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PLA thanks the following 2003-2004 Partners for their generous support of PLA activities. Platinum Partners ($10,000 or more)

Gold Partners 3M Library Systems ($5,000 - $9,999) Baker & Taylor BBC Audiobooks America Bill and Melinda Gates Brodart Foundation Dynix EBSCO Information Services ProQuest Company Gale Group TLC Silver Partners ($1,000 - $4,999) GIS Information Systems Xerox Global Services H.W. Wilson Checkpoint Systems, Inc. Ingram Library Services, Inc. Demco, Inc. Innovative Interfaces Dutton/Penguin Group USA JanWay Company Greenwood Publishing Group Tech-Logic HarperCollins Veicon Technology Highsmith Inc. ITC Systems MagnetStreet Mandarin Library Automation Random House Bronze Partners Simon and Schuster ($500 to $999) SIRSI Serial Solutions Starbucks tutor.com Vernon Library Supplies VTLS World Book

Partners provide invaluable financial support for PLA workshops, preconferences, special events, and more. The PLA Partners Program provides high visibility for partners. If you would like to know more about the benefits of becoming a PLA Partner, call PLA at 800-545-2433, ext. 5PLA or check us out on the web - www.pla.org

As of 8.15.04

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Renée Vaillancourt McGrath Feature Editor

Kathleen M. Hughes CONTENTS Managing Editor

November/December 2004 Vol. 43, No. 6

331 Opposing the USA PATRIOT Act The Best Alternative for American Libraries Don Essex 341 Branch Management An Analysis of Minneapolis-St. Paul-Area Public Libraries Chad Lubbers 347 Increasing Technical Services Efficiency to Eliminate Cataloging Backlogs Myung Gi Sung 353 In the Name of In(ternet)decency Laws Attempting to Regulate Content Deemed Harmful to Children Amy Lisewski Lavell

IN EVERY ISSUE

310 Editor’s Note 326 Internet Spotlight Renée Vaillancourt McGrath Steven M. Cohen 311 From the President 329 Tech Talk Clara N. Bohrer A. Paula Wilson 315 Tales from the Front 360 News from PLA Jennifer T. Ries-Taggart Kathleen Hughes 317 Perspectives 361 On the Agenda Hampton (Skip) Auld and 362 By the Book Nann Blaine Hilyard Jennifer Schatz 323 Book Talk 365 New Product News A Part of What I Do: An Vicki Nesting Interview with Mark Salzman Brendan Dowling

PLUS . . .

308 Readers Respond 367 Index to Advertisers 313 Verso 368 Index to Volume 43 Sights, Sounds, and Silence in Library Reference to Children Sunny Strong 330 InterViews Copyright Concerns: Scanning Book Covers to Use on Library Web Sites Carrie Russell

The Public Library Association is a division of the American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; www.pla.org. Cover design by Jim Lange, Jim Lange Design, Chicago Interior design by Dianne M. Rooney, American Library Association, Chicago 43n6_1stcorrex.qxd 11/16/2004 10:19 AM Page 308

EDITORIAL FEATURE EDITOR: Renée Vaillancourt McGrath MANAGING EDITOR: Kathleen M. Hughes CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: Hampton (Skip) Auld, Steven Cohen, Nann Blaine Hilyard, Vicki Nesting, Jennifer Ries-Taggart, Jennifer Schatz, Paula Wilson EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Brendan Dowling ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Isabel Dale Silver, Chair, Champaign, IL; Marilyn Boria, Elmhurst, IL; Nancy Charnee, New York, NY; Barbara Custen, Pasadena, CA; Sally Decker-Smith, Wheeling, IL; Luren E. Dickinson, Jackson, MI; Nann Blaine Bike Away Burnout Hilyard, Zion, IL; Marcia Schneider, San Francisco, CA; Bessie Condos Tichauer, Sacramento, CA. Guest editor Jennifer Schatz wrote about burnout in the May/June 2004 Editor’s EX OFFICIO: Luis Herrera, Pasadena Public Library, Note, and invited us to respond with ways we keep up our energy and enthusiasm. 285 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, CA 91101-1556; lher- I enjoy riding a bicycle, so every day I ride my bicycle to work—having fun, get- [email protected]. ting exercise, feeling like a kid again! This takes no more time than driving would, PLA PRESIDENT: Clara N. Bohrer, West Bloomfield Library, 4600 Walnut Lake Rd., West Bloomfield, MI energizes me for the start of the day, and helps me unwind at the end of the work day. 48323-2557; [email protected]. It makes me feel good about being good to the environment, and saves me money! PUBLIC LIBRARIES (ISSN 0163-5506) is published You could do it, too—just try it! Ask your local bike club for advice on a route, safety, bimonthly at 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. It is the law. Avoid burnout and have fun.—Bob Boyce (age 64), Reference Department, the official publication of the Public Library Association, a division of the American Library Lincoln (Neb.) City Libraries Association. Subscription price: to members of PLA, $25 a year, included in membership dues; to nonmem- bers: U.S. $50; Canada $60; all other countries $60. Single copies, $10. Periodicals postage paid at Correction Chicago, IL, and at additional mailing offices.

The CO Digital Divide article (June/July 2004) misstates some of its early findings by POSTMASTER: send address changes to Public referring to Colorado public library users generally. This report was based on a 2002 Libraries, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611.

quota sample survey of the state’s public library Internet users. A preliminary review SUBSCRIPTIONS has revealed a recoding problem that led to the overestimation of the proportion of respondents without access elsewhere (such as at home, school, or work). That figure Nonmember subscriptions, orders, changes of address, and inquiries should be sent to Public Libraries, Sub- is likely closer to one-third than the reported two-thirds. In addition to this correc- scription Department, American Library Association, tion, a very small group of unintended respondents—non-users of public library 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; 800-545-2433, Internet computers—has been discovered, and they are being removed from the press 5; fax: (312) 944-2641; e-mail: subscriptions@ ala.org. revised results. A revised report as well as a revision of the article manuscript is available at www.lrs.org. ■ ADVERTISING William N. Coffee, c/o Benson, Coffee & Associates, 1411 Peterson Ave., Park Ridge, IL 60068; (847) 692- 4695; fax (847) 692-3877. PRODUCTION North Carolina Librarians Embrace ALA PRODUCTION SERVICES: Troy D. Linker, The Smartest Card Campaign Angela Hanshaw; Stephanie Kuenn, Kristen McKulski, Karen Sheets, and Christine Velez. Across North Carolina, public librarians are delivering the MANUSCRIPTS message: North Carolina’s smartest card is at your public Unless otherwise noted, all submissions should be sent to library! More than fifty public library systems are par- the feature editor, Renée Vaillancourt McGrath, 248A N. Higgins Ave. #145, Missoula, MT 59802; publiclibraries@ ticipating in the The Smartest Card. Get it. Use it. aol.com. See the January/February issue or www.pla.org @ your library campaign. This campaign, developed for submission instructions. by the Public Library Association, promotes the INDEXING/ABSTRACTING value of public libraries nationwide focusing on how Public Libraries is indexed in Library Literature and the library card is the key to learning and enjoyment Current Index to Journals in Education (CIJE), in addi- for all people. tion to a number of online services. Contents are ab- The State Library of North Carolina, through a stracted in Library and Information Science Abstracts. LSTA statewide leadership project, is coordinating the campaign effort statewide. MICROFILM COPIES Using PLA’s national campaign as a springboard, the state library is providing a Microfilm copies are available from University Micro- full menu of resources to support librarians in reaching out to their communities. films, 300 N. Zeeb Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48103. The state library’s program delivers statewide media relations, develops a clear- The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for inghouse for marketing ideas, and creates and produces promotional materials. A Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed network of public librarians are working to make sure North Carolina residents Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992. ∞ know that their library card is the smartest card in their wallet. ©2004 by the American Library Association All materials in this journal are subject to copyright by the American Library Association and may be photo- copied for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or Public Libraries encourages letters to the editor. Letters are used on a space-available basis and educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other may be excerpted. Preference will be given to letters that address issues raised by the magazine. reprinting, photocopying, or translating, address Acceptance is at the editor’s discretion. Send to Renée Vaillancourt McGrath, 248A N. Higgins requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions, Ave. #145, Missoula, MT 59802; [email protected]. 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. 43n6_1stcorrex.qxd 11/16/2004 10:19 AM Page 309

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EDITOR’S NOTE

s a peer-reviewed professional It Takes other ALA division journals (Library journal, Public Libraries Resources & Technical Services [ALCTS], strives to present practical a Village Children and Libraries [ALSC], Reference articles and significant and User Services Quarterly [RUSA], and research on topics of interest Renée Vaillancourt McGrath Young Adult Library Services [YALSA]) are to public librarians. The ref- Feature Editor refereed as well. Aeree-review process helps to insure that the The referee review process (as well as information provided in this journal is useful many other details of the inner workings of and accurate. But ultimately it takes a whole the publications) varies from journal to jour- community of librarians to assess the profes- nal. Public Libraries generally relies on com- sional literature and further the development mittee members to provide feedback on of our profession. articles that are related to the topic addressed by the particular committee. We also have a group of volunteer referees who enjoy read- Journals versus Magazines ing and commenting on manuscripts and have offered to do so regularly in their areas Public Libraries is the official journal of the of expertise. If I have trouble finding review- Public Library Association. Members receive ers who are knowledgeable about a manu- a subscription as a perquisite of membership script topic, I often turn to the Public in the association, and non-member individ- Libraries Advisory committee to either uals and institutions can also subscribe to review the manuscript in question or recruit receive the journal (see the masthead on p. 308 for instructions someone who is qualified to do so. Occasionally, I will directly on how to do this). contact someone who has established a reputation in the library As feature editor of Public Libraries, I am the only person field for being knowledgeable about a particular topic to read who is paid to work on the journal. I work from home, as an and review an article on that topic. independent contractor for the Public Library Association and The referee review process involves several steps. First, am not a staff member of PLA or ALA. Like PLA committee potential referees are identified to read a manuscript. Then, members, all of the contributing editors to Public Libraries are those people are invited to participate in the referee review volunteers (though they are eligible to receive up to $150 per process. Sometimes, those people don’t respond right away or volume year in reimbursement from PLA for travel expenses at all and new prospective referees need to be identified. Once related to the work of the journal). two people agree to review an article, the manuscript is As a professional association journal, we are not able to stripped of any identifying information and sent to the pay contributors for articles that are published in the journal reviewers. To ensure objectivity, the referee review process is (although all feature articles that are written by public library double-blind—the reviewer doesn’t know who the author of employees and accepted for publication are automatically con- the article is, and the author of the article doesn’t know who sidered for two cash prizes—winners are selected from the pre- the referee is. Referees generally have two weeks to read the vious year’s issues by the Public Libraries Advisory committee manuscript and complete a one-page referee review form (see at the ALA Midwinter meeting each year, and checks in the p. 312). Sometimes these reviews are not returned, and then amount of $500 and $300 are awarded to the winning authors the whole process of identifying referees must begin again. at the following ALA Annual conference). When two completed referee review forms have been received Since Public Libraries is published six times a year, and for an article, the manuscript is read by the Feature Editor since there is a fairly long lead time (see the section below on (that’s me) who also takes into consideration the opinions of the Referee Review Process) from the time that an article is the referee reviewers when making a decision about publica- submitted to Public Libraries to the time that it appears in tion. In most cases, the author of the article is asked to revise print, we generally don’t specialize in cutting-edge news. the manuscript to address questions or concerns of the refer- Library news magazines, such as American Libraries, and ees and/or the feature editor. commercial publications such as Library Journal, School The bad news is this process takes a long time. Since Public Library Journal, VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) and Horn Libraries is currently receiving a record number of submissions, Book generally have paid staffs, are published more frequently, and since the production process also involves a series of and pay contributors for articles printed in their publications. reviews and revisions, our lead time (the period between when we receive a manuscript and the time that it appears in print) is hovering at close to a year. The Referee Review Process The good news is that by the time that we print an article, it has been reviewed by at least three professional librarians, Unlike these commercial library magazines, Public Libraries is and has been revised to address their concerns. So it’s generally a refereed journal. That means that two peer-reviewers read safe to assume that an article that runs in Public Libraries is of every feature manuscript that is submitted for consideration superior quality. Many academics who need to publish in order and provide feedback, which I (as feature editor) consider when making a decision about what to publish. Many of the continued on page 312

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

ibraries are increasingly irrele- Libraries edge architecture, innovative design, and vant. That could be the argu- reinvented spaces are helping to redefine ment of some who read the at Risk? the image of libraries and give them an findings of the recently pub- updated personality and relevance. ■ lished National Endowment for Clara N. Bohrer Libraries as places that empower people. the Arts study “Reading at Information is one of the most valuable LRisk.” According to NEA research, fewer commodities of our time. Users depend Americans are reading books. Overall, read- on public libraries to provide equal ing has declined 7 percent over the past access to information as a means to decade. Reading literature, which was the improve their lives. Empowering people primary focus of the study, is down 14 per- is done on many levels. Public libraries cent and has declined across all age groups, are still the only access to the Internet for education levels, and ethnic groups. many of our citizens. Helping narrow If the public doesn’t read, why should the digital divide is more important than they support public libraries? Add this to ever in a world that increasingly operates other arguments made over the last decade online. Libraries also empower people that question the relevance of public libraries: by identifying reliable online resources and teaching patrons how to find and ■ The Internet can replace the library. It’s use these. In communities across the available 24/7, it’s free, and it has more country, librarians use their specialized information than anyone could ever use. skills to lead the way in helping patrons ■ Mega bookstores are as good as a library. In addition to become information-savvy consumers. books, magazines, and newspapers, bookstores offer con- ■ Libraries as leaders in their communities. venient locations and hours, author visits, reader’s advi- Libraries serve as models of how public institutions can sory, book talks, and youth programs—plus coffee. provide cost-effective public service while responding to ■ Libraries can’t compete with the private sector, which offers evolving community needs. Libraries provide their com- an increasing number of library-like services. Web sites such munities with great value for the investment. Libraries are as msn.com, instant access to information from PDA also models of how to partner with community organiza- devices and cell phones, book clubs like Oprah’s, and serv- tions to broaden the impact of their services. ices from Amazon.com may suggest that there are redun- dancies between the public sector and public libraries. Institutions become irrelevant if they remain static and unresponsive. Public libraries are relevant because they continue We can expect continuing private sector advances in tech- to redefine, reinvent, and reenergize their services. I spoke to a nology, service, and communication. With these will come reporter from the Pittsburgh area recently about mp3 as a for- more pressure for public libraries to respond in new ways to the mat that public libraries across the country are beginning to changing needs and expectations of those we serve. make available. She said she was “amazed that libraries are I am happy to report that public libraries are meeting this always on the forefront in utilizing technological advances.” No challenge head on. Library usage continues to grow at public surprise to any librarian, board member, or Friends member. libraries across the country, despite cuts in funding that have It should come as no surprise to the public, either, that affected libraries in forty-one states and totaled more than $75 libraries are on the leading edge of identifying new or enhanced million in just the past year. Libraries are rethinking how to use ways to provide information, materials, programs, and other their resources in order to meet evolving needs in their com- services. Public libraries must continue to be regarded as a munities. Recent conversations with newspaper reporters have proactive force and resource. reminded me that while public libraries may not always be PLA is here to help every public library—no matter what well-funded, they are well-regarded. The public continues to its size or resources—to be a vibrant, dynamic, and esteemed depend on and use its libraries to serve a variety of important institution within its community. Take advantage of what PLA roles including: has to offer. Get involved. Go to the PLA Web site, www.pla.org, and explore the many resources, services, and ■ Libraries as dynamic and vital public institutions. continuing education opportunities available. Most impor- This is due in large part to an effort by libraries to be tantly, use the feedback feature on the Web site to tell us what responsive. Consider all the efforts made by libraries to you think and how PLA can help you create the opportunities meet the needs of bilingual patrons, promote emergent lit- and meet the challenges you face each day. ■ eracy to parents and caregivers, and adjust collections, services, and programs to meet changing demographics and lifestyles. ■ Libraries as community centers and destinations. Clara N. Bohrer, West Bloomfield Library, 4600 Walnut Lake Rd., New, renovated, and revitalized library buildings are chal- West Bloomfield, MI 48323-2557; [email protected]. lenging people’s ideas of libraries as stuffy places. Cutting-

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to obtain tenure must publish their articles in peer-reviewed print, I am nonetheless grateful that as librarians, we work in a journals for this reason. community of critical readers. The more people who read and comment on articles in Public Libraries, the more perspectives we are able to represent in the journal, the more likely we are Checks and Balances to catch any errors or oversights, and the better the publication will be. In the same way that it takes a village to raise a child, Of course, the process isn’t perfect. Sometimes mistakes get it takes a community of librarians to create a body of research past all of the librarians and editors that review copy before it and resources in the field. Both the Internet Spotlight and the makes it into print in Public Libraries. Usually it’s the author or Perspectives columns in this issue of Public Libraries focus on the subject of the article who discovers these errors, and when themes of collaboration within a professional community. We they point them out to Public Libraries, we run a correction to are all working towards the same goals, and we need to learn address the issue. to accept and offer support, encouragement, feedback, and The July/August 2004 issue of Public Libraries included an constructive criticism in order to grow in our profession. ■ article (“Bridging the Digital Divide in Colorado Libraries” by Tammi Moe) that described the results of a study on Internet use in public libraries. A letter to the editor by George d’Elia (see the September/October 2004 Readers Respond column) raised some concerns about the research reported in this study. As a result, researchers at the Library Research Service in Colorado (who sponsored the study) re-examined the data and did, indeed, find some errors in the analysis of the data and in the wording of the article which summarized the findings of the study. (See the correction printed in the Readers Respond col- Written August 2004. Contact Renée Vaillancourt McGrath, fea- umn in this issue on p. 308.) ture editor, at 258A N. Higgins Ave. #145, Missoula, MT 59802; While ideally, this problem would have been caught and [email protected]. addressed at the referee review stage, before the article went to

Referee Review Form Public Libraries Magazine Title: ______How could the manuscript be improved? ______Name of Referee: ______Date Sent: ______Date Received: ______Date Due: ______Recommendation: Date Returned: ______Publish ___ Publish with minor changes ___ Review again after changes ___ Do not publish Please return this evaluation form even if the due date has passed. Thank you for your evaluation.

Please rate the manuscript for interest and clarity using a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5. ______Interest to Public Librarians: 1 2 3 4 5 Reviewer’s signature

Clarity of Presentation: 1 2 3 4 5 Return to: If you find any typos or have any specific comments, please Renée Vaillancourt McGrath write directly on the manuscript and return it to me. 248A N. Higgins Ave. #145 Additional comments can be attached on a separate sheet. Missoula MT 59802 (406) 777-1228 (phone and fax) What do you like about this manuscript? ______This is a home office. Please phone or fax between 9 A.M. and ______5 P.M. Mountain Time. Comments can also be returned via ______e-mail to [email protected].

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Taking random bits and pieces of information from the Internet may result in a paper on George Washington that omits the fact that he was president of the United States! If a student insists on using only the Internet, point out that a combination of resources gives superior results. Online information is vast and may be timely, but it is not always correct or complete.

Vocabulary The words we use can educate or confuse children. Avoid using library jargon. What seems obvious to us may befuddle Sights, Sounds, and our clients. Have you ever been frustrated as you tried to express your feelings in a second language? Our native language vocabulary is generally more extensive that that of our Silence in Library second language. Children are still learning English vocabulary words. Reference Service Give them many words with which to tell others exactly how they feel and precisely what they need. Build a child’s vocabulary by using synonyms when the context is already clear. On to Children the other hand, use shorter sentences and common words when a child doesn’t seem to understand. When you first work with a child, use simple sentence structure. If they seem to understand, gradually increase the vocabulary complexity Sunny Strong and the sentence length. New English speakers may also benefit from these tactics. o you breathe a sigh of relief when lively children choose Danother librarian at the reference desk? Whether you specialize in youth or adult services or are a generalist, the guide- Powerlessness lines and real-life examples in this article can make your Sometimes we forget that many children depend on adults for library service to elementary age children more effective and transportation to and from the library. Determine whether chil- more enjoyable. dren can stay in the library while you work with them or whether a busy parent has instructed them to run in and run out. A library policy of charging a fee for printouts and copies Is Reference Service to may seem reasonable. However, many children depend upon Children Really Different? their families for spending money. In a conscientious effort to avoid fines, some parents instruct their children not to check Several factors are at play during the typical reference inter- out materials. Be alert to different cultural and religious mores. view. An awareness of these enables you to fine-tune your inter- If a child hesitates to take more than one book or rejects a par- views based on young people’s needs. Let’s take a closer look at ticular CD, it may be due to family rules. each of the following factors: Likewise, when a child describes a homework assignment that is difficult to match with library resources, don’t kill the messenger! Meet with the teacher to discuss the issue instead. Developmental Levels It is important to offer resources appropriate to the child’s age and experience. Looks are deceiving. A child may be tall for her Knowledge of Library Ways age. Don’t assume you know she has outgrown the children’s Do you remember how overwhelming it can be to shop in a section. Check your best guess by asking whether the informa- new, unfamiliar grocery store? Working as a substitute in sev- tion you gathered is about the right length. Even after a thor- eral libraries reminds me how often we change library loca- ough reference interview, it is wise to accompany most children tions and procedures. I now realize things are not as obvious to the shelves and computer stations. This allows you to adjust as they were when I worked full time in one building! Walk the level of the information and to offer alternatives if the child students through the first search. Demonstrate databases seems confused. when time allows. Pointing out all the options gives children tips for success. Sophistication Even the brightest child needs the assistance of an adult. A child Energetic Body Language may lack the life experience to identify the most important facts Children need to move. Put them on their best behavior by leav- about a topic. The first steps in a reference search should be ing the desk. Join them where they have the space to move and with databases and books that provide a hierarchical structure, talk freely. This is less intimidating than talking across a desk. rather than with a search engine. If the most important infor- It also allows you to show them materials rather than citations. mation is presented in an introductory paragraph or outline, They can therefore better judge whether the reading level is the child’s report will be sure to cover essential information. what they need. Once you have moved into the public area, the

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parent or caregiver can be asked to follow up with more search- bookmark with the library hours, Web site address, and serving if you need to return to the desk. ices. Give them program and collection information based on their apparent ages. Quickly orient the family to the library by addressing their specific needs. Avoid library lingo. Sample Reference Interactions Adjusted for Children Scenario #4: A sixth-grader is at the desk.

In a diverse society, how we appear (sights), what we say Respectful behavior and active listening may encourage a (sounds), and how we listen (silence) combine to form an sixth-grader to become a lifelong library user. Remember to impression of respect or indifference. The following sights, ask where he or she has searched already and which search sounds, and silence scenarios include concrete tips for body lan- terms were used. The student may not think of telling you guage and interview locations as well as sample dialogues to be without this prompt. As you are searching, vocalize your used in interactions with children. strategy. For example:

■ “I’m taking a moment to see whether there’s an official Scenario #1: An elementary age Web site, so we get more accurate information.” child enters the library. ■ “I’m putting this Internet search term in quotes, so we First impressions count, especially when you are as vulnerable won’t get irrelevant information.” as a child. When you see a child enter the library, adjust your position at the reference desk so you can greet the person with Hang out for a couple of minutes. Don’t leave the moment a smile. This bridges both language and personality differences. that you judge you are not needed. Giving students time to Greet the child when he or she approaches the desk, then relax and think often results in their formulating a second, clar- allow a moment of silence. This reduces intimidation and gives ifying question. the child time to think. If the child does not respond, increase the comfort level by “parallel talk” (i.e. saying what someone Scenario #5: A fifth-grader and his parent is doing). Look for visual clues. Some examples include: approach the reference desk together. A parent seeking homework resources is a parent who is pay- ■ “How did the game go?” (Child is in a sports uniform.) ing attention to his or her child’s needs. However, addressing a ■ “It looks like you need some information.” (Child has a paper in hand.) reference interview to the student is usually more effective. Since it is rude to ignore the parent altogether, try to work with both the parent and the child. One can check a print resource Scenario #2: Several elementary school students, while the other is online or in the stacks. on a class visit with their teacher, are clustered Informing the parent when you are taking the child to get around your public library reference desk. additional information can effectively allow one-on-one inter- It is difficult to think, hear, and provide quality reference serv- viewing with the student, yet tells the adult where you will be. ice in a large group, so change the configuration by asking the If a student asks how many books he can check out, suggest it students to come to the desk one at a time. This allows you to is a family decision. give each child privacy and your full attention. Ask the remainder of the students to stay in the nonfiction section and work on other parts of their assignment while they Conclusion are waiting for their turn. If the students cluster again, ask the teacher to support your one-at-a-time standard. Library reference services to children can be more successful and enjoyable if librarians make a few adjustments. Reference techniques should be modified to address children’s needs and Scenario #3: Three generations of recent behaviors. Learning these strategies may take time upfront, but immigrants appear at the desk. can create lifelong library supporters. ■ This is your opportunity to show new patrons what a great institution a United States public library can be! Smile. Come out from behind the desk and welcome each person, unless his Sunny Strong is a substitute librarian, and former Manager of or her body language precludes it. Kneel to speak to toddlers, Children’s Services at Sno-Isle Libraries, Wash.; sstrong20@ leaving some personal space. Ask the family if this is a good comcast.net time to explain the library’s services. If it’s not, hand them a

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are all available from www. gram hosted by the U.S. Gov- nlm.nih.gov/databases. ernment Printing Office (GPO). American Indian Health “The Annual Interagency addresses the special needs of Depository Seminar is a this population. Research unique opportunity for new shows that Native Americans depository librarians to ac- are 2.6 times more likely to quire up-to-the-minute infor- have diabetes as non-Hispanic mation, as well as discuss and whites of a similar age. Amer- exchange ideas with GPO’s ican Indians also have a staff, federal agency represen- Neighborhood Group the online catalog, the Web, greater mortality risk for tu- tatives, and colleagues,” said to Fund “Summer and MPL’s “Web for Kids” and berculosis, suicide, pneumo- Judy Russell, superintendent “Web for Teens” resources. nia, alcoholism, and influenza of documents and managing Saturdays” at Children’s services have long than the average population. director of GPO’s Information Public Library been a major strength at American Indian Health Dissemination. “Providing Nokomis Community Library. brings together pertinent professional development op- Thanks to the Nokomis East Parents and caregivers regularly health and medical resources, portunities to the library com- Neighborhood Association attend toddler and preschool including consumer health in- munity is one of the GPO’s (NENA), Nokomis-area youth story hours. The summer read- formation, the results of re- most important roles and one and families have had more ing program traditionally posts search, traditional healing that we have been proud to chances to visit their local pub- one of the highest levels of par- resources, and links to other provide for the last seventeen lic library over the past few ticipation among Minneapolis Web sites. Much of the infor- years through this seminar.” months. NENA funded “2004 public libraries. mation has been assembled The seminar provided rep- Summer Saturdays” at the For more information, call from other National Library resentatives from public, state, Nokomis (Minn.) Community Nokomis Community Library of Medicine resources, such as federal, and academic libraries Library in partnership with the at (612) 630-6700 or visit PubMed and MedlinePlus. with an overview of informa- Minneapolis Public Library. www.mplib.org/nokomis.asp. “The National Library of tion products and activities of When hours of service at Medicine is interested in numerous federal agencies as all Minneapolis public li- reaching out to populations they relate to federal depository braries were reduced due to American with special needs,” said Don- libraries. This year’s participat- cutbacks in state aid to local Indian Health ald A. B. Lindberg, M.D., li- ing agencies included the U.S. government, Nokomis Com- brary director. He noted that, Census Bureau, Office of the A New National Library munity Library had been open for Native Americans, NLM Federal Register, Federal Trade of Medicine Web Site three days a week, from noon has a history of attending local Commission, U.S. Geological to 8 P.M. on Tuesdays and The National Library of Medi- powwows and making health Survey, Department of Trans- Thursdays and 10 A.M. to 6 cine (NLM), a part of the Na- information available during portation’s National Trans- P.M. on Fridays. Using tional Institutes of Health, those events. portation Library, U.S. Patent $21,000 in Neighborhood Re- announced a new Web site to The National Library of and Trademark Office (PTO), vitalization Program funding, address the health concerns of Medicine, the world’s largest U.S. Copyright Office (CO), NENA covered the cost to the four million Americans who library of the health sciences, Social Security Administration, staff Saturdays through the claim American Indian or Alas- is a component of the Nation- Bureau of Labor Statistics, De- summer and into early fall ka Native ancestry. The site, al Institutes of Health, U.S. fense Technical Information 2004. The purpose of the “American Indian Health,” is Department of Health and Center, and STAT-USA, a data- funding is to ensure that chil- at http://americanindianhealth. Human Services. base of economic and trade sta- dren and youth have access to nlm.nih.gov. For more information, tistics produced by the U.S. reading programs and other Because special popula- contact either Robert Mehnert Department of Commerce. services during the high-de- tions have different health or Kathy Cravedi at (301) Seminar participants were also mand summer months. needs, the library has created 496-6308 or publicinfo@ invited to tour GPO, the Li- With the addition of these several specialized sites; for nlm.nih.gov. brary of Congress Jefferson Li- Saturdays, kids, teens, and fam- example, for Asian Ameri- brary, PTO, and CO. ilies had an extra day to visit cans, for those living in the GPO is responsible for the the library, check out books Arctic and far north, for sen- Government Printing production and distribution of and other materials, and use li- ior citizens, and for Spanish- Office Provides information products and brary computers to connect to speaking Americans. These services for all three branches Training to Library of the federal government. Community More than 250,000 federal “Tales from the Front” is a collection of news government document titles items and innovative ideas from libraries nation- More than fifty Federal Depos- are now available to the pub- wide. Send submissions to the contributing editor, itory Library Program (FDLP) lic via the Internet at Jennifer T. Ries-Taggart, Director, Seymour librarians from around the www.gpoaccess.gov. Printed Library, 161 East Avenue, Brockport, NY 14420; country recently gathered at the copies of many of those docu- [email protected]. nation’s capital to take part in a ments, ranging from Supreme professional development pro- Court opinions to reports

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from the Bureau of Labor Sta- The most recent fund- aged books, and bringing their atrical presentation and poetry tistics, may also be ordered raising effort was the first staff donations to the library. One reading, and the art depart- through GPO’s Web site picnic and charity fundraiser, hour of community service ment made great decorations. www.gpo.gov or by calling held at Glendale (Ariz.) Public credit is given for each bag of Prizes for the best Charleston toll-free 1-866-512-1800. Library. At this event, staff books donated and brought to dancers and best costumes For more information, members from the three li- the library. were handed out. The library contact Veronica Meter at braries assembled gift baskets This project has enabled created a 1920s party atmos- (202) 512-1957, (202) 441- for a silent auction, sold vari- the library to offer more vol- phere, complete with a “cham- 6226, or e-mail vmeter@ ous treats, and sponsored a unteer opportunities to the pagne” fountain that served gpo.gov. Dunk a Hunk contest to raise high school students in the lemonade, vintage cars parked $2,214. The staff donated all community and it has in- in front for photo opportuni- of the food, baskets, raffle creased the number and qualities, and a professional jazz Library Charity prizes, and carnival equipment ty of books donated to the band. In addition to getting for the event. library’s collection and the students involved in examining Fund Quietly The Glendale Library Friends’ bookstore. During the historical context of the Helps Community Charity Fund was the brain- the first month of the book- books they study, such events child of John Bolton, a main li- drive project, more than sixty lead to improved communica- When anyone thinks about library circulation clerk. Each shopping bags of donated tion between the school and libraries, books are probably library facility has several staff books were collected by twen- brary staff to better serve the the first things that come to members on the charity fund ty-five high school students. teens in the community. mind. There is also Internet committee. The committee se- These students are able to see The new programming se- access for the public, movies, lects recipients through recom- their volunteer efforts realized ries was created by library di- music, and information for the mendations from library staff. in their community and have rector Monica Penninger, student, the do-it-yourselfer, For more information been amazed by the positive outreach librarian Joyce Ryan, and the lifelong learner. about the Glendale Library response and generosity of and Santa Fe High School One does not think of the Charity Fund, call John their neighbors. English department chairper- library as a place where back- Bolton at (623) 930-3530. For more information, son Barbara Abell. The idea to-school supplies are bought contact Stephanie Tanton, was formed after a highly suc- for needy children. Nor would Volunteer Coordinator/Refer- cessful series of programs as one think of a library provid- ence Librarian, Mission Viejo part of the “Reading The ing paint for the home of an Teens Volunteer Library, at (949) 830-7100, Grapes of Wrath” grant initia- elderly woman, giving mone- Hours for Books ext. 4018, or stanton@ tive funded by the California tary help to a family of five mission-viejo.com. Council for the Humanities whose home was destroyed by Faced with a growing request and the California State Li- fire, assembling food boxes from teens to complete their brary. To better meet the needs for Thanksgiving dinners, or scholastic community service Librarians and of the community, Ryan ap- buying holiday gifts for a hours, which are required for proached Abell, who worked group home. graduation, the staff of the Teachers Bring the book into her English cur- The Glendale Library Mission Viejo (Calif.) Library Literature to Life riculum. “After the last event, Charity Fund, which is run developed a teen book drive Barb mentioned that she and funded by library employ- project. Teens can now earn In an effort to reach out to wished we could hold these ees, has done all of the above credit toward their communi- high school students studying events for other books,” Mon- and many other good deeds. ty service school requirement various types of literature, the ica Penninger remembers. Since November 1994 more by collecting gently used Santa Fe Springs City Library “She said that The Great than $17,000 has been raised books in their neighborhood. and Santa Fe High School in Gatsby was a book studied by to give back to the community Each teen is given a book Santa Fe Springs, California, the junior class—and another to change lives for the better. drive kit consisting of instruc- developed a series called programming idea was born.” The charity fund has enabled tions on how to conduct the “Bringing Literature to Life.” Next up in the series: Romeo library staff to identify needs book drive, a flyer for their The first in the series was and Juliet. in the local community, unite neighbors explaining the proj- called “ Great Gatsby Night.” For more information, library staff members in ad- ect, and several book-collect- Cheerleaders danced and contact Joyce Ryan, Santa Fe dressing those needs, and give ing grocery bags. Teens are taught the Charleston, the Springs City Library, at (562) the library staff a feeling that responsible for collecting the school’s jazz chorale sang, the 868-7738. ■ they can make a difference. books, sorting out the dam- drama department gave a the-

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got to design the early childhood bookmobile, and tootle around, and sit on the floor, and tell stories to preschoolers.

Nann Blaine Hilyard: What have been the most enjoyable and the most fun things that you’ve done throughout your career?

EJR: It’s actually all been almost indecently fun. I loved working in that rural Carroll County library. I loved working with children. I loved working with the daycare mothers. Following that job, I went to library school at the Asking the University of Maryland. And then I had the incredible good for- tune of getting a job with King Research, which was the consulting company that had just done PLA’s Planning Process. Deep Questions And there were a lot of really incredibly gifted people there at that point. So that was the best possible job right out of library school. I remember one afternoon sitting with the System An Interview with Reference Coordinators doing book selections and thinking, “It Eleanor Jo (Joey) Rodger is immoral to take a salary for having this much fun.” SA: But I’m sure you took it, anyway.

Hampton (Skip) Auld EJR: Well, the mortgage wouldn’t have gotten paid if I hadn’t, so I did. And then I went to the Enoch Pratt Free Library in and Nann Blaine Hilyard Baltimore and worked as head of state network services there for a couple of years, basically working both for Pratt and for hen the editors of the “Perspectives” column learned of Nettie Taylor, who was the legendary state librarian of WJoey Rodger’s planned retirement from the library profes- Maryland in those days. And that was very fun. And then, cer- sion, they decided to forgo the traditional multiple-essay format tainly, working at PLA was just wonderful. of “Perspectives” and dedicate this column to her, in recognition of her many contributions to the public library field. SA: What difference do you think that PLA’s Planning Process Eleanor Jo (Joey) Rodger began her library career as a para- for Public Libraries, in all of its incarnations, has made to the professional at the Carroll County (Md.) Public Library in 1969. world of public libraries, from the beginning to the current She earned her MLS from the University of Maryland in 1979. Planning for Results? Following library school, she worked with King Research in Rockville, Maryland, Fairfax County (Va.) Public Library, and the EJR: I think the biggest shift has been the change away from Maryland Division of Library Development and Services. From arbitrary professional standards defining what makes a good 1986 to 1992, she served as executive director of the Public public library, to saying good public libraries should be created Library Association. Since then, she has been president of the to fit a community, not to fit a set of professional numbers. And Urban Libraries Council (ULC). Early this year, Rodger I think we still have some ways to go in terms of our under- announced her retirement from the library world and her appoint- standing of our roles in communities. But the planning process ment as executive director of the Pendle Hill Peace Network. was the beginning of the end of being a self-referential, publicly “Perspectives” co-editors Nann Blaine Hilyard and Skip funded institution. Auld interviewed Rodger on May 5, 2004, at her tenth-floor ULC office in Chicago overlooking Evanston and Lake SA: How important do you feel PLA national conferences are? Michigan. (Auld was on speaker phone.) A motto framed on And how can these events be brought to the smaller and poorer the wall in her office reads “Psyche Iatreion,” which is an libraries where it’s very hard, for example, to get staff members ancient inscription from the library at Alexandria meaning to a PLA conference? “house of healing for the soul.” Albert Einstein is quoted on another wall: “The important thing is to not stop questioning.” EJR: The PLA conferences are enormously important. I was at the last one in Seattle, and I think they just keep getting better Skip Auld: How did you get into library work? and better. The issue of the small, poor libraries is an issue we have had with us for years and years. When I was at a Gates Eleanor Jo Rodger: I walked into the Carroll County Public Foundation focus group in Seattle that question came up, and Library, and said to the woman at the desk, “Do you all ever what arose for me was something that sounds sharper than I hire people?” Her name was Rose Bowman. She went to talk to probably mean it. Small, poor libraries are never going to have the director, who was and still is Martha Makosky. And I the resources, advantages, and professional skills that are avail- walked out the acting head of a tiny little rural branch. I able in bigger libraries. It’s the wrong question. worked part time for probably a year or so. And then I stayed home four years on maternity leave. Then one day, Martha NBH: What’s the right question? called and said, “Are you ready to come back to work? Because I have this great federal grant.” That was to take bookmobile EJR: The question is, how can state library agencies, who I services to rural family daycare centers. At that point in time, think have the responsibility for some sense of equitable service going back to work was a good economic decision for me. So I within a state, work with underfunded libraries to help them

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have as many resources, as much expertise, and as many good research at a time when politicians were beginning to say, growth experiences as possible? In some ways, it’s like asking “We’re not going to need new libraries, because everybody’s how can a rural health clinic get its own MRI equipment? The going to look for things on the Internet.” (See “The Impacts of answer is, they can’t. If you choose to live in a small, rural the Internet on Public Library Use,” Urban Libraries Council, community, to get an MRI you’ve got to drive an hour. I 2000. Accessed July 18, 2004, http://urbanlibraries.org/ remember when I was at PLA, some of the small, rural library Internet%20Study%20Fact%20Sheet.html.) folks said, “Can’t we buy PLA publications at a discount, What we were able to show, by doing a household telephone survey, was that three out of four people who used the Internet also told us they used the public library. Now, that’s an important understanding in communicating with our politi- Modeling professional behavior cians, with our communities, and in understanding how people also pulls people away from a self- are becoming users of these two systems. We also found out what people valued in terms of the actualizing, individual experience, to Internet, as opposed to what they valued in terms of the library. And to be able to build on that information is to begin to get a saying, “I’m part of something bigger. handle on the amazing amount of change that’s going on because of what the Internet has brought us. So I think it matters enormously to ask the deep questions because we have smaller budgets?” And my response was, about, “What’s the assumption of our summer reading pro- “That’s not the way the world works, folks.” It’s tough to run grams? What’s the assumption of this way of doing things?” small, stand-alone libraries. I think library systems are a big I’m a huge research fan. I think the challenge for the research is piece of an answer to that. And I think vigorous, vital library not just to say, “What do we buy to put in our libraries?” but, development at the state level is the rest of the answer. “What’s going to be available for our library users so they won’t need libraries anymore?” One of the challenges for SA: What other ways can PLA help libraries, those who work applied research in this period of time is to explore honestly in libraries, and those served by libraries? how urban libraries can continue to add value to the lives of people in the communities they serve. With almost ubiquitous EJR: There are many ways that PLA, in fact, does help and has access to the Web, the time is just around the corner when helped through the years. retrieving factual information will not be seen as something tax They can model what professional practice is all about, in dollars should be spent to accomplish, since people can do that terms of creating occasions when seasoned professionals can rub in astounding ways without us. I’ve not heard people talk about shoulders with new professionals and help them learn. This is the getting all their learning on the Web, just all the information respectful way we work with each other. This is the thoughtful they need. I believe it would serve us well to change our lan- way we address issues. This is what it means to be a professional. guage from being about information to being about learning, It means that you are doing work for the good of the customer, and then to be bold in considering the learning resources we or the client, or the user, whatever term you want to use. can offer, from lectures to discussion groups to classes . . . as Modeling professional behavior also pulls people away well as books and Web sites, of course. from a self-actualizing, individual experience, to saying, “I’m We keep seeing this as the technology grows. Libraries used part of something bigger. And as part of something bigger, these to have the complete franchise on the retrieval of old docu- are the ways I behave.” ments. We don’t anymore. I don’t know when e-books will take I think those are things you learn by being in a community off. But at some point, the economics of publishing electroni- of professional practice. I think PLA has been—and can con- cally are so different than the economics of print publishing and tinue to be—helpful as a conduit for innovative thinking. I distributing objects that that will have a deep effect on how would hope that in the years ahead there will be more attention people get information. to research, as there has been with the Early Childhood Initiative lately. NBH: I think we might want to take a moment to explain ULC, We have a professional practice that, for the most part, since most libraries don’t belong to it. So what is ULC, and why lives in a research-free environment. As a result, I think we do does it make a difference? not deliver on the public’s investment as well as we could if we both did more applied research and paid attention to the EJR: ULC is an association of public libraries serving metro- research that’s there. So I think that’s another big role for PLA. politan areas of at least one hundred thousand people, and of And I think that our library education does not teach us companies that do a lot of business with the library world. Its to be good consumers of research. A lot of the research that’s members are libraries, not librarians. It has been around done in library education has virtually no application to pub- since 1971. lic librarianship. I think that there is research in adult learn- The origins of ULC were as the Public Library Trustees ing, research in child development, research in community Council, a group of trustees of large urban libraries that banded well-being that could deeply nourish the way we practice. together to lobby the federal government for federal money for And we do not, for the most part, attract people with an urban libraries. They were behind what was then the Major appetite for that or with the capacity to understand it. We Urban Resource Libraries money, which was set aside in the old learn from stories. And that’s a good way to learn, but it’s not Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). the only way to learn. In 1991, a group of PLA past-presidents paid their own I think the IMLS-funded grant on library use and Internet way to meet in Chicago for a weekend and discuss the kinds of use that George D’Elia and I did was an example of a piece of resources and capacities public libraries needed to thrive in the

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next decade. They made a list of the things they felt they could get done at PLA and what might need to get done elsewhere. In that group were two people who happened to be on the ULC board, Ron Dubberly and Don Sager. They felt that ULC, which had gotten its federal money and was kind of looking for new purposes, might be a home for some of these different kinds of issues that could be dealt with more effectively and more independently outside of ALA’s structure. So they proposed to the ULC board in January 1992 that this change be made and that ULC become a different kind of organization. In the eleven-and-a-half years that I’ve been here, through terrific boards and immense enthusiasm on the part of members, the organization has grown in terms of the number of libraries that belong, has grown substantially in terms of its financial resources, has grown in terms of its capacity to do grant-funded projects, and has grown in its clarity. One of the great gifts of ULC is that there are only four things ULC pays attention to. ULC, as an organization, does not address issues that are already being addressed by other agencies. The first thing that we pay attention to is capacity development for leaders in urban libraries, primarily directors and trustees, but also some of the upper level managers. Our recent executive leadership institute was also addressing the capacities of the next generation of leaders. The second thing is the urban library as an urban asset. The shorthand for that is that we tend to work on the urban library as a part of a city or a county. The phrase I often use in talking about that in speeches is that the Chicago Public Library understands it’s in the Chicago business, not just the library business. That is why every two years we have a conference that is co-hosted by a major mayor. And it is a conference for local officials, for mayors, for city council presidents, for county executives, for city managers. The next one we’re going to have Joey Rodger is in June 2005, here in Chicago, co-hosted by Mayor Daley and Mary Dempsey, the Chicago library commissioner. The to listen. And without that, you are a one-note player in your focus of this conference is on vital neighborhoods. It’s not on city or county. libraries. The gift in that perspective is that we have begun to At ULC conferences, we have mayors who present what they understand how our cities and counties see us as one of the are doing. For example, we’re at the very early stages of the con- tools available for neighborhood development, as one of the tent for the Chicago conference. But in the Boston conference, we tools a city or county has to make the city or county a good went to the National League of Cities and said, “Which of your place for families, for children and youth. mayors are known by their colleagues for being advocates for Our last conference, titled “Partners for Success,” was children, youth, and families?” And we found, for example, that held in Boston and co-sponsored by Mayor Menino. It focused the mayor of New Haven [Connecticut], John DeStefano, has on urban children, youth, and families. It was co-sponsored by been a leader in that area. So we invited him to talk. the National League of Cities and by the National Association I think another place where ULC has added a lot of learning of Counties. So we really focus our limited attention on the value for its members is in finding people outside our tent, who public library in its environment, not on problem-solving have a great deal to say to us. For example, we had Mark H. within its institution. Moore from the Kennedy School at Harvard, who wrote a mar- velous book called Creating Public Value: Strategic Management SA: And do you invite the library directors to those, in addition in Government (Harvard Univ. Pr., 1997), come to a conference to all of the city officials, elected officials, and so on? and explain how publicly funded institutions are understood in the setting of local governments, “How does this work?” EJR: Yes; in fact, the way the invitation chain works is we ask Our third area of focus is urban youth. ULC’s focus on our member libraries what city or county officials they would urban youth has been developed largely in collaboration with like to have invited. And they come with them. For many of the Wallace Foundation and several urban libraries. With gen- our members, a plane trip with the mayor from the west coast erous funding provided by the foundation, ULC and the part- to Chicago is gold. And if they use the time wisely, they do not ner libraries (currently the public libraries of Brooklyn, New use it to say, “Library, library, library,” at the mayor. They use York City, and Queens Borough) are doing what must be it to say, “Mr. Mayor, or Ms. Mayor, what’s on your plate? understood as research and development in the work of What are the issues for us that you all are tending?” That’s enhancing our services to children and youth through applying why at PLA conferences our programs are called “Listening to the principles of youth and child development to library pro- Power,” because we deeply believe that ALA has done a good grams. ULC has a full-time senior program officer, Allison job teaching people advocacy, but ALA does not teach people Wherry, who works with this program currently.

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And the fourth thing we pay attention to is forecasting, remember from third grade. That does not help us get any which I just love. It’s “What’s the next big thing that we need smarter. Donna Brazile helped us get smarter. to be paying attention to?” In regards to forecasting, we have The biggest benefit for the average library member is our had some preliminary conversations with the Global Business closed electronic discussion lists. We have a list for directors. Network in California, who invented scenario planning. We We have a list for deputies. We have one for development offi- also have something called “ULC Conference Fellows,” in cers, for HR people, for PR people, for head managers of digi- which ULC pays the registration fee for our member directors tal projects, for managers of reference, and for managers of to go to nonlibrary conferences and listen. So last summer, four youth services. They are very active. of us went to the World Futures Society conference in San The electronic discussion lists are wonderful at a time when Francisco to find out what they were discussing and how it will there is so much turnover in the profession. At any given moment affect libraries. now about 25 percent of our libraries are directed by either We also just had a library director go to the conference of brand-new directors or interim directors. So we are in that the American Planning Association about three weeks ago. She tsunami of change. And peer consulting provides a huge value. went particularly to begin to understand strip malls and prop- We also have a program called “Colleagues on Call” for erty values. “Should libraries be in strip malls? What is their new directors. They can choose a seasoned director from out- function there? How does this work if you’re a city planner?” side the system who simply agrees to call them up once a month And she will write a report of what she learned. and say, “How’s it going?” Every quarter, we also have “The So the forecasting thing offers a disciplined way of listen- CEO Conversation Circle,” which is a semi-structured conver- ing outside our tent on behalf of all of our members. It’s very sation hosted by one of our directors, who’s usually the chair of fun. Once you get it, you don’t ever see yourself the same way one of the strategy groups. again. It’s a community-centric way of understanding the SA: How much reinventing should public libraries do? Should library, rather than a library-centric way. we all have greeters, self-checkout, and coffee bars? Should we shrink our reference collection? Should we forego the time and SA: What do you feel have been your primary accomplishments agony we spend selecting materials and just go with bestsellers with ULC? What are you most proud of? and other popular materials?

EJR: The first thing is, as the CEO, I don’t have any accom- EJR: The only way I know to answer that question is to go plishments. Whatever has happened, has happened because of upstream a little bit. Robert Bellah, the sociologist (Elliott a good relationship with the board and a lot of time on the part Professor of Sociology, emeritus, University of California, of member leaders, as we learned to call them in ALA. I think Berkeley) has written one of my favorite sentences of all time. one of the things we’ve done together in the last eleven years In his book, The Good Society (with Richard Madsden and with the most far-reaching consequences is the development of William Sullivan, Random House, 1991), he wrote that institu- a language and a set of experiences around the library as a part tions are socially organized ways of paying attention. The pub- of the city or county. In terms of the level of political sophisti- lic library in America is organized to pay attention to lifelong cation it offers to people who get it, it’s transformative. These free choice learning and to equity. conferences with the mayors, where we go to listen to what We have to reinvent enough so that we remain a vital place their agendas are, have also been just fabulous. to tend equity and a vital place to support lifelong learning. And I think the other thing that I take more delight in than I had that means that we don’t hang onto old ways of doing things, imagined was our executive leadership institute, which is over instead of hanging onto the old values that drove the decisions to now. We raised more than a million dollars for it, and have had do those things. You hang onto the old values but not the old thirty-five fellows who participated in the program. We can’t ways. It means finding new ways to address old values. And then raise that kind of money again. It was a very expensive leader- it’s the particularity of being in a local community. So if your com- ship model. But I am so proud of those people and of their munity wants a coffee bar, then, by golly, put one in. Why not?

SA: How have libraries changed in the last twenty years? Are the changes what you anticipated? What do you see in the I think the history of our last twenty future, both short range and long term? And what prospects do years is that we have treated the you see for libraries? Internet as an incremental technology EJR: I think that the change with the biggest ramifications, obviously, is the Internet. Clayton Christiansen (a professor of and, in fact, it’s disruptive as all get-out. business administration at Harvard Business School) is one of my intellectual heroes. He writes a lot in the Harvard Business Review. He says that technologies tend to be either incremen- vision, their energy, their competence, and the work they have tal—things that bring incremental change, or disruptive— already begun to do. I love being an elder in the profession. things that fundamentally change the playing field. And I feel so proud of having helped these gifted people get I think the history of our last twenty years is that we have some of the skills they need. treated the Internet as an incremental technology and, in fact, The person who did the political unit for this leadership it’s disruptive as all get-out. It’s not disruptive because it upsets institute was Donna Brazile, who ran Al Gore’s campaign. This us, but because it totally changes the paradigms for the distri- is a level of political sophistication that we do not usually bring bution of information. And we did not understand it that way. to the table. We usually bring politicians who like us and will Christiansen’s advice is that you always manage disruptive say nice things about us and tell us about the librarian they technologies separately.

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In the last twenty years there have also been changes that So I think that it’s looking at what a library needs to be, and have happened in our communities that have affected library finding the skills we need to tend equity and learning. And practice. One of those is the increasing lack of willingness of then, to the extent that civil service and union structures let us people to pay taxes, and their preference for paying fees. We do it, let’s look at the people with these skill sets. Some of them have made high ground out of not charging fees. But the last surveys I’ve seen show that people, by and large across the country, are happier about paying fees for using public facilities than about paying taxes and having them be free. I think the I think that, in terms of looking at whole paradigm of public funding is changing. And we need to library staffing in the future, it’s not deeply, and not defensively, think about how public libraries are funded. only that we will have fewer MLS Another substantive change in our communities has been the enrichment that has been brought to most areas of this people, we will also have a need for a country by rapid immigration. Our communities have changed. wider variety of skills in our libraries. They are much more international. They are much richer in terms of cultural heritage. And in some communities, the library has been at the center of helping make new communities with all of the new people who may not intuitively under- have an MLS, and some of them don’t. Some of our parapro- stand each other. In other communities, the library has not fessionals are the people with the deepest connections to the chosen to play that role. community. Many of our people with language skills are in our NBH: Is library education and training as practiced now going paraprofessional slots. There just aren’t a lot of MLS librari- to be a valid way to bring up new librarians? ans who speak Hmong.

EJR: Some of our programs of library education are mar- NBH: What about library trustees? velously creative. I have come to understand, partly through friendships with a lot of library educators, that the drivers in EJR: Oh, library trustees are the voice of the people. One of the library education are not the needs of the field. The drivers for gifts at ULC is that the majority of the people on my board are programs of library education are what is going on in each uni- library trustees. The ULC board consists of seven library versity. This change began to happen when library education trustees or foundation board members, six library directors became expensive because we had to add technology. When (deliberately one down), and three public members, who are library education was a cheap little program to run, nobody in people who have no connection to our member libraries but the university paid much attention to it. But when the bills who extend our reach in interesting ways. began coming in for not only first-generation technology, but Good library trustees bring perspectives, experience, and cutting-edge technology, it became an expensive program. I incredible richness to the table of decision making. They are the don’t have any problem with universities calling these I-schools voice of the community in policy decisions and they should be. or LIS schools or whatever they want to call them. But I’m a Because, left to their own devices, librarians just might make gardener, and I think the sun they turn to is the life of the uni- policies that were better for librarians than those that truly versity. It is not the needs of the profession. reflected the values and commitment to the people in the com- I think the transmission of professional values that used to munity. be a part of professional school needs to be done now by asso- The wild card about library trustees is how they get to be ciations like PLA. Because if 80 percent of the people in an trustees. In some places, library trustees are elected. That means information school are not going into libraries, much less into they know what it means to go to the people to get votes. public libraries, how much responsibility do schools have to Usually, library trustees who are elected are on their way to talk about the public library in the life of a city? Almost none. higher office. This is an early direction. And that sometimes So I think we have lots of creative, service-minded library means that their risk-taking capacity is pretty limited, because educators who can’t do the job alone. They are also better at they don’t want to do anything that, when they are ready to run teaching us how to learn about stuff, rather than teaching us to for city council, might be held against them. do it. I rejoice when people can do practicums. Then there are library trustees who are appointed by elected officials. They are sometimes chosen to serve on the NBH: What about the importance, role, and education or library board as payback for having supported the elected offi- training of paraprofessional staff? cial during his or her campaign. There are also self-perpetuating library boards that, when EJR: I love the associate in arts (AA) programs that help us get they are good, are wonderful. These are people whose primary really skillful paraprofessionals. I love programs like the commitment is to the library, and they find other people who Library Associate Training Institute in Maryland that works share their commitment, to take their place to the extent that with bachelor’s-level people (www.latimd.org/about.html). they sometimes become less representative of the community I think that, in terms of looking at library staffing in the as times change. However, these type of boards are less good, future, it’s not only that we will have fewer MLS people, we less effective. will also have a need for a wider variety of skills in our I also think that library foundations often attract people libraries. We’ll need IT people and people who do outreach or who are more powerful than trustees, who move in the corridors literacy programs. We shouldn’t have librarians teaching liter- of power in cities more easily, and therefore have more clout. To acy. We should hire people with graduate degrees in adult find a way to balance their voice with the voice of the trustees, learning to run our literacy programs. There is expertise there. particularly if it’s an authority board, is a delicate dance.

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NBH: After thirty-four years in librarianship, you’re leaving happen with it or not, I’m not sure. I think that a lot of library the profession to become the founding director of the Pendle advocacy is less effective than it might be, because people don’t Hill Peace Network. Could you tell us a little about your plans? understand how the decisions really get made and don’t understand that libraries would be more fundable if the mayor saw EJR: Pendle Hill is a Quaker center for study and contempla- us as an instrument of his political influence rather than as an tion that has been in suburban Philadelphia since 1931. It is a institution who claims to be apolitical. Someday I’d like to campus that hosts semester-long students, week-long retreats, write about Donna Brazile’s concept of the deeply political weekend retreats. It has a resident faculty. It’s a wonderful cam- public library and how to be effective and still be neutral in pus, walkable from Swarthmore College. service delivery. I think that a great deal of the work for peace I have actually sat on their board for about three years. and justice exhausts people and crashes and burns with no The board decided that they wanted to join the strengths of effect because the people engaged in it have not taken seriously contemplative life and social activism, so they began this peace the systems of power that have created the world the way it is initiative. I was honored and delighted to be invited to come now. I want to figure out how to work so that our energy is and provide leadership for it. I will be entering a whole new used well. community of practice. I will be living on the campus. And it’s one of those places where there’s a big organic garden that NBH: So, once again, what you’re saying is for a congregation everybody works in, and people eat communally. I’ve been a to not be inwardly drawn and talk about themselves, but to say, Quaker for thirty-five years, so this is an area of work that I “What are the needs in our community? How can we, as a care deeply about. covenantal-based community, make a difference?” The commitment is to create a national interfaith network of congregations, Buddhists, Tongas, mosques, temples, and EJR: Absolutely, and then how to use the limited time and churches, and to help people who, as part of faith communities, money we have in ways that are effective. Faithfulness and want to reduce violence and increase justice in the world. I effectiveness are not at opposite ends of the continuum. They think the compelling thing about it for me is that I care deeply are both dimensions of good work in the world. ■ about people of faith tending their model of faithfulness, but also having their work in peace and justice be effective. And I think the tools for effectiveness have not been easily available to religious congregations. In ten years I would love to have Nann Blaine Hilyard and Skip Auld interviewed Joey kind of a Brookings Institute for Peace and Justice that had a Rodger in May 2004. They would like to thank pro- research component. For example, if a congregation wanted to fessional transcriptionist Kari Hruneni who typed this do training in nonviolence with their teenagers, they could just ninety-minute interview; [email protected], (804) call us up and say, “Do you have some tools?” And we’d say, 378-9013. All correspondence regarding this column “Yes, and we know they work.” In many ways it’s similar to the should be directed to the contributing editors. role of ULC in helping people who are on the front line have Hampton (Skip) Auld is Assistant Director, Chesterfield County Public Library, 9501 Lori Rd., the tools to do their work effectively. Chesterfield VA 23832-0297, (804)748-1767; One of my personal passions, which I have been working [email protected]. Nann Blaine Hilyard is on for about a year, is understanding systems of power. From Director, Zion-Benton Public Library, 2400 Gabriel five to seven each morning I am working on writing a book on Ave., Zion IL 60099; [email protected]. understanding systems of power. Whether anything will ever

How Some Libraries Are Using The Smartest Card

■ The Montgomery County Public Library in Troy, North test, “Why Your Library Card is the Smartest Card”(win- Carolina, signed up two hundred new users and ners took home a trophy and first place in each category “Smartest kids” through the campaign and gave a box of got a $50 savings bond donated by local banks, and pic- Godiva chocolates to the two staff members who signed tures were sent to the papers); and bought Smartest Card up the most new patrons. They set up tables at PTO meet- posters and hung them around town in such places as the ings and school book fairs as well as in the voting area of grocery store, doctor’s office, and community-based serv- the library on Election Day. ices offices. ■ In Phoenix, the Arizona State Library made a Smart Card ■ The Wyoming State Library made a library card presen- presentation on October 22 to the state senate president, tation to their governor. speaker of the house, governor, and supreme court repre- ■ At the West Bloomfield Township Public Library in sentatives. Michigan, the Senior Smartest Card postcard was ■ In Leitchfield, Kentucky, at the Grayson County Public mailed to residents aged sixty-two and older. The Library (self-described as “a small library, where they Friends of the Library are going to distribute the friend- cannot always do big things”) they gave out pencils with to-friend card to Friends’ members, who in turn will library logo and Smartest Card slogan to everyone who send cards to friends, neighbors, and others with a per- signed up for a new card; conducted a student essay con- sonal note about a library service they recently used.

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Book Talk provides authors’ perspectives on libraries, books, technology, and information.

reach somewhere on that other shore, that it’s going to connect to something. But then, in the process of writing, that’s how I discover the flaws in my ideas of how it should be shaped. I’ve never written a book and had the final product be identical, or even very similar, to what my original plan for it was. But I do A Part of What I Do have to have the sense that I have a plan before I can go on, so it’s a combination of both.

An Interview with PL: In your memoirs, you write of having a lot of different interests, but you never mention a relationship with writing. Mark Salzman How did you come into writing?

MS: I sort of came into writing unexpectedly. I was not a particularly strong reader when I was growing up. Even in college Brendan Dowling I didn’t read for pleasure. Most of my reading and certainly all of my writing was done to fulfill the requirements of a class. It ark Salzman first gained attention with the 1986 publi- was hard for me to find books that spoke directly to my inter- Mcation of Iron and Silk, his memoir about his experience ests, so I never imagined that writing would be something I teaching English in China after graduating from Yale. Since would do, because I was more interested in music or martial then, he has published Lost in Place, his memoir about grow- arts. There always seemed to be other things that appealed to ing up in suburban Connecticut, as well as the novels The me more. Then after I came back from China I was teaching Laughing Sutra, The Soloist, and Lying Awake. Last year saw martial arts, but it was frustrating because it was very difficult the publication of True Notebooks, his account of teaching a to find people who were interested in martial arts for the same writing course in a maximum-security prison for juvenile reason I was. During that time when I was discouraged and offenders in central Los Angeles. wondering what I was going to do, a friend suggested that I write about what it was like to study martial arts in China Public Libraries: You have written extensively in both nonfic- because I was always telling these stories. I’ve always loved tion and fiction. Do you find any differences between the two telling stories. He had a party he was throwing, he wanted forms? some entertainment, and so he thought if I read one of these stories that he’d heard me tell, that would be a good form of Mark Salzman: For me the analogy that works is to compare entertainment. So he encouraged me to write the story for the nonfiction to documentary filmmaking where fiction is more party, and after I’d done that he said, “I’ve got a friend who like the creation of a feature film. My wife is a documentary works in publishing, she just started as an editor, I know she’s filmmaker and what she often says is that with documentary looking for writers, why don’t I send it to her?” And he did and filmmaking, the footage exists. Events have happened, and that editor then encouraged me to write more stories. And it your creative task is then to edit those events, to choose which was through her encouragement that I wrote enough little of them to include, which to leave out. Your subjective impres- essays to form my first book, Iron and Silk. sion, your vision, comes through in the way you arrange the material. Whereas with a feature film, you have to do all that, PL: Had you kept journals during that time? but first you have to generate the footage. And that’s what fiction is like for me. It’s neither harder nor more easy. I think the MS: No, I hadn’t. But I wrote letters home every week. So I had day-to-day process of writing is identical for me, but with fic- those to draw on. Once the editor encouraged me to write more tion there’s just an extra step. And that extra step is that I first of these stories, I had plenty of material because I had all these have to generate the footage. I have to choose what the context letters that I had written home that my parents had held onto. will be, what the main events will be, who the characters are. So that was certainly helpful, but I didn’t keep a journal. Then from there, I start what I consider to be the same process of choosing how to arrange the material. PL: A big theme in your nonfiction work is your relationship with mentors, whether it’s with your father or a martial arts PL: So do you have that subjective impression already in mind sensai. Is that a conscious choice? when you’re writing a nonfiction book, or is that something that arrives as you assemble the material? MS: I think it’s just a reflection of what I hungered for so deeply when I was in my teens and twenties. And I think that’s kind of MS: A little of each. Before I can start writing, I have to feel as universal—certainly for boys; I can’t speak for girls because I’ve if I know where I’m going. I have to feel as if I have some sense haven’t been one. But it seems to me that every male I know goes of what the overall shape of the story will be. So I’ll have it out- through a point in life at that threshold between childhood and lined fairly carefully. It’s kind of like I need an architect’s plan manhood where what you want desperately is for an adult male before I start building my bridge. I have to believe I’m going to mentor to take you on, to take an interest in you, to give you

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challenges, to give you ordeals through PL: Have any of them continued their which you can prove yourself. And if you writing? can prove yourself by meeting those challenges then that mentor will finally anoint MS: Some of them have, and some of you and accept you into the company of them—at this point—are just trying to get other men and at last that issue of “am I a by. I think some of them now are in a state boy or am I a man” will be resolved for you. of mind that a lot of long-time prisoners There really aren’t that many formal initia- describe as kind of a daze, where you don’t tion relationships in our modern culture so I want to think about the future or the past, think a lot of us end up searching desper- about being creative. You just want to have ately for some substitute or try to recreate it the days go by as quickly as possible. But for ourselves. So for me, even though I was for a lot of them, what’s happened is the lucky enough to have a very close relation- seed of interest that was planted there is ship with my father, even that was not starting to catch on, in reading especially. enough. I was looking outside of my father So a lot of them are asking me to send them for someone who would take me on and books or recommendations for reading really give me tests that I had to go through through the prison library. And a lot of Mark Salzman that would then prove once and for all that them are finding that having the confidence I understood things, that I was prepared to that they’ve developed in that class helps go out into life. Mentors have played a really important role in them because there are a lot of people in prison who are illiter- my own life so I think it’s not surprising that they crop up again ate and who desperately need help writing letters home or to and again in my own books. lawyers. So to have that skill, to be useful to others, helps keep them out of the gang violence. In a sense they become neutral. PL: Have you noticed a difference being on the other side of the If you have a special skill you have a better chance of staying mentor relationship in the Inside Out program? out of the gang warfare that’s going on, so it’s proved useful for several of them. MS: Only that I enjoy it. It’s as satisfying and exciting to be on the mentor side as it is to be on the student side. Also it’s as edu- PL: Now that you’ve observed the prison subculture so closely, cational. I feel that working with those kids has taught me more would you ever write a fictional work set in that area? than I teach them. As an adult, I have more perspective and so I think that I can relate the experiences we have to each other MS: I never know. It’s entirely possible. For me the inspiration to more of my own experiences in life. I think the experiences I for fiction, my novels, is as mysterious to me as the inspirations have with these kids resonates so deeply with me because I’ve for dreams at night. I can’t really control that part. Suddenly I’ll been through them so many times and in so many other ways. get an itch. There’s a story, a kind of conflict that I want to gnaw But certainly my own experience with mentors makes me over and resolve in some way through fiction. And I see it in a appreciate the value of a mentor, of what a healthy and a won- certain time or place with certain characters. That process, I derful thing it is to be in a position to offer a young person don’t seem to have any control over. It’s when I get into the work encouragement and some guidance. of organizing it, that I can exert conscious control. And at this point right now, I don’t have any desire to do a fictional version PL: Have any of your students read True Notebooks? What has of the prison subculture, but I never know, it may just come up their reaction been? some day. Right now I’m writing something set in thirteenth- century Mongolia, and where that comes from, I have no idea. MS: I had to get all of their permission to include their work in the book and they were delighted to give that. For these PL: Are you constantly writing? kids, even the suggestion that something they did would be seen as positive, that it would actually be known to someone MS: I think I’m constantly writing as much as someone who’s other than the prosecutor that convicted them is exciting for now a stay-at-home dad with a three-year-old and four-month- them. They were all for it. They’ve all read the book. I’ve got- old can be. A three-hour stretch of time to myself is a miracle. ten copies to all of them, which is difficult because all but one I’m grateful for that. I’m not usually able to get that much time of them are in prison and you can’t send hardcover books to every day, but if every other day I can, that’s good. The differ- prisoners. With the first edition, I had to gather up the ence now that I have kids as compared to before, is before if I reader’s editions that were sent to reviewers and then I had to only had a three-hour window, I would just say, “There’s no take them to a bookstore to send directly from a bookstore way,” because it takes me three hours for me to get my mind to because an ordinary citizen like me can’t send a book under settle down. Now since I don’t have the time, I find that if the any circumstances to a prisoner. They won’t accept them at baby’s asleep, my wife says “I’ll take care of the other one for the prison. It has to come from either a publisher or an three hours,” I sit down and bang, I’m right in. I can get my approved bookstore. So it took months and months to get three hours of work done right away, which I had not been able copies to the kids, but the reaction from them has been just to do before. So I’m just as productive now with this limited delightful. The letters that I’ve gotten from them have been time as before because I spend less time feeling unfocused. very satisfying. I think that first of all they’re just excited to see themselves through someone else’s eyes that’s in not alto- PL: A key moment in Lost in Place is when you attend a Yo-Yo gether in a negative light. Then just to see their own work in Ma concert as a high school student (and aspiring professional the book makes them very happy. cellist) only to leave at intermission because you’re so

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awestruck by his talent. A few years ago, you had the chance to day and the next and it just sort of stuck. I discovered it is pos- play with him at a concert in Lincoln Center. What was that sible to set aside that endless comparison to ideals. It was sort experience like? of a release, an example where fiction informs life.

MS: It was just delicious. [Seeing Yo-Yo Ma in concert] was PL: What influence do music and martial arts have on your life maybe the watershed moment of my young adulthood, seeing today? him and being confronted so directly with the severe limitations of my own talent and how far the reality of my talent was from MS: Not a whole lot, directly. They will always have an influ- where I’d hoped to be. The gap between my fantasy of my abil- ence in that they sent me in the direction that informs pretty ity and my actual ability was so great and seeing him play made much everything I do. I had to stop doing martial arts seriously me face it so directly. I was just profoundly shocked and disap- about fifteen years ago because of a lower-back injury that just pointed. And it took me a long time to get over the sense of, put an end to the whole thing within the course of a year. So I “What do you do after that? How do you move on if you really have not been able to do real vigorous martial arts for that see that your life is never going to be the fantasy you had pic- long. I still do T’ai Chi every day. And that’s wonderful to have tured for yourself? Then years later, after my first book had that to carry me through life. After my second daughter was come out, we were introduced by a woman who knew Yo-Yo born about four months ago, I just had to put the cello in the and knew that he had enjoyed that book. She said, “Next time closet because I just don’t have time to practice. For the time he’s in town I’ll get the two of you together,” and she did and being I’m sort of silent in those areas. I feel like what I learned we hit it off. He’s just a delightful human being. He’s even bet- through those struggles through perfectionism and disappoint- ter in person than you would imagine from hearing his music. ment with both of those art forms is definitely part of my every- So years after that, he had this idea. He and Emanuel Ax were day work now, whether it’s with writing, whether it’s with playing a chamber music concert at Lincoln Center and they trying to keep myself interested the five-hundreth time I’ve read wanted to remind their audience that chamber music wasn’t Goodnight Moon to my kid. Now I’m the stay-at-home guy so originally intended to be played in formal circumstances, con- I do all the cooking, the dishes, the housekeeping, and all of cert halls. It was intended to be played at home, “in chambers,” that stuff, just coping sometimes with the sense of monotony. where professionals and amateurs would play together. It was All of those ordinary day-to-day struggles are the sort of strug- just for the love of it. To do that, they had this idea of first of gles we want help with. And I feel like martial arts have really all dressing the stage like a living room and having their friends formed the foundation of my approach to how I’m going to sitting on stage, and then at one point in the concert inviting make the most of those things. me, an amateur cellist, to join them on a Beethoven piece. It was not that I’m such a good cellist and they felt I needed the PL: Readers of your work come away with the impression of exposure. It was more that I was part of this novel approach of you as an avid learner who actively pursues his interest in expanding the idea of how music can be performed. It was just things. What role has the library played in your life? one of the high moments of my life because the two days before the conference I was terribly nervous. Suddenly I realized, MS: From very early on, when I first got interested in Chinese “This is terrible, I’m not good enough, I’m going to screw this philosophy and martial arts, culture, and art, there weren’t any up, it’s going to be the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. I should classes in my junior high school certainly, and we didn’t have have said no, I should have been smarter, I shouldn’t have been any books at home about it. And what my dad would do—my so selfish.” Well finally, once we got onstage, I was so excited. dad was a public school social worker—every day, on his way I felt like that scene in Ben-Hur where Charlton Heston gets home from work, he would stop at our local library and he onto that chariot, with the four white horses pulling it. Once would just find stuff, anything about China, that he could. So they start running, he’s like, “Whoa!” These people, their musi- from the start, having access to books that I otherwise couldn’t cianship was so fantastic and their enthusiasm, their sense of afford or there was just no way I would ever get ahold of, fun, and their playfulness was so strong I felt like they were car- libraries have always played a huge role in giving me the oppor- rying me. I felt that I could do no wrong. It was just ecstatic, tunity to find out about things. Like right now, for each book I really really fun. write, particularly the fiction, I have to do an enormous amount of research. I love the research phase. And I do all my PL: How did you come back to music, because you stopped research at libraries, partly because I still haven’t figured out playing cello for a number of years? how to work the Internet. I really love having whole books to work with, I prefer that to just reading off a screen. I like to be MS: I did. It was while I was writing The Soloist, and Yo-Yo able to pore over them and look at the bibliographies and all Ma was my chief informant for that book. He had been talking that. All of my research, I do at libraries. It’s still very much a to me over the years about what it’s like to be a prodigy and part of what I do. ■ what life at that level is like. He certainly is someone who believes that music should be played for its own sake, regardless of your level of skill, that all music has value. And I remem- Brendan Dowling interviewed Mark Salzman via telephone on ber thinking, “If I can make my fictional character come to September 27, 2004, through arrangements made by Kathryn terms with his own ability and enjoy music for its own sake, Baros of the Barclay Agency. If you have any suggestions of authors why can’t I do it in my actual life?” So I remember taking my you would like to see featured in Book Talk, contact the con- cello out of storage and locking myself in a room so no one tributing editors: Kathleen Hughes is Managing Editor of Public Libraries, and Brendan Dowling is the Editorial Assistant. Both can could hear me and thinking, “Okay I’m now going to play and be reached at the Public Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., I’m not going to care how it compares to anyone else.” And it Chicago, IL 60611; [email protected], [email protected]. was just sort of a fun exercise and I enjoyed it. I did it the next

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Internet Spotlight explores Internet and Web topics relevant to librarians in the public library sector. Your input is welcome.

new developments in litigation, areas of interest, and various other topics. Thus, during my morning perusal of Web content, I come across many news articles. Lately, online newspapers and magazines have asked users to register (most of the time at no Top Tools cost) for access to the article. While I don’t mind filling out Web forms, it has become a hassle not only to fill out each form for of 2004 every newspaper, but to delve deep into my subconscious to remember each user ID and password. Bug Me Not solves this problem as it is a database of user IDs and passwords for these online newspapers. When I come to a site that I have to register Steven M. Cohen for in order to access the article, I plug the URL into Bug Me Not and I am supplied with a username and password that have already been created for that particular content provider. I then or the last Internet Spotlight column of every year, I like to copy and paste this information into the log-in form that pro- Fput on my David Letterman attire and give readers a Top Ten vides access to the article. This is a way to side-step the entire list—well, not so much a list, but a summation of the past year. registration process. This not only saves time, but it also limits And actually, there are more than ten. Every year, I focus on spe- the amount of spam that will pile up in my e-mail inbox. One cific aspects on the Internet. Last year, I wrote about search feature that is necessary here is the Bug Me Not bookmarklet engines because of the numerous changes that were going on that can be placed on the browser and accessed when needed (this year has been no exception), but when I pondered what (rather than having to go to the Bug Me Not site). Bug Me Not type of best-of column to put together for 2004, a theme kept is a tool that I can’t live without. If it happens to go offline, the creeping back into my brain: tools, tools, and more tools. I think only useful alternative would be the automatic fill-in link on the that 2004 was the year of the tool—not that five-in-one remote Google Toolbar (http://toolbar.google.com). control or that five-gallon, gas-powered weed-whacker than you Another favorite tool that I have been using for the past were pining for at Home Depot. I’m talking about those Web four months is a Web-based news aggregator called Feed on tools that you use regularly and that, if taken away, would break Feeds (http://minutillo.com/steve/feedonfeeds). For those not your heart in an instant. familiar with RSS and news aggregators, I suggest that you take In my last column, I discussed social bookmarking tools a look at an easy-to-read guide at Librarians Index to the and how they can boost a user’s resource base because of the Internet (http://lii.org/search/file/liirss). Over the past two-and- contributions from many users. I have been interested in group a-half years of speaking and writing about news aggregators, I work for quite a while now (in fact the next book that I am have tried out numerous pieces of software, with each one per- going to read is titled The Wisdom of Crowds: Why the Many forming better than the prior tool. I think that I have finally Are Smarter than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes found the best aggregator for my needs. In my opinion (many Business, Economies, Societies and Nations by James who use aggregators do not entirely agree with me here) the best Surowiecki [DoubleDay 2004]). The Web community now is aggregators to use are Web-based (accessible from any computer rife with group work, and the tools and resources that came out with Internet access), with the ability to delete content that I during the past year reflect this movement. Thus, I asked (via a have already read, saving precious time, and with the ability to post on my weblog, www.librarystuff.net/2004/07/favorite-new- display the content within the two prominent interfaces (either tools-of-past-year.html) for readers’ suggestions of their favorite via resource or chronologically). In addition, I have always felt Web tools and resources that have come out during the past that I wanted to have more control of my aggregator by having year. This column will encompass suggestions from me as well it installed on my own Web server. Feed on Feeds is the only one as from the many e-mails that I received in response to that post. that performs all of these tasks flawlessly. This list is not exhaustive, and it may not even reveal tools Those are the two tools that I have found to be more use- that have only been released during the past year, but rather ful than any others that I have come across over the past year. those that are new to the user (this was the case in numerous Here are suggestions from our colleagues. instances). Also, since I write this column almost five months Sarah Houghton, e-services librarian (and writer of the before it actually appears in Public Libraries, new tools may Librarian in Black weblog—http://librarianinblack.typepad.com) come on the market over that time period that will not be at the Marin County (Calif.) Free Library, writes in with three of reflected here. Thus, this column should not be thought of as a her favorite new tools: year-end list, but one to be construed as favorite resources from your fellow professional librarians. Nonetheless, let’s get to the ■ TinyPic—http://tinypic.com. This site offers free image resources. First, I’ll discuss my must-haves and then reveal the hosting—no registration required and no user agreement. readers’ choices. ■ MLA Language Map—www.mla.org/census_main. This One new tool that saves me more time during the day than has already helped me mine some essential information on any other tool is called Bug Me Not (www.bugmenot.com). Part languages spoken in our library’s jurisdiction. It is much of my job description at work is to keep attorneys informed of easier to maneuver than census data.

