Contents of January 2000 American Libraries

News Fronts

8 ALA

Texas Woman’s University Chosen for
Outsourcing Study
President Long Appoints
Core Competencies Task Force
“Connect for Kids” Day to Start
National Library Week
School Librarians Unleash Their Power at AASL
in Alabama, by George M. Eberhart
Chapter Report, by Christine Watkins

20 Washington

Clinton Vows to Shut “Digital Divide”
President Signs Budget with Nonspecified Cuts
Supreme Coutr Considers Aid to Parochial Schools
President Renominates NCLIS Commissioners

22 USA

Michigan AFA Forces Votes on Filters
Detroit Public Library Staff Lacks Contract
after 18 Months
Financial Bailout Hatched for Flint Public Library
Southern Connecticut State to Offer Online MLS

34 International

Librarians Bring Concerns to Global Trade Talks
Global Reach

Features

50 2000 Is Here! What Happened to the Visions?

BY LEONARD KNIFFEL
A look back at some wondrous, improbable, and just-plain-wrong predictions about libraries in the 21st century.

54 Determining Our Digital Destiny

BY ROY TENNANT
The game has changed, and if libraries still want to play they’ll have to invent their own future.

60 Is the American Public Library Part of Everyone’s Life?

BY BERNARD VAVREK
A Clarion University survey director compares findings about the impact of libraries.

66 Why Outsourcing Happens, and What to Do about It

BY HERBERT S. WHITE
There’s no need to make a federal case out of contracting out if you are filling the information needs of your users.

72 From Petroglyphs to CD-ROMs: A Story about Information

BY WALT CRAWFORD
Just as ancient cave drawings told stories, so too do library resources.

76 After the War in El Salvador

BY MARTHA E. McPHAIL
Libraries help reconstruct a land split by a 12-year civil war.

80 To Be Black and a Librarian: Talking with E. J. Josey

A pioneer African-American educator and activist reflects on nearly a half-century of librarianship.

86 ALA Heads for the Border: Midwinter Meeting Preview

Departments

7 ALA President’s Message

“Questions We Must Ask Ourselves as the Century Turns ”
BY SARAH ANN LONG

40 Money Matters

42 Thus Said

44 Reader Forum

46 Editorial

“There’s Nothing to Be Learned from the Future”
BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

49 On My Mind

“Socially Responsible Librarianship Champions Privacy”
BY SARAH BRYAN

94 Currents

96 Internet Librarian

“My Patron Wrote Me a Letter: The Joy of E-Mail Reference”
BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER