Contents of October 2008 American Libraries

News Fronts

24  ALA

• Carnegie Funds I Love My Librarian 
• New Award Honors Zora Neale Hurston 
• JCLC2012 Planning Underway 

28  USA and International 

• Critics Revisit Library Flap That Paints Palin as Censor 
• Gulf Coast Libraries Prepared for Worst 
• Conservative Writer Accuses Library of Denying Access 
• Director Fires Library Diaries Author 
• Global Reach

42  Tech News

• Preserving Bush Websites 
• Tech News in Brief

41  Newsmaker

        KAY RYAN
       Poet laureate

Special Reports

37  Alaska College’s Shutdown
      Threatens Historic Collections

         BY GORDON FLAGG

38  IFLA Conference Showcases
      Quebec Culture

         BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

Features

48  Cruel to Be Kind

      Why do we keep unproductive employees?
      BY MIRIAM POLLACK 

52  Libraries Connect Communities

      Site visits to 63 public libraries reveal the power
      of technology, as a lure to users.
      BY PEGGY BARBER and LINDA WALLACE 

56  Hennen’s American Public
      Library Ratings 2008

      The latest iteration of the popular ranking system.
      BY THOMAS J. HENNEN JR.

62  Rethinking the E-Rate

      The pros and cons of why libraries should be
      tapping the largest available pot of federal dollars.
      BY CARRIE LOWE 

Departments

4    From the Editor

      “Vigilant Lifelong Learning”
      BY LEONARD KNIFFEL

8    ALA President’s Message

      “Partners in Learning”
      BY JIM RETTIG

10   Letters and Comments

12  ALA 2009 Midwinter Meeting
      Advance Registration

44  Internet Librarian

      “Beyond the Barriers”
      BY JOSEPH JANES

45  Technology in Practice

      “Our New Website Is a Blog”
      BY MEREDITH FARKAS

46  Public Perception

47  On My Mind

      “The Not-So-Dark Side”
      BY LAURIE McFADDEN 

66  Currents

68  Youth Matters

      “Feeding the Whole Child”
      BY JENNIFER BUREK PIERCE

69  Working Knowledge

      “Retreat! Retreat!”
      BY MARY PERGANDER

70  Librarian’s Library

      “A Linguaphile’s Delight”
      BY MARY ELLEN QUINN

71  Rousing Reads

      “What’s for Breakfast . . . at Tiffany’s?”
      BY BILL OTT

72  Solutions and Services 

75  Career Leads from ALA Joblist

80  Will’s World

      “Everyone in Their Places”
      BY WILL MANLEY