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■ Gnooks—http://gnooks.com. This resource is similar to products/meta). They both allow you to easily add the power NoveList, (www.epnet.com/public/novelist.asp), but free. It of any simple search box directly to the toolbar. recommends new authors based on your current favorites. Our library subscribes to NoveList, but for those that don’t, Anna Neatrour, coordinator of first-year library instruction this could prove to be a very useful reader’s advisory tool. at Tisch Library, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, shares her favorite tool: Joy Schwarz, Web Librarian at Winnefox Library System, The resource that I’d nominate for “new tool” is del.icio.us Oshkosh, Wisconsin, recommends the following tools: (http://del.icio.us). I almost never use bookmarks in a Web browser now, I prefer to post to del.icio.us. I appreciate the ■ Adblock—http://adblock.mozdev.org. This tool (a plugin social aspects of having shared bookmarks because if I available for Mozilla [www.mozilla.org] and Firefox want to collect links in a particular area but don’t have the [www.mozilla.org/products/firefox] browsers) removes time to run periodic searches, I can subscribe to a category (not just blocks) .gif, .jpg, .png, and Flash images, which (like css or rss) and get new links to look at based on what makes viewing ad-laden Web pages much nicer. other people are posting to del.icio.us. I also like being able ■ TinyURL (http://tinyurl.com). This URL, which allows to subscribe to other user’s del.icio.us feeds—if I find users to create a new, short URL for longer URLs, is great someone else’s links entertaining I can keep up on what when sending URLs in e-mail messages to avoid breakage they are keeping up on, if that makes sense. due to word wrap. Adding TinyURL to my browser’s links toolbar makes it especially handy. I would like to thank everyone that participated in this year’s roundup of favorite tools and resources. As many of these tools A note on Joy’s mention of Firefox: There is a complete list demonstrate, group work in the library field brings in many dif- of extensions available at http://update.mozilla.org/extensions. ferent ideas, viewpoints, and resources to share. By posting a I recently began using Firefox as an alternative to the more question on my weblog, I was able to reach out to a part of the popular browsers, such as Internet Explorer and Netscape, and library community and this column is a result of that communal I couldn’t be happier. It works well with all of the other tools effort. Librarians need to continue to work together to not only that I use on a daily basis. One neat feature is a search box on broaden our resource base, but to strengthen our profession. ■ the top right hand corner of the browser. The user can choose from many different engines to have displayed there. Currently, I have a search box for the Librarian’s Index to the Internet Steven M. Cohen, Assistant Librarian at the law (www.lii.org) as my default. firm of Rivkin Radler, LLP, is the contributing Molly Montgomery, assistant librarian at the American editor of “Internet Spotlight.” He is also a con- Heart Association, National Center Library, Dallas, writes: tributing editor for Resourceshelf.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Aggregators are my favorite new tools. Bloglines (www.bloglines.com) is the one I use. It was not hard to stay on top of things while in library school, but after I graduated (in 2002) Resources I felt that I was getting out of touch with “Library Land” issues. I dreaded the inbox full of electronic discussion list Adblock—http://adblock.mozdev.org noise, just to find the few information gems. There are things Argali—www.argali.com that I get through my many RSS feeds that I would have Bloglines—www.bloglines.com never found anywhere else. Sometimes it’s just links to cool Bug Me Not—www.bugmenot.com. tools (like Bug Me Not), but mostly it’s pieces of information Copernic Meta Toolbar— that help me see issues in a bigger picture. I’ve learned more www.copernic.com/en/products/meta about the PATRIOT Act, copyright, and technology applica- Del.icio.us—http://del.icio.us tions in the last eight months than I did during my entire Feed on Feeds—http://minutillo.com/steve/feedonfeeds “formal” education. Now I’m a vocal RSS promoter and Firefox—www.mozilla.org/products/firefox have even created a blog for a local medical librarian group. Firefox Extensions—http://update.mozilla.org/extensions Gary Price, creator of the useful Resource Shelf weblog Gnooks—http://gnooks.com (www.resourceshelf.com) mentions three tools that he has Google Toolbar—http://toolbar.google.com found useful over the past year: Librarian in Black weblog—http://librarianinblack.typepad.com Librarian’s Index to the Internet—www.lii.org ■ Topix (www.topix.net). A news portal that allows the user Library Stuff Weblog Post—www.librarystuff.net/2004/07/ to customize the results with topics or locality. Enter a zip- favorite-new-tools-of-past-year.html code and get the news from your local area. LII RSS Tutorial—http://lii.org/search/file/liirss ■ Argali—(www.argali.com). This is a powerful directory MLA Language Map—www.mla.org/census_main lookup application that allows you to search and aggregate Mozilla—www.mozilla.org results from several Web-based phone and e-mail address NeedleSearch for Mozilla—http://needlesearch.mozdev.org databases. I’ve been using Argali for a while and have NoveList—www.epnet.com/public/novelist.asp found it to be a real time saver. In addition to phone num- Resource Shelf weblog—www.resourceshelf.com ber lookups, Argali offers many other directory searches. TinyPic—http://tinypic.com Argali is a free download. TinyURL- http://tinyurl.com ■ Either NeedleSearch for Mozilla (http://needlesearch.mozdev. Topix—www.topix.net org) or Copernic Meta Toolbar (www.copernic.com/en/

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Tech Talk explores issues that public librarians face when they offer electronic services and content. It aims to create a bridge between the practical and theoretical issues related to technology.

The services are created for a variety of reasons, including difficulty in wiring older buildings, not enough space or not Library Service the right kind of space, or in order to allocate less money for hard-wired desktop computers and their maintenance. For the cost of one computer, the library can make Internet access without Wires available to many customers simultaneously, as was the case at the Staunton (Va.) Public Library.3 Other benefits include more flexible seating and less demand on existing computers in Connectivity and Content the library. Providing wireless access allows customers the freedom to sit anywhere in the library, not just in the computer section. Computer classes that once monopolized public-access computers can now be taken to a private room more con- A. Paula Wilson ducive to learning. hen technically adept library customers graduate from Libraries have even taken wireless to a new level as they Whard-wired desktop computers to portable devices such provide it to their remote customers via the bookmobile. The as laptops and PDAs, an entirely new door of service delivery Sterling Municipal Library in Baytown, Texas, runs a bookmo- opens. In order to serve this mobile clientele libraries have cut bile that covers a five-mile radius. It provides wireless access on cords to provide wireless access to the Internet where it did not a desktop computer that is accessible at the bookmobile’s 4 exist and develop content suitable for delivery on the tiny thirty-five stops, serving mostly children. Staff at the Maricopa browsers of handheld devices. Wireless technology has become County (Ariz.) Library District work online through an Internet so common that some city governments have installed wide- satellite connection at each bookmobile stop, the farthest of area networks, or hot zones, in order to provide broadband which is about eighty miles from its headquarters. service for police and fire departments or for general use by the public in parks and downtown areas. For example, in June 2004, the government of Spokane, Washington, turned on a Providing Wireless Content dual-use wi-fi network in a one-hundred-block area of the city’s downtown that included a private network for use by the city Libraries whose customers use handheld devices to access the in addition to an open network for the public. Wireless tech- Internet are beginning to develop text-only or low-graphic ver- nology has not only blanketed the techno-savvy city of sions of their Web sites. Currently customers using handheld Spokane, but other areas such as Cook County, Illinois, and devices can receive text messages that give them access to e-mail Rio Rancho, New Mexico.1 notification, but browsing a Web site intended for a seventeen- Many libraries who have implemented wireless services inch monitor becomes clumsy on a handheld’s minibrowser. have shared their experiences through articles and workshops. Wireless Application Protocol (WAP)-enabled Web sites are Much of the development in wireless technology in libraries can built for display on a handheld device whose screen size is much be found at The Wireless Librarian (http://people.morrisville. smaller than that of a computer or laptop. Web pages are nor- edu/~drewwe/wireless), a Web site developed by Bill Drew. This mally built for a resolution of 640x480 pixels, but the display site serves as a great place for libraries to begin research in this on handheld devices can be as small as 150x150 pixels. Popular area. Wireless technology can enhance library services through sites like Amazon.com offer customers the ability to shop from connectivity to the Internet and content delivered through Web-enabled cell phones, PDAs, and other mobile devices. (See handheld devices. figures 1 and 2). The Singapore National Library Board (www.elibraryhub.com) offers Google’s WAP- Connectivity mobile phone users the ability to look up enabled search their library account, renew books, pay display Wireless access to the library’s Internet is used in a variety of fees and fines, and also receive reminder ways in public libraries. At the Harris County (Tex.) Public alerts of loans through short messaging Library customers are offered two service options: Bring Your service. Customers who own phones that Own Laptop to the Library (BYOL) and Check out our receive e-mail in plain text can receive arti- Laptops (COOL).2 Other libraries have used wireless technol- cles, request notification, and automated ogy to create mobile training labs that travel from library to search results. They can also read e-books library or through various spaces within a library and can be on these devices. The free Mobipocket packed up and put away. Libraries are also offering Internet Reader (www.mobipocket.com) software access to remote users via satellite Internet connections on allows patrons to download books to FIGURE 1 bookmobiles or through hotspots set up in external locations. smartphones and PDAs.

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An item up for auction on eBay as formatted for a and device prices and services drop. Libraries can find a variety minibrowser (background) as compared to a of ways in which wireless technology can enhance existing ■ graphical version of the same page (foreground) library services or add new ones.

A. Paula Wilson is the Web/Outreach Services Coordinator at the Maricopa County Library District, 17811 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, AZ 85032- 1201; [email protected]. The mention of systems and vendors in this column does not constitute an evaluation or an endorsement of the products or services by the Public Library Association or the editors of this magazine. The contributing editor of this column welcomes any comments or questions at the e-mail above.

References

1. Bob Brewin, “Local Governments Deploy Wide-Area Wi-Fi Net- works,” Computerworld 38, no. 26 (June 28, 2004): 7. 2. Sue Calbreath et al., “Untangled, Unwired, Unbound, Going FIGURE 2 Wireless in the Public Library (presentation at the 2004 PLA An- nual Conference, Seattle, Feb. 28, 2004). Accessed June 25, 2004, www.ala.org/ala/pla/plaevents/nationalconf/program/satur- Although there are many wireless users out there, it is dayprograms/untangled.ppt. unclear whether these users are also library customers, and if 3. David Steinberg and Karen Pifher, “Wi-Fi Internet Access at the Staunton Public Library,” Public Libraries 42, no. 3 (May/June not, whether wireless technology would create library users out 2003): 149–50. of them. The number of people using wireless devices continues 4. “Bookmobile Delivers Wireless Access,” Communications News to grow as the industry standardizes protocol and technology 39, no. 12 (Dec. 2002): 40.

New Goals for NCLIS The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information must have more research and development work in the whole Science (NCLIS) announced three strategic goals to guide its field of library and information science, and NCLIS is com- work in the immediate future: appraising and assessing library mitted to supporting that.” and information services provided for the American people, NCLIS members have identified eight strategic subject strengthening the relevance of libraries and information sci- areas in which the commission expects to be active, and each ence in the lives of the American people, amd promoting of these is being given attention by a task force composed of research and development for extending and improving volunteer commissioners: library and information services for the American people. Beth Fitzsimmons, NCLIS chair, noted that in the legisla- ■ Appraisal/assessment/statistics (led by Jose Aponte) tion that created the commission, Congress included a ■ Digitization (led by Allison Druin) Statement of Policy that affirmed that “library and informa- ■ Economic development/job creation (led by Bridget tion services adequate to meet the needs of the people of the Lamont) United States are essential to achieve national goals” and that ■ Educational achievement (led by Allison Druin) “the Federal Government will cooperate with State and local ■ Emergency preparedness (led by Stephen Kennedy) governments and public and private agencies in assuring opti- ■ Joint NCLIS/ICSECA activities (led by Joan Challinor) mum provision of such services.” ■ Libraries and consumer health information (led by Mary Twelve of the commissioners (of a total of sixteen) were (Mitzi) Perdue) appointed by President George W. Bush in the autumn of last ■ Universal services section (Section 245) Telecommun- year and confirmed by the Senate in January. “Since many of ications Act of 1996 (led by Fitzsimmons) us were just recently appointed,” Fitzsimmons continued, “we’ve been given a rare opportunity to put our collective By carrying out activities in these areas, both through its energies to work for America’s libraries.” own efforts and by working with the many strategic partners “This ‘new’ NCLIS—as we like to think of ourselves—is the commissioners have identified, NCLIS expects to be able committed to learning just how good our country’s libraries to gather the information it requires to recommend policy to are, and how we can participate in making them better. At the the President and to Congress. In doing so, the Commission same time, we know that in this age of the internet, of digiti- will provide guidance to the American library and informa- zation, and of many other sources for information, there is a tion science community and fulfill its own Congressional real need to strengthen libraries, to ensure that they are under- mandate of addressing the information and learning needs of stood as being relevant in people’s lives. Finally, of course, we the American people.

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InterViews is an occasional column highlighting unique perspectives, individuals, and institutions in the library world.

Finally, the fourth factor—is there a negative impact on the market for the work? No, just the opposite, the library is promoting reading and the sale of books. Are we avoiding a sale? No, the library has purchased the title it is promoting. One more vote for fair use. Copyright Concerns If we are to weigh all of the factors, how can we make a final determination when the score is tied—two factors for and two factors against fair use? In all fair-use scenarios, one or two Scanning Book Covers to factors will be more important than the others—we have evidence of this in fair-use court rulings. Use on Library Web Sites I would argue that factors one and four outweigh the others and therefore the use is fair. It is particularly important that by promoting reading we are serving the public. As a by-product, we find that we also promote the sale of books. Statistics Carrie Russell show that library readers are book buyers. Would publishers disagree with this analysis? Maybe. But eriodically in Public Libraries I comment on a copyright only a court of law can make that final call. I have talked to Pquestion that I am frequently asked. In this issue, our ques- several book publishers who do not find the use of book covers tion is: Is it a copyright infringement to scan a book cover and problematic at all. Libraries are good customers who are proud include the image on the library’s Web site? This question—like of their collections. This publisher-library partnership works almost all copyright questions—has no definitive answer. The out great for everyone! copyright law does not address this query specifically, so any There are times when using a book cover on the library response is interpretative. Here’s my take on it. Web site will be more of a concern, however. This might occur When we scan a work or take a book cover image from a if the image has very popular currency in the market or includes site like Amazon and include it on our Web sites, we are mak- a trademark. This does not mean that the use is unfair, but the ing a copy. Making a copy without the prior authorization of situation may be colored by these additional factors. the copyright holder is an infringement, unless the copyright Additionally, images used on the covers of books may be com- law allows the activity under certain circumstances. For missioned by the publisher for the book cover (in which case, instance, Section 108 of the law provides nonprofit, educa- the publisher may hold copyright in the image) or the publisher tional libraries with the right to make photocopies for library may simply obtain permission from the artist to use an image users and to make copies for preservation or replacement pur- on a book cover, but for no other purpose. In that case, the poses. The fair-use exemption (Section 107) allows copying copyright of the image would still be held by the artist, while when the use is considered “fair”—the use has social or public the other design elements of the book cover would be owned by benefits that outweigh or is deemed more important than the the publisher. Of course, you have two choices if your use is rights of the copyright holder. Readers may recall that fair use unfair—don’t copy the book cover or seek permission from the is determined by considering four factors: copyright holder. Copyright notices in the book may indicate who owns the copyright on images used in a book cover. When 1. the purpose of the use; in doubt, contact the publisher for more information. 2. the nature of the publication being used; Folks often ask if it is better for the library to scan the book 3. the amount used; and cover image rather than make a copy from a book dealer Web site 4. the effect on the market for the work. like Amazon. In general, I do not think there is a difference. The thumbnail images used on Amazon probably do not qualify for In the book cover scenario, the purpose of our use (factor their own separate copyright, assuming that every effort is taken one) is nonprofit (we aren’t making money from the library Web to make the image identical to the book cover. If, however, the site) and educational in nature (the library is using book cover image is photographed or scanned in an original creative way, the copies to promote new library books and to encourage reading). Amazon image may qualify for its own copyright protection. In In general, nonprofit, educational uses are considered fair. this case, it would be better to scan the library’s book cover and We are copying book covers—some are original artistic create your own thumbnail for the Web site. works that are highly creative and others are simply title and In our next copyright InterViews column, we will consider author and not much else. In general, book covers are attractive public performances. Is library movie night against the law? and may involve the work of an artist specially commissioned to Tune in to the January/February 2005 issue of Public Libraries design an exciting cover. So for the most part, the nature of the to find out! ■ publication (factor two) is creative. The law as interpreted by the courts considers highly creative works as more “protectable” than Carrie Russell is the Copyright Specialist for the American Library less creative ones, so this factor leans towards the unfair side. Association’s Office for Information Technology Policy, Washington The third factor—the amount used—also weighs against a D.C.; [email protected] fair-use reading, since we use the entire image.

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FEATURE

gence-gathering provisions that have Opposing the greatly enhanced the government’s ability to obtain information on potential or actual terrorist suspects and plots. Some USA PATRIOT Act of the act’s most staunch supporters view it as affording the essential powers needed by the nation’s chief intelligence The Best Alternative and law enforcement agencies to successfully detect and frustrate future terrorist plots and activities in the United for American Librarians States. On the other hand, many of the USA PATRIOT Act’s harshest critics claim the law gives too much power to the government and hence threatens the Don Essex civil liberties upon which American society is based. A particular provision of the USA This article reviews events leading to the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act that has been at the PATRIOT Act; discusses several issues and problems librarians forefront of this debate between the need for greater domestic security and have with section 215 of the law; examines legislative the maintenance of civil liberties is section 215, which grants federal authori- alternatives to section 215 introduced by Congress; considers ties the power to obtain business the politics involved in passing legislation affecting the records from individuals or organizations as part of a foreign intelligence or USA PATRIOT Act; and argues for what the author believes international terrorism investigation. is the best legislative alternative to section 215 for One group that has been extremely vociferous against this provision is American librarians. American librarians. Judging section 215 a threat to American citizens’ rights to privacy and intellectual free- n the morning of September 11, 2001, operatives of the international ter- dom, many librarians across the coun- rorist network al-Qa’ida hijacked four commercial airliners and succeeded try have opposed the PATRIOT Act in crashing one of them into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and two and have encouraged lawmakers to into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York. The fourth overturn or amend section 215 in par- Oplane crashed in a remote area of Pennsylvania. Nearly three thousand lives and mil- ticular. Congress has responded to the lions of dollars in property were lost.1 As a result of the attacks and their aftermath, concerns of librarians and others an unprecedented level of fear and sense of vulnerability gripped American society. aligned against the new anti-terrorism What was the worst terrorist attack in American history signaled for many the law by offering several legislative pro- beginning of a new, darker era of United States engagement and conflict with its ene- posals it believes strike the proper bal- mies abroad. However, whereas past attacks on Americans, like Pearl Harbor, were ance between strengthening Americans’ conducted outside the continental United States and by a clearly identifiable, alien security and preserving Americans’ lib- enemy, the new dark era of international terrorism was thrust upon America by a erty as pertains to library business catastrophe within its own “secure borders” and was inaugurated by an enemy who records. They range from measures posed as one of us. The terrorist attacks of September 11, according to President designed to terminate section 215 and George W. Bush, had awakened America—“a sleeping giant”—to the need for greater other controversial provisions in the vigilance against the threat of international and domestic terrorism. Henceforward, PATRIOT Act to legislation calculated the nation could spare no effort to combat terrorism at home and abroad and must to provide federal authorities with even employ every tool at its disposal to fight the continuing threat.2 further means to acquire business One tool granted to the Bush Administration to help prevent another al-Qa’ida records and otherwise investigate ter- attack on American soil is the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing rorist suspects. Although the issues sur- Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.3 Passed rounding the USA PATRIOT Act have by Congress shortly after September 11, this new anti-terrorism legislation—com- received ample attention in the press monly known as the USA PATRIOT Act—contains several surveillance and intelli- and from the public over the past three years, the legislative alternatives intended to curtail section 215 have Don Essex is the Legislative Information Specialist for the American Library Association (ALA), seen little or no action in Congress. Washington (D.C.) Office; [email protected]. His views and opinions are his own and do not nec- And it is very unlikely they will. The essarily reflect the views and opinions of ALA. current political climate does not favor

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legislation limiting the government’s Despite the aggressiveness of this power to combat terrorism. and similar investigations of terrorist activities at public libraries before September 11, to date the FBI has pro- Events vided little, if any, information confirm- ing or denying the accounts and In the days immediately following the suspicions of the eyewitnesses.6 terrorist attacks of September 11, federal and local investigators received thousands of tips about the identities and Issues activities of the airline hijackers from witnesses and other concerned persons. The episodes described above are illus- Some of these tips led the FBI to investi- trative of the major concerns many gate reports that several of the terrorists librarians have about the USA PATRIOT had been seen in various public libraries Act. It’s important to note the reports in southern Florida just weeks before and investigation of terrorist activities in their attacks. What is most noteworthy southern Florida actually occurred more about these reports is that they describe than a month before the PATRIOT Act the terrorists as using library computers was passed into law and therefore were to send and receive e-mail in a suspicious not affected by the new anti-terrorism manner, apparently in the very act of law. Nevertheless, these earlier events plotting the diabolical attacks that illustrate several issues librarians would would shortly take place. For example, face on a more heightened scale once the Kathleen Hensman, a reference librarian PATRIOT Act went into effect. at Delray Beach Public Library, told authorities that one of the hijackers, Mohald Alshehri, and a companion had Patron Privacy Inecom used a computer with Internet access in Kathleen Hensman, the Delray Beach her library and “appeared to be on edge librarian, took the initiative to tell the and watched her to see whether she was authorities one of the terrorists had used 4 1/3 v monitoring their use.” In Broward a computer in her library. In doing so, she County, other witnesses claimed to have reignited a fiery debate in library circles seen Mohammed Atta, the apparent about under what circumstances it leader of the group, using computers is appropriate for librarians to violate p/u with Internet access at two public their patrons’ right to privacy.7 libraries in Hollywood. The FBI took Librarians’ professional ethics and the 332 these reports seriously. According to the laws of forty-eight states, including Sun-Sentinel newspaper: Florida, forbid voluntary disclosures of In Broward County, court orders information about library patrons to were executed to collect computer third parties.8 According to some librari- information from public libraries ans, the PATRIOT Act creates an aura of where someone fitting the descrip- government surveillance within libraries tion of Mohammed Atta, the man that threatens the confidentiality of emerging as a leader of the terrorist patrons’ information and activities.9 group, was seen using computers Since its enactment, many librarians with Internet access. A federal throughout the country have reacted by grand jury ordered the surrender of adopting new or affirming long-held pri- those records from two library vacy policies that are designed to safe- branches in Hollywood as investi- guard information about the users of gators worked to piece together the their libraries. Frequently, these policies reading habits and Internet activi- include instructions to library staff to ties of those suspected in last week’s regularly destroy information such as cir- attacks. Broward County Attorney culation records and computer sign-up Ed Dion said he received the sub- sheets that document the interests and poena Monday [Sept. 17] after activities of their patrons. Librarians fear meeting earlier in the day with two they could be forced to supply govern- FBI agents. He refused to discuss ment authorities with such information if the contents of the subpoena other it were kept on hand.10 than to confirm it came from a grand jury and that it specifically Government Surveillance instructed him not to release the document to anyone other than fed- In Hollywood, federal investigators eral authorities.5 reacted to the September 11 attacks by

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attempting to “piece together the read- the FISA court is a proforma process and poorly provided, if at all.23 ing habits and Internet activities” of that provides no significant check on the However, the lack of information from the suspected terrorists.11 Since passage power of the government to search Justice has tended only to heighten the of the PATRIOT Act, many librarians library records and is subject to abuse.18 fears and suspicions of many in the suspect federal agents are now proac- What lends credence to this argument is library community. In September 2003, tively monitoring innocent library the fact that the FBI has never been Attorney General John Ashcroft sought users in order to detect and prevent denied issuance of an order by the court to alleviate the fears of librarians and new terrorist plots.12 in twenty-six years.19 combat bad publicity about the One thing that reinforces the suspi- PATRIOT Act by revealing the number cions and fears of librarians is the history of times libraries have been searched Gag Orders of past government monitoring. For under section 215. The answer—zero— example, from the 1960s into the 1980s, Although Dion was prohibited by the has been greeted with skepticism and the FBI ran a Library Awareness FBI from giving the documents obtained disbelief in some library circles.24 The Program in which agents asked librari- from the libraries’ computers to anyone primary reason is because other Justice ans in New York City and possibly other besides federal investigators, he never- officials have provided conflicting statis- locales “to watch for and report on theless could and did speak to the press tics.25 Furthermore, librarians find it library users who might be diplomats of about the investigation. Among other incredible that a tool so virulently hostile powers recruiting intelligence things, he discussed with reporters who defended by Ashcroft as essential in the agents or gathering information poten- was being investigated, what informa- war against terrorism has never been tially harmful to United States secu- tion was being sought, and why the FBI used.26 rity.”13 According to the FBI, the Soviet wanted the libraries’ records. The American librarians have other con- KGB “had long sought to recruit agents PATRIOT Act forbids all such discus- cerns about the USA PATRIOT Act.27 in libraries and on college campuses” so sion. Section 215 states: “No person However, for the purpose of this article, the bureau solicited the cooperation of shall disclose to any other person (other discussion will be limited to issues flow- mostly academic librarians as part of its than those persons necessary to produce ing from the new capabilities given the national counterespionage effort.14 the tangible things under this section) federal government in section 215. No However, the Library Awareness that the Federal Bureau of Investigation other section has garnered as much Program was eventually exposed and has sought or obtained tangible things attention in the press and from the pub- discredited in 1987 after Paula Kaufman, under this section.”20 Librarians find lic as 215. The level of controversy sur- a library director at Columbia University this gag rule particularly odious not only rounding its use in libraries could easily in New York, rebuffed the FBI’s invita- because it puts them in the role of FBI lead someone to think section 215 is the tion to participate and reported her informants. The lack of disclosure also USA PATRIOT Act. In fact, section 215 encounter with bureau agents to the makes it practically impossible for them is just one small part of this mammoth, New York Library Association.15 to gauge to what extent the USA new piece of anti-terrorism legislation. PATRIOT Act is being used in libraries by law enforcement.21 At least one Search Authority researcher, Leigh Estabrook, director of Problems After September 11, 2001, federal inves- the Library Research Center at the tigators issued a subpoena to Ed Dion, University of Illinois at Urbana- Weighing in at 132 pages, the USA Broward County’s attorney, authorizing Champaign, has attempted to gather this PATRIOT Act was signed into law by them to collect library records as evi- type of information through a series of President Bush on October 26, 2001. In dence in the terrorist investigation. The anonymous surveys of public and aca- the two days proceeding its signing, the subpoena, a court order, had to be demic libraries.22 Unfortunately, surveys act had swiftly passed votes in the House approved by a federal grand jury. Now, of this nature are of limited authority (357-66) and Senate (98-1). The over- under the provisions of the PATRIOT because the PATRIOT Act’s restriction whelming margins of victory for the bill Act, the FBI can obtain the same records on disclosure may effect the candor of reflected more Congress’ political need from a library by applying for an order respondents to the surveys. to act decisively and expeditiously from the Foreign Intelligence against the threat of terrorism than una- Surveillance Court, a body established nimity of opinion about the merits of the Government Secrecy by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance legislation. In fact, several members of Act of 1978 (FISA), that secretly presides Federal investigators have not made Congress have since confessed that many within the Justice Department. The FBI public any conclusions they may have lawmakers were totally ignorant of the only needs to “specify that the records about terrorist sightings in southern contents of the act when they voted for concerned are sought for an authorized Florida. Similarly, little is known about it.28 One factor that contributed to their investigation conducted in accordance how or how often the PATRIOT Act is ignorance was the speed attending the with” the USA PATRIOT Act “to obtain being used in libraries across America. In measure. The bills that became the USA foreign intelligence information not con- the three years since it was passed, mem- PATRIOT Act were introduced in the cerning a United States person or to pro- bers of Congress, representatives of the House and Senate on October 2 and tect against international terrorism or American Library Association, and oth- October 4, respectively—a mere three clandestine intelligence activities.”16 ers keenly interested in this question weeks before their passage. A second Upon this declaration, the FISA court have asked the Justice Department for factor was Congress’ failure to follow judges are required to issue the order.17 details concerning implementation of the normal legislative procedures during a Some librarians argue an application to law. Answers have been rarely, slowly, time of national emergency. Although

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the House Judiciary Committee “had “specify” to the FISA judge “that the are related to a foreign power or its laboriously marked up a consensus bill records concerned are sought for an agent. The bureau only has to “specify” (HR 2975) that was opposed by the authorized investigation conducted . . . that the purpose of its investigation is White House,” the Senate Judiciary to obtain foreign intelligence informa- “to protect against international terror- Committee “worked behind closed tion not concerning a United States per- ism or clandestine intelligence activities” doors with . . . Justice Department offi- son or to protect against international and it can obtain the “tangible things” it cials to write a bill (S 1510) acceptable terrorism or clandestine intelligence desires. For American librarians the to the administration.”29 activities.”33 Once this specification is issues involved in giving the federal gov- made, the judge is required to provide ernment such power—patron privacy, The House and Senate Judiciary the order. Furthermore, section 215 of government surveillance, search author- committees held one hearing each the PATRIOT Act imposes restrictions ity, gag orders, government secrecy—are on the Ashcroft proposal, but no on the recipients of FISA court orders: too big to ignore. The USA PATRIOT one who opposed the request testi- “No person shall disclose to any other Act not only threatens the values of their fied for the record. The Senate bill, person (other than those persons neces- profession. It threatens the rights of their drafted in secret, was never marked sary to produce the tangible things under patrons. Therefore, many librarians have up in committee. After the Senate this section) that the Federal Bureau of vigorously opposed it. passed its bill, which hewed closely Investigation has sought or obtained to Ashcroft’s proposal, administra- tangible things under this section.”34 tion officials pressured House GOP The implications of the FBI’s new leaders to take up the Senate meas- authority to obtain business records and Politics ure. Ultimately, leaders capitulated, impose silence on the subjects of its replacing the language negotiated Within the American library community, searches has been extremely disturbing to by the House Judiciary Committee opposition to the government’s new anti- many American librarians. Charles Doyle, members with a version close to the terrorism powers has been varied, but senior specialist for the Congressional Senate bill. Rather than hold a for- focused. Librarians at many levels of Research Service’s American Law mal conference, key lawmakers met political involvement have worked deter- Division, has explained why: with administration officials to minedly to educate the public about the resolve about a dozen differences Before the USA PATRIOT Act, fed- effects of the PATRIOT Act and to con- and then introduced a clean bill eral authorities, engaged in gather- vince Congress to curtail the govern- (HR 3162).30 ing foreign intelligence information ment’s power. As early as October 2001, or conducting an investigation of as rumors about and proposals for vari- Given the circumstances attending its international terrorism, could seek ous anti-terrorism bills began to circu- passage, many members of Congress a FISA court order for access to late in Washington, ALA and other sister would only later begin to understand the hotel, airline, storage locker, or car organizations were contacting members scope and details of the PATRIOT Act. rental business records. The busi- of Congress to express their concern Yet one provision that rapidly nesses to whom the orders were “that some of the legislation proposed became problematic and would eventu- addressed were bound to silence. thus far threatens the rights of the public ally encourage greater scrutiny of the Section 215 amended the procedure and undermines the confidentiality that PATRIOT Act by Congress is section so that in a foreign intelligence or is crucial for the flow of information 215. Section 215 amends Title V of the international terrorism investiga- needed for the provision of library serv- Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of tion federal authorities may obtain ices and importantly, the vitality of our 1978 to authorize “the director of the a FISA order for access to any tan- democracy.”36 After the PATRIOT Act FBI (or designee) to apply for a court gible item no matter who holds it, became law, ALA worked to educate and order requiring production of certain including by implication library prepare librarians for its implementa- business records for foreign intelligence loan records and the records of tion. For example, in January 2002, the and international terrorism investiga- library computer use.35 association distributed “Guidelines for tions.”31 Specifically, it allows the FBI to Librarians on the U.S.A. PATRIOT “make an application for an order However, it must be stressed that ACT: What to Do Before, During and requiring the production of any tangible librarians are not concerned simply After a ‘Knock at the Door?’”37 A year things (including books, records, papers, because the FBI can obtain libraries’ later, during its annual Midwinter documents, and other items) for an book and computer records in the course Meeting, ALA passed a resolution investigation to protect against interna- of a federal investigation. The FBI has expressing the concerns of its members. tional terrorism or clandestine intelli- always had this authority by means of At the heart of the document are the fol- gence activities, provided that such federal grand jury subpoenas, federal lowing statements: investigation of a United States person is search warrants, and other federal court not conducted solely upon the basis of orders, as was demonstrated during their RESOLVED, that the American activities protected by the first amend- investigation of the Broward County Library Association opposes any use ment to the Constitution.”32 However, libraries. Rather, librarians are alarmed of governmental power to suppress the statute includes no safeguards because the government can now search the free and open exchange of against the violation of a United States libraries solely on the pretext of a “for- knowledge and information or to person’s First Amendment rights by the eign intelligence or international terror- intimidate individuals exercising government. Rather, it only imposes one ism investigation.” Not only this, but the free inquiry; and, be it further condition upon the FBI before it can FBI no longer needs to demonstrate RESOLVED, that the American receive a court order: The agency must probable cause that the records it seeks Library Association encourages all

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librarians, library administrators, library governing bodies, and library advocates to educate their users, staff, and communities about the process for compliance with the USA PATRIOT Act and other related measures and about the dangers to individual privacy and the confidentiality of library records resulting from those measures; and, be it further RESOLVED, that the American Library Association urges librarians everywhere to defend and support user privacy and free and open access to knowledge and information . . .38 Complementing these more observ- able and documented political activities have been the behind-the-scenes efforts of ALA’s Washington Office to oppose the anti-terrorism law through congressional lobbying, coalition building, grass roots advocacy, and media exposure. ALA has been creative and determined in its efforts to galvanize Congress, librarians, and the public against the PATRIOT Act. Similar compliments can be made of librarian activists on the state and local levels. In fact, they are in some respects responsible for much of the recent publicity and debate that has risen throughout the nation over the PATRIOT Act, especially section 215. For example, in an effort to inform and alert its users, on March 3, 2003, the Santa Cruz Public Libraries board in California voted to allow the following message to be posted in its ten county branches and on its Web site: Warning: Although Santa Cruz Library makes every effort to protect your privacy, under the federal USA Patriot Act (Public Law 107- 56), records of the books and other materials you borrow from this library may be obtained by federal agents. That federal law prohibits library workers from informing you if federal agents have obtained records about you.39 Children From Sex . . . was worried Vermont’s congressional delegation Following Santa Cruz’s lead, other about the PATRIOT Act, including and began gathering signatures . . . libraries around the country have dis- its effect on libraries. She contacted “The letter went out in November, played similar warning signs. the ACLU of Vermont. Ultimately, and [Representative] Bernie Sanders Another example of grass roots University of Vermont librarian responded with an eagerness to do activism that has had significant impact Trina Magi, immediate past presi- something.” Sanders recalls, “I nationally is the story of the Vermont dent of the VLA, was enlisted. The knew . . . [the PATRIOT Act] wasn’t Library Association: VLA board “decided to draft a letter a good piece of legislation. But the Vermont-based writer Judith Levine, expressing concerns from the library people who really educated me author of the controversial Harmful perspective,” Maji recounts. The were the librarians of Vermont. to Minors: The Perils of Protecting board sent an open letter to I received an extraordinarily

