Contents of September 2000 American Libraries

News Fronts

8 ALA

700 Letters Protest Erotica Conference Program
Grolier Grant Supports “@ Your Library”
Verizon Wireless Donates $100,000
Peggy Barber: Reminiscences and
Hopes for the Future

14 Washington

Appropriations Bill Mandates Filters
Child Protection Group Holds Final Hearing
Two Librarians Named to Internet Porn Panel

16 USA

Report: LC Must Develop Better Digital Strategy
Louisiana Obscenity Complaint Leads to
3-Hour Closing
Stark County Strikes; Two Branches Closed
Fire Closes Clearwater Branch; Teens Arrested
Special Report: Reforma Taps Into the Power of
Language, by Beverly Goldberg

33 International

British Library Disposing of Newspapers
Library in Ghana Gets Books from Michigan
Learn to Share, British Libraries Told
Global Reach

Theme Features

45 An Enduring Challenge, Gladly Accepted

Guest Editor PEGGY SULLIVAN introduces three articles on the myriad joys that libraries bring to their patrons' pursuit of happiness.

46 The Key to Intellectual Freedom Is Universal Access to Information

BY PAUL R. BURDEN
Barriers to knowledge exist, and it is up to all of us to help remove them.

50 The Public Library as Great Equalizer

BY BARBRA LEVIN
Public libraries are one of the few truly public community venues left in the United States.

52 Who Says It's Always Greener on the Other Side?

BY CAROLYN A. SHEEHY
Unseen benefits may be useful in libraries' recruiting efforts.

Other Features

56 Untangling the E-book Muddle

BY WALT CRAWFORD
There's more to e-books than the locked reading devices we've been hearing so much about.

60 Managing Internet Access: Survey Results

BY LEIGH S. ESTABROOK AND ED LAKNER
There's nothing laissez-faire about the approach public librarians are taking toward regulating Internet access.

64 Windy City Wrap-up

The pick of the programs from ALA's Annual Conference in Chicago.
Plus Council and Executive Board reports, beginning on page 81.

86 Welcomed to the Limelight: ALA Award Winners

96 Libraries Team Up with Bill Moyers to Tackle Tough End-of-Life Issues

BY SUSAN BRANDEHOFF
A new PBS series offers free programming materials.

Departments

7 ALA President’s Message

“Building Partnerships for 21st-Century Literacy”
BY NANCY KRANICH

37 Thus Said

38 Reader Forum

39 Editorial

“The Library of Congress Gets an F”
BY GEORGE M. EBERHART

42 On My Mind

“It Isn't Rocket Science; It Isn't Even Library Science”
BY DAVID ISAACSON

78 Technically Speaking

“First-timers and Alliances Mark the Exhibits ”
BY DAVID DORMAN

100 Currents

103 Internet Librarian

“Round Up the Usual Suspects: Filters, COPA, and All That”
BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER