Wide Open”
      BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

43  On My Mind

      “The Tyranny of Professionalism”
      BY NED KEHDE

88  Currents

92  Internet Librarian

      “First Search in Your Nighty
      BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER

94  Technically Speaking

96  Librarian’s Library

101  Quick Bibs

      “The Kennedys”
      BY ILENE COOPER

98  Datebook

99  This Month

      “81 Years Ago”
      BY WAYNE WIEGAND

113  Career Leads

142  Index to Advertisers

144  Will’s World

      “Keeping Up with the Times”
      BY WILL MANLEY
 

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