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well-written letter that articulated As a direct result of the lobbying designed to address librarians’ deep con- librarians’ concerns and informed efforts of Vermont librarians, on March cerns about the USA PATRIOT Act. His me of a number of aspects, espe- 6, 2003, Bernie Sanders, the only Freedom to Read Protection Act became cially Section 215, which I had not Independent member in the House of the first legislative alternative to section been familiar with.”40 Representatives, introduced legislation 215 of the anti-terrorism law proposed by any member of Congress. Since then several other alternatives have been Legislative Alternatives to Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act offered. It seems Congress is finally responding to the growing outcry of Number HR 1157 librarians, civil libertarians, citizen Title Freedom to Read Protection Act of 2003 activists, and other critics of the Sponsor Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) PATRIOT Act. Cosponsors 152 Introduced 03/06/03 Searches Prohibits FISA Court orders to obtain library documentary materials Alternatives Reports Requires semi-annual reports to Congress and the public

Number HR 3352 In the 108th Congress, a number of bills Title Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act of 2003 have been introduced. They range from Sponsor C. L. “Butch” Otter (R-Id.) measures like the Benjamin Franklin Cosponsors 66 True Patriot Act (HR 3171), which Introduced 10/21/03 revokes section 215 and other provisions Searches Requires facts giving reason to believe a person is a foreign power or agent of the PATRIOT Act after a ninety-day Reports Requires semi-annual reports to Congress review period, to the Antiterrorism Tools Enhancement Act of 2003 (HR Number HR 4591 3037), which increases the Attorney Title Civil Liberties Restoration Act of 2004 General’s power to subpoena witnesses Sponsor Howard Berman (D-Calif.) and records during a federal investiga- Cosponsors 1 tion of terrorism. For the purpose of this Introduced 06/16/04 article, the only bills that will be dis- Searches Requires facts giving reason to believe a person is a foreign power or agent Reports Requires semi-annual reports to Congress cussed are those that attempt to address the dual problems librarians have with Number S 1158 section 215—that it lowers the criteria Title Library and Bookseller Protection Act the FBI must meet to obtain a court Sponsor Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) order to search libraries and that it Cosponsors 0 imposes silence on the subjects of FBI Introduced 05/23/03 searches. Librarians’ issues with govern- Searches Prohibits FISA Court orders to obtain library documentary materials ment search authority and gag orders are Reports No reports required based on these two provisions. Their issues with patron privacy, government Number S 1507 surveillance, and government secrecy Title Library, Bookseller, and Personal Records Privacy Act derive from the same. For example, the Sponsor Russell Feingold (D-Wisc.) Cosponsors 11 PATRIOT Act’s nondisclosure rule per- Introduced 07/31/03 mits less of the government’s activities to Searches Requires facts giving reason to believe a person is a foreign power or agent be known. Therefore, any bill that Reports Requires semi-annual reports to Congress would effectively address librarians’ concerns with section 215 of the act must: Number S 1552 (1) limit the FBI’s power to search Title Protecting the Rights of Individuals Act library records; and (2) require the FBI Sponsor Lisa Murkowski (R-Ak.) to report usage of its search authority. Cosponsors 1 There are seven bills that more or less Introduced 07/31/03 attempt to do this; they are summarized Searches Requires facts, circumstances, and probable cause justifying belief a person in figure 1. is a foreign power or agent As far as legislative alternatives to Reports Requires annual reports to the public the USA PATRIOT Act, the measures Number S 1709 proposed by Congress so far are very Title Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act of 2003 similar in their purposes and contents. Sponsor Larry Craig (R-Id.) The purposes of the bills are easy to dis- Cosponsors 19 cern from their telling short titles. Words Introduced 10/02/03 like “freedom,” “protection,” and Searches Requires facts giving reason to believe a person is a foreign power or agent “rights” are found in most of them and Reports Requires semi-annual reports to Congress convey the idea that the members of Congress who sponsored these initiatives FIGURE 1 want to correct the imbalances between

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liberty and security they believe are Given their similarities and differ- promoted his cause to its core con- caused by the new anti-terrorism law—at ences, which bill then is the best alterna- stituency—librarians; and he has worked least when it comes to the liberties librar- tive to the USA PATRIOT Act for hard to bring his legislation up for a ians hold so dear, like the right to privacy librarians? That is, which, if any, of the vote. For example, Sanders was the and freedom of information. More sub- seven proposals best meets librarians’ keynote speaker at the opening session stantially, each of the bills listed above two public policy goals of limiting the of ALA’s Annual Conference in Toronto seeks to limit the FBI’s ability to conduct government’s power to search library on June 21, 2003.44 A month later, he inappropriate searches of library records records and requiring the government to attempted to amend HR 1157 to the and keep such activities secret. Two of disclose information about its search Commerce-Justice-State spending bill for the bills (HR 1157, S 1158) prohibit the activities. Generally, all the bills FY2004, only to be rebuffed by appro- FBI from using section 215 to obtain described above can provide a greater priators on procedural grounds.45 More “library documentary materials that con- check on the FBI’s ability to search recently, Rep. Butch Otter has risen as a tain personally identifiable information library records than section 215 of the determined advocate of the Security and concerning a patron . . .”41 Four bills PATRIOT Act. And with the exception Freedom Ensured Act. Otter is one of (HR 3352, HR 4591, S 1507, S 1709) of S 1158, every bill under consideration only three Republicans who voted require the FBI to “specify that there are encourages government openness to a against the PATRIOT Act in 2001. In specific and articulable facts giving rea- degree. Beyond this, librarians’ best alter- fact, on July 23, 2003, he actually suc- son to believe that the person to whom native to the PATRIOT Act is legislation ceeded in getting an amendment passed the records pertain is a foreign power or that combines the most specific criteria in the House limiting another provision agent of a foreign power.”42 And one bill for judging the government’s applications of the act that allows the FBI to provide (S 1552) requires the FBI to state “the for FISA orders with the most detailed delayed notification to the subjects of facts and circumstances relied upon by accounting of the government’s use of the covert searches. Unfortunately, the the applicant to justify the applicant’s same. In the author’s view, the bills that amendment was later dropped during belief that the person to whom the best meet this standard are the Freedom conference proceedings. Yet in Otter’s records pertain is a foreign power or to Read Protection Act in the House and view his success “laid the groundwork agent of a foreign power” and “that on the Protecting the Rights of Individuals for a more comprehensive rollback of the basis of the facts submitted by the Act in the Senate. The first prohibits the the PATRIOT Act in 2004.”46 applicant there is probable cause to use of FISA orders in libraries; the second believe that the person to whom the says they can only be used upon a state- Publicity records pertain is a foreign power or ment of facts, circumstances, and proba- agent of a foreign power.”43 ble cause. Both require more than just Another factor that can help increase With the exception of S 1158, all aggregate statistics about the govern- political support for a measure is pub- the bills require the Attorney General to ment’s search activities. Instead, their licity. Good publicity can easily trans- report any search activities conducted reporting requirements compel the gov- late into favorable public opinion of a under FISA orders to Congress and/or ernment to analyze the reasons for and matter. HR 1157 has received signifi- the public. However, the bills vary in effects of its search authority. cant attention and positive reception in the frequency and specificity of report- Having reached this conclusion, the press, including endorsements from ing required. For example, Sanders’ bill however, one is immediately confronted major newspapers such as the Christian (HR 1157) requires the Attorney with another equally if not more impor- Science Monitor and the Los Angeles General to semi-annually provide the tant question: What are the chances Times.47 Furthermore, Sanders’ efforts total number of applications made for either one of these bills will be passed on behalf of libraries have received FISA orders; the total number of orders into law? HR 1157 and S 1552 may be accolades in the library literature. granted, modified, or denied; a descrip- the best policy alternatives for librarians, Library Journal, a biweekly magazine tion of each application for an order; but are they the best political alterna- covering library trends and issues, and an analysis of the effectiveness of tives? That is, do either of these bills recently published a story on Sanders’ the orders that are granted or modified. have the political support needed to pass interests in and activities opposing the On the other hand, the measure pro- through both chambers of Congress and PATRIOT Act and designated him posed by Murkowski (S 1552) requires, the White House? For that matter, do Politician of the Year.48 As the second among other things, reports annually; any of the seven bills examined above session of the 108th Congress draws to the same aggregate data as Sanders’ have a good chance of becoming law? a close, most of the other legislative bill; the number of United States citi- Ultimately, it depends on how effectively alternatives have garnered media atten- zens that were targeted by FISA orders; they are advocated, publicized, and sup- tion as well, some quite curiously. For and the number of times the Attorney ported by Congress and the President. instance, in January 2004, several major General allowed information obtained newspapers and wire services ran stories through FISA orders to be used in crim- about how the Bush Administration “in Advocacy inal proceedings. Most of the bills (HR a highly unusual move” issued a veto 3352, HR 4591, S 1507, S 1709) It helps a bill to have a strong advocate. threat against S 1709, the SAFE Act, a require only that the committees in Rep. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) has been bill that at that point had hardly both chambers with jurisdiction over just that with his Freedom to Read advanced beyond the introductory stage intelligence and judiciary matters be Protection Act (HR 1157). Sanders was of the legislative process.49 This prema- fully informed and provided with the first member of Congress to intro- ture action not only underscored the aggregate data. Boxer’s legislation (S duce legislation to amend section 215 of administration’s defensiveness concern- 1158) has no reporting requirement. the USA PATRIOT Act; he has actively ing the USA PATRIOT Act, it also

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brought a level of notoriety to the SAFE that would provide the Justice the USA PATRIOT Act before a national Act and its sponsors. Department with increased authority.51 audience during his 2004 State of the Despite the evident partisan divide Union Address, when he unequivocally amongst committee leaders, a few of the told the members of Congress: “You need Congress alternatives to section 215 have biparti- to renew the PATRIOT Act.”54 On the Advocacy and publicity can provide a san support. HR 3352 and its companion first point—providing administrative sub- bill with only so much momentum. S 1709 are both sponsored by poenas—Congress yielded. In November Legislation must have the support of Republicans and include Democratic 2003, it made changes to the Right of Congress if it is to become law. As of cosponsors. Sanders’ bill is “tripartisan.” Financial Privacy Act of 1978 that October 1, 2004, the Freedom to Read expanded the government’s ability to use a Protection Act had 152 co-sponsors; the form of administrative subpoena called a President SAFE Act had 66 in the House and 19 in National Security Letter. The effect was to the Senate; the Library, Bookseller, and Finally, a bill must receive the President’s “allow FBI agents investigating terrorism Personal Records Privacy Act had 11; signature to become law. However, the cases to obtain financial records from a and the Civil Liberties Restoration Act Bush Administration has been staunchly broader array of businesses without a and the Protecting the Rights of against any efforts to limit or repeal the judge’s permission.”55 On the second Individuals Act had 1 each. However, powers Congress gave the government point—renewing the PATRIOT Act— the number of cosponsors is only part of to fight domestic and international ter- leaders of both parties in Congress have the equation. More often the desires of rorism. In fact, in the administration’s made it clear that they are “in no rush to congressional leaders and committee view, the PATRIOT Act is the indispen- take up the politically divisive issue in this election year.”56 Considering the political factors described above, the piece of legislation . . . in the administration’s view, the PATRIOT Act is the that has the best chance of becoming law indispensable tool for fighting terrorism and the is the Freedom to Read Protection Act. HR 1157 has a determined advocate in basis for securing the nation. Bernard Sanders, has received significant coverage in the press, and has garnered the support of more than one-third of the members of the House of Representatives. chairpersons are the determining factor sable tool for fighting terrorism and the It truly is the best alternative for American in whether a bill will eventually see floor basis for securing the nation. In the librarians—in terms of both policy and action in either chamber. words of Attorney General Ashcroft: politics. Nevertheless, HR 1157 is unlikely How bipartisan the legislation is to see any more movement in Congress . . . we have used the tools provided may also affect its chances. So far only than any of the other six bills under con- in the PATRIOT Act to fulfill our first one of the top leaders of Congress has sideration. The chairmen of both the responsibility to protect the American cosponsored an alternative to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees people. We have used these tools to PATRIOT Act: House Minority Leader are antagonistic to all PATRIOT-limiting prevent terrorists from unleashing Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) added her name legislation, most of the leadership of the more death and destruction on our to HR 3352. Otherwise, neither Speaker House and Senate have not come out in soil. We have used these tools to save of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), support of any of the seven legislative innocent American lives. We have House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R- alternatives, and the President is calling used these tools to provide the security Tex.), Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist for exactly the type of changes in United that ensures liberty.52 [Italics added ] (R-Tenn.), nor Senate Minority Leader States that law librarians oppose. In fact, Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) have signed on to In light of what is at stake from the since the commencement of his 2004 any of the seven bills. Of the chairmen Administration’s perspective, the President reelection campaign, President Bush “has and ranking members of the House and would not support any bill limiting the wrapped himself in the PATRIOT Act” to Senate Judiciary Committees having FBI’s search authority in section 215. In emphasize his anti-terrorism credentials to jurisdiction over anti-terrorism matters, fact, like Orrin Hatch, President Bush is the American electorate.57 only the ranking Democratic members predisposed to increase the government’s With such odds against the passage of have cosponsored legislation. Rep. John search capabilities. Referring to the individual pieces of legislation to amend Conyers (D-Mich.) has cosponsored PATRIOT Act as “that essential law,” or revoke section 215 of the PATRIOT Sanders’ and Otter’s bills; Sen. Patrick Bush, in a September 2003 speech at the Act, Sanders has alternately attempted to Leahy (D-Vt.) has cosponsored FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, said amend the language of HR 1157 to other Feingold’s measure. In contrast, House “Congress should change the law, and critical bills scheduled for floor votes in Judiciary Committee Chair James give law enforcement officials the same the House of Representatives. This is a Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.) has concluded tools they have to fight terror that they tactic members of Congress often employ librarians’ complaints about section 215 have to fight other crime,” including to force votes on their favorite measures— are “much ado about nothing.”50 Senate administrative subpoenas, “which enable items often lacking the majority of votes Judiciary Chairman Orrin Hatch (R- law enforcement officials to obtain certain needed to pass a chamber of Congress on Utah) has resisted efforts to modify the records quickly.”53 That is, without prior their own merits, yet not so objectionable PATRIOT Act, and last year was actually judicial approval. Furthermore, the that members of Congress are willing to prepared to introduce new legislation President declared his desire concerning oppose essential legislation to block them.

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As mentioned earlier, Sanders’ first additional twenty-three minutes “until toward the PATRIOT Act over the past attempt to modify the USA PATRIOT Act they could change the votes of enough three years fails to see a legislative alter- by amending his language to the FY2004 lawmakers to spare the Bush administra- native like HR 1157 enacted, it is appropriations bill for the Departments of tion an embarrassing defeat.”64 Once the nonetheless possible that librarians only Commerce, Justice, and State was tally reached 210 to 210 and the amend- have to wait one more year for section thwarted on procedural grounds. ment no longer had a majority, the cham- 215 to sunset. The emphasis is on possi- However, on July 23, 2003, the congress- ber’s presiding officer “quickly gaveled the ble because although the law states man succeeded in offering an amendment vote to a close.”65 And with its closure, it unequivocally that section 215 shall to the FY2004 appropriations bill for for- appears librarians have also run out of cease to have effect on December 31, eign operations that prohibits the State options for enacting a legislative alterna- 2005, there are already efforts underway Department from supporting “an order tive to the USA PATRIOT Act. by several members of Congress to make requiring the production of library circu- the powers in section 215 permanent. lation records, library patron lists, library For example, on May 21, 2004, Sen. Jon Internet records, bookseller sales records, Conclusion Kyl (R-Ariz.) and nine co-sponsors or bookseller customer lists.”58 Sanders’ introduced HR 52476, “a bill to amend amendment was not germane to the for- What, then, are librarians to do? Should the USA PATRIOT Act to repeal the sun- eign operations bill and, in fact, only pro- the profession abandon its efforts to cur- sets.”68 In light of such developments, hibited funding of library searches for one tail the PATRIOT Act? Hardly. It is the librarians cannot spend the next year fiscal year.59 Nevertheless it gave librari- essence of politics that anything can hap- passively waiting for the PATRIOT Act ans a wedge of hope that a more effective pen overnight. Circumstances can to sunset. They must continue to actively measure might be passed later in the change suddenly, providing librarians oppose the law and thereby pressure Senate. Unfortunately, this hope was with an opportunity to pass HR 1157 or Congress not to allow section 215 to short-lived. In November 2003, the one of the other alternatives. It was the remain in force after 2005. Given the Republican-led Congress enrolled the for- sudden, tragic events of September 11 current political difficulties involved in eign operations bill into an omnibus that dramatically changed politics in the amending or revoking the PATRIOT appropriations bill and, in conference, United States and gave us the new anti- Act, this may be their only hope. The stripped Rep. Sanders’ amendment from terrorism law. Similarly, unexpected best alternative for American librarians the package.60 events in the future are likely to largely may in fact be their last. ■ Undeterred, Bernie Sanders determine whether Congress will began attempted once again on July 8, 2004, to to limit or enhance the government’s offer his PATRIOT Act amendment to the powers in the USA PATRIOT Act. The References FY2005 appropriations bill for the events need not be as colossal in scale as Commerce, Justice, and State depart- September 11 to provide impetus to the 1. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Joint Inquiry Into Intelligence Commu- ments. This time his amendment was ger- librarian’s cause. They will only need to nity Activities before and after the Ter- mane to the bill, but it nevertheless failed have enough resonance in American rorist Attacks of September 11, 2001, to be adopted due to fierce opposition society to tip the balance of liberty and 107th Cong., 2d sess., 2002, S. Rept. from the Bush Administration and security in liberty’s direction. An exam- 107-351, 141-143. Republican leaders in the House.61 For ple of such an event is last year’s unex- 2. George W. Bush, “Address before a Joint Session of the Congress on the United example, during the debate on Sanders’ pected tour by Attorney General John States Response to the Terrorist Attacks amendment, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), the Ashcroft to promote the PATRIOT Act. of September 11,” Weekly Compilation floor manager of the appropriations bill, Although its purpose was to dispel mis- of Presidential Papers 37, no. 38 (Sept. stood in opposition to the amendment and conceptions about the law and shore up 24, 2001): 1347–1351. 3. Public Law 107-56, 107th Cong., 1st reminded members “on both sides” that public support for federal anti-terrorism sess. (Oct. 26, 2001). the Administration’s policy “states if any efforts, due to Ashcroft’s secret meetings 4. Sue Anne Pressley and Justin Blum, “Hi- amendment that would weaken the USA with law enforcers and mocking pro- jackers May Have Accessed Computers PATRIOT Act were adopted and pre- nouncements of librarians, the net effect at Public Libraries,” Washington Post, sented to the President for his signature, of the tour was to confirm the public’s Sept. 17, 2001, sec. A4. 62 5. John Holland et al., “Agents Targeting the bill would be vetoed.” Moreover, suspicions about the PATRIOT Act and Library Computers,” Sun-Sentinel, Sept. Wolf read a letter sent that very day from further undermine their faith in govern- 18, 2001, sec. 1A. the Assistant Attorney General to the ment. Ironically, a major factor that con- 6. See, for example, Earle Kimel, “FBI chair of the House Judiciary Committee tributed to the tour’s public relations Silent on Terror Link to Library,” Sara- sota Herald-Tribune, June 11, 2002, sec. that “confirmed that, as recently as this failure was protesting librarians who BV1. past winter and spring, a member of a ter- opposed Ashcroft and the USA 7. Chuck McGinness, “Librarian’s Post-At- rorist group closely affiliated with al PATRIOT Act at nearly every stop.66 tack Report to FBI Sparks Privacy De- Qaeda used Internet services provided by But even barring further heart- bate,” Palm Beach Post, Dec. 1, 2001, a public library.”63 Notwithstanding these changing events like the Attorney sec. 1B. 8. American Library Association Council, inducements to vote against the Sanders General’s tour, librarians still have one “Privacy: An Interpretation of the Li- amendment, a majority of 219 Democrats last option. According to a provision of brary Bill of Rights,” June 19, 2002. Ac- and Republicans initially supported the the anti-terrorism law itself, section 215 cessed May 24, 2004, www.ala.org/ measure as the fifteen-minute roll call vote of the PATRIOT Act will cease to have ala/oif/statementspols/statementsif/ interpretations/privacyinterpretation.pdf. was taken. However, the Republican lead- effect—“sunset”—on December 31, 9. Daniel de Vise, “FBI Seeks to Close the ership, unwilling to accept this outcome, 2005.67 This means even if the vigorous Books on Terrorists,” Miami Herald, moved instantly to hold the vote open an opposition librarians have shown Sept. 1, 2002, sec. 1A.

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10. Dean E. Murphy, “Some Librarians Use 30. Ibid. 48. Oder, “Politician of the Year 2003,” Shredder to Show Opposition to New 31. See the Congressional Research Service’s 30–31. F.B.I. Powers,” New York Times, Apr. 7, summary of section 215 of the USA PA- 49. Martha Angle and Jennifer A. Dlouhy, 2003, sec. A12; and Rene Sanchez, “Li- TRIOT Act, 107th Cong., 1st sess., H.R. “Ashcroft Warns of Veto If Congress Al- brarians Make Some Noise Over Patriot 3162, Oct. 24, 2001. Accessed Nov. 12, ters Patriot Act,” CQ Today, Jan. 29, Act,” Washington Post, Apr. 10, 2003, 2003, http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bd- 2004. Accessed May 13, 2004, sec. A20. query/z?d107:HR03162:@@@D&sum www.cq.com. 11. Holland et al., “Agents Targeting Li- m2=m&|TOM:/bss/ d107query.html. 50. James Sensenbrenner, “Much Ado brary Computers,” sec. 1A. 32. Public Law 107-56, sec. 215. About Nothing,” Sept. 25, 2003. Ac- 12. Bob Egelko and Maria Alicia Gaura, 33. Ibid. cessed Nov. 17, 2003, www.house.gov/ “Libraries Post Patriot Act Warning,” 34. Ibid. sensenbrenner/wc20030925.html. San Francisco Chronicle, Mar. 10, 2003, 35. Charles Doyle, “Libraries and the USA 51. Keith Perine, “GOP Anti-Terrorism sec. A1. PATRIOT Act,” Feb. 26, 2003. Accessed Measure Takes Aim at Drug Trafficking, 13. Robert D. McFadden, “F.B.I. in New May 24, 2004, www.ala.org/ala/washoff/ Money Laundering,” CQ Today, Aug. 7, York Asks Librarians’ Aid in Reporting WOissues/civilliberties/theusapatriotact/ 2003. Accessed Nov. 17, 2003, Spies,” New York Times, Sept.18, 1987, CRS215LibrariesAnalysis.pdf. www.cq.com. sec. A1. 36. American Association of Law Libraries, 52. John Ashcroft, “Attorney General John 14. Ibid. American Library Association, and As- Ashcroft Speaks about the PATRIOT Act: 15. Ibid. sociation of Research Libraries, Letter to Prepared Remarks of Attorney General 16. Public Law 107-56, sec. 215. Members of the United States Congress, John Ashcroft, Boise, Idaho, Aug. 25, 17. Ibid. Oct. 2, 2001. Accessed May 24, 2004, 2003,” Aug. 25, 2003. Accessed Nov. 17, 18. “Patriot Act in the Library,” Newsletter www.ala.org/ala/washoff/ 2003, www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2003/ on Intellectual Freedom 51, no. 5 (Sept. WOissues/civilliberties/theusapatriotact/ 082503patriotactremarks.htm 2002): 240–41. terrorismletter.pdf. 53. George W. Bush, “President Bush Discuss- 19. Philip Shenon, “Traces of Terror: Coun- 37. American Library Association Washing- es Homeland Security at the FBI Acade- terintelligence; ‘Paper Court’ Comes to ton Office, “Guidelines for Librarians my,” Sept. 10, 2003. Accessed Nov. 17, Life Over Secret Tribunal’s Ruling on on the U.S.A PATRIOT ACT: What to 2003, www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/ Post-9/11 Police Powers,” New York Do before, during and after a ‘Knock at 2003/09/20030910-6.html. Times, Aug. 27, 2002, sec. A12; and the Door?’” Jan. 19, 2002. Accessed 54. George W. Bush, “Address before a Joint Eun-Kyung Kim, “Wiretap Applications May 24, 2004, www.ala.org/ala/ Session of the Congress on the State of Dropped in 2002, Report Finds,” Asso- washoff/WOissues/civilliberties/ the Union,” Weekly Compilation of ciated Press, Apr. 29, 2003. Accessed theusapatriotact/patstep.pdf. Presidential Papers 40, no. 4 (Jan. 26, July 21, 2004, www.lexis.com. 38. American Library Association Council, 2004): 95. 20. Public Law 107-56, sec. 215. “Resolution on the USA Patriot Act and 55. “2003 Legislative Summary: Intelligence 21. Nancy Kranich, “Impact of the USA Pa- Related Measures That Infringe on the Authorization,” CQ Weekly, Dec. 13, triot Act on Free Expression,” Newslet- Rights of Library Users,” Jan. 29, 2003. 2003, 3120. ter on Intellectual Freedom 52, no. 4 Accessed May 24, 2004, www.ala.org/ 56. Eric Lichtblau, “’04 Action Unlikely on (July 2003): 161–63; and Nat Hentoff, ala/oif/statementspols/ifresolutions/ PATRIOT Act,” Chicago Tribune, Jan. “Who Knows?,” Legal Times, Mar. 18, usapatriotactresolution.pdf. 22, 2004, sec. 15C. 2002, 70. 39. “Libraries Cope Creatively with the PA- 57. Adam Nagourney, “Bush Draws Terror- 22. Leigh S. Estabrook, “Public Libraries and TRIOT Act,” American Libraries 34, ism Law into Campaign,” New York Civil Liberties: A Profession Divided.” Ac- no. 51 (May 2003): 20–21. Times, Apr. 21, 2004, sec. A18. cessed May 12, 2004, http://lrc.lis. 40. Norman Oder, “Politician of the Year 58. Congressional Record, 108th Cong., 1st uiuc.edu/web/PLCL.html; Leigh S. Es- 2003: Bernie Sanders,” Library Journal sess., July 23, 2003, H7432-H7433. tabrook, “Public Libraries Response to 128, no.15 (Sept. 15, 2003): 30–31. 59. Ibid. the Events of September 11th, 2001.” Ac- 41. Freedom to Read Protection Act of 60. According to House Committee on Con- cessed May 12, 2004, http://lrc.lis.uiuc. 2003, H.R. 1157, 108th Cong., 1st sess. ference, Making Appropriations for Agri- edu/web/911.html; and Leigh S. Estbrook, (Mar. 6, 2003); and Library and Book- culture, Rural Development, Food and “The PATRIOT ACT and Illinois Li- seller Protection Act, S. 1158, 108th Drug Administration, and Related Agen- braries.” Accessed May 12, 2004, Cong., 1st sess. (May 23, 2003). cies for the Fiscal Year Ending Sept. 30, http://lrc.lis.uiuc.edu/web/PA.html. 42. Security and Freedom Ensured Act of 2004, and for Other Purposes, 108th 23. Norman Oder and Andrew Albanese, 2003, H.R. 3352, 108th Cong., 1st sess. Cong., 1st sess., 2003, H. Rept. 108-401: “PATRIOT Act Stats Won’t Be Re- (Oct. 21, 2003); Civil Liberties Restora- “The conference report does not include vealed,” Library Journal 127, no. 15 tion Act of 2004, H.R. 4591, 108th section 582 of the House bill regarding (Sept. 15, 2002): 17; and Emily Pierce, Cong., 2nd sess. (June 16, 2004); Li- the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act “Ashcroft Rapped Over Oversight,” brary, Bookseller, and Personal Records of 1978.” Section 582 of the House bill Roll Call, June 9, 2003. Accessed De- Privacy Act, S. 1507, 108th Cong., 1st (HR 2800) is Sanders’ amendment. cember 6, 2003, www.rollcall.com/is- sess. (July 31, 2003); and Security and 61. Dan Morgan and Charles Babington, sues/48_100/ news/1849-1.html. Freedom Ensured Act of 2003, S. 1709, “House GOP Defends Patriot Act Pow- 24. Eric Lichtblau, “U.S. Says It Has Not 108th Cong., 1st sess. (Oct. 2, 2003). ers,” Washington Post, July 9, 2004, Used New Library Records Law,” New 43. Protecting the Rights of Individuals Act, sec. A1. York Times, Sept. 19, 2003, sec. A20. S. 1552, 108th Cong., 1st sess. (July 31, 62. Congressional Record, 108th Cong., 25. Jesse J. Holland, “Libraries Contacted 2003). 2nd sess., July 8, 2004, H5348-H5350. Approximately 50 Times by Justice De- 44. “Rep. Sanders’ Remarks to ALA Assem- 63. Ibid. partment Terrorism Investigators,” As- bly,” Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom 64. Keith Perine and Alex Wayne, “House sociated Press, May 21, 2003. Accessed 52, no. 5 (Sep. 2003): 176, 184–86. GOP Leaders Win Patriot Act Show- May 13, 2004, www.lexis.com. 45. Dlouhy, “House Moves to Eliminate down,” CQ Today, July 8, 2004. Ac- 26. Richard B. Schmitt, “Ashcroft Says Act’s Search and Seizure,” 1905. cessed July 9, 2004, www.cq.com. Search Clause Was Never Used,” Los 46. Jesse J. Holland, “Anti-Patriot Act Mea- 65. Ibid. Angeles Times, Sept. 19, 2003, sec. I-30. sure Dropped From Bill, But Author 66. “Ashcroft Visit Sparks Protest,” Boston 27. “Patriot Act in the Library,” 240–41. Promises to Try Again,” Associated Globe, Sept. 10, 2003, sec. B4; and Eric 28. Jennifer A. Dlouhy, “House Moves to Press, Dec. 2, 2003. Accessed May 13, Lichtblau, “Ashcroft’s Tour Rallies Sup- Eliminate Search and Seizure Portion of 2004, www.lexis.com. porters and Detractors,” New York Anti-Terrorism Law,” CQ Weekly, July 47. “Privacy at the Library,” Christian Sci- Times, Sept. 8, 2003, sec. A14. 26, 2003, 1905. ence Monitor, July 8, 2003, 8; and “Bar- 67. Public Law 107-56, sec. 224. 29. “2001 Legislative Summary: Anti-Terror- ring the Book Snoops,” Los Angeles 68. S. 2476, 108th Cong., 2nd sess. (May ism,” CQ Weekly, Dec. 22, 2001, 3044. Times, Aug. 8, 2003, sec. 2-14. 21, 2004).

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FEATURE

The first survey group comprised ninety-two branch managers. For the pur- Branch Management pose of this study, the term “branch manager” was used to describe the individual who had supervisory authority over the An Analysis of Minneapolis- collection, staff, and daily operations of a single library facility, including central libraries, which may be perceived as the St. Paul-Area Public Libraries largest branch of a given library system. Within this branch manager survey pool, several managers were identified Chad Lubbers who supervised more than one library. These managers were surveyed only once. There were also two branch man- With a librarian shortage forecast for the immediate future, agement vacancies in MELSA libraries at the time of survey distribution. the role of the public library branch manager will become The branch manager survey con- increasingly important to the successful administration of sisted of sixty-three questions on a variety of topics, including education, public library systems. The Metropolitan Library Service Agency previous work experience, current responsibilities, professional activity, conducted a survery in August–October 2003 to create a and career development. profile of current branch managers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul The second survey group consisted of the sixteen administrators of the nine metropolitan area, with the intent of addressing some of the MELSA library systems. For this study, the term “administrator” was defined as management staffing issues that will affect public libraries in the individual who functions as the the years ahead. director or assistant director of a multibranch library system. Two of the nine MELSA library systems do not employ ost public librarians are familiar with the popular McDonald’s statistic, staff in an assistant director capacity. which states that there are more public libraries in the United States than The administrator survey contained McDonald’s restaurants.1 Of the more than sixteen thousand public twenty-six questions based on the same libraries, approximately nine thousand are members of a multibranch general categories listed above in the Mlibrary system.2 In these nine thousand libraries, there is typically a single library man- branch manager survey. ager who exercises a degree of supervisory authority over the staff, collection, and daily operations of that library facility. In this study, that person is identified as a public library branch manager. Results The catalyst for the initiation of this project was Ken Haycock’s insightful presentation, “Exemplary Public Library Branch Managers: Their Characteristics and The survey return rate was 83 percent Effectiveness,” at the 2002 PLA conference in Phoenix. Haycock’s study confirmed the (seventy-six out of ninety-two) for the importance of this area of study while also demonstrating—by attracting a standing- branch management survey and 88 per- room-only audience—that there is significant interest about the competencies and cent (fourteen out of sixteen) for the roles of public library branch managers. administrator survey. Data were recorded in a Microsoft Access database to allow for analysis and data mining Methods within the collected results.

In August 2003, two surveys were distributed to library employees of nine Minneapolis-St. Paul-area (Twin Cities) public library systems. All nine library systems Education are members of the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA). These nine library There was a wide range of educational systems included a total of one hundred individual libraries at the time the surveys backgrounds represented by the MELSA were distributed. branch managers. The seventy-six survey respondents reported ninety-seven undergraduate degrees from twenty-seven dis- Chad Lubbers is Branch Manager of the Carver County Chanhassen (Minn.) Library; club- crete majors. However, 58 percent of the [email protected]. For further information about this study, please refer to the Executive total undergraduate degrees came from Report of the MELSA Branch Management Study, available for download at just four disciplines: English (literature), http://melsanet.melsa.org. history, library science, and education.

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Adminstrators’ undergraduate edu- worked in prior to becoming branch percent were managers of a building that cation patterns were largely consistent managers. The overwhelming major- had undergone renovation, and 51 per- with those of library managers. The ity—72 percent of branch managers and cent reported that the current building most numerous undergraduate degrees 78 percent of administrators—reported they supervised was also the first build- among administrators were also English, previous work in reference or informa- ing they had supervised. education, history, and library science tion departments. Fifty-one percent of When asked about personal work degrees (see figure 1). the managers and 11 percent of adminis- schedules, 75 percent indicated that they Sixty-three of the seventy-six branch trators reported full-time posts in chil- were contracted to work a forty-hour managers (83 percent) reported having a dren’s services. Twenty-two percent of week. Sixty percent of those with forty- master’s degree in library and information library administrators worked as cata- hour contracts work more than forty science (MLIS). Library administrators in logers, compared to just 7 percent of hours a week on a regular basis. More the Twin Cities were slightly less likely to branch managers who reported former than 80 percent of the branch managers have an MLIS than the branch managers posts in cataloging (see figure 4). surveyed regularly work weekend and who work for them. But administrators Nine of the fourteen administrators evening shifts. were more likely to have postgraduate were branch managers earlier in their More than 60 percent of managers degrees in fields outside of library and careers. Administrators who had been indicated that they left the library they information science (see figure 2). branch managers supervised a combined When managers were asked “When total of thirty libraries while working as did you receive your MLIS?” the average branch managers. Each of these nine Post-Graduate Degrees response was 1982. Slightly more than administrators with previous branch half of the branch managers’ MLIS management experience supervised an 100% Branch Managers degrees were received from library and average of 3.3 branches before entering Administrators information science programs outside of posts in administration. 80% Minnesota (see figure 3). 60% Current Work Responsibilities Previous Work Experience The majority of the questions in the 40% Managers reported having been librarians branch management survey fell into this 20% for an average of twenty-one years. category and were not duplicated in the Twenty of the seventy-six respondents had administrator survey. Managers were 0% been librarians for more than thirty years. questioned about staffing, library facili- MLIS Other Approximately one-third of the managers ties, supervision and management roles, reported working full-time in a profession outreach activities, work schedules, and FIGURE 2 other than librarianship for more than a personal workloads. year, and 55 percent worked in libraries Eighty-two percent of managers that were not public libraries. reported working with unionized staff, Branch Manager MLIS Managers and administrators were while only 29 percent of the managers Degrees by State asked which departments they had were themselves unionized. Sixty-four MLIS Program State Graduates Univ. of Denver CO 2 Catholic Univ. DC 1 Univ. of South Florida FL 1 Undergraduate Degrees by Major University of Iowa IA 4 60% Dominican Univ. IL 2 Branch Managers Rosary College IL 2 Univ. of Illinois IL 1 Administrators 50% Indiana Univ. IN 3 Simmons College MA 1 Univ. of Michigan MI 1 40% Univ. of Minnesota* MN 22 College of St. Catherine MN 3 St. Cloud State MN 2 30% Univ. of North Carolina NC 1 Rutgers NJ 1 SUNY NY 1 20% Case Western Reserve OH 1 Univ. of North Texas TX 1 Univ. of Washington WA 1 10% Univ. of Wisconsin WI 9 Unspecified program 3 TOTAL 63 0% English History Library Education Other *The University of Minnesota eliminated its science MLIS program in 1985.

