Contents of June/July 2001 American Libraries

News Fronts

10  ALA

• Freedman Elected President
• Honorary Member Nominees Sought
• New Hampshire IFC Resigns in Protest
• Millennium Project Libraries Announced
• “Making Reading a Hobbit” Teen Read Week Theme
• @ Your Library Goes Global
• Student Chapter Money Available
• Chapter Report, by Christine Watkins

18  Washington

• Record Numbers Lobby Legislators
  as Budget Talks Peak
• Senators Lieberman, Burns
  Introduce E-Government Bill
• Schumer Bill Calls for Revitalizing Libraries
• Texas Librarian Picked to Head IMLS
• Bushes Promote Literacy as Budget Threatens RIF

24  USA & International

• Fire Destroys Library, Threatens Rare Books
• Arkansas Governor Slashes Library Funding
• A Digital Gift to the Nation Urged
• Mayor’s Name Prevails for L.A. Central Library
• Three Cities Sued after Libraries Nix Programs
• Judge Calls Wind Done Gone “Unabashed Piracy”
• Censorship Watch
• Global Reach

Special Report

42  The Tasini Case

      BY RON CHEPESUIK

Features

56  Making a Difference: Our Librarian in Congress

      After 19 years, Major Owens, the one and only librarian in the U.S. Congress, is still fighting for library-friendly legislation.

60  The Conqueror Bookworm

      BY DAVID MAJKA
      Research and scholarship vs. surfdumb and the inforamus.

64  Keepers of the Flame

      BY MARYLAINE BLOCK
      As the old folk singer once said: “The most dangerous political force / In America today is a / Long memory.”

68  Wanted: Entertainment Director

      BY BERNARD VAVREK
      When the public logs off online reference in search of R&R.

72  Exceptional Institutions: Libraries and the Pareto Principle

      BY WALT CRAWFORD
      To achieve genuine excellence, libraries must cater to the minority.

76  Beyond ADA Compliance: Redefining Accessibility

      BY NANCY G. HUTCHINSON
      Limited means is no barrier to making equal access a reality.

81  Conference Call: Taking Care of Business—Online

      Librarians MARY JANE ANDERSON and BARBARA FORD discuss the ethics of electronic meeting participation.

Conference Preview

86  Cover Story: From Philly to Frisco—125 Years of Going to Conference

      BY PEGGY SULLIVAN

88  Annual Conference 2001: On Track with a New Look

      A preview of San Francisco conference highlights, hot topics, and last-minute changes.

96  Exhibits Locator

100  Bounty by the Bay

      BY NED HIMMEL
      San Francisco restaurant guide.

Departments

7  ALA President’s Message

      “Libraries Help to Build a Civil Society”
      BY NANCY KRANICH

46  Thus Said

48  Reader Forum

50  Editorial

      “The Perils of Birthin’ a Parody”
      BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

54  On My Mind

      “My New Hero Is a Modest Man”
      BY DANIEL B. SCHUETZ

106  Executive Board Quarterly Report

114  Currents

118  Internet Librarian

      “SFX: A Linkalicious Service ”
      BY KAREN G. SCHNEIDER

120  Technically Speaking

      “Meeting of the Metadata Minds ”
      BY DAVID DORMAN

122  Librarian’s Library

      BY CATHLEEN BOURDON

124  Quick Bibs

      “Librarians Living on the Edge”
      BY BILL OTT

126  Datebook

128  This Month

      “39 Years Ago”
      BY WAYNE WIEGAND

130  Career Leads

151  Index to Advertisers

152  Will’s World

      “Good Humor Wanted”
      BY WILL MANLEY