FIGURE 1 FIGURE 3

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supervised on a weekly basis for train- Library Experience Prior to Branch Management ing, committee work, meetings, or outreach activities. Managers were also questioned 90% about a variety of tasks pertaining to 80% library work, including both profes- Branch Managers 70% sional and paraprofessional duties. Administrators Specifically, managers were asked to 60% identify the frequency with which they 50% performed these tasks. Of the duties listed, those performed most frequently 40% (on a daily basis) included reference 30% work, reader’s advisory, troubleshooting computers, bibliographic instruction, 20% and circulation. 10% Again, referring to the above figure, 0 managers were asked which of the above Reference/ Children’s Teen Circulation Outreach Cataloging None of tasks occupy the majority of their time. information services services the above The most time-consuming tasks included services staff scheduling, community relations, and collection weeding. FIGURE 4 When asked which of the above tasks they enjoyed the most, managers identified reference work, readers advi- What Attracted Branch Managers to a Branch Management Position sory, and collection building as their favorite activities. Activities enjoyed least 0.5 were complaint resolution, troubleshooting computers, and performance reviews. 0.4

0.3 Career Development Seventy-one percent of the surveyed 0.2 managers reported that librarianship was their first career choice. When given 0.1 a list of possible reasons for entering the ranks of branch library management (see 0 Des ire Increased Div ers ity Independence Advancement Other figure 5), almost half identified “diver- to lead pay of duties opportunity sity of duties” as the chief attraction of the branch manager position. FIGURE 5 For 53 percent of the managers in this survey, branch management was the first management experience of their careers. Six of the nine administrators (67 percent) Most Important Measures of Successful Branch Management who reported being branch managers earlier in their careers indicated that branch Administrators rank Measures Branch Managers rank management was also their first supervi- 1st User Satisfaction 1st sory experience in public libraries. 2nd Employee Satisfaction 2nd 3rd Circulation statistics 4th Branch managers and administrators 4th Reference statistics 5th ranked six criteria they considered to be 5th Adherence to policy 6th the most important measures of effective 6th Problem free branch operation 3rd public library branch management (see figure 6). The top two responses for both FIGURE 6 groups were “user satisfaction” and “employee satisfaction,” respectively. Both groups ranked “adherence to policy” Most Important Professional Qualities of Branch Managers near the bottom of the list. Flexibility Innovation Interpersonal communication skills Managers and administrators were Assertiveness Team-building skills Problem solving ability also asked which of sixteen supervisory or Leadership ability Poise under pressure Professionalism management skills were the most impor- Analytical skills Organizational skills Initiative tant professional qualities of public library Accessibility Decisiveness Knowledge of the community branch managers (see figure 7). The top Resiliency four responses of the branch managers FIGURE 7 were, in order: interpersonal communica-

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tion skills; flexibility; leadership ability; Librarians who earned degrees in the College of DuPage and problem-solving ability. The adminis- 1990s, however, were librarians for an 2005 trators’ top four responses were, in order: average of just three years before enter- National Teleconference Series interpersonal communication skills; prob- ing the ranks of branch management (see lem-solving ability; leadership ability; and figure 8). Today’s Challenges, team-building skills. These new managers do not have as Eighteen percent of branch man- many years in the trenches as their Tomorrow’s Opportunities agers in Twin Cities libraries intend to branch manager predecessors did. And retire within five years. Forty-three per- although no questions pertaining to age at Your Library cent plan to retire within the next ten were included in this survey, it may be 3 Sessions years. Exactly half of the library admin- reasonably assumed, given the above istrators surveyed intend to retire within data, that the average age of current Fridays—Noon to 2pm (Eastern time) five years. Eighty-six percent plan to public library branch managers is also retire within the next ten years. decreasing from what it was in the 1970s Library Marketing: and 1980s. In his 2002 PLA conference presen- Trends Tips and techniques tation, Ken Haycock referred to a man- February 18, 2005 Several trends emerged during the analy- agement bottleneck, which built up in • How are innovative librarians sis of the two surveys. Just more than the profession throughout in the ’60s promoting new services and half of the branch managers who and ’70s, delaying advancement for programs to patrons? reported holding MLIS degrees obtained many librarians. This bottleneck, • Learn how to tell your story their graduate educations in a state out- Haycock claims, was created by the mas- and get the word out. side of Minnesota. [The University of sive influx of baby boomer librarians Minnesota eliminated its MLIS program who entered the profession during those in 1985.] Thirty-eight percent of these two decades. Library as Place: managers reported working in libraries One result of this bottleneck was Where people want to be outside of Minnesota at some time in that librarians who first became man- March 18, 2005 their professional careers. These figures agers in the ’70s and ’80s were signifi- suggest a fair amount of geographic cantly more experienced librarians, • Discover what public and academic mobility within the ranks of public having worked in the profession for libraries are doing to transform their library branch managers. more than a decade, on average, before images from buildings with books into centers for their communities. While it is common to find nation- becoming branch managers. But because wide job postings for library administra- these librarians were forced to wait so tors, it is less common to see national long for advancement opportunities to Library Hot Topics: advertisements for branch management become available, they were generally Discussions and Interviews positions. The mobility demonstrated by older and had fewer years ahead of them April 29, 2005 this group of branch managers suggests in the profession when they finally did that nationwide recruiting may be a become branch managers. • What are the current hot topics? viable alternative to local recruiting With the onset of retirement, this • What are the new technologies? efforts for vacant branch management boomer bottleneck in library manage- • In the style of a television news positions. Hiring committees concerned ment is now loosening—with positive magazine, qualiﬁ ed speakers who about a stagnant pool of applicants for and negative results. On the positive are in-the-know and at the forefront management positions may find success side, new librarians will face more of new issues, share their knowledge. with nationwide job postings. advancement opportunities at an earlier Newly hired, first-time branch stage in their careers than did many of managers in the Twin Cities have one their immediate predecessors. Employers Series Hosts: significant distinction from their prede- hiring these less-experienced managers Richard Dougherty cessors who supervised public library may find themselves supervising man- and Mike Jackson branches: they are significantly less agers who lack the biases and experienced as librarians than their entrenched thinking that occasionally predecessors were when they became results from long-term employment in a For a full list of panelists, registration, branch managers. single library or department. and downlink information Librarians in the Twin Cities who However, for these same employ- www.cod.edu/teleconf received MLIS degrees in the 1960s ers, it may now be unreasonable to Questions? worked as librarians for an average of expect five to ten years of librarianship seven years before becoming a branch experience in applicants for branch call: 800-354-6587 (3LINKUP) manager for the first time. Librarians management positions. And it may be email: [email protected] who received their MLIS degrees in the necessary to provide more training and 1970s were librarians for an average of continuing education opportunities for Sign up now for early bird rates fifteen years before becoming managers, these new managers, who simply have $395 by January 21, 2005 and librarians who received degrees in not logged the same number of profes- $495 after the 1980s spent eleven years in the pro- sional hours as their predecessors did in fession before becoming managers. the ’70s and ’80s.

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Because so many of these baby opment. One-fourth of the managers and activities. Library directors and boomers will retire in the near future, identified their mentor(s) as a continuing assistant directors were almost twice as there will be fewer and fewer senior education resource, and one-fourth of likely to belong to national library managers for those newer branch man- the branch manager respondents indi- organizations, such as the American agers to consult for advice and input on cated they would like to further develop Library Association and the Public the job. their own mentoring skills. Library Association, than were library Current branch managers in this While this may not seem like a very managers (see figure 9). Administrators study also followed an interesting pat- high rate of interest, consider that 57 were also more than twice as likely (57 tern in regard to children’s services. Just percent of library administrators indi- percent versus 21 percent) to have pub- over half (58 percent) reported previous cated the presence of a mentor earlier in lished in professional journals, maga- employment in children’s departments their careers. This contrasts with just 30 zines, and newsletters. before becoming branch managers. Yet percent of branch managers reporting This trend suggests that librarians 72 percent of the current managers indi- the presence of a mentor earlier in their who are active and contributing mem- cated that, at some point as a branch careers. These numbers suggest that bers of professional library organiza- manager, they were responsible for pre- mentoring does indeed play a role in tions are more likely to advance into senting a storytime program to children. leadership development. Statistically, posts in library administration than These statistics further affirm the need librarians with mentors are more likely those who are not. for training in children’s services—and to advance into the highest ranks of not just for youth services librarians. library administration than those librar- In 1998, Somerville suggested that ians without mentors. Conclusion youth services coursework be mandatory Yet the presence of a mentor was in graduate programs with public librari- not the only critical distinction between The 2000 U.S. Census reports that more anship tracks.3 Given the number of administrators and branch managers. than 25 percent of librarians in the branch managers who have performed Administrators and managers varied United States will reach retirement age storytime programs for children regardless widely in their professional memberships by 2009.4 This survey suggests higher of education or training in children’s services, this idea continues to have real merit. Those future librarians who are cur- Years between Receipt of MLIS and First Branch Management Position rently in or seeking enrollment in an MLIS program should be aware that 16 experience in children’s services will be 14 an asset for those who are considering 12 advancement within the profession. 10 Even if experience in children’s services is not a specific requirement for 8 advancement, it remains a skill set they 6 are statistically likely to use should they 4 become a branch manager. Continuing education patterns, Years Intervening 2 whether they are in children’s services or 0 otherwise, were also a significant compo- 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s nent of this study. Managers were asked where they sought information for contin- Receipt of MLIS (by decade) ued professional development once they FIGURE 8 became branch managers. Ninety-one percent indicated that professional workshops provided the most information. Seventy-eight percent indicated that other Membership in Professional Associations branch and department managers were good sources for information, and 61 per- 1 cent claimed that trial and error was an Branch Managers important method of on-the-job learning. 0.8 When asked which specific skills Administrators these managers would like to develop 0.6 through continuing education, the top response was conflict resolution skills. 0.4 This response correlates readily to the 70 percent of library branch managers who 0.2 find themselves in complaint-resolution 0 situations on a daily or weekly basis. ALA PLA MLA A CRL A RL SLA None of Mentors were also identified as (Minnesot a) the above another information resource for contin- FIGURE 9 uing education and professional devel-

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retirement rates for branch managers most important in their current positions. ther than the ranks of branch managers to and administrators. While a flagging This information may be of use to new identify potential candidates with the core economy may postpone retirement deci- librarians who wish to identify the skills aptitudes necessary for successful library sions for some, this postponement is, at and abilities that they should most actively administration. Nor should branch man- best, a temporary delay. develop to prepare themselves for the agers shy away from considering this Two other issues further complicate leadership roles they will need to fill in the seemingly large advancement step. As this these alarming retirement statistics. The immediate future. study indicates, the majority of directors first is that the forecasted number of Yet it is not just newer librarians and assistant directors surveyed in this retirements will exceed the number of who will face an increase in the number study were, at one time, branch managers new librarians produced by graduate of advancement opportunities available themselves. programs in the near future. Secondly, to them. As administrators retire, cur- The high retirement rates forecasted fewer of these new librarians are electing rent branch managers will also have the in our profession for the years ahead will to enter public library career paths as opportunity for advancement. create numerous opportunities for profes- private industry draws increasingly from The majority of branch managers in sional development and advancement at the pool of MLIS graduates. this study, however, were content to con- all levels within the profession. The This shrinking pool of entry-level tinue in their current capacity as branch MELSA Branch Management Study is an librarians, coupled with the high rates of library managers. Just 18 percent indi- attempt to analyze one important position retirement suggested by this study, will cated a desire to become a library that will be impacted by the shift in work- create a high number of advancement administrator, and 7 percent claim that place demographics in the near future. opportunities within the profession. they would transfer out of management While numerous publications Will the shrinking pool of librarians or leave the profession completely, given address the skill sets and aptitudes of entering public library careers be prepared the opportunity. For those professionals library administrators, describe the for the management roles that they may who intend to continue as branch man- qualities of effective reference librari- soon find themselves in? The survey agers for the remainder of their profes- ans, and offer career development for results provided earlier in this article iden- sional careers, this study attempts to children’s librarians and catalogers, tify many of the skills and work responsi- identify a variety of work duties, skills, public library branch managers have bilities current branch managers consider and activities that can serve as bench- often been neglected. marks to measure themselves against. This study, in addition to quantify- This study also identified profes- ing many of the duties and responsibil- sional characteristics shared by branch ities of branch managers in the Twin managers and by library administrators Cities, is an attempt to formally recog- as a means of encouraging managers to nize the complex, important work per- consider the possibility of advancement. formed daily by the thousands of Nine of the fourteen administrators in public library branch managers around this study were branch managers prior the country. ■ to becoming library administrators. Eight of these nine indicated that their branch management experiences helped References prepare them for the work they currently 1. American Library Association, perform as administrators. “Quotable Facts: America’s Libraries,” Given a choice of seven roles nor- @ your library®: The Campaign for mally associated with management, America’s Libraries, 2004. Accessed Feb. administrators and branch managers both 20, 2004, http://cs.ala.org/@yourli- identified most strongly with “problem- brary/facts.cfm. 2. United States, National Center for Edu- solver,” “planner,” and “decision maker” cation Statistics, Public Libraries in the roles. Similarly, given a choice of seven United States: Fiscal Year 2001 (Wash- supervisory roles, administrators and ington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Educa- managers both identified themselves most tion, 2001.) iii, 94–105. This report identified 16,421 stationary library out- strongly with “motivator,” “project lets in the United States. Of these, 7,353 leader,” and “coach” roles. were identified as single- (or zero-) out- This mutual identification with the let libraries. The difference between same management and supervisory these two figures (9,068) represents the roles indicates a degree of overlap number of libraries that are part of a multiple-outlet (multibranch) library between the management and supervi- system. sory skills requisite for both branch 3. Mary Somerville, “Facing the Shortage management positions and posts in of Children’s Librarians: Updating the library administration. Challenge,” American Libraries (Oct. 1998): 50. With this in mind, hiring committees 4. John Berry, “Addressing the Diversity faced with the difficult task of replacing and Recruitment Crisis,” American Li- administrators may need to look no fur- braries (Feb. 2002): 7.

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FEATURE

Based on these findings, the following Increasing Technical strategies were developed to improve Services Efficiency to work efficiency and increase productivity. A Flowchart of Activities Eliminate Cataloging Reveals the Big Picture The duties of all staff members were reviewed, and the process of cataloging Backlogs and physical processing was represented in a flowchart in order to better visualize all the operations in the technical serv- Myung Gi Sung ices department. This chart illustrated how and why people did things and revealed that one staff member in the Staff and budget cuts and inefficient work patterns often process was handling materials more than once. Redundant and unnecessary combine to create a cataloging and processing backlog in the operations were also identified by ana- technical services departments of public libraries. To improve lyzing this sequence of operations. Flowcharts show the flow of a process work efficiency, most libraries need to process more materials from its beginning to its completion. They also help detect inefficiencies in a process. with fewer human resources. This article describes how the St. The development of a floor plan Charles (Ill.) Public Library District eliminated a huge cataloging revealed the movement of materials through the department. The worksta- and processing backlog and offers useful tips for increasing tions and desks of the staff members efficiency and productivity in technical services departments. were reconfigured according to workflow and job descriptions to eliminate unnecessary movement of materials and pproximately three years ago, the new technical services manager of the distant cross talking between staff mem- St. Charles (Ill.) Public Library District (SCPL) inherited the tremendous bers. For example, the cataloging librar- challenge of eliminating a huge backlog of materials to be cataloged and ians and assistants were grouped processed. New books, music CDs and cassettes, videocassettes, DVDs, together, so they could share their job ACD-ROMs, and audiobooks were everywhere—filling about seventy shelves on knowledge, discuss problems, and find two walls, fifteen book trucks, and much floor space, leaving little open space in answers together without wasting time the thirty-five-feet-by-thirty-six-feet department. There was also a huge backlog for moving between cataloging staff mem- processing withdrawn items. bers (see figure 1). When interviewing for this position, the library director mentioned that the Flowcharts and floor plans can library had a huge backlog, and one of her expectations for the new technical services demonstrate the big picture of the process manager was to eliminate it. Since salaries and library budgets generally increased of cataloging and physical processing and each year, the accumulation of the backlog over the years came from other reasons.1 help to construct a workflow analysis. The existing process of cataloging and processing at SCPL had to be examined to discover the cause of the backlog and to develop a solution. Upon examining the positions of cataloging librarian, cataloging assistant, and processing assistant, inefficien- Assess the Method for cies in the process of cataloging and processing were discovered. The main problems Editing Records were the following: These days, most catalogers edit records ■ inefficient workflow with redundant and unnecessary operations; according to local policies, the Anglo- ■ inefficient method for editing records in cataloging; American Cataloging Rules 2d ed., and ■ lack of cataloging and technological tools; current MARC standards to enhance the ■ insufficient supervision; and records exported to their local system ■ inefficient management with redundant procedures and lack of written proce- from a bibliographic utility, such as the dures and policies. Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) or Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN). Myung Gi Sung is the Technical Services Manager of the St. Charles Public (Ill.) Library When catalogers edit the records, District; [email protected] some use paper editing (writing out copy

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to be edited later), while others use reduce the amount of time spent typing levels, call numbers and labels were con- screen editing (editing live). In this age of and can eliminate the repetition of steps stantly being changed or reprocessed. To technology, paper editing has become to speed up the process in general. streamline this inefficient process, the too costly and should be eliminated. It cataloging librarians and youth services requires at least three steps for comple- librarians worked together to devise a tion. First, a bibliographic utility is Ask for Departmental solution. Since both groups agreed that searched to find a matching record with Cooperation youth services librarians know their the item in hand and the record is patrons best, it was decided that the printed for editing. Second, that record SCPL, like most other public libraries, youth services librarians would initially is edited on the paper copy. Third, the handles juvenile materials differently designate the reading level for each item. same record is revisited in the biblio- from adult materials, especially the call As a result, classifying and processing graphic utility or local automated library numbers. Some materials are classified have become more efficient processes, system to make all the corrections indi- by reading levels and by format. needing fewer human resources and time cated on the paper. Defining reading levels is very subjective, to maintain. Paper editing causes inefficiencies. and often there are exceptions and con- This is a very good example of inter- For example, in the first step, a lot of flicts. Because SCPL cataloging librari- departmental cooperation. Figure 2 pres- paper and toner are used unnecessarily ans often had disagreements with youth ents this implementation in the SCPL to print out records. Also, the third step services librarians in defining the reading workflow. Utilizing interdepartmental in the paper editing process is a duplicate of the second step. Lastly, reading hand- writing in the third step can be labor intensive and time consuming. Floor Plan at St. Charles Public Library Screen editing eliminates the printing and writing on paper, thus saving time, toner, and paper. Original cataloging should also be done by screen editing. While online costs can be expensive, OCLC CATME has an offline editing mode that can be used at no charge. Cataloging staff need to be familiar with screen editing to be efficient. SCPL saved a significant amount of staff time by changing the editing method from paper editing to screen editing.

Know Your Local Automated Library System Well

SCPL is part of the Library Integrated Network Consortium (LINC), which has eight member libraries. Even though the Data Research Associates (DRA) system generated the date and member library information automatically, LINC required member libraries to add the 099 field with the date and member library information in each bibliographic record brought from OCLC to the DRA system. After the cataloging process was completed, the member libraries then had to delete this field from each record. Since creating and deleting the 099 field was redundant, SCPL wrote a proposal to change the rule. The consortium approved it, and SCPL saved a significant amount of staff time as a result. Knowing your library system inside out, not only the cataloging system but also circulation and the online catalog, will help to fully utilize all the functions a system can provide. Creating or utilizing macro functions and shortcuts can FIGURE 1

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cooperation when necessary can lead to reference librarians to use this special SCPL also attached many stickers improving work efficiency. function instead. Getting rid of weeded on adult fiction books to indicate genre, materials should be simple. If the process audience level, and format. There were takes too much time, the procedures nineteen genre stickers: mystery; science Eliminate Unnecessary should be reviewed and streamlined. fiction; fantasy; legal stories; historical; Procedures or Steps alternate history; historical romance; romantic suspense; romance; adventure; At SCPL, the first step was to make space Use Only Necessary Christian; Christian with horror or other for incoming materials. Next, the proce- Labels and Stickers genre; spy stories; medical novels; crime; dure for withdrawing items was exam- family sagas; political novels; horror; ined. The SCPL reference librarians SCPL staff typed pocket labels because and western. Stickers were also used to checked out the weeded materials to the DRA does not provide the option for indicate large print materials and young technical services department. Then the printing labels as a batch. Upon evalua- adult materials. Yellow happy face dot technical services department checked tion of the purpose of pocket labels, it stickers were used for entertainment them in and marked them as withdrawn. was determined that they were not of DVDs, “Be Kind Please Rewind” stick- Because DRA offered a “Marked With- sufficient value to continue the extra ers for entertainment videocassettes, and drawn” function, the steps of checking in work of typing them, so SCPL simply gift stickers for donated gift books. and out could be eliminated by asking the stopped using the pocket labels. There were also five rating stickers (G,

Workflow Chart for Handling Youth Services Materials

START

Receive ordered materials

Check-in Materials

Send to Youth Services for reviewing reading level

Search local Consortium Catalog

In Deliver to YES Verify and/or Process Create item Consortium Youth Services END Catalog? assign call # physically record Circulation

Search OCLC YES

YES Edit, update, and NO Send to cataloger LC record? In OCLC? export the record for authority work & classification

Original Cataloging by cataloger

FIGURE 2

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PG, PG 13, R and NR) for entertainment are now used for all materials that need from the authorized heading of the main videocassettes and DVDs. Stickers desig- to be shelved in the new-item section. entry, but made an exception for the nated new AV materials (red dot) and As a result, the number of stickers authorized heading “Bstan-dzin-rgya- books (yellow dot) that needed to be was reduced from thirty-one to twelve. mtsho” as the “Dalai Lama” because its shelved in the new item section. Streamlining the number of stickers and patrons would not know him by his The readers services and technical labels a library attaches to the materials authorized heading. Keeping track of services staff met to discuss the problems helps to increase productivity. each exception in the cataloging decision involved with attaching so many stickers manual ensures that consistent decisions on the spine of a book. The book spine and practices will be made in the future. was covered with these stickers and a Minimize Moving Items Also, a cataloging decision manual filled spine label with a call number, so from One Place to Another with updated exceptions and examples is patrons could not see the full title of a a helpful tool when training new staff. book or the name of its author. Some Some staff members at SCPL had their genre stickers were too specific, such as own book truck with their name on it. alternate history, and overlapped each When staff member A finished her duties Create and Utilize Cheat other, such as historical romance versus with items, she unloaded items from her Reference Sheets to Expedite romance. Sometimes an item had more truck and loaded them to staff member than one genre sticker, which confused B’s truck for the next stage of processing, the Process of Classifying Since SCPL has many books written by certain popular authors, a call number Do technical services staff members have the list of these authors saves the cataloging staff many hours of manually looking up knowledge and skills to do their job successfully? Do and building the Dewey Decimal they have a good understanding of local procedures Classification numbers. A list of classification numbers for popular travel desti- and policies in cataloging and processing? nations, popular music, computer manuals, and so on also saves the cataloging staff time. In addition, this helps patrons. In addition, processing assis- instead of giving the whole book truck maintain consistency in assigning call tants in the technical services department with items to staff member B. numbers within the same subjects in the had to spend extra time to remember to A staff member spends at least one library collection. attach all these stickers. second to load and one second to unload Since cataloging librarians assign Together, the readers services and each item from one place to another, the same classification numbers for the technical services staff decided to use such as from the book truck to the shelf same subject many times, creating cheat one genre sticker per item, to define gen- and then back again. Eliminating the reference sheets for repeatedly used clas- res in writing, and to reduce the number unnecessary moving of items saves time sification numbers can save them a sig- of genre stickers from nineteen to seven, and money. nificant amount of time. eliminating twelve that were too specific and rarely used. The Christian genre Provide Adequate sticker was replaced with the Create and Tailor Cataloging Inspirational genre sticker to avoid spe- Training and Staffing cific religious implication. Decision Manuals to Meet The LP, YA, yellow happy face, and Your Library’s Needs Do technical services staff members have “Be Kind Please Rewind” stickers were the knowledge and skills to do their job eliminated. Instead, the spine label was A cataloging decision manual lists all the successfully? Do they have a good under- overlayed with clear, colored label pro- cataloging decisions a library makes standing of local procedures and policies tectors: yellow for large print, purple for locally in order to accommodate the in cataloging and processing? If the young adult, and pink for entertainment needs of its patrons and public services answer to these questions is no, training videocassettes and DVDs. These color staff. It includes exceptions to national must be provided, or the staff must be label protectors also help shelvers sort cataloging standards that the library has sent to appropriate workshops to acquire out the large print and young adult made, along with specific examples, and necessary skills and knowledge. materials, and entertainment videocas- contains local policies and procedures in SCPL staff attends cataloging settes and DVDs from all the items cataloging. Since the staffing of the workshops sponsored by Illinois OCLC returned from patrons. The gift sticker department changes over time, having a Users Group and Illinois State Library. was eliminated since a gift plate was cataloging decision manual ensures con- It also uses one-on-one personal train- already placed on the first page of a sistent cataloging practice. ing sessions on the LINC rules provided book. The NR (not rated) sticker was Since each library has its own spe- by its consortium. eliminated because it did not give any cial needs and collections, and some- If the technical services department useful information to patrons. For the times the standard rules do not does not have adequate staffing and sup- same reason, the red and yellow dot accommodate them, cataloging decision port from the library director, depart- stickers were eliminated, and yellow manuals can be very useful. For exam- ment staffing and the function and job imprinted labels with the word “new” ple, SCPL generally assigns the cutters description for each position should be

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analyzed. Professional staff should not Examine your current cataloging and Because most duties in the technical perform nonprofessional duties or func- technological tools. Make sure that the services department are repetitive and tions if human resources are to be used cataloging staff members have proper cat- tedious, it is important that the depart- effectively. Check whether the job aloging and technological tools to do their ment manager motivate staff members description matches what the staff mem- job effectively and efficiently. by recognizing their efforts whenever ber actually does. Limit each staff mem- possible. Praise or recognition for their ber’s functions. If a position includes too accomplishments as well as monetary many different tasks, work efficiency Create a Common Mission compensation are some of the ways to will decrease. Staffing for Results by Statement and Goals acknowledge staff for doing a good job. Diane Mayo and Jeanne Goodrich is a 1001 Ways to Reward Employees by good source for staffing and workload The department’s mission statement Bob Nelson presents many ways to say 2 4 analysis. The department manager guides or directs staff members in thank you to people who do a good job. should always communicate the depart- achieving the goals of the technical serv- Positive employee motivation results ment’s needs to the library director. ices department. Revise or create a mis- in staff retention, productivity, creativity, 5 sion statement for the technical services and commitment to the organization. Managing with Carrots: Using Obtain Cataloging and department that reflects the best productivity and service. Review this mis- Recognition to Attract and Retain the Technological Tools sion statement with the department staff Best People by Adrian Gostick and regularly so that they can be aware of Chester Elton explains how today’s Proper and up-to-date basic cataloging and committed to accomplishing the worker can be motivated most effec- 6 tools are essential. The basics include: departmental goals. tively with incentives. Goals and objectives should be ■ Anglo-American Cataloging Rules established for the technical services ■ WebDewey and printed Dewey department members. Each staff mem- Remaining Challenges Decimal Classification ber’s annual goals should be clearly Book Pockets and Due Date Cards ■ Library of Congress Classification stated during the performance evalua- ■ Subject Cataloging Manual tion process. Each staff member must SCPL uses book pockets with due-date ■ Library of Congress Subject Headings understand his or her goals as an indi- cards inside the books. Replacing the ■ Library of Congress Rule Inter- vidual as well as a technical services book pockets and due-date cards with pretations team member. self-adhesive due date slips or the due- ■ Free-Floating Subdivisions Staff members need to have a clear date receipts generated from the inte- ■ OCLC Bibliographic Formats and understanding of their job description grated library system would save time Standards and their duties so that they can fulfill since staff has to add extra glue for ■ MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic them in keeping with the department’s durability to attach the book pockets. Data: Including Guidelines for goals. The department manager should Punching a due date on the due date Content Designation communicate his or her expectations for card is also labor-intensive and time- ■ Library of Congress Name the staff. Staff members must also com- consuming. A system-generated receipt Authorities municate with the department manager could eliminate both the book pocket ■ CONSER Cataloging Manual (for about their daily and monthly activities, and due-date card. Serials) achievements, problems, and suggestions. However, since SCPL uses a At SCPL, each technical services Checkpoint security system and its secu- All staff members who deal with bar staff member is asked to complete a rity patch (approximately two inches by codes and ISBNs should have a scanner monthly report on the first working day two inches), it needs to have the book for reading them. Typing in bar codes of each month. The report includes what pocket to hide this security patch. The and ISBNs is a labor-intensive, time-con- each staff member has done the previous due-date card is also needed to desensi- suming process that can cause many month, listing statistics, meetings or tize the security patch by putting the due errors. If you do not have scanners, buy workshops attended or conducted, activ- date card in the book pocket. them. At SCPL, scanners were purchased ities, projects, questions, suggestions, for all technical services staff to avoid and concerns. These monthly reports Attaching Bar Codes the manual typing of the fourteen-digit help the department manager coach and Inside the Books bar code numbers and ten-digit ISBNs. evaluate staff on an ongoing basis. Compared to what the library saves in Bar codes at SCPL are currently attached time and labor by using them, scanners inside the books’ first pages. Attaching are not expensive and improve accuracy. these bar codes on the front or back Most technical services staff mem- Motivation through cover of the book would facilitate the bers spend many hours reading a com- Recognition scanning process of checking in and out, puter screen. All computers should have since attaching the bar code inside a antiglare filters, which greatly reduce The results of a recent survey by the book requires opening the book cover to eyestrain. Farsighted staff members also Council of Communication scan the bar code. may need lighted magnifiers for easier Management confirm what almost every Staff could also save time by not reading of the fine print on the disc employee already knows: that recogni- opening the book covers to scan bar codes labels and sleeves of music CDs, video- tion for a job well done is the top moti- for collection maintenance. For example, cassettes, and DVDs. vator of employee performance.3 changing call numbers according to the

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updated classification numbers, such as TABLE 1 Dewey Decimal Classification 22 ed.; replacing faded labels; repairing items New Materials Added physically; sending items to a bindery; and Month Year 1999–2000 Year 2000–2001 Year 2001–2002 Year 2002–2003 withdrawing all items that require scan- November 1,738 2,198 2,626 2,152 ning bar codes to let patrons and public December 2,093 1,659 2,173 2,216 services staff know the status of the items January 1,731 2,469 2,614 3,453 in the library’s online catalog. The repeti- February 1,831 2,102 1,880 1,368 tive motions of opening the covers of March 1,843 3,874 2,206 3,758 books would also be reduced when staff April 1,519 3,328 3,008 2,796 checks books in and out if the bar codes May 1,676 2,917 2,412 2,806 were placed on the outside. June 1,600 2,199 2,421 2,804 However, since SCPL uses the book July 1,912 2,535 2,196 3,178 pockets and due-date cards, which are August 2,137 3,098 2,016 2,518 also on the first page inside the books, September 2,211 3,267 2,008 2,252 the circulation staff members have to October 2,109 3,684 2,673 3,389 Total 22,400 33,330 28,233 32,690 open the cover of the book to check them out anyway. Thus, the library decided to leave the bar codes where they are. ■ creating and tailoring our cataloging adult and youth services by getting mate- decision manual to reflect local deci- rials into circulation faster. sions; All these changes and improvements Increased Efficiency ■ creating and utilizing cheat refer- could not have been achieved without ence sheets for repeatedly used call the support of the library director and Improves Productivity numbers for travel destinations, lit- the willingness and cooperation of the erature authors, music CDs, and technical services staff to improve the From November 1999 to October 2000, computer manuals; efficiency of the department. ■ 22,400 items were added to the collec- ■ providing proper training and tion. From November 2000 to October staffing; 2001 (during the period these changes ■ purchasing necessary cataloging and References and Notes were implemented) 33,330 items were technological tools, including scan- added. This represents a 49 percent ners for reading bar codes and 1. For the exact figures, refer to annual increase. (See table 1.) ISBNs and antiglare filters for all the publication Statistical Report: Public Li- As a result of improved work effi- brary Data Service (Chicago: PLA). technical services department staff 2. Diane Mayo and Jeanne Goodrich, ciency, the huge backlog was completely computers; Staffing for Results: A Guide to Work- eliminated in nine months. In addition, ■ establishing the department’s mis- ing Smarter (Chicago: ALA, 2002). the productivity per staff member sion statement and goals; and 3. Bob Nelson, 1001 Ways to Reward Em- ployees (New York: Workman, 1994), increased. As a result, two vacant posi- ■ recognizing the staff’s hard work tions were not filled and staff time was xv. and extra efforts in a timely manner. 4. Ibid. reduced from 10 FTEs to 8.7 FTEs. 5. Connie Christopher, Empowering Your These results were accomplished by: All these changes contributed posi- Library: A Guide to Improving Service, tively to improve the SCPL technical Productivity, and Participation (Chica- go: ALA, 2003), 17. ■ constructing a workflow analysis services department’s work efficiency 6. Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, Man- and eliminating redundant opera- and its productivity. The increased work aging with Carrots: Using Recognition tions and procedures; efficiency and productivity enabled the to Attract and Retain the Best People ■ maximizing the efficiency in editing technical services department to elimi- (Salt Lake City: Gibbs Smith, 2001). records by changing from paper nate its cataloging and processing back- editing to screen editing; log completely and improve support to

Who’s got the Smartest Card? At St. Mary’s County Public Library in Maryland, photos of individual patrons holding their library cards were taken and reproduced, with captions added, “(first name) has a library card . . . do you?” Photos were displayed around the library and the local paper. County commissioners and the mayor were photographed holding their library cards, and several of their photos were placed on a poster with the Smartest Card logo and with the caption “[name] has one!” The county commissioners proclaimed September and the next twelve months as Library Card Month. Check it out at www.stmalib.org.

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FEATURE

The Communications In the Name of Decency Act

On February 8, 1996, President Clinton In(ternet)decency signed the Communications Decency Act (CDA) into law.1 Senators James Exon (D-Neb.) and Dan Coats (R-Ind.) Laws Attempting to introduced CDA to protect children from Internet content that may not be legally obscene, yet nevertheless is suffi- Regulate Content Deemed ciently distasteful to be deemed harmful to minors.2 The law made it a criminal offense subject to fine and up to two Harmful to Children years of imprisonment to send or display offensive material to persons under eighteen using an interactive computer Amy Lisewski Lavell service. CDA defined offensive material as “any comment, request, suggestion, proposal, image, or other communica- Do parents, libraries, schools, and others charged with the tion that, in context, depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as raising of the next generation of Americans need the federal measured by contemporary community government’s assistance in shielding youth from “harmful standards, sexual or excretory activities or organs.” It allowed for two accept- content” on the Web? Four federal laws enacted in the past able defenses to prosecution for content providers: “good faith, reasonable, effec- decade attempt to do just that. This article presents a tive and appropriate actions” to restrict chronological overview of these laws and their subsequent or prevent minors from accessing their sites; or restriction of access by requiring court challenges in order to provide librarians with an the use of a credit card, debit account, adult access code, or adult personal understanding of the recent and ongoing struggles of identification number. ALA, ACLU, and others to protect the First Amendment rights of our libraries and our patrons. CDA Challenges Immediately following the passage of CDA, a coalition led by ACLU chal- uch as they have done in the past with print, radio, and television, legis- lenged its constitutionality. ALA, teamed lators have been trying to protect children from so-called harmful con- with the Citizens Internet Empowerment tent on the Internet ever since the Web emerged as a viable medium of Coalition, filed a suit shortly thereafter. mass communication. Citing a proliferation of online pornography, easy On February 27, 1996, the ALA and Maccess by minors to adult-oriented content, and the desire of parents to block inap- ACLU cases were consolidated by the propriate sites, Congress successfully passed four laws toward this cause during the federal district court in Philadelphia and past decade. Groups such as the American Library Association (ALA) and the became ACLU v. Reno.3 ACLU argued American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have taken the lead in challenging the consti- that CDA violated the First Amendment tutionality of these laws in federal courts, with varying degrees of success. because its indecency, or “patently offen- As librarians, it is essential that we understand the key provisions and the ensu- sive,” provisions were vague and over- ing court cases that have addressed the constitutionality of each of these new laws. broad. On June 11, 1996, the three-judge However, this can be a challenging task because the original legislative intent, as well panel ruled unanimously in favor of as the course a law takes through the judicial system, is set out within hundreds of ACLU and imposed a preliminary injunc- pages of government documents. Law and library science journals provide many tion against CDA enforcement.4 excellent articles to detail and argue the various issues, but many of these resources The Justice Department appealed to can be overwhelming for anyone lacking an overall picture of the laws and cases the U.S. Supreme Court, which began themselves. This article provides a convenient and straightforward overview of each hearing arguments in Reno v. ACLU on of these Internet harmful content laws, their challenges in federal courts, and their March 19, 1997.5 On June 26, the Court current status. upheld the district court decision. In short, the Justice Department argued that CDA was constitutional because the Amy Lisewski Lavell is a Librarian with Diversa Corp., San Diego; [email protected] government has a compelling interest in

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protecting children and a responsibility Without this clause, CDA would have Department attempted to show that the to assist parents to do likewise. They the power to criminalize providers of acceptable defenses in CDA were suffi- compared the situation to that of indecent content even when that content cient to overcome any potential infringe- Ginsberg v. NY, in which the Court would have serious value to minors, ment on the First Amendment rights of upheld First Amendment restrictions such as sex education or art history. adults and content producers. The designed to protect minors from sexually CDA was also inconsistent with Court, however, ruled that the defenses explicit content in “adult magazines.”6 Ginsberg in defining minors as younger were inadequate to surmount the law’s More than thirty years ago, in Miller than age eighteen (compared to age sev- overbreadth, particularly because the v. CA, the Court reaffirmed that obscen- enteen in Ginsberg). economic burden of age verification ity is not constitutionally protected.7 New means of communications, would “inevitably curtail a significant Miller established the current three-prong such as the Internet, create unanticipated amount of adult communication on the obscenity test: (1) whether “the average situations that raise challenges to First Internet.”10 Even with the defenses person, applying contemporary commu- Amendment doctrine based on tradi- stated within CDA, the Court ruled that nity standards, would find that the work, tional media. Print, radio, telephone, it is not the least restrictive means avail- taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient and other once-novel communications able. With key provisions of CDA ruled interest”; (2) whether “the work depicts have all brought about such challenges. unconstitutional by the Court, the act or describes, in a patently offensive way, In Reno, the Justice Department remains unenforceable. sexual conduct specifically defined by the attempted to liken the Internet to broad- applicable state law”; and (3) whether casting. More restrictions are allowed in “the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious broadcasting because the Court deter- The Child Online literary, artistic, political, or scientific mined that broadcasting is not a public Protection Act value.” Therefore, for a work to be forum. In other words, broadcasting deemed obscene and unprotected under plays a very limited role in acting as a In 1998, Congress made a second the constitution, all three criteria in the medium for democratic dialogue and attempt to regulate online content Miller test must be met. However, in hence does not warrant the same degree deemed harmful to minors with the Ginsberg the Court determined that of free speech as more accessible media, Child Online Protection Act (COPA).11 materials (“girlie” magazines, in this case) such as print publications. The Court Supporters felt that parents were frus- determined to be lawful for adults may disagreed with this analogy and chose to trated by the easy opportunities the still be deemed unlawfully obscene if the liken the Internet to telephone communi- Internet provided for minors to access material is made accessible to persons cations, citing the dial-a-porn ban struck harmful content and desired legislative under seventeen years of age. The ability down in Sable v. FCC, which empha- action to curtail such content.12 to apply a variant definition of obscenity sized the noninvasive nature of tele- Congress again emphasized that the based on age is a key aspect of obscenity phone services.8 Because the Internet government had a compelling interest to laws. The government may step in to merits the full protection of the First intervene. They pointed to a lack of a assist parents in protecting their children Amendment, any law that attempts to national private industry solution and a from obscenity when they can show that place burdens on Internet communica- need to explore additional measures and the state has a compelling interest to do tions is subject to what is known as the technologies to protect minors. COPA so. The government can also define strict scrutiny test. In other words, the sought to avoid the overbreadth, vague- obscenity more broadly for those younger law must be scrutinized to ensure that it ness, and lack of acceptable defenses than seventeen if it can be shown that this is the least restrictive means available to from which CDA suffered. COPA was younger audience is not being duly pro- further the government’s compelling targeted specifically at commercial Web tected from the questionable materials, as interest in restricting speech. The Justice operators rather than all Internet com- determined in Ginsberg. Department was unable to prove that munications; included a more precise However, in Reno the Court ruled CDA was the least restrictive means to definition of “harmful to minors” than that CDA was too vague and overbroad achieve their goal, and, therefore, CDA the CDA, one that more closely tracked to legally accomplish this goal because it did not pass the strict scrutiny test. (See the three-prong obscenity test of Miller; lowered the age of a minor to younger than seventeen years; and slightly broadened the available defenses used in New means of communications, such as the Internet, CDA. Although COPA was written create unanticipated situations that raise challenges to using the wording of the Miller test, it inserted exceptions for minors. First Amendment doctrine based on traditional media. Specifically, each of the three-prongs of the Miller test were supplemented with the phrase “to minors,” and the “patently offensive” prong was further failed to clearly define what would be Mainstream Loudoun v. Bd. of Trs. and modified by the addition of the words considered indecent to minors. It also Kreimer v. Morristown for more on shown here in italics: Whether the work failed to require that the “patently offen- strict scrutiny.9) “depicts, describes, or represents, in a sive” material lack “serious literary, It is common for laws to list certain manner patently offensive with respect artistic, political, or scientific value,” as instances or situations that can be used to minors, an actual or simulated sexual stated in the third prong of the Miller as acceptable defenses against prosecu- act or sexual conduct, an actual or sim- obscenity test and upheld in Ginsberg. tion under the law. The Justice ulated normal or perverted sexual act or

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a lewd exhibition of the genitals or post- many ways in which it could be more ing information, such as credit cards, can pubescent female breast.”13 conclusively shown to suffer from flaws have “an impermissible chilling effect on similar to those found in CDA. those would-be recipients.”25 In 2003, the Third Circuit’s new deci- COPA Challenges sion again invalidated COPA.21 The court Immediately following its signing by found that the law restricted substantial The Children’s Internet President Clinton in October 1998, a amounts of lawful speech and therefore Protection Act group led by ACLU challenged the law in infringed upon the First Amendment a federal district court.14 ALA and others rights of adults. In other words, COPA did After two years of languishing in that had challenged the CDA were absent not provide the least restrictive means of Congress, the Children’s Internet from the list of plaintiffs, which was com- achieving the intent of the law. The court Protection Act (CIPA), became the third prised mostly of commercial Web opera- also took particular issue with the vague- federal law intended to protect minors tors. ACLU argued that COPA violated ness of key terms and provisions and the from harmful Internet content.26 It the First and Fourth Amendments in four difficulties that such vagueness would requires schools and libraries receiving ways: (1) it impeded on the protected speech of adults; (2) it interfered with the First Amendment rights of minors because it was overly prohibitive; (3) it violated the Under end-of-year pressure to complete the federal right to send and receive communication budget, President Clinton signed CIPA into law in anonymously, which would result in self- censorship; and (4) it was unconstitution- December 2000 while expressing “public misgivings at ally vague. Based on the results of Reno, the district court granted a temporary the wisdom (and constitutionality)” of it. restraining order against COPA based on the likely success of a similar challenge.15 The Department of Justice appealed to the present to commercial Web operators in federal funding through either the Library U.S. Court of Appeals in April 1999. The their attempts to predict potential liabili- Services and Technology Act of 1996 appeals court upheld the injunction based ties under the law. For example, it wrote (LSTA) or Elementary and Secondary almost entirely on its finding that the use that the term “minors” failed to distin- Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) programs of “community standards” is nearly guish the “serious value” that material to certify that they employ technological impossible in the limitless geography of such as sexual education information or protections, namely filtering software, to cyberspace.16 The court determined that works of art might have for “a person just block obscenity and other material this standard gave the most “puritan of shy of age 17” versus an infant or a five- deemed harmful to minors on all online communities an effective veto over con- year-old.22 It agreed that limiting COPA to workstations, including those of the tent on the Internet.”17 commercial purposes did narrow the staff.27 Under end-of-year pressure to In late 2001, the Court agreed to scope of the law in comparison to CDA, complete the federal budget, President review the lower court decision and, but still lacked a substantial definition of Clinton signed CIPA into law in with the change of administration, the what would or would not constitute com- December 2000 while expressing “public case became Ashcroft v. ACLU.18 On mercial. For example, the court found that misgivings at the wisdom (and constitu- May 13, 2002, the Court threw out the COPA’s “engaged in business” phrase sub- tionality)” of it.28 lower court decision, stating that it jected “too wide a range of web publish- The key difference from the two failed to consider enough of the issues in ers to potential liability.”23 It also found earlier acts is that it imposes conditions its limited proceedings to reach an issue with COPA’s definition of “harmful on the receipt of federal monetary assis- authoritative decision. Justice Clarence material” being any “communication, pic- tance, rather than criminal or civil Thomas, writing for the majority, stated ture, image file, article, recording, writing, penalties. Unlike its forebears, CIPA is that “COPA’s reliance on community or any matter of any kind.”24 not aimed at the distribution of standards to identify material that is Taken literally, the definition includes speech—for example, the speaker—but harmful to minors does not by itself ren- any single image, such as a Renaissance at the recipient of the communication. der the statute substantially overbroad artwork depicting a nude. Instead of con- In effect, it requires that schools and for purposes of the First Amendment.”19 sidering the image in the context of an art libraries act as gatekeepers of Internet The Court remanded the case back to history Web site, under COPA it could be content received in their institutions. the Third Circuit for more specific singled out as an indecent display of CIPA was also written to be less restric- analysis on such issues as “whether nudity and therefore unlawful to transmit tive for adults, stating that “technology COPA suffered from substantial over- via the Internet. The court also rejected protection measures” need only be used breadth for other reasons . . . was uncon- the defendant’s contention that the affir- when computers are operated by stitutionally vague, or whether the mative defenses were sufficient to over- minors. CIPA allows for an “adminis- District Court had correctly concluded come the flaws in the preceding sections. trator, supervisor, or other authority” to that COPA likely would not survive The court wrote that the “simple steps” disable filters to “enable access for bona strict-scrutiny analysis.”20 Although the that the government presented would fide research or other purposes.”29 Supreme Court justices did not ulti- place too great a burden on adults access- However, institutions receiving ESEA mately rule on the validity of COPA, in ing the sites in question and would effec- funds may only disable filters for adults. their mandate for a more thorough tively deter them from doing so. For Furthermore, filters to block obscenity examination of the law, they pointed out example, requiring users to enter identify- and child pornography, both categories

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of speech not protected under the First should apply to this law. CIPA, they Amendment, must be enabled on all argued, would fail the higher standard computers regardless of age. since filtering technology is not the least Similar to COPA, CIPA defined restrictive means available to further the “harmful to minors” with a variation of government’s compelling interest. In the Miller test. However, where COPA their arguments they highlighted the covered any “communication, picture, serious flaws presented by the under- article, recording, writing, or other mat- and over-blocking of filtering software, ter of any kind,” CIPA reduced the particularly its inability to scan for affected matter to any “picture, image, visual depictions, to which the statute graphic image file, or other visual depic- specifically refers. tion.”30 In contrast, although CIPA was ALA successfully made their case to narrower in scope than COPA in this the district court. The court meticulously regard, like the earlier CDA it contained examined the funding scheme, the techno limitations on the nature or method of nology in question, and the law itself to Internet communications. CIPA is not conclude that CIPA does induce libraries restricted to commercial Web sites and to violate patrons’ First Amendment includes chat, messaging, e-mail, and any rights. Like earlier courts, the district other Internet-enabled communications. court agreed that the government had a Other differences include the notable compelling interest in the matter. absence of the phrase “contemporary However, they examined the technical community standards,” a standard that capabilities of current filtering software was challenged in the COPA proceed- and found it to be overwhelmingly prob- ings, and of any provision to assist with lematic. The court resolved that such the lack of funding that many libraries software was not the least restrictive would face when saddled with compul- means available to accomplish the law’s sory implementation of new Internet use intended goals. WANT policies and filtering software. As perhaps foreseen by the lower court, the Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court. On June 23, CIPA Challenges 1/3 v 2003, in a 6–3 ruling, the Court over- Both ACLU and ALA, along with a col- turned the District Court’s decision in lection of libraries, patrons, and Web site Ashcroft v. ALA.33 Judge Rehnquist operators as co-plaintiffs, filed a chal- announced the judgment, stating that p/u lenge against CIPA in federal district CIPA is in fact a valid exercise of court on March 20, 2001.31 They specif- Congress’ spending power and does not 356 ically challenged the provisions that violate adults’ First Amendment rights. require filtering software as a condition The majority opinion centered on the of LSTA or ESEA funding and argued degree of public forum scrutiny, if any, that CIPA was facially unconstitutional Internet access in libraries should be under the First Amendment. The goal of afforded as well as the role public funds these funding programs is to assist might play in content-based decisions. libraries and schools serving poorer The decision also deemed the provision communities with limited online access for disabling filtering software as suffi- in their patron’s homes. Many institu- cient to overcome any burdens on tions rely on these funds to connect their adults’ rights. citizens to online information. By tying The district court had held that Web the government’s interest in protecting access in libraries was for use by the children directly to these subsidies, these public for “expressive activity” and libraries bear a greater burden of restric- therefore the Internet is considered a tions on free speech than those institu- designated public forum, analogizing it tions that are able to operate without to sidewalks and parks. The Supreme subsidies.32 ACLU et al. argued that Court disagreed, stating that Internet such restrictions amount to prior stations in libraries are not installed to restraint of constitutionally protected intentionally “create a public forum for speech. The CIPA provision that patrons web publishers . . . [but for] . . . the same could request that filters be disabled for reasons it offers other library resources: them was indeed a form of prior to facilitate research, learning, and recre- restraint, rather than a means of protect- ational pursuits by furnishing materials ing patrons’ First Amendment rights. of requisite and appropriate quality.”34 They further contended that public Having established that public libraries libraries are a limited public forum and must have discretion to consider content therefore the concept of strict scrutiny in their acquisitions, they determined

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that libraries could not be held to the eral funds to impose First Amendment unwanted sexual solicitation on the highest level of judicial scrutiny under restrictions, stated that the “abridgment Internet.”41 They also contended that: public forum principles. They referred to of speech is equally obnoxious whether a although the computer software and previous rulings, such as Arkansas v. rule like this one is enforced by a threat hardware industries, and other Forbes and NEA v. Finley, to support of penalties or by a threat to withhold a related industries, have developed their decision.35 In these and similar benefit.”38 He further agreed with the innovative ways to help parents and cases, the Court ruled that the mediums district court finding that less restrictive educators restrict material . . . to or organizations in question were not means are available at the local level, date such efforts have not provided public forums and therefore were not such as local Internet use policies, penal- a national solution to the problem, . afforded strict scrutiny. In Arkansas, the ties for violations, parental consent . . and, while custody, care, and nur- court held that a public television station requirements, optional filtering, and ture of the child reside first with the was not required to give broad access to monitors placed out of general sightlines. parent, the protection of the physi- the public to use the station’s airtime to cal and psychological well-being of express their viewpoints. Rather it is cus- minors by shielding them from tomary and acceptable that a station’s Dot Kids material that is harmful to them is a professional staff make informed edito- compelling government interest.42 rial judgments to select and deliver pro- The most recent federal legislation in gramming to their audiences. In NEA, this arena took a rather different Specifically, the Dot Kids Act man- the court held that the NEA had the approach than those before it. Byron dates that the National Telecommun- right to employ content-based criteria to Dorgan (D-N.D.) led the Senate cam- ications and Information Administration make funding decisions. The Court paign to establish www.kids.us, an (NTIA) require the registry that runs the related these two cases to the role and Internet green-light area for children .us domain to establish, maintain, and functioning of public libraries and the thirteen and under. Officially named the oversee the operation of a “.kids.us” right of librarians to make material Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency domain. According to the law, the reg- selection decisions. It suggested that to Act of 2002, it was signed into law in istry is required to write content stan- decide otherwise would be to erode December 2002 by President Bush, who dards aligned with a definition of librarians’ rights to make content decisions regarding their collection. The Court then applied this reasoning to the use of filters, saying that professional [Justice Souter] wrote that using filters is more human decisions about every Internet site were impossible and that filters func- comparable to “buying an encyclopedia and then tioned adequately for this purpose. In regards to any inadequacies, the court cutting out pages with anything thought to be said that the provisions for disabling the unsuitable for all but adults.” filters provided sufficient ease to overcome any burden on adult access. ALA also argued that tying restrictions to the receipt of vital federal assis- at the signing stated that the new harmful to minors that follows the tance was unconstitutional and contrary domain is to “function much like the wording used in COPA but changes the to the mission of libraries. The Court children’s section of the library, where age to less than thirteen. The law also declined to base a decision on this line of parents feel comfortable allowing their requires the registry to establish compli- reasoning because the government, as children to browse.”39 The idea of a dot- ance agreements with each registrar as decided in Rust v. Sullivan, is entitled to kids top-level domain has long been well as processes for complaints, chal- insist “public funds be spent for the pur- resisted by the Internet Corporation for lenges, reviews, and removal of content. poses for which they were authorized.”36 Assigned names and Numbers (ICANN) Registrars’ sites are not allowed to have The Court ruled that such restrictions do because it believes that there is too much hyperlinks outside the domain, and chat not alter the usual operation of public disparity among the perceptions of vari- rooms and other interpersonal commu- libraries because libraries have no role ous countries as to what is appropriate nication are prohibited unless registrars that sets them against the government for children.40 However, this did not can ensure that such communication will and therefore have no particular need to stop Congress from using this tactic to have all content standards enforced. The be free of any such conditions. create such a space within the .us top- law required the domain to be in effect Dissenting justices contributed some level domain. In its hearings, Congress not later than December 4, 2003. significant arguments, which may stated reasons for the law, including: (1) Neustar, the registry chosen to over- reemerge in subsequent cases on this sub- “A significant portion of all material see the domain, published their written ject. For example, Justice Souter dis- available on the Internet is related to content policy on their Web site in counted the analogy of filters to pornography”; (2) “Exposure of chil- August 2003.43 In their introduction, professional acquisition decisions. He dren to material that is inappropriate for they acknowledge the “enormous wrote that using filters is more compara- them . . . can distort the education and responsibility” of acting as content man- ble to “buying an encyclopedia and then development of the Nation’s youth and ager for .kids.us. In their core list of con- cutting out pages with anything thought represents a serious harm to American tent restrictions they ban mature to be unsuitable for all but adults.”37 families”; and (3) “Young boys and girls content, pornography, inappropriate Justice Stevens, addressing the use of fed- . . . are at greater risk for receiving language, hate speech, drugs, alcohol,

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tobacco, gambling, weapons, and crimi- heard in Ashcroft v. ACLU on appeal by content.”55 On the other hand, it pro- nal activities. Opponents of this policy the government from the Third Circuit, vides inroads for reducing the overall may question its restriction of items such which had upheld the district court’s effect of the law if subsequent as-applied as “lewd clothing sales, . . . destructive decision.48 The Justice Department challenges are successful. Further cause mischief, pranks, or practical jokes, . . . stressed that COPA was constructed for optimism is provided by an evalua- dangerous chemistry, physics and engi- with guidance from the Court’s rulings tion of current and potential technology neering, . . . [and content that] contem- on CDA and asserted that the law is nar- protection measures by NTIA, which plates alcohol consumption.”44 In order rowly tailored to protect the First was mandated by CIPA. Released on to enforce processes and procedures for Amendment rights of Web publishers August 15, 2003, the report clearly rec- timely review of policy infractions, and adult online users. They claim that ognizes the limitations of filters and rec- Neustar then assigned “severity levels” the government’s “common sense inter- ommends expanding CIPA’s definition of to each of the banned items with punish- pretations of COPA are consistent with “technology protection measure” to ments for infractions, with the severest COPA’s text and Congress’s intent.”49 include “more than just blocking and fil- being immediate removal of the domain ACLU again argued that COPA places tering technology in order to encompass name and requirement of a new content too great a burden on a Web publisher’s a vast array of current technological review by Neustar before reinstatement. ability to operate without running afoul measures,” such as various level access of COPA’s vague definition of sexually (or log-on) screens for library patrons.56 explicit material. They reiterated that In creating Dot Kids, legislators seem Dot Kids Challenges age verification requirements (such as to have overlooked reports by the ACLU urged the Senate to oppose the credit card verification) are an ineffective National Academy of Sciences and their passing of the Dot Kids Act in a letter means of achieving the government’s own COPA Commission, which both rec- dated November 6, 2002. In this letter stated interest of protecting children ommend that the best way to protect they expressed their concern with the online and impose on the First minors online is to educate parents and “government establishing a domain that Amendment rights of Web publishers.50 children about the risks and benefits of the is then censored by a private contractor, On June 29, 2004, the Court Internet.57 Instead, the government is chosen, and possibly replaced by the gov- affirmed the injunction granted by the wasting federal dollars trying to do what ernment, in all likelihood based on the district court, stating the “Government the private marketplace has already been censor’s determination about what has failed, at this point, to rebut the successfully experimenting with in this should be censored.”45 Furthermore, plaintiffs’ contention that there are plau- arena.58 Neustar launched the domain in ACLU warned that such a law “strangles sible less restrictive alternatives” to late August 2003. As of August 6, 2004, information and chills innovation” COPA.51 The Court based its decision on almost one year since the site was because it is a classic form of prior the reasoning of the district court, adding launched, there are only fifteen sites regis- restraint.46 They took issue with the law’s that “promoting the use of filters does tered on the Dot Kids domain. Sadly, each reliance on “contemporary community not condemn as criminal any category of of the eight major subject categories on standards,” a concern that has been speech and so the potential chilling effect the www.kids.us home page lead to the raised many times by those who under- is eliminated, or at least much dimin- same list of these fifteen sites, an attempt stand the global nature of the Internet. ished. . . . All of these things are true, perhaps to mask the lack of available sites. Finally, they took issue with Congress’s moreover, regardless of how broadly or It is likely that this Internet green- finding that a significant portion of all narrowly the definitions in COPA are light area will continue to go largely material available on the Internet is constructed.”52 It is important to note unnoticed by both users and content pornographic. They pointed to a compre- that, although this decision substantially providers. Many nonprofit Web sites and hensive study by the National Research weakens the ability of the government to even public libraries may not have the Council that found that “globally, sexu- enforce COPA, it is not a “final blow” to staff or money to participate in Kids.us. ally explicit Web pages constitute a few the law. The Court did not rule that the Large commercial sites such as percent of the 2+ billion publicly accessi- law itself is unconstitutional, but rather Nickelodeon may have the funds to set up ble Web pages.”47 As of August 18, left this open to the courts to decide if compliant sites for the new domain, but it 2004, ACLU had not announced any such a challenge is brought about in the is unlikely that the marketplace will com- plans to challenge the law in court. future. The Court stated that “by allow- pel them to do so. The few corporate sites ing the preliminary injunction to stand that do participate will then dominate the and remanding for trial, we require the kids.us domain. Many public librarians, Current Status of Harmful Government to shoulder its full constitu- nonprofits, and even corporate operators Internet Content Laws tional burden of proof respecting the less question how this new domain can attract restrictive argument, rather than excus- enough quality content to make the area The Court recently revisited COPA to ing it from doing so.”53 one where kids will find diversity of value rule on whether the district court abused It is possible that CIPA has also not and enjoyment rather than versions of its discretion in granting a preliminary seen its final day in court. In the sites that are “a sanitized, incomplete injunction. The district court granted the Supreme Court opinion on CIPA, the skeleton” of the originals.59 injunction based on evidence that less majority confirmed that the law did not restrictive means, such as filtering soft- amount to prior restraint. However, they ware, are available to achieve COPA’s also inferred that “as applied” chal- Conclusion intent, and that the government had not, lenges would likely be considered.54 and likely would not, prove otherwise. Unfortunately, this leaves “librarians in There are now at least twenty state laws On March 2, 2004, arguments were (the) position of on-the-fly arbitrators of that specifically address Internet use in

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public libraries, ranging from the simple cation Law and Policy 6, no. 1 (2001): cessed Oct. 6, 2003, www.kids.us/con- requirement of an Internet use policy to 227–57. tent_policy/content_policy.pdf 13. Child Online Protection Act, 47 44. Ibid. the mandatory use of filters. The U.S.C.S. 231 (2003) at (e)(6). 45. Laura W. Murphy and Marvin J. John- National Conference of State 14. ACLU v. Reno, 1998 U.S. Dist. LEXIS son, “Letter to the Senate Urging Oppo- Legislatures maintains a chart on their 18546 (E.D. Pa. Nov. 20, 1998). sition to S. 2537/H.R. 3833/H.R. 3833, Web site that outlines each state’s efforts 15. Reno v. ACLU, 117 S. Ct. 2329 (1997). the ‘Dot Kids Implementation and Effi- in this arena.60 16. Rodenburg, “‘Son of CDA.’” ciency Act of 2002,’” 2003, par. 5. Ac- 17. ACLU v. Reno, 217 F. 3d 162, 2000 cessed Oct. 6, 2003, www.aclu.org/ The development of the Internet, U.S. App. LEXIS 14419 (3d Cir. Pa. Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=11421&c=252 . and its supposed proliferation of 2000) at Opinion of the Court section 46. Ibid., par. 20. pornography and other questionable II(a). 47. Dick Thornburgh and Herbert Lin, ed., material, has recharged First 18. Ashcroft v. ACLU, No. 00-1293, 535 Youth, Pornography, and the Internet U.S. 564 2002 U.S. LEXIS 3421 (2002). (National Academy Pr., 2003), 4. Amendment battles previously fought in 19. Ibid., Justice Thomas section IV. 48. Supreme Court Docket No. 03-218 the context of print, radio, and television 20. Ibid. (2004). Accessed Apr. 24, 2004, media. As with its forbears, the courts 21. ACLU v. Ashcroft, No. 99-1324, 2003 www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/ have to consider the government’s com- U.S. App. LEXIS 4152 (3rd Cir. Pa., 03-218.htm. pelling interests in regulating the new Mar. 6, 2003). 49. ACLU v. Ashcroft, No. 99-1324, 2003 22. Ibid., section II(A)(2)(a) U.S. App. LEXIS 4152 (3rd Cir. Pa., medium’s content and whether the least 23. Ibid., section II(A)(2)(b) Mar. 6, 2003). restrictive means have been used to 24. Ibid., section II(A)(2)(a) 50. Theodore B. Olsen, “Reply Brief for the achieve these goals. When court battles 25. Ibid., section II(A)(2)(c) Petitioner, Ashcroft v. ACLU,” 2004. over television content began, no one 26. Children’s Internet Protection Act, 47 Accessed Apr. 24, 2004, www.usdoj. USCS 24 (2003), 20 U.S.C.S. 6801, gov/osg/briefs/2003/3mer/2mer/ could have predicted that a medium 6777, 9134 (2003). 2003-0218.mer.rep.pdf. called the Internet would one day serve 27. Library Services and Technology Act, 20 51. Ashcroft v. ACLU, No. 03-218, 124 as a new arena for free speech issues. U.S.C.A. 9121-9163 (1996); Elementary S.Ct. 2783, 2004 U.S. LEXIS 4762 One could (and should) have assumed and Secondary Education Act, 20 (2004). that new arenas would certainly emerge. U.S.C.A. 6301-8962 (1965). 52. Ibid., Justice Kennedy section II(A) 28. Steven D Hinckley, “Your Money or Your 53. Ibid., summary at (b). The Internet will not be the last frontier Speech: The Children’s Internet Protection 54. Ashcroft v. ALA, No. 02-361, 123 S. Ct. for free speech issues. Each new means Act and the Congressional Assault on the 2297, 2003 U.S. LEXIS 4799 (2003). of mass communications will be accom- First Amendment in Public Libraries,” 55. Karen G. Schneider, “Let’s Begin the panied by similar attempts to intervene Washington University Law Quarterly Discussion: What Now?” American Li- 80, no. 4 (winter 2002): 1038. braries 8, no 8 (Aug. 2003): 14–16. in the name of decency. It is essential 29. 20 U.S.C. 9134 at (f)(3) 56. Department of Commerce, National that librarians are well-informed about 30. 47 U.S.C. 231 at (e)(6); 20 U.S.C. 9134 Telecommunications and Information past and current attempts to regulate the at (f)(7)(B) Administration, “Report to Congress: First Amendment freedoms of minors. 31. ALA v. U.S., 201 F. Supp. 2d 401, 2002 Children’s Internet Protection Act Pub. Understanding today’s battles is the first U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9537 (E.D. Pa. 2002). L. 106-554 Study of Technology Protec- ■ 32. Richard J. Peltz, “‘Use the Filter You tion Measures in Section 1703,” 2003. step toward winning tomorrow’s. Were Born with’: The Unconstitutionali- Accessed Oct. 7, 2003, www.ntia. ty of Mandatory Internet Filtering for doc.gov/ntiahome/ntiageneral/cipa2003/ the Adult Patrons of Public Libraries,” CIPAreport08142003.pdf. References Washington University Law Quarterly 57. Thornburgh and Lin, ed., Youth, 77 (2002): 397. Pornography, and the Internet; Commis- 1. Communications Decency Act, 47 33. Ashcroft v. ALA, No. 02-361, 123 S. Ct. sion on Child Online Protection U.S.C. 223 (1996). 2297, 2003 U.S. LEXIS 4799 (2003). (COPA): Report to Congress, Oct. 20, 2. Jeffrey Matsuura and George B. Delta, 34. Ibid., summary par. 1. 2000. Accessed Nov. 12, 2003, “Obscene and Indecent Materials,” in 35. Arkansas Educational TV Comm’n v. www.copacommission.org/report/ Law of the Internet, 2nd ed. (New York: Forbes, 523 U.S. 666 (1998); National COPAreport.pdf. Aspen Law and Business, 2002). Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, 524 58. Nancy J. Victory, “Testimony of Nancy 3. ACLU v. Reno, 929 U.S. 824 (1996). U.S. 569 (1998). J. Victory, Assistant Secretary of Com- 4. Stuart Biegel, Beyond Our Control? 36. Rust v. Sullivan, 500 U.S. 173 (1991). merce for Telecommunications and In- Confronting the Limits of Our Legal 37. Ashcroft v. ALA, No. 02-361, 123 S. Ct. formation before the House Energy and System in the Age of Cyberspace (Cam- 2297, 2003 U.S. LEXIS 4799 (2003): Commerce Committee Subcommittee on bridge, Mass: MIT Pr., 2001). Justice Souter section II(A). Telecommunications and the Internet on 5. Reno v. ACLU, 117 S. Ct. 2329 (1997). 38. Ibid., Justice Stevens section II. H.R. 2417, the ‘Dot Kids Name Act of 6. Ginsberg v. New York, 390 U.S. 629 39. Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency 2001,’” 2003. Accessed Oct. 6, 2003, (1968). Act of 2002, 47 USCS 901 (2003); www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/con- 7. Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973). “Bush Signs Child Internet Safety Legis- gress/2001/dotkids_110101.htm; The 8. Sable Communications, Inc. v. FCC, 492 lation: Remarks by the President at Bill Media Institute, Protecting Kids Online: U.S. 115 (1989). Signing of the Dot Kids Implementation What Industry and Nonprofit Organiza- 9. Mainstream Loudoun v. Board of and Efficiency Act Of 2002,” 2002. Ac- tions Are Doing (Washington, D.C.: The Trustees of the Loudon County Library, cessed Oct. 6, 2003, www.whitehouse. Media Institute, 1999). 24 F. Supp. 2d 552, 563 (E. D. Va. gov/news/releases/2002/12/20021204- 59. Walter Minkel, “Don’t Fence Kids in: Is 1998); Kreimer v. Bureau of Police for 1.html. It Worthwhile to Have a Squeaky-Clean the Town of Morristown, 958 F. 2d 40. Joseph Janes, “Dot Kids ‘R’ Us,” Amer- ‘Kids’ World” on the Web? (Chat 1242, 1262 (3d Cir. 1992). ican Libraries 34, no. 2 (2003): 58. Room),” School Library Journal 49, no. 10. Reno v. ACLU, 117 S. Ct. 2329 (1997): 41. Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency 2 (2003): 37. Justice Stevens section VII. Act of 2002, 47 USCS 901 (2003) at 60. NCSL, “Children and the Internet: Laws 11. Child Online Protection Act, 47 Historical and Statutory Notes at (a)(2), Relating to Filtering, Blocking and U.S.C.S. 231 (2003). and at (a)(4) and (a)(5). Usage Policies in Schools and Libraries,” 12. Johanna M. Rodenburg, “‘Son of CDA’: 42. Ibid., at (a)(11). 2003. Accessed Oct. 6, 2003, www. The Constitutionality of the Child On- 43. Neustar, “Kids.US Content Policy: ncsl.org/programs/lis/cip/filterlaws.htm. line Protection Act of 1998,” Communi- Guidelines and Restrictions,” 2003. Ac-

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PLA Smartest Card Initiative Takes Off after the launch of the ABC card, BPL card registration increased 98 percent compared to last year. The PLA library advocacy campaign, “The Smartest Card Get “Opportunity starts with access,” says Cooper. “And there It. Use It. @ your library” kicked off on September 29, 2004, at is no better access to information and resources than your the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) in New York. BPL joined the library card. BPL’s ABC card connects children to live online Public Library Association in launching a national effort urging tutoring and more than fifty reference databases; parents to Americans to get and use the Smartest Card—their library card. programs that can help their children with early literacy skills; BPL executive director Ginnie Cooper and PLA president Clara and people of all ages to information on just about anything Nalli Bohrer received a “helping paw” from Between the Lions they can imagine.” star Theo in concluding Library Card Sign-up Month with Public library visits have more than doubled in the past thirty new library card holders from P.S. 282. decade to nearly 1.2 billion annually, and libraries circulate “Every parent can afford to give his child the key to suc- more items every day than FedEx ships packages (5.4 versus 5.3 cess—a library card,” Bohrer said. “A library card signifies the million items). opportunity for endless enjoyment for all people. If you know “Libraries are partners for vibrant and educated commu- how to use a library, you know how to learn for a lifetime.” nities,” Bohrer said. “Your public library is a goldmine of PLA also announced at the event that George Lopez, cele- brated author, writer, producer, and star of the hit sitcom “George Lopez” (Tuesdays, 8:30–9 P.M. on ABC), will offer his support to the campaign. Lopez, who is a library card holder at the Los Angeles Public Library, will lend his image and voice to promoting library card usage through the ALA’s renowned READ poster series, a Smartest Card poster to promote library card sign up and usage, and television, radio, and print public service announcements. PLA President Clara Bohrer, Brooklyn Public Library Director Ginnie George Lopez, star of the televi- PLA hopes to make the Cooper, and Theo the Lion. sion sitcom of the same name, library card the most valued has agreed to lend his support to and used card in every wallet. the campaign. The initiative’s main message is: “The Smartest Card. Get It. Use It. @ your library.” Starting this month, libraries across the country will use the campaign to promote library card use and enrollment. Sixty-two percent of adult Americans say they have a library card, and adults with children are the most likely to have a library card (73 percent). Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifelong learning. Earlier this year, BPL launched its new Access Brooklyn Card (ABC), a new multifunction library and debit card. The new library card uses the latest in technology to make it as easy as ABC to connect with BPL’s sixty libraries and extensive online resources with one access card. With the ABC card, library users can book computer time forty-eight hours in advance, place a hold on favorite books, or even put value on PLA President Clara Bohrer and Brooklyn Public Library Director Ginnie the card to pay for printing or copying. In the first five months Cooper with Theo the Lion and two happy new library card-holders.

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books, magazines, movies, CDs, and talkers (infant–two years), talkers (two–three years), and pre- other great stuff for the whole family. readers (four–five years). Advance registration rate for PLA And it’s all free!” members is $125. The Smartest Card initiative is part of The Campaign for America’s Saturday, January 15, 5 P.M. Libraries, a multiyear public awareness and advocacy effort by ALA to PLA Leadership Development—Open to all speak loudly and clearly about the registered conference attendees value of libraries, librarians and library PLA president Clara Nalli Bohrer invites you to take part in an workers in the twenty-first century. enlightening event featuring one of the most distinguished For more information, please visit www.pla.org. names in leadership today. Ronald A. Heifetz, founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, is renowned world- Registration Open for wide for his seminal work on the practice and teaching of lead- 2005 PLA Spring Symposium ership. His research at Harvard focuses on how to build adaptive capacity in societies, businesses, and nonprofits. His The Public Library Association’s 2005 Spring Symposium will courses on leadership and authority are among the most popu- be held March 7–9, 2005, at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in lar in the University, and his widely acclaimed book, Chicago. Registration and workshop information is available at Leadership without Easy Answers (The Belknap Press of www.pla.org. A $10 early bird discount is available to those Harvard University Press, 1994) has been translated into many registering before January 7, 2005; attendees who register languages and is currently in its twelfth printing. His new book, online will receive an additional $5 discount. The 2005 Spring Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Symposium also will feature continental breakfasts, an opening Leading, written with Mary Linsky, was published in May general session, and an author luncheon (speakers to be deter- 2002 by Harvard Business School Press. mined). Please visit www.pla.org or call 1-800-545-2433, ext. Heifetz is a principal in Cambridge Leadership Associates 5752, for more information. (www.cambridge-leadership.com). He speaks and consults extensively in the United States and abroad with leaders in business, government, and nonprofit organizations. A graduate of Columbia University, Harvard Medical School, and the John PLA Events at Midwinter Meeting F. Kennedy School of Government, Heifetz is both a physician and a cellist, having studied with the Russian virtuoso Gregor Plan to attend these PLA events at the upcoming ALA Midwinter Piatigorsky. Heifetz lives in the Boston area with his wife, Meeting! Visit www.pla.org to register. ALA’s Midwinter Sousan Abadian, and their two children. ■ Meeting will be held in Boston, January 14–19, 2005.

Friday, January 14, 9 A.M.–5 P.M. E-Learning: Training When You Need It, Where You Need It Are you looking for ways to improve employee morale while giving staff the tools they need to provide excellent services? Studies have shown that workers who receive regular training are more satisfied and more productive. In the past, there have been many barriers to providing the training your staff needed: training programs always seemed to be hours away, on the wrong day, at the wrong time, or too expensive. E-Learning is the answer to these problems and provides a powerful tool for today’s library man- 2005 agers. Participants will learn how to identify effective E-Learning January 14–19 programs, prepare and support staff who are involved in E- ALA Midwinter Meeting Learning, and evaluate the effectiveness of E-Learning programs. Boston Advance registration rate for PLA members is $125. March 7–9 PLA Spring Symposium Friday, January 14, 9 A.M.–5 P.M. Chicago Every Child Ready to Read @ Your Library June 23–29 ALA Annual Conference This institute will provide an overview of the PLA/ALSC Every Chicago Child Ready to Read @ your library program and will consider research on early literacy development and the role of the par- 2006 ent/caregiver. Sharing this information with parents/caregivers encourages them to provide valuable literacy experiences for March 21–25 their children; and using the reading research helps libraries PLA National Conference become an acknowledged partner in the community. You will Boston become familiar with workshops for parents/caregivers of early

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however, with an otherwise fine on which computer code is book. A strong purchase for based. Other labs demonstrate anyone involved in the start-up Internet IP addressing, methods of a new library.—Vicki Nest- of network routing, and using ing, Regional Branch Librarian, packets. Case studies cover set- St. Charles Parish, East Region- ting up a home office network al Library, Destrehan, La. and a wireless network. With an understanding of The Internet under how networks are configured, the Hood Molyneaux then discusses set- The Public Library services and promoting the li- ting up domain names, net- Start-Up Guide brary. Numerous tables, sample By Robert E. Molyneux. West- working commands useful for contracts and policies, and port, Conn.: Libraries Unlimit- diagnostics, server basics, and By Christine Lind Hage. Chica- checklists are sprinkled through- ed, 2003. 309p. $40 (ISBN the peculiarities of networking go: ALA, 2004. 176p. $42, out the book. Hage is careful to 1-59158-005-6) LC 2003- on various platforms, such as $34.80 ALA members (ISBN 0- point out that there is not one 047634. Microsoft Windows, Linux/ 83890-866-7) LC 2003- right way to develop every pub- All information profession- Unix, and Apple. He also touch- 015462. lic library and explains the vari- als should have a basic under- es on the social implications of An estimated thirteen mil- ous options that might be standing of how their computer the Internet: privacy, intellectual lion people in this country are considered at each turn. systems work. For a topic that property concerns, and open not currently being served by a Hage was an excellent could be a real snoozer to all source versus proprietary soft- public library, and the American choice to write this book. A li- but the most interested, Robert ware development. Library Association regularly brarian with thirty-two years in Molyneaux provides a readable Overall, a valuable guide receives calls from community public libraries and past-presi- and often engaging primer for for the information professional leaders and civic organizations dent of the Public Library Asso- setting up your library, organi- who either is new to networking looking for an instruction man- ciation, she has recent experience zation, or home office network. or who seeks greater under- ual on how to start a public li- with the start-up of the Clinton- Writing for the networking standing of these technologies brary. While there are numerous Macomb Public Library in newbie, Molyneaux progresses and their applications.—Rebec- books on components of library Michigan. Over the course of step by step, introducing the ca Bronson, Reference Librari- development and administra- five years, she helped guide the li- hardware, software, and know- an, Handley Regional Library, tion (handbooks for trustees; brary from an initial budget of how needed to set up, configure, Winchester, Va. handbooks for directors; books $100,000 to its current $3.5 mil- and run a system. While net- on designing and building a li- lion level. Her first-hand knowl- working may seem arcane to Strauss’ Handbook of brary, personnel management, edge of the whole process is many, Molyneaux does a good Business Information policy development, financial invaluable to those looking for job walking the neophyte management, and so on), until advice on starting a new library. through the necessary steps, By Rita W. Moss. 2nd ed. West- now there has not been a gener- At a scant 176 pages, The building confidence as well as a port, Conn.: Libraries Unlimit- al how-to manual on starting a Public Library Start-Up Guide valuable skill set. ed, 2004. 455p. $85 (ISBN public library. could hardly be expected to pro- After a brief overview of the 1-56308-520-8) LC 2003- The Public Library Start- vide in-depth guidance for the history of networking, the book 054569. Up Guide provides a concise entire process, but it does pro- offers a clear and concise expla- The Internet has revolu- overview of the various issues vide an excellent foundation nation of the technology on tionized business information. and components of building a li- upon which to build. While which the Internet runs, walking Not only are there now literally brary from the ground up— notes are included at the end of the reader through the physical hundreds of business Web sites from organizational structure each chapter for sources cited, a configuration most commonly to contend with, but there are and financing, through policy bibliography of recommended found in local area networks, also changes in the information development and long-term sources for further reading on progressing through the data link needs of our clientele. They planning, personnel and collec- each topic would have been use- layer and the network layer. want current information and tion management, to developing ful. This is a minor quibble, Black-and-white photos illustrate they want it now. The second the different cabling used in the edition of Strauss’ Handbook, physical layers of the network, which was originally published If you are interested in reviewing or submitting and for the neophyte looking at in 1988, provides major revi- materials for “By the Book,” contact the contribut- what formerly appeared to be a sions to the first edition. This ing editor, Jennifer Schatz, 213 Waterfield Library, senseless jumble of cable, the handbook gives detailed infor- Murray State University, Murray, KY 42071; structure begins to make sense. mation about both print and [email protected]. Networking, like many computer electronic resources. Moss, a “By the Book” reviews professional develop- applications, tends to be business and economics librari- ment materials of potential interest to public librar- acronym-dense, and for those an at the University of North ians, trustees, and others involved in library service. confused by the alphabet soup of Carolina–Chapel Hill, brings a PLA policy dictates that publications of the Public Library Association not be reviewed in this column. Notice of new publica- computer acronyms, Molyneaux wealth of knowledge and ex- tions from PLA will generally be found in the “News from PLA” sec- provides a useful glossary. pertise to this volume. tion of Public Libraries. One of several helpful lab The book is broken down A description of books written by the editors or contributing exercises in the book covers into two sections, by format and editors of Public Libraries may appear in this column but no evalu- basic computer math, introduc- by topic. The first seven chap- ative review will be included for these titles. ing the reader to the binary and ters cover different formats of hexadecimal counting systems business information, including

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periodicals, directories, statis- each focus on a different tech- event calendars with sign-up institution. Information Litera- tics, and selected commercial nological advancement that all systems; online meeting room cy is the perfect answer to this databases. Moss includes a brief libraries can implement. reservation systems; portals and important question. overview of the format, and The first two chapters pro- gateways; local history databas- There are a few underlying then arranges annotated cita- vide a good introduction on es for online obituaries, photo- themes in Information Literacy, tions in various subcategories. how technology has advanced graphs, and local news articles; an updated version of a previous In the chapter on business direc- and what private industry is online summer reading registra- release, that are evident tories, for example, subcate- doing to aid its customers. The tion; online access for tempo- throughout the text: informa- gories include basic business, first chapter talks about people rary patrons; and proxy servers tion literacy is a process rather trade, employment, and NAICS investing in PDAs, cell phones, for database usage. than a one-time learning experi- and SIC system directories. MP3s, and DVDs. According to The last chapter deals with ence; the government (whether it The next ten chapters deal authors Jurewicz and Cutler, it marketing new services through be federal, state, or local), is an with various fields, such as mar- is not enough for libraries to the use of newsletters, e-mail active participant in the develop- keting, stocks, mutual funds, in- just provide an online library advertising, interactive library ment of information literacy by surance, and real estate. These catalog; patrons are looking for Web sites, and in-house promo- initiating public policy; this type chapters include a brief intro- wide-reaching accessibility and tion. It also covers promotion to of learning does not take place duction or mini-lesson on the convenience to materials such as those who usually do not use in a vacuum; and one education- topic, which is quite useful for databases and informative, reli- the library by forming partner- related profession should not be information professionals who able Web sites. Successful li- ships with local businesses and responsible for the entire process don’t have any training in eco- braries in the last decade have schools, billboard advertising, of enforcing the standards of in- nomics and finance. They also been making changes, technolo- and newspaper advertising. formation literacy across the contain relevant information on gy-wise, offering Internet access High Tech High Touch is learning environment. In addi- the information needs of the and databases. written for the layperson, and all tion, the text provides the basis clientele in these specialties and The authors mention Jenny projects are clearly and simply for putting into play an informa- an annotated bibliography of Levine’s The Shifted Librarian broken down. The focus of the tion literacy plan for any type of business sources. There are six Web site (www.theshiftedlibrari- book is not to describe each educational institution, from ele- appendices, including business an.com), in which she states, project detail by detail, but to mentary schools to universities. acronyms, key economic indica- “The Internet has given us a vari- provide an overview. Screen- The authors of this well-re- tors, and Web sites, as well as ety of tools that provide for the shots are an added touch for searched treatise enforce these title and subject indexes. distribution of information over tangibility and to see how the themes throughout every chap- Moss’ handbook is well re- a large area both inside and out- projects look when finished. ter. They are constantly provid- searched and very thorough. side of the library” (2). Libraries This book is very timely and ing empirical as well as scientific She also provides a good bal- can use technology to “offer per- needed for public libraries, if evidence to back up their claims ance between print and elec- sonal and convenient, even ‘auto- only for reassurance that these without bogging down the flow tronic sources. She states in the matic’ customer service” (2). projects can be tackled. It should of the text with statistical analy- introduction that despite the In- Patrons are using the Internet be useful to other types of li- sis. All necessary backup data, as ternet revolution, business li- now more than ever for looking braries as well.—Jen Dawson, well as detailed examples of real- brarians will not become up information. Not only are Electronic Resources Librarian, life information literacy scenar- obsolete, but will have to master they looking for information, but Kanawha County Public Li- ios, are displayed in numerous both print and electronic re- if they do not have time to shop brary, Charleston, W.V. appendices and lengthy annotat- sources in the more complex they are ordering products online ed bibliographies. In fact, the world of business information and having them shipped right to Information Literacy main part of the book runs only (xvii). Moss’ handbook will their front doors. The second Essential Skills for the 175 of the total 394 pages. help us accomplish this goal. chapter continues with how li- Information Age The chapters are tightly de- Recommended for public libraries can utilize business mod- tailed and summarized, and the braries with large business col- els to reach patrons’ demand for By Michael B. Eisenberg, Carrie themes previously mentioned are lections.—Emma Duncan, convenience and information. It A. Lowe, and Kathleen L. easily interwoven within the Information Services Coordina- names businesses such as Star- Spitzer. 2nd ed. Westport, framework of the entire text. For tor, Business and E-Services, bucks, with its customer-accessi- Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, example, in chapter 7, “Informa- Brampton (ON) Library ble, wireless Internet. 2004. 405p. $47.50. (ISBN 1- tion Literacy Efforts,” the au- The next few chapters dis- 59158-143-5) LC 2003- thors not only discuss concrete High Tech High Touch cuss specific updated services 060591. examples of their theories in ac- Talk to any librarian, Library Customer Service that libraries can use to improve tion, but they also meticulously through Technology customer service. Most of these teacher, or educational adminis- bring the reader back to the con- services have been implemented trator about information litera- cepts of process learning, a By Lynn Jurewicz and Todd at the Mooresville (Ind.) Public cy, and you will most likely find teacher-library media specialist- Cutler. Chicago: ALA, 2003. Library, where Jurewicz was di- yourself preaching to the choir. school administrator coalescence 160p. $38, $34.20 ALA mem- rector. Each chapter clearly They all agree that students in working towards the ultimate bers (ISBN 0-83890-860-8) LC demonstrates project goals and should understand the basic goal of an information-literate 2003-010087. briefly explains how each proj- concepts behind contemplating student, and how the system The purpose of High Tech ect was accomplished and how a research strategy and finding, works in tandem with the poli- High Touch is to provide ideas it works. There are screenshots analyzing, and portraying infor- cies set up by all involved. for all levels of library staff to of how each project looks and mation in a written or oral proj- What is particularly useful see how technology can be used places to look for more infor- ect. But they may not know how are the chapters dedicated to to improve library customer mation. The book covers e-mail to go about implementing an in- technology and how it is being service. Chapters 3 through 10 notification systems; Web-based formation literacy plan for their used as an instructional tool, as

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well as essential skills that stu- well as the process models in- While a perfect book for waste their time and yours by dents should have in order to herent throughout the book are students taking classes in infor- ignoring them” (16). Addition- thrive in a continuously evolv- displayed fluently. One would mation literacy or any introduc- ally, chapter 5, “Who Is to Be ing electronic age. Here too, the have hoped for a few case stud- tion to information or Lobbied?” provides an excellent authors do not let us down. ies, but one can find a plethora education, it may not be a good outline of the numerous players Concrete examples of informa- of detailed descriptions men- fit for a public library profes- in the legislative process and tion literacy technology plans as tioned in the bibliography. sional collection. Taking a look how to best approach them and at the book index, there are only make converts to library causes. two pages discussing informa- This book is most effective tion literacy in the public library when it adheres to these prag- Books in Brief sector. To be sure, the major matic strategies that outline nu- Books Received but Not Reviewed scope of the book was related to merous ways to convey the Dismantling the Public Sphere: Situating and Sustaining Li- academia (whether that be from messages of library issues to brarianship in the Age of the New Public Philosophy. By K–12 or higher education), and those in political power. Howev- John E. Buschman. Westport, Conn.: Libraries Unlimited, this book is highly recommend- er, much of the book is muddled 2003. 218p. $60 (ISBN 0-31332-199-X) LC 2003-053882. ed for schools of education, li- by detailed descriptions of the A discussion of librarianship in relation to current techno- brary science, and educational historical government documents logical, economic and social frameworks, with emphasis organization and management battles of the past, including Li- on German philosopher Jürgen Habermas’ idea of the (even as required reading), but brary of Congress/Government “public sphere.” would probably take up needed Printing Office cataloging issues. Careers in Music Librarianship II: Traditions and Transitions. shelf space in most public li- While some of these cases Edited by Paula Elliot and Linda Blair. Lanham, Md.: Scare- braries.—Steven M. Cohen, As- provide context and historical crow, 2004. 168p. $29.95 (ISBN 0-81085-004-4) LC 2003- sistant Librarian, Rivkin Radler relevance to today’s pressing li- 023981. Co-published with the Music Library Association, LLP, Uniondale, N.Y brary issues, especially to fugi- this continuation of Careers in Music Librarianship (MLA, tive documents (unclassified 1990) covers various changing issues, including preparation Lobbying for Libraries documents of public interest for the field, career options, administration, and future di- and the Public’s Access not disseminated through the rections. to Government GPO) and the ever-changing The Library’s Continuous Improvement Fieldbook: 29 Ready- Information content of government Web to-Use Tools. By Sara Laughlin, Denise Sisco Shockley, and An Insider’s View sites post-9/11, the book be- Ray Wilson. Chicago: ALA, 2003. 144p. $35, $31.50 ALA comes sidetracked by the end- members (ISBN 0-83890-859-4) LC 2003-010432. A collec- By Bernadine Abbott-Hoduski. less use of names of former tion of tools and techniques for library planning and evalu- Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow, 2003. political heavyweights and li- ation, including brainstorming, scatter diagrams, criteria 296p. $39.95 (ISBN 0-81084- brary acronyms. Instead of pro- rating scales, Gantt charts, and more. 585-7) LC 2002-012992. viding ways for today’s Understanding Information Systems: What They Do and Why Lobbying for Libraries is librarians to move library agen- We Need Them. By Lee Ratzan. Chicago: ALA, 2004. 253p. Abbott-Hoduski’s blend of his- das and issues to the forefront, $58, $52.20 ALA members (ISBN 0-83890-868-3) LC torical storytelling about political numerous experiences from the 2003-021878. An introduction to basic information theory victories concerning government 1970s are conveyed. using numerous examples, exercises, and research questions. documents as well as advice and While librarians have much Managing the Twenty-First Century Reference Department: insight into the lobbying process to learn from Abbott-Hoduski’s Challenges and Prospects. Edited by Kwasi Sarkodie-Men- for political novices. shared experience and lobbying sah. Binghamton, N.Y.: Haworth, 2003. $24.95 (ISBN 0- Former Senator Paul Simon effectiveness, Lobbying for Li- 7890-2332-6). LC 2003-022561. Issues facing supervisors notes in the book’s preface that braries tries to do too much. Per- and managers of reference departments, such as jobseeking, it addresses “how you can add a haps this book would be more hiring, management skills, collaborative leadership, and piece or two to create the mosa- effective if it were two different more. Published simultaneously as The Reference Librarian, ic of more and better libraries, titles: one being a biographical No. 81, 2003. and in the process build a better history, noting the government Building Digital Archives, Descriptions, and Displays: A How- society” (iv). Abbott-Hoduski documents issues of the 1970s to To-Do-It Manual for Archivists and Librarians. By Freder- adds to this analogy by utilizing present day; and another provid- ick Stielow. New York: Neal-Schuman, 2003. $75 (ISBN the apt metaphor comparing the ing the day-to-day strategies of 1-55570-463-8) LC 2003-044213. A primer to creating ef- lobbying process to the making effectively lobbying library legis- fective Web-based content, descriptions, and finding tools, of a quilt. The title of the first lators on myriad contemporary including discussion of SGML, SML, EAD, the Dublin Core, chapter provides a succinct syn- library issues. This approach OASIS, and Open URL. One of the How-To-Do-It Manuals opsis of this theme, “Lobbying may have made the book a more for Librarians (#116). for a Cause Is Like Creating a relevant tool for today’s librari- Digital Images and Art Libraries in the Twenty-First Century. Quilt.” One of the most practi- ans on the frontlines. But given Edited by Susan Wyngaard. Binghamton, N.Y.: Haworth, cal and sage pieces of advice Ab- its density and cost, it might 2003. $24.95 (ISBN 0-78902-348-2) LC 2003-026366). bott-Hoduski offers is that prove useful for library school Discussions of the planning and creation of online art col- “there is no sense in going to a curriculums as well as for librar- lections, including censorship, filtering, and other topics. reception to talk with your fel- ians who have a willingness to Published simultaneously as the Journal of Library Admin- low lobbyists. I have gone to wade through details. Smaller istration 39, no. 2/3. many congressional receptions public libraries can pass.—Lisa where the host group almost ig- Williams, Reference Librarian, nored the legislators. Don’t Moline (Ill.) Public Library. ■

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Civic Technologies Announces The archive is made up of twenty-two and display library databases in exactly the New LibraryDecision themed collections, compiling significant pri- way they wish, creating subject categories MapsOnDemand GIS Service for mary documents central to United States for- to match their research needs. They can Smaller Public Libraries eign and military policy since 1945. modify the look and feel of their federated “Terrorism and U.S. Policy, 1968– search environment by selecting presenta- CIVIC Technologies, Inc., a provider of 2002” is an in-depth documentary history of tion templates. And within MyWebFeat, geographic information systems (GIS) for international terrorism and United States they can manage the way results are public libraries, announced its new policy. The collection contains 1,509 for- returned, opting to save results of a single LIBRARYDECISION MapsOnDemand merly secret documents and includes sensi- search or to receive alerts that run at a fre- service. The latest mapping service from tive intelligence reporting, memos from quency they set. CIVIC Technologies is a menu of cus- Henry Kissinger to President Richard Nixon WebFeat 3 also gives users options for tomized GIS maps prepared primarily for detailing terrorist incidents as they unfold, dynamic results display and management. smaller libraries with one to four outlets. A and a complete set of declassified meeting Users can choose to have returns batched GIS is set up by CIVIC Technologies for records of the important Cabinet Committee one database at a time or have sets of each library as part of the basic service, to Combat Terrorism. results from multiple databases merged, and a series of maps are then developed for “Presidential Directives on National sorted, and de-duplicated. With a single one outlet, multiple outlets, or an entire Security from Truman to George W. Bush” click, users can also toggle between these jurisdiction. The visual benefit of mapping contains more than 1,800 high-level docu- options. In addition, WebFeat 3 gives will help librarians save time and money ments concerning foreign affairs, defense users the ability to manage results in new by easily seeing data relationships, such as and arms control policy, intelligence and ways, including flagging results to print, patterns of library usage and service counterterrorist activities, and interna- saving to MyWebFeat or their own com- demand, and help them communicate tional economic policy. The two parts of puter drives, sending e-mail to other work- library needs to public officials and stake- this collection contain every presidential places or colleagues, exporting reports to holders. The menu-driven system for directive released to date. bibliographic management software, and choosing maps means that libraries buy Founded in 1985 by a group of jour- automating conversion to virtually any only the information they need, making nalists and scholars, the National Security reference style. MapsOnDemand a cost-effective planning Archive is a nonprofit group in WebFeat 3 introduces new SMART tool for smaller libraries with limited staffs Washington, D.C., that has developed a technology, an advanced statistical report- and tight budgets. reputation as the most prolific and success- ing capability with robust new reporting www.LibraryDecision.com ful user of the Freedom of Information Act. and presentation options. Fully compliant www.il.proquest.com with the new COUNTER Reporting ProQuest’s Newest Collections Standard, SMART will help libraries make better management decisions to meet their Spotlight Terrorism and WebFeat 3 Personalizes Federated Searching with users’ research needs. Presidential Directives www.webfeat.org MyWebFeat The Digital National Security Archive, published by ProQuest Information and WebFeat recently announced and demon- Brilliance Joins with OverDrive Learning in collaboration with The strated WebFeat 3. The featured user to Allow Audiobooks to be National Security Archive (NSA), is now enhancement of WebFeat 3 is a suite of Downloaded Directly to PCs and offering two new collections: “Terrorism powerful new personalization capabilities PDAs and U.S. Policy, 1968–2002” and called MyWebFeat. Individual users can “Presidential Directives on National now customize their own WebFeat experi- Brilliance Audio announced that its entire Security, Part II: From Harry Truman to ence within the parameters of their inventory of titles will soon be available George W. Bush.” libraries’ core systems. Users can organize for patron loan via download through OverDrive’s global network of public library Web sites. Brilliance Audiobook titles will be The contributing editor of this column is Vicki Nesting, Regional Branch made available in Microsoft Windows Librarian at the St. Charles Parish Library, Louisiana. Submissions may be Media Player format and accessible to sent to her at 21 River Park Dr., Hahnville, LA 70057; vnestin@ bellsouth.net. PCs, laptops, and portable audio players. The above are extracted from press releases and vendor announce- Each audiobook includes associated cata- ments and are intended for reader information only. The appearance of such log data and three- to five-minute profes- notices herein does not constitute an evaluation or an endorsement of the sionally produced trailers that enable products or services by the Public Library Association or the editors of this magazine. users to listen and preview the contents of the title.

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OverDrive will manage digital distribu- President for National Security Affairs is used by all existing CARL.Solution tion utilizing Microsoft Windows Media Condoleezza Rice, former National partner products. Digital Rights Management technology. Counterterrorism Coordinator Richard A. CARL.X is the result of a multiyear Brilliance and OverDrive are collaborating Clarke, Secretary of Defense Donald H. re-engineering project based on TLC’s to further enhance the user experience by Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin L. CARL.Solution, an ILS used by many engineering navigation support into each Powell, former Director of Central libraries around the world. Now, libraries digital audiobook as recommended by Con- Intelligence George Tenet, and former can take advantage of the mature features sumer Electronics Association standards. Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright. of CARL.Solution on an affordable www.overdrive.com www.audible.com/911hearings UNIX/Oracle platform, with Linux/Oracle www.brillianceaudio.com as the next planned platform. ProQuest to Distribute www.TLCdelivers.com Thomson Gale Launches Science Ancestry Library Edition Resource Center and NewspaperDirect New Polaris Self-Check Station with Imbedded RFID Software Thomson Gale announced the launch of ProQuest Information and Learning Obviates Need for SIP Science Resource Center—an in-depth, one- announced exclusive rights to distribute a stop source for all science-related research new product, Ancestry Library Edition, GIS Information Systems announced its needs, including earth science, history of sci- from MyFamily.com, Inc., in the library new Polaris ExpressCheck, which elimi- ence, life science, physical science, science market. Ancestry Library Edition is an nates the need for an intervening protocol and technology, science as inquiry, and space enhanced edition of MyFamily.com’s pop- (such as SIP) to communicate with the science. It combines Thomson Gale’s propri- ular consumer genealogy database, library’s automation system, improving etary reference resources with primary docu- Ancestry.com. Ancestry Library Edition speed and performance and allowing a ments, full-text journals, multimedia, and will replace the Ancestry Plus database for library to replicate staff-based circulation links to Web sites that focus exclusively on current subscribers. procedures in the self-check environment. science topics. ProQuest will also exclusively distrib- Polaris ExpressCheck allows library staff Science Resource Center contains: ute NewspaperDirect newspaper products to control circulation options, such as in the library and education markets. The blocking thresholds on the self-check ■ Gale Encyclopedia of Science, daily print-on-demand newspaper service machine directly through Polaris. Macmillan Science Library and UXL offers more than 240 titles (35 from the Polaris ExpressCheck can be used with Encyclopedia of Science, along with United States, the remainder international) bar codes or fitted to work with the imple- thirty additional proprietary reference that can be printed on 11" x 17" paper in mentations of interested RFID vendors. titles; black and white. NewspaperDirect assem- Features of Polaris ExpressCheck include: ■ one hundred and fifty full-text science bles e-feeds from its publishers overnight magazines; and enables a library to automatically ■ Omni-directional barcode scanner ■ more than 80,000 multimedia download and print selected editions at eliminates need to exactly position records, including pictures, illustra- copy stations within the library. With this items for scanning. tions, audio clips, and video clips; service, libraries can select the number of ■ Integrated with Polaris so patrons can ■ links to 500 Web sites, all chosen for copies and titles they desire to print and check account information and man- their authoritative content and cur- make available in their reading rooms. The age requests and renewals. riculum relevancy; and print-on-demand product integrates with a ■ Completely customizable user inter- ■ a Science Standards Search that links library’s digital printer or copier via face that can be configured with the to national and state science stan- NewspaperDirect’s PrintStation software. library logo, colors, preferred back- dards, with correlated results identi- www.il.proquest.com ground, and so on. fied and ready for review. ■ Customizable on-screen messages to www.gale.com The Library Corporation promote library events or special loan Introduces CARL.X period information. Free Downloads of the 9/11 ■ Foreign language support that allows Commission’s Public Hearings The Library Corporation (TLC) introduces the user to select a preferred language Available at Audible.Com CARL.X, a next-generation integrated is available as an option. library system (ILS) that uses powerful new www.gisinfosystems.com Audible, Inc., announced it is offering free database technology to solve the most fun- audio downloads of the public hearings of damental problems of public access catalogs. Dynix Announces Horizon the National Commission on Terrorist In addition to rich functional core Wireless Gateway Attacks upon the United States (also applications, CARL.X offers what librar- known as the 9/11 Commission). ians expect in a next generation system. Dynix announced a strategic alliance with These recordings were provided to TLC’s recent innovations, such as the Bluesocket, a manufacturer of systems to Audible by content partner C-SPAN. Online Selection Assistant (acquisitions) control and secure wireless local area net- Visitors to this Web page can download and CARL.Decision (data warehouse), works around the world. Through the 9/11 Commission testimony and hearings integrate with CARL.X to offer cus- alliance, Dynix will launch Horizon to any AudibleReady portable audio tomized functionality that streamline Wireless Gateway, a comprehensive, high- player, burn an audio CD, or listen at the staff workflows and strengthen data min- speed wireless networking solution for desktop. ing. These products offer limitless poten- libraries that uses Bluesocket equipment Free audio downloads from the public tial for transparent data transfer between and technology. hearings before the 9/11 Commission libraries and suppliers. CARL.X supports Horizon Wireless Gateway offers wire- include testimony from Assistant to the a full-featured protocol interface that less network connectivity to laptop comput-

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ers, PDAs, and cell phones. Providing a com- music reviewer, to let other librarians know ice) and online (an annual subscription prehensive wireless solution for libraries, about the best monthly music releases. CD on WilsonWeb). Horizon Wireless Gateway comes with tools HotList is free to all library customers. www.hwwilson.com for patron authentication and encryption, http://cdhotlist.btol.com bandwidth management, regulatory compli- Thomson Gale Acquires ance, network scheduling, Web-based net- Standard Print Reference PoemFinder and LitFinder work management, and centralized status Sources Now Available Online and usage reporting. Thomson Gale announced it has acquired For library users, Horizon Wireless ■ Information Today has now made the the products of Roth Publishing, which Gateway provides ubiquitous Internet con- American Library Directory available include PoemFinder and LitFinder. nectivity for notebook computers and Web- online as ALD on the Web. www. PoemFinder features: enabled PDAs, providing access to the americanlibrarydirectory.com library’s resources and databases from any- ■ Europa World Year Book is now ■ 125,000 full-text poems; where in the library with the same speed available online as Europa World. ■ 850,000 additional cited and available on desktop PCs. Through the con- www.europaworld.com excerpted poems; venience of wireless network access, users ■ Headquarters USA comes to the Web ■ subject navigator, including keyword enjoy working unfettered by the time limits as HQ Online. www.omnigraphics. and author searching; imposed on most public workstations. com/HQOnline2.php ■ contemporary works; www.dynix.com ■ Thomson Gale announced that it will ■ poetry explanations, biographies, pic- be the exclusive library distributor of tures and glossary; and Baker & Taylor Offers CD HotList Thomson Delmar Learning’s Chilton ■ Kid’s Korner. to Customers automotive repair database, titled ChiltonLibrary. www.gale.com The LitFinder collection consists of: Baker & Taylor is now offering CD ■ Greenwood Publishing is now offering HotList to customers. Each month, key Greenwood Daily Life Online, based on ■ StoryFinder—a database of a few releases in classical, country/folk, jazz, the Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily thousand full-text short stories; rock/pop, and world/ethnic genres are Life and including other reference ■ PlayFinder—a database with more reviewed with a handful designated as works, monographs and primary docu- than a thousand complete plays; and picks. All pertinent discographic informa- ments. www.dailylife.greenwood.com ■ SpeechFinder—a database of well- tion is also included. ■ The new, twelfth edition of Public known speeches from the past 2,500 Available since 1999, CD HotList was Library Catalog is now available in two years. designed by Rick Anderson, a librarian and formats: print (a five-year ongoing serv- www.gale.com ■

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT Public Libraries, Publication No724-990, is published bimonthly by the Public Library Association, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795. Annual subscription price, $25.00. American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, Il 60611-2795, owner; Public Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795, publisher; Renée Vaillancourt McGrath, 248A N. Higgins Ave. #145, Missoula, MT 58902, editor. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois. Printed in U.S.A. As a nonprofit organization authorized to mail at special rates (Section 423-12, Domestic Mail Manual), the purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not changed during the preceding twelve months.

EXTENT AND NATURE OF CIRCULATION (“Average” figures denote the average number of copies printed each issue during the previous twelve months. “Actual” figures denote actual numbers of copies of single issue published nearest to the filing date-July/August 2004 issue.) Total number of copies printed: Average, 11,153; Actual, 11,700. Sales through dealers, carriers, street vendors and counter sales: none. Total paid and/or requested circulation: Average, 9,935; Actual, 10,472. Free distribution by mail, carrier, or other means, samples, complimentary and other free copies: Average, 76; Actual, 61. Total distribution: Average, 10,311; Actual, 10,840. Copies not distributed: office use, leftover, unaccounted, spoiled after printing: Average, 842; Actual, 860. Total (previous three entries): Average, 11,153; Actual, 11,700.

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

Baker & Taylor ...... cover 2 Poisoned Pen ...... 335 Follett-BWI ...... cover 4 Public Programs Office ...... 369 Inecom ...... 332 Sirsi ...... cover 3 Mountainside ...... 344 The Cat's Dream ...... 346 OCLC ...... 306 TLC ...... 309 PLA ...... 305 Want Publishing ...... 356

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The page range of each issue is as follows: High Tech High Touch, 43:363 (1) Jan/Feb, 43:1–68 The Horror Readers’ Advisory, 43:301 (2) Mar/Apr, 43:69–132 Information Literacy, 43:363–64 (3) May/Jun, 43:133–96 PUBLIC International Encyclopedia of Informa- (4) Jul/Aug, 43:197–248 tion and Library Science, 2d ed, (5) Sep/Oct, 43:249–304 LIBRARIES 43:128–29 (6) Nov/Dec, 43:305–76 The Internet under the Hood, 43:362 INDEX TO Introduction to Reference Work in the A Digital Age, 43:300–301 VOLUME 43 Journals of the Century, 43:63 ACCESS TO INFORMATION. See DIGI- Learn Basic Library Skills, 43:62 TAL DIVIDE 2004 The Librarian’s Guide to Writing for Adkins, Denice. See Bala, Beth Publication, 43:242–43 Adkins, Denice, and Denyse K. Sturges Libraries, Mission and Marketing, Library Service Planning with GIS and PREPARED BY 43:243–44 Census Data, 43:165–70 Correction JANET RUSSELL The Library’s Legal Answer Book, 43:267 43:61–62 Alessio, Amy Lobbying for Libraries and the Public’ How Things Change: An Interview with Access to Government Information, Patrick Jones (“Book Talk”), 43:88–90 Here Come the Boomers (“Verso”), 43:364 Trend-Watching in Young Adult Litera- 43:141, 144 Men’s Health on the Internet, 43:62 ture: An Interview with Michael Cart Bala, Beth, and Denice Adkins Metadata Fundamentals for All Librari- (“Book Talk”), 43:154–55 Library and Information Needs of Lati- ans, 43:191 Almand, Nancy nos in Dunklin County, Missouri, The Neal-Schuman Authoritative Guide A Good Manager Is a Good Person 43:119–22 to Kid’s Search Engines, Subject Direc- (“Perspectives”), 43:206–7 Baranowski, Richard, and Teresa tories, and Portals, 43:60 Anderson, Sheila Calderone Net Effects, 43:299–300 Interviewing the Interviewer (“Inter- Reconnecting the Past through Oral His- Picture Books Plus, 43:186–87 Views”), 43:99–100 tory, 43:109–12 Pioneers and Leaders in Library Services ANN ARBOR (Mich.) DISTRICT LI- Barber, Peggy. See Wallace, Linda to Youth, 43:241 BRARY Barnes, Jeannette Public Library Start Up Guide, 43:362 New Sustainable Branch Opens in Ann Good Grace: An Encomium for the Best Puzzles and Essays from “The Ex- Arbor (“Tales”), 43:204 of Bosses (“Perspectives”), 43:209 change,” 43:63 ARAPAHOE (Colo.) LIBRARY DIS- Bertot, John Carlo. See Koontz, Christie Ready-To-Go Storytimes, 43:126 TRICT Boge, Patricia School & Public Libraries, 43:189–91 Arapahoe Library District Secures In- Community Partnerships at the LaCrosse Something Funny Happened at the Li- creased Funds (“Tales”), 43:145–46 (Wisc.) Public Library (“Perspec- brary, 43:187–88 AUBURN (Maine) PUBLIC LIBRARY tives”), 43:151–52 Story Hour, 43:242 What about the Library? [literacy pro- Bohrer, Clara N. Storytime Action, 43:241 grams] (“Perspectives”), 43:22–23 The Economics of Literacy (“From the Straight from the Stacks, 43:244 AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS President”), 43:203 Strauss’ Handbook of Business Informa- Preserving Videotapes in Libraries, Libraries at Risk? (“From the Presi- tion, 43:362–63 43:219–22 dent”), 43:311 Teen Genreflecting, 43:302 Auld, Hampton, and Nann Blaine Hilyard A Smart Start (“From the President”), Teen Spaces, 43:126–27 Asking the Deep Questions: An Interview 43:255 Teenplots, 43:302 with Eleanor Jo (Joey) Rodger (“Per- BOHRER, CLARA NALLI Virtual Inequality, 43:299 spectives”), 43:317–22 Bohrer Begins Term as President of the The Virtual Reference Librarians Hand- Auld, Hampton (Skip) Public Library Association (“News”), book, 43:128 Good Boss, Bad Boss: What Makes a 43:239 The Visible Librarian, 43:62–63 Good Supervisor, Manager, Director, BOOK DRIVES Winning Authors, 43:300 or Other Type of Leader (“Perspec- Books for Kids (“Tales”), 43:146 BOOK STORES. See also STORES IN LI- tives”), 43:206–11 Books for the Troops (“Tales”), 43:146 BRARIES Patrons, Customers, Users, Clients: Who BOOK REVIEWS, 43:60–63, 126–28, Literacy Day at Borders Books (“Tales”), Are They and What Difference Does It 186–91, 241–44, 299–302, 362–64 43:205 Make What We Call Them? (“Perspec- The Accidental Systems Librarian, Book Talk (column) tives”), 43:81–87 43:60–61 Bookslut: An Interview with Jessa AUTHORS. See also Book Talk (column) The Accidental Webmaster, 43:188–89 Crispin, 43:212, 216 Read This! It Will Change Your Life: The Attracting, Educating, and Serving Re- How Things Change: An Interview with Making of a Creative Reader [Peggy mote Users through the Web, 43:186 Patrick Jones, 43:88–90 Christian], 43:33–40 Best Books for Children, 43:299 Kids Should Feel Free to Dance: An In- AWARDS Booktalks and More, 43:244 terview with Julie Anne Peters, Librarians Win RIF’s Top Volunteer Business Statistics on the Web, 43:187 43:268–70 Honors, 43:329 Connecting Boys with Books, 43:126 A Part of What I Do: An Interview with Connecting Kids and the Web, 43:129 Mark Salzman, 43:323–25 B Empowering Your Library, 43:241–42 A Slave to Reading: An Interview with The Encyclopedia of Library and Infor- Annie Proulx, 43:24–25 BABY BOOMERS mation Science, 2d ed, 43:128–29 Trend-Watching in Young Adult Litera- Directions and Connections for Boomers Getting Graphic!, 43:301–2 ture: An Interview with Michael Cart, and Seniors (“Verso”), 43:256–59 Help Wanted, 43:127–28 43:154–55

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BOOKMARKING TOOLS CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS REGION- COMPUTERS, PUBLIC-USE Online Social Networking Tools (“Inter- AL LIBRARY SYSTEM Patience and Pride [young adults teach- net Spotlight”), 43:271–72 Capacity Building for Libraries, ing computer skills] (“Tales”), 43:17 BOOKMOBILES 43:102–7 Connor, Carol J. See Dale, John F. Daughters Honor Parents with Bookmo- CHARLESTON COUNTY (S.C.) PUBLIC CONSULTANTS bile Donation (“Opportunities”), 43:98 LIBRARY Getting Your Money’s Worth: How to BOOKS AND READING There’s No “I” in Partnership (Oh, Wait Hire the Right Consultants, Read This! It Will Change Your Life: The . . .) (“Perspectives”), 43:147–48 43:223–25 Making of a Creative Reader, CHICAGO (Ill.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Your Perspective on Consultants (“Per- 43:33–40 STARs (Story-Telling Adult Readers) spectives”), 43:264–67 What I Read during My Summer Vaca- Shine in Chicago (“Verso”), 43:12–14 CONTINUING EDUCATION tion (“Editor’s Note”), 43:254, 259 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE Online Education @ PLA (“News”), BOSTON (Mass.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Young Readers’ Choice Awards Across 43:123 Boston Public Online Store Opens Enter- America, 43:171–76 COOK MEMORIAL LIBRARY DIS- tainment Section (“Tales”), 43:205 CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS TRICT (Libertyville, Ill.) Library Web Sites Deconstructed (“Tech Marionette Tradition at Nashville Main Daughters Honor Parents with Bookmo- Talk”), 43:217–18 Library Gets Donation with Strings bile Donation (“Opportunities”), Bouchard, Steven Attached (“Tales”), 43:262–63 43:98 What about the Library? [literacy pro- Neighborhood Group to Fund “Summer COPYRIGHT. See INTELLECTUAL grams] (“Perspectives”), 43:22–23 Saturdays” at Public Library (“Tales”), PROPERTY BOZEMAN (Mont.) PUBLIC LIBRARY 43:315 Costabile, Mary. See Roalkvam, Don Rewarding Partnerships in Bozeman STARs (Story-Telling Adult Readers) CRISPIN, JESSA (“Perspectives”), 43:152 Shine in Chicago (“Verso”), 43:12–14 Bookslut: An Interview with Jessa BRANCH LIBRARIES Tulsa City-County Library Breaks Sum- Crispin (“Book Talk”), 43:212, 216 Branch Management: An Analysis of mer Reading Record (“Tales”), 43:80 CUSTOMER SERVICE Minneapolis-St. Paul-Area Public Li- Young Readers’ Choice Awards Across Customer Service Through Technology braries, 43:341–46 America, 43:171–76 (“Tech Talk”), 43:94–96 Braun, Linda W. CHILDREN’S SERVICES Patrons, Customers, Users, Clients: Who Making Meaning: An Interview with In the Name of In(ternet)decency: Laws Are They and What Difference Does It Elizabeth Birr Moje (“InterViews”), Attempting to Regulate Content Make What We Call Them?, 43:81–87 43:30–32 Deemed Harmful to Children, Open to Surprises (“Editor’s Note”), 43:353–59 D 43:202, 211 Sights, Sounds, and Silence in Library Brickman, Alan. See Noah, Carolyn Reference Services to Children Dale, John F., and Carol J. Connor BRUGGEMEYER MEMORIAL LI- (“Verso”), 43:313–14 Consulting for a Building Project and Be- BRARY (Monterey Park, Calif.) Christian, Peggy yond: Lincoln, Nebraska (“Perspec- Talking with the Police at the Brugge- Read This! It Will Change Your Life: The tives”), 43:264–65 meyer Memorial Library (“Tales”), Making of a Creative Reader, Davidsson, Robert I. 43:79 43:33–40 Providing Genealogy Research Services BURNOUT Christin, Cindy in Public Libraries: Guidelines and Taking Care of Business (“Editor’s Rewarding Partnerships in Bozeman Ethics (“Verso”), 43:142–44 Note”), 43:138, 140 (“Perspectives”), 43:152 DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Buschman, John Clay, Edwin S. Library Service Planning with GIS and The Customer Model and Diminishing the 20/20 Vision (“Perspectives”), 43:82 Census Data, 43:165–70 Correction Public Sphere (“Perspectives”), 43:85 CLEVELAND (Ohio) PUBLIC LIBRARY 43: 267 By the Book (column), 43:60–63, 126–28, Cleveland Public Library Is First to Lend DiAlesandro, Mary Anne 186–91, 241–44, 299–302, 362–64 Popular eBooks for Smartphones and Personal, Relevant, and Effective [literacy All PDAs (“Tales”), 43:263, 274 program] (“Perspectives”), 43:21–22 C CLIENTS. See CUSTOMER SERVICE Diamant-Cohen, Betsy Cohen, Steven M. Mother Goose on the Loose: Applying Calderone, Teresa. See Baranowski, Richard Library Weblogs (“Internet Spotlight”), Brain Research to Early Childhood CAMPAIGN FOR AMERICA’S LI- 43:26–27 Programs in the Public Library, BRARIES Online Social Networking Tools (“Inter- 43:41–45 A Smart Start (“From the President”), net Spotlight”), 43:271–72 DIGITAL DIVIDE 43:255 Refgrunting (“Internet Spotlight”), Bridging the “Digital Divide” in Col- CAPACITY BUILDING 43:155–57 orado Libraries: Survey Results from Capacity Building for Libraries, Top Tools of 2004 (“Internet Spotlight”), the ... 2002 Study, 43:227–32 Correc- 43:102–7 43:326–27 tion 43: 308 CAREER PLANNING COLLECTION MANAGEMENT DISPLAYS Open to Surprises (“Editor’s Note”), Weeding the E-Book Collection (“Tech Shopping Bags on Display at the Newark 43:202, 211 Talk”), 43:158–59 Public Library (“Tales”), 43:79–80 CART, MICHAEL COLUMBUS (Ohio) METROPOLITAN Dowling, Brendan Trend-Watching in Young Adult Litera- LIBRARY Bookslut: An Interview with Jessa ture: An Interview with Michael Cart Columbus Metropolitan Library Allows Crispin (“Book Talk”), 43:212, 216 (“Book Talk”), 43:154–55 Kids to Read Off Fines (“Tales”), 43:16 A Part of What I Do: An Interview with Caywood, Carolyn COMIC BOOKS Mark Salzman (“Book Talk”), Community Partnerships at Virginia Comic Book and Graphic Novel Re- 43:323–25 Beach (Va.) Public Library (“Perspec- sources (“Internet Spotlight”), A Slave to Reading: An Interview with tives”), 43:150 43:91–92, 118 Annie Proulx (“Book Talk”), 43:24–25

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Duke, Deborah Government Printing Office Provides Gates, William H., Sr. How Consultants Helped Us Plan (“Per- Training to Library Community Public Library Association Tenth Nation- spectives”), 43:265–66 (“Tales”), 43:315–16 al Conference...Prepared remarks, DUNKLIN COUNTY (Mo.) FICTION 43:182–84 Library and Information Needs of Lati- Comic Book and Graphic Novel Re- GENEALOGY nos in Dunklin County, Missouri, sources (“Internet Spotlight”), Providing Genealogy Research Services 43:119–22 43:91–92, 118 in Public Libraries: Guidelines and Romance Writers Name Top Librarian Ethics (“Verso”), 43:142–44 E (“Opportunities”), 43:98 GLENDALE (Ariz.) PUBLIC LIBRARY FINES Directions and Connections for Boomers EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY Columbus Metropolitan Library Allows and Seniors (“Verso”), 43:256–59 Mother Goose on the Loose: Applying Kids to Read Off Fines (“Tales”), 43:16 Library Charity Fund Quietly Helps Brain Research to Early Childhood FLORIDA ELECTRONIC LIBRARY Community (“Tales”), 43:316 Programs in the Public Library, Secretary of State Launches Florida Elec- GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS 43:41–45 tronic Library (“Tales”), 43:145 Government Printing Office Provides PLA Early Literacy Research Demon- FORT WORTH (Tex.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Training to Library Community strates That Libraries Do Make a Dif- How Consultants Helped Us Plan (“Per- (“Tales”), 43:315–16 ference (“News”), 43:58 spectives”), 43:265–66 Tulsa (Okla.) Library Named Federal De- E-BOOKS FOSTER, JANET B. pository Library of the Year (“Oppor- Cleveland Public Library Is First to Lend Former Public Libraries Columnist Dies, tunities”), 43:97–98 Popular eBooks for Smartphones and 43:261 Grant, JoAnne M. All PDAs (“Tales”), 43:263, 274 FOUNTAINDALE (Ill.) PUBLIC LI- STARs (Story-Telling Adult Readers) San Jose Public Library Launches New BRARY Shine in Chicago (“Verso”), 43:12–14 Digital Library (“Tales”), 43:262 Literacy Day at Borders Books (“Tales”), GRANTS Weeding the E-Book Collection (“Tech 43:205 Outside the Box (“Opportunities”), Talk”), 43:158–59 Fraser, Margo and Hilary Munro 43:97–98 Editor’s Note (column) A Good Fit: One Library’s Experience Greiner, Tony It Takes a Village [peer-reviewing], with Ergonomic Design, 43:233–38 Preserving Videotapes in Libraries, 43:310, 312 From the President (column) 43:219–22 Many People, Many Books, 43:8, 10 The Economics of Literacy (Bohrer), Open to Surprises (Braun), 43:202, 211 43:203 H A Salute to Parent-Librarians, 43:74, 76 Libraries at Risk? (Bohrer), 43:311 Taking Care of Business (Schatz), More Action Figures Wanted (Herrera), HAINES BOROUGH (Alaska) PUBLIC 43:138, 140 43:139 LIBRARY What I Read during My Summer Vaca- Public Libraries: A Universal Benefit Patience and Pride [young adults teach- tion, 43:254, 259 (Herrera), 43:75 ing computer skills] (“Tales”), 43:17 Edwards, Eli, and Martha G. Krow-Lucal A Smart Start (Bohrer), 43:255 HARTMAN, ROCHELLE The Difference between Lightning Bugs Toward a Literate Nation (Herrera), 43:9 A Fond Farewell, 43:211 and Lightning (“Perspectives”), FUND RAISING Hartman, Rochelle 43:85–86 Library Charity Fund Quietly Helps Outside the Box [grant writing], E-MAIL Community (“Tales”), 43:316 43:97–98 Connecting Customer with Collections Local Bank Supports Library (“Tales”), HAWAII STATE PUBLIC LIBRARY Using E-mail (“Tech Talk”), 43:16 How Hawaii Taxpayers Can Help Their 43:273–74 Outside the Box (“Opportunities”), Libraries (“Tales”), 43:79 ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE 43:97–98 HEALTH INFORMATION Talking with the Police at the Brugge- Queens Library Gets Surprise $1 Million American Indian Health: A New Nation- meyer Memorial Library (“Tales”), (“Tales”), 43:204 al Library of Medicine Web Sites 43:79 Suspicious Characters at the Old Tappan (“Tales”), 43:315 ENOCH PRATT FREE LIBRARY (Balti- Public Library (“Tales”), 43:263 HELEN M. PLUM MEMORIAL LI- more, Md.) FUNDING SOURCES BRARY (Lombard, Ill.) Mother Goose on the Loose: Applying Arapahoe Library District Secures In- Robbins Bequest Split Between Library Brain Research to Early Childhood creased Funds (“Tales”), 43:145–46 Education and Childrens Services Programs in the Public Library, Homebound User Remembers Port (“Opportunities”), 43:98 43:41–45 Chester (N.Y.) Library (“Opportuni- HENNEPIN COUNTY (Minn.) LIBRARY ERGONOMICS ties”), 43:98 Taking Collections to the Streets: The A Good Fit: One Library’s Experience How Hawaii Taxpayers Can Help Their Role of Outreach in Supporting Adult with Ergonomic Design, 43:233–38 Libraries (“Tales”), 43:79 Literacy (“Perspectives”), 43:20–21 Essex, Don Public Library Districts and Texas: A Herrera, Luis Opposing the USA PATRIOT ACT: The Case Study, 43:275–79 More Action Figures Wanted (“From the Best Alternative for American Librari- Robbins Bequest Split Between Library President”), 43:139 ans, 43:331–40 Education and Childrens Services Public Libraries: A Universal Benefit (“Opportunities”), 43:98 (“From the President”), 43:75 F Toward a Literate Nation (“From the G President”), 43:9 FARGO (N.D.) PUBLIC LIBRARY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY (Fla.) PUB- Cooperative Venture (“Perspectives”), GATES FOUNDATION LIC LIBRARY 43:19–20 Public Library Association Tenth Nation- Tampa’s Hillsborough County Public Li- FEDERAL DEPOSITORY LIBRARY al Conference . . . Prepared remarks, brary Cooperative Rx Pad (“Tales”), PROGRAM 43:182–84 43:80

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Hilyard, Nann Blaine. See also Auld, Here Come the Trainers!, 43:214–16 Lawrence, Natalie J. Hampton (Skip) Library Weblogs, 43:26–27 There’s No “I” in Partnership (Oh, Wait Community Partnerships (“Perspec- Online Social Networking Tools, ...) (“Perspectives”), 43:147–48 tives”), 43:147–52 43:271–72 LEADERSHIP Perspectives on Literacy (“Perspectives”), Refgrunting, 43:155–57 Good Boss, Bad Boss: What Makes a 43:18–23 Top Tools of 2004, 43:326–27 Good Supervisor, Manager, Director, Your Perspective on Consultants (“Per- InterViews (column) or Other Type of Leader (“Perspec- spectives”), 43:264–67 Copyright Concerns: Scanning Book tives”), 43:206–11 Holden, Barbara. See Linhoff, Patricia Covers to Use on Library Web Sites, Leeds, Kathy Holt, Glen 43:330 Continuing a Century of Public/Private It’s a Skill [on leadership] (“Perspec- Interviewing the Interviewer, 43:99–100 Partnership (“Perspectives”), 43:148 tives”), 43:209–10 Making Meaning: An Interview with LEXINGTON (Ky.) COMMUNITY COL- Honnold, RoseMary Elizabeth Birr Moje, 43:30–32 LEGE Connecting Teens with Generations A-Z: SOLINET and Lexington Community Intergenerational Programs with J College Join Forces to Certify Library Young Adults, 43:281–84 Paraprofessionals (“Tales”), 43:145 Horowitz, Deborah JEFFERSON COUNTY (Colo.) PUBLIC LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARIANSHIP Who’s Using the Library? (“Perspec- LIBRARY Branch Management: An Analysis of tives”), 43:82–83 Computer Reservations Available at Jef- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Area Public Li- Hurst, Leslie D. ferson County Public Library braries, 43:341–46 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Resources (“Tales”), 43:79 CIPA and the Roles of Public Librarians, (“Internet Spotlight”), 43:91–92, 118 JOB INTERVIEWS 43:285–90 Considering Attitude and Values in Hiring Libraries at Risk? (“From the Presi- I Public Librarians (“Verso”), 43:260–61 dent”), 43:311 Interviewing the Interviewer (“Inter- LIBRARY BOARDS IMMIGRANT PATRONS Views”), 43:99–100 Retirement Tsunami Looms Over Dis- Cooperative Venture (“Perspectives”), Johnson, Allen tracted Director/Board Teams 43:19–20 The Small Rural Library as a Communi- (“Verso”), 43:77–78 Taking Collections to the Streets: The ty Sparkplug (“Perspectives”), 43:149 LIBRARY BUILDINGS Role of Outreach in Supporting Adult JONES LIBRARY (Amherst, Mass.) A Good Fit: One Library’s Experience Literacy (“Perspectives”), 43:20–21 Local Bank Supports Library (“Tales”), with Ergonomic Design, 43:233–38 Instructions to Authors, 43:66 43:16 Minneapolis Library Lauded for Archi- INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM JONES, PATRICK tectural Preservation (“Opportuni- In the Name of In(ternet)decency: Laws How Things Change: An Interview with ties”), 43:98 Attempting to Regulate Content Patrick Jones (“Book Talk”), 43:88–90 New Sustainable Branch Opens in Ann Deemed Harmful to Children, Jue, Dean K. See Koontz, Christie Arbor (“Tales”), 43:204 43:353–59 LIBRARY CARDS Opposing the USA PATRIOT ACT: The K North Carolina Librarians Embrace the Best Alternative for American Librari- Smartest Card Campaign, 43:308 ans, 43:331–40 Keister, John PLA Smartest Card Initiative Takes Off INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Are Consultants the Right Choice for (“News”), 43:360 Copyright Concerns: Scanning Book Your Library Board? (“Perspectives”), The Smartest Card: The Smartest Cam- Covers to Use on Library Web Sites 43:266–67 paign (“News”), 43:296–98 (“InterViews”), 43:330 KING COUNTY (Wash.) LIBRARY LIBRARY FURNITURE INTERNET. See also Internet Spotlight Movie Previews Showing on King Coun- Library Issues a Designers’ Challenge (Column) ty Library System Web Site (“Tales”), (“Tales”), 43:16 American Indian Health: A New Nation- 43:145 LINCOLN (Neb.) CITY LIBRARIES al Library of Medicine Web Sites Koontz, Christie, Dean K. Jue, Charles R. Consulting for a Building Project and Be- (“Tales”), 43:315 McClure, and John Carlo Bertot yond: Lincoln, Nebraska (“Perspec- Bridging the “Digital Divide” in Col- The Public Library Geographic Data- tives”), 43:264–65 orado Libraries: Survey Results from base: What Can It Do for Your Li- Linhoff, Patricia and Barbara Holden the . . . 2002 Study, 43:227–32 Cor- brary?, 43:113–18 Taking Collections to the Streets: The rection 43: 308 Krow-Lucal, Martha G. See Edwards, Eli Role of Outreach in Supporting Adult Computer Reservations Available at Jef- Literacy (“Perspectives”), 43:20–21 ferson County Public Library L LITERACY (“Tales”), 43:79 Books for Kids (“Tales”), 43:146 In the Name of In(ternet)decency: Laws LACROSSE (Wisc.) PUBLIC LIBRARY The Economics of Literacy (“From the Attempting to Regulate Content Community Partnerships at the LaCrosse President”), 43:203 Deemed Harmful to Children, (Wisc.) Public Library (“Perspec- Information Literacy in Your Library: 43:353–59 tives”), 43:151–52 Recommended Titles, 43:61 The Public Library Geographic Data- LAS VEGAS-CLARK COUNTY (Nev.) LI- Literacy Day at Borders Books (“Tales”), base: What Can It Do for Your Li- BRARY DISTRICT 43:205 brary?, 43:113–18 Library Web Sites Deconstructed (“Tech Making Meaning: An Interview with Toledo-Lucas County Public Libraries Talk”), 43:217–18 Elizabeth Birr Moje [adolescent litera- Are Hot for Wireless Internet Access Lavell, Amy Lisewski cy] (“InterViews”), 43:30–32 (“Tales”), 43:263 In the Name of In(ternet)decency: Laws Perspectives on Literacy (“Perspectives”), Internet Spotlight (column) Attempting to Regulate Content 43:18–23 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Re- Deemed Harmful to Children, READ/Orange County: Changing Lives sources, 43:91–92, 118 43:353–59 through Literacy, 43:53–56

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Talking with the Police at the Brugge- Travel the World, But Visit the Library O’Connor, Diana meyer Memorial Library (“Tales”), First (“Tales”), 43:204–5, 262 Public Library Districts and Texas: A 43:79 Moe, Tammi Case Study, 43:275–79 Technology and Literacy (“Tech Talk”), Bridging the “Digital Divide” in Col- OLD TAPPAN (N.J.) PUBLIC LIBRARY 43:28–29, 32 orado Libraries: Survey Results from Suspicious Characters at the Old Tappan Toward a Literate Nation (“From the the ... 2002 Study, 43:227–32 Correc- Public Library (“Tales”), 43:263 President”), 43:9 tion 43: 308 ONE BOOK INITIATIVES Young Readers’ Choice Awards Across Open Source Software and Thin-Client Many People, Many Books (“Editor’s America, 43:171–76 Networking: Economical Alternatives Note”), 43:8, 10 LOCAL HISTORY for Public Libraries, 43:291–95 OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE Programming to Promote Local History: MOJE, ELIZABETH BIRR Open Source Software and Thin-Client Remembering the Topeka Tornado of Making Meaning: An Interview with Networking: Economical Alternatives 1966, 43:161–64 Elizabeth Birr Moje (“InterViews”), for Public Libraries, 43:291–95 Lubbers, Chad 43:30–32 ORAL HISTORY PROJECTS Branch Management: An Analysis of Reconnecting the Past through Oral His- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Area Public Li- N tory, 43:109–12 braries, 43:341–46 ORANGE COUNTY (Calif.) PUBLIC LI- NASHVILLE (Tenn.) PUBLIC LIBRARY BRARY M Marionette Tradition at Nashville Main READ/Orange County: Changing Lives Library Gets Donation with Strings through Literacy, 43:53–56 MANAGEMENT Attached (“Tales”), 43:262–63 ORLAND PARK (Ill.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Branch Management: An Analysis of NATIONAL COMMISSION ON LI- PAL PAK Connects the Public Library to Minneapolis-St. Paul-Area Public Li- BRARIES AND INFORMATION SCI- the Classroom (“Perspectives”), braries, 43:341–46 ENCE 43:148–49 Good Boss, Bad Boss: What Makes a New Goals for NCLIS, 43:322 OUTREACH Good Supervisor, Manager, Director, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE Taking Collections to the Streets: The or Other Type of Leader (“Perspec- American Indian Health: A New Nation- Role of Outreach in Supporting Adult tives”), 43:206–11 al Library of Medicine Web Sites Literacy (“Perspectives”), 43:20–21 MANSFIELD/RICHLAND COUNTY (“Tales”), 43:315 (Ohio) PUBLIC LIBRARY NATIVE AMERICANS P Personal, Relevant, and Effective [litera- American Indian Health: A New Nation- cy program] (“Perspectives”), al Library of Medicine Web Sites Pace, Charles 43:21–22 (“Tales”), 43:315 Cooperative Venture (“Perspectives”), MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARY DIS- Nelson, Sandra. See Singer, Paula M. 43:19–20 TRICT Nesting, Vicki PALM BEACH COUNTY (Fla.) LIBRARY Library Web Sites Deconstructed (“Tech New Product News (column), 43:64–65, SYSTEM Talk”), 43:217–18 130–31, 193–94, 245–47, 303–4, Providing Genealogy Research Services MARKETING. See PUBLIC RELATIONS 365–66 in Public Libraries: Guidelines and McClure, Charles R. See Koontz, Christie Nevill, Diane Ethics (“Verso”), 43:142–44 McGrath, Renée Vaillancourt Directions and Connections for Boomers PARTNERSHIPS It Takes a Village (“Editor’s Note”), and Seniors (“Verso”), 43:256–59 Community Partnerships (“Perspec- 43:310, 312 New Product News (column), 43:64–65, tives”), 43:147–52 Many People, Many Books (“Editor’s 130–31, 193–94, 245–47, 365–66 Toward a Literate Nation (“From the Note”), 43:8, 10 NEWARK (N. J.) PUBLIC LIBRARY President”), 43:9 A Salute to Parent-Librarians (“Editor’s Shopping Bags on Display at the Newark PASSPORT SERVICES Note”), 43:74, 76 Public Library (“Tales”), 43:79 Travel the World, But Visit the Library What I Read during My Summer Vaca- News from PLA (column), 43:58–59, First (“Tales”), 43:204–5, 262 tion (“Editor’s Note”), 43:254, 259 123–25, 185, 239–40, 296–98, 360–61 PATRONS. See CUSTOMER SERVICE MEDICAL REFERENCE. See HEALTH Noah, Carolyn, and Alan Brickman PERSONNEL INFORMATION Capacity Building for Libraries, Considering Attitude and Values in Hiring MEDICINE HAT PUBLIC LIBRARY (Cal- 43:102–7 Public Librarians (“Verso”), 43:260–61 gary, Alberta) NOKOMIS (Minn.) COMMUNITY LI- Interviewing the Interviewer (“Inter- A Good Fit: One Library’s Experience BRARY Views”), 43:99–100 with Ergonomic Design, 43:233–38 Neighborhood Group to Fund “Summer Retirement Tsunami Looms Over Dis- Michalik, Candice Saturdays” at Public Library (“Tales”), tracted Director/Board Teams Good Bosses Change Lives (“Perspec- 43:315 (“Verso”), 43:77–78 tives”), 43:208–9 NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC LI- A Salute to Parent-Librarians (“Editor’s Miller, Ellen G. BRARIES Note”), 43:74, 76 Retirement Tsunami Looms Over Dis- North Carolina Librarians Embrace the Perspectives (column) tracted Director/Board Teams Smartest Card Campaign, 43:308 Asking the Deep Questions: An Interview (“Verso”), 43:77–78 NURSERY RHYMES with Eleanor Jo (Joey) Rodger, MINNEAPOLIS (Minn.) PUBLIC LI- Mother Goose on the Loose: Applying 43:317–22 BRARY Brain Research to Early Childhood Pro- Community Partnerships, 43:147–52 Minneapolis Library Lauded for Archi- grams in the Public Library, 43:41–45 Good Boss, Bad Boss: What Makes a tectural Preservation (“Opportuni- Good Supervisor, Manager, Director, ties”), 43:98 O or Other Type of Leader, 43:206–11 MISSION VIEJO (Calif.) LIBRARY Patrons, Customers, Users, Clients: Who Teen Volunteer Hours for Books OCEAN COUNTY (N.J.) LIBRARY Are They and What Difference Does It (“Tales”), 43:316 Books for Kids (“Tales”), 43:146 Make What We Call Them?, 43:81–87

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Perspectives on Literacy, 43:18–23 Instructions to Authors, 43:66 Tablet PCs: Blending Technology with Your Perspective on Consultants, It Takes a Village (“Editor’s Note”) Customer Service (“Tales”), 43:16–17 43:264–67 [peer-reviewing], 43:310, 312 Tampa Bay Library Consortium Imple- PETERS, JULIE ANNE PUBLIC LIBRARY DATA SERVICE ments One-Stop Searches with Kids Should Feel Free to Dance: An In- Public Library Data Service Custom WebFeat Prism (“Tales”), 43:205 terview with Julie Anne Peters (“Book Searching (“News”), 43:239 REFERENCE SOURCES Talk”), 43:268–70 Public Library Data Service Statistical The Public Library Geographic Data- PHILADELPHIA, FREE LIBRARY OF Report Now Available (“News”), base: What Can It Do for Your Li- Vision and Visibility: Community Part- 43:239 brary?, 43:113–18 nerships and the Urban Library (“Per- PUBLIC LIBRARY GEOGRAPHIC RETIREMENT spectives”), 43:150–51 DATABASE Retirement Tsunami Looms Over Dis- PHOENIX (Ariz.) PUBLIC LIBRARY The Public Library Geographic Data- tracted Director/Board Teams Library Service Planning with GIS and base: What Can It Do for Your Li- (“Verso”), 43:77–78 Census Data, 43:165–70 Correction brary?, 43:113–18 RFPs 43: 267 PUBLIC RELATIONS Getting Your Money’s Worth: How to Library Web Sites Deconstructed (“Tech Beyond the Newsletter: Concrete Guide- Hire the Right Consultants, Talk”), 43:217–18 lines and Innovative Ideas for Effective 43:223–25 PLA BOARD Promotion, 43:177–81 Ries-Taggart, Jennifer T. 2004 PLA Election Results, 43:239 Public Libraries: A Universal Benefit Tales from the Front, 43:16–17, 79–80, PLA NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2004 (“From the President”), 43:75 145–46, 204–5, 262–63, 274, 315–16 PLA Answers Conference Questions A Smart Start (“From the President”), Ritchie, Catherine (“News”), 43:58–59 43:255 Kids Should Feel Free to Dance: An In- PLA National Conference Highlights The Smartest Card: The Smartest Cam- terview with Julie Anne Peters (“Book (“News”), 43:185 paign (“News”), 43:296–98 Talk”), 43:268–70 Public Library Association Tenth Nation- Tampa’s Hillsborough County Public Li- Rittberg, Louise al Conference...Prepared remarks, brary Cooperative Rx Pad (“Tales”), The Personal Touch Leads to Success 43:182–84 43:80 (“Perspectives”), 43:18–19 PLANNING PUBLIC SERVICES RIVERSIDE COUNTY (Calif.) LIBRARY Capacity Building for Libraries, Computer Reservations Available at Jef- SYSTEM 43:102–7 ferson County Public Library California DREAMin’: A Model for Library Service Planning with GIS and (“Tales”), 43:79 School-Public Library Cooperation to Census Data, 43:165–70 Correction PUBLISHERS AND PUBLISHING Improve Student Achievement, 43: 267 Bookslut: An Interview with Jessa 43:47–51 POCAHONTAS COUNTY (W. Va.) FREE Crispin (“Book Talk”), 43:212, 216 Roalkvam, Don, and Mary Costabile LIBRARIES Here Come the Boomers (“Verso”), The Small Rural Library as a Communi- Q 43:141, 144 ty Sparkplug (“Perspectives”), 43:149 RODGER, ELEANOR JO PORT CHESTER (N.Y.) PUBLIC LI- QUEENS BOROUGH (N.Y.) PUBLIC LI- Asking the Deep Questions: An Interview BRARY BRARY with Eleanor Jo (Joey) Rodger (“Per- Homebound User Remembers Port Queens Library Gets Surprise $1 Million spectives”), 43:317–22 Chester (N.Y.) Library (“Opportuni- (“Tales”), 43:204 RURAL LIBRARIES ties”), 43:98 The Small Rural Library as a Communi- PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS. See EARLY R ty Sparkplug (“Perspectives”), 43:149 CHILDHOOD LITERACY Russell, Carrie PRESERVATION Raphael, Laura B. Copyright Concerns: Scanning Book Preserving Videotapes in Libraries, Five Reasons Why Public Libraries Covers to Use on Library Web Sites 43:219–22 Should Serve “Customers” (Not Pa- (“InterViews”), 43:330 Price, Robbin trons) (“Perspectives”), 43:81–82 As Long as We Don’t Call Them Ratzan, Jill S. S Warthogs (“Perspectives”), 43:84–85 CIPA and the Roles of Public Librarians, PROGRAMS 43:285–90 ST. CHARLES (Ill.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Connecting Teens with Generations A-Z: READING. See BOOKS AND READING DISTRICT Intergenerational Programs with READING INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. Increasing Technical Services Efficiency Young Adults, 43:281–84 See also SUMMER READING PRO- to Eliminate Cataloging Backlogs, Directions and Connections for Boomers GRAMS 43:347–52 and Seniors (“Verso”), 43:256–59 Books for Kids (“Tales”), 43:146 SALEM-SOUTH LYON (Mich.) DIS- Librarians and Teachers Bring Literature Young Readers’ Choice Awards Across TRICT LIBRARY to Life (“Tales”), 43:316 America, 43:171–76 Tablet PCs: Blending Technology with Programming to Promote Local History: RECRUITMENT Customer Service (“Tales”), 43:16–17 Remembering the Topeka Tornado of More Action Figures Wanted (“From the SALZMAN, MARK 1966, 43:161–64 President”), 43:139 A Part of What I Do: An Interview with Reconnecting the Past through Oral His- REFERENCE SERVICES Mark Salzman (“Book Talk”), tory, 43:109–12 Here Come the Trainers! (“Internet Spot- 43:323–25 PROMOTION. See PUBLIC RELATIONS light”), 43:214–16 SAN JOSE (Calif.) PUBLIC LIBRARY PROULX, ANNIE Refgrunting (“Internet Spotlight”), San Jose Public Library Launches New A Slave to Reading: An Interview with 43:155–57 Digital Library (“Tales”), 43:262 Annie Proulx (“Book Talk”), Sights, Sounds, and Silence in Library SAN MARCOS (Texas) PUBLIC LI- 43:24–25 Reference Services to Children BRARY PUBLIC LIBRARIES (“Verso”), 43:313–14 Books for the Troops (“Tales”), 43:146

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SANTA FE SPRINGS (Calif.) CITY LI- Stephens, Michael for Public Libraries, 43:291–95 BRARY Here Come the Trainers! (“Internet Spot- TOLEDO-LUCAS COUNTY (Ohio) PUB- Librarians and Teachers Bring Literature light”), 43:214–16 LIC LIBRARY to Life (“Tales”), 43:316 STORES IN LIBRARIES. See also BOOK Toledo-Lucas County Public Libraries Schatz, Jennifer STORES Are Hot for Wireless Internet Access By the Book (column), 43:60–63, Boston Public Online Store Opens Enter- (“Tales”), 43:263 126–28, 186–91, 241–44, 299–302, tainment Section (“Tales”), 43:205 TOPEKA AND SHAWNEE COUNTY 362–64 STORYTELLING (Kans.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Taking Care of Business (“Editor’s STARs (Story-Telling Adult Readers) Programming to Promote Local History: Note”), 43:138, 140 Shine in Chicago (“Verso”), 43:12–14 Remembering the Topeka Tornado of SCHOOL-LIBRARY COOPERATION Strong, Sunny 1966, 43:161–64 California DREAMin’: A Model for Sights, Sounds, and Silence in Library Towey, Cathleen A. School-Public Library Cooperation to Reference Services to Children Considering Attitude and Values in Hir- Improve Student Achievement, (“Verso”), 43:313–14 ing Public Librarians (“Verso”), 43:47–51 Sturges, Denyse K. See Adkins, Denice 43:260–61 PAL PAK Connects the Public Library to Sumier, Claudia TRAINING the Classroom (“Perspectives”), When I’m a Supervisor, I’ll Never Make Here Come the Trainers! (“Internet Spot- 43:148–49 That Mistake! (“Perspectives”), 43:208 light”), 43:214–16 Seagrave, Janis R. SUMMER READING PROGRAMS Trosnow, Samuel E. Young Readers’ Choice Awards Across Tulsa City-County Library Breaks Sum- Terminology Is Important (“Perspec- America, 43:171–76 mer Reading Record (“Tales”), 43:80 tives”), 43:86–87 SECAUCUS (N.J.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Sung, Myung Gi Trott, Barry The Personal Touch Leads to Success Increasing Technical Services Efficiency The Power of Words (“Perspectives”), (“Perspectives”), 43:18–19 to Eliminate Cataloging Backlogs, 43:83–84 Seinick, Shari 43:347–52 TULSA CITY-COUNTY (Okla.) LI- READ/Orange County: Changing Lives SUPPORT STAFF BRARY through Literacy, 43:53–56 SOLINET and Lexington Community Tulsa City-County Library Breaks Sum- SENIOR CITIZENS College Join Forces to Certify Library mer Reading Record (“Tales”), 43:80 Directions and Connections for Boomers Paraprofessionals (“Tales”), 43:145 Tulsa (Okla.) Library Named Federal De- and Seniors (“Verso”), 43:256–59 pository Library of the Year (“Oppor- SHAWNEE (Okla.) PUBLIC LIBRARY T tunities”), 43:97–98 Library Issues a Designers’ Challenge (“Tales”), 43:16 Tales from the Front (column), 43:16–17, U Shelkrot, Elliot L. 43:274, 79–80, 204–5, 262–63, 315–16 Vision and Visibility: Community Part- TAMPA BAY (Fla.) LIBRARY CONSOR- USA PATRIOT ACT nerships and the Urban Library (“Per- TIUM Opposing the USA PATRIOT ACT: The spectives”), 43:150–51 Tampa Bay Library Consortium Imple- Best Alternative for American Librari- Singer, Paula M. and Sandra Nelson ments One-Stop Searches with ans, 43:331–40 Getting Your Money’s Worth: How to WebFeat Prism (“Tales”), 43:205 USERS. See CUSTOMER SERVICE Hire the Right Consultants, Tanner, Melinda 43:223–25 Not a Cliché: Leading by Example (“Per- V SMITH, ANN spectives”), 43:210–11 Romance Writers Name Top Librarian Tech Talk (column) Verso (column) (“Opportunities”), 43:98 Connecting Customer with Collections Considering Attitude and Values in Hir- Smith, Mark Using E-mail, 43:273–74 ing Public Librarians, 43:260–61 California DREAMin’: A Model for Customer Service Through Technology, Directions and Connections for Boomers School-Public Library Cooperation to 43:94–96 and Seniors, 43:256–59 Improve Student Achievement, Library Service without Wires: Connec- Here Come the Boomers, 43:141, 144 43:47–51 tivity and Content, 43:328–29 Retirement Tsunami Looms Over Dis- Smith, Sally Decker Library Web Sites Deconstructed, tracted Director/Board Teams, Is What You Need What You Get? [on 43:217–18 43:77–78 leadership] (“Perspectives”), 43:207–8 Technology and Literacy, 43:28–29, 32 Sights, Sounds, and Silence in Library SOUTHEASTERN LIBRARY NETWORK Weeding the E-Book Collection, Reference Services to Children, (SOLINET) 43:158–59 43:313–14 SOLINET and Lexington Community TECHNICAL SERVICES STARs (Story-Telling Adult Readers) College Join Forces to Certify Library Increasing Technical Services Efficiency Shine in Chicago, 43:12–14 Paraprofessionals (“Tales”), 43:145 to Eliminate Cataloging Backlogs, VIDEOS SPANISH-SPEAKING PATRONS 43:347–52 Preserving Videotapes in Libraries, Library and Information Needs of Lati- TECHNOLOGY. See also Tech Talk (col- 43:219–22 nos in Dunklin County, Missouri, umn) VIRGINIA BEACH (Va.) PUBLIC LI- 43:119–22 Open Source Software and Thin-Client BRARY STAFF DEVELOPMENT Networking: Economical Alternatives Community Partnerships at Virginia SOLINET and Lexington Community for Public Libraries, 43:291–95 Beach (Va.) Public Library (“Perspec- College Join Forces to Certify Library TEXAS LIBRARIES tives”), 43:150 Paraprofessionals (“Tales”), 43:145 Public Library Districts and Texas: A VOLUNTEERS Staley, Elizabeth Case Study, 43:275–79 Librarians Win RIF’s Top Volunteer Programming to Promote Local History: THIN-CLIENT NETWORKING Honors, 43:329 Remembering the Topeka Tornado of Open Source Software and Thin-Client Perspectives on Literacy (“Perspectives”), 1966, 43:161–64 Networking: Economical Alternatives 43:18–23

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Read This! It Will Change Your Life: The San Jose Public Library Launches New WILTON (Conn.) LIBRARY Making of a Creative Reader, 43:33–40 Digital Library (“Tales”), 43:262 Continuing a Century of Public/Private STARs (Story-Telling Adult Readers) WEBLOGS Partnership (“Perspectives”), 43:148 Shine in Chicago (“Verso”), 43:12–14 Library Weblogs (“Internet Spotlight”), WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY Teen Volunteer Hours for Books 43:26–27 Library Service without Wires: Connec- (“Tales”), 43:316 WEEDING tivity and Content (“Tech Talk”), Weeding the E-Book Collection (“Tech 43:328–29 W Talk”), 43:158–59 Toledo-Lucas County Public Libraries Weimar, Mary K. Are Hot for Wireless Internet Access Wallace, Karen L. PAL PAK Connects the Public Library to (“Tales”), 43:263 Beyond the Newsletter: Concrete Guide- the Classroom (“Perspectives”), WORK/FAMILY LIFE lines and Innovative Ideas for Effective 43:148–49 A Salute to Parent-Librarians (“Editor’s Promotion, 43:177–81 WESTBURY (N.Y.) PUBLIC LIBRARY Note”), 43:74, 76 Wallace, Linda, and Peggy Barber Considering Attitude and Values in Hir- Taking Care of Business (“Editor’s The Smartest Card: The Smartest Cam- ing Public Librarians (“Verso”), Note”), 43:138, 140 paign (“News”), 43:296–98 43:260–61 WAY PUBLIC LIBRARY (Perrysburg, Wilson, A. Paula Y Ohio) Connecting Customer with Collections Reconnecting the Past through Oral His- Using E-mail (“Tech Talk”), YOUNG ADULT PROGRAMS tory, 43:109–12 43:273–74 Connecting Teens with Generations A-Z: WEB SITES Customer Service Through Technology Intergenerational Programs with Boston Public Online Store Opens Enter- (“Tech Talk”), 43:94–96 Young Adults, 43:281–84 tainment Section (“Tales”), 43:205 Library Service without Wires: Connec- Making Meaning: An Interview with Copyright Concerns: Scanning Book tivity and Content (“Tech Talk”), Elizabeth Birr Moje [adolescent litera- Covers to Use on Library Web Sites 43:328–29 cy] (“InterViews”), 43:30–32 (“InterViews”), 43:330 Library Web Sites Deconstructed (“Tech Patience and Pride [young adults teach- Library Web Sites Deconstructed (“Tech Talk”), 43:217–18 ing computer skills] (“Tales”), 43:17 Talk”), 43:217–18 Technology and Literacy (“Tech Talk”), Teen Volunteer Hours for Books Movie Previews Showing on King Coun- 43:28–29, 32 (“Tales”), 43:316 ty Library System Web Site (“Tales”), Weeding the E-Book Collection (“Tech 43:145 Talk”), 43:158–59

Librarians Win RIF’s Top Volunteer Honors Reading Is Fundamental, the nation’s largest and oldest non- community, often dressed as a colorful costumed character at profit children’s and family literacy organization, named three book distributions to spread the message that reading is former librarians as regional winners of the 2004 Anne important. Similarly, Thompson, a former librarian and cur- Richardson RIF Volunteers of the Year, presented by Nestlé rent school district administrator, has come up with her own USA. Anitra Gordon of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ida W. creative ideas. Her development and organization of the cur- Thompson of Columbia, South Carolina, and Jill Walker of rent annual RIF Rocks community fair event for Richland Watsonville, Calififornia, accepted the awards in June 2004 at County School District One in Columbia attracted one thou- a RIF board reception in Washington, D.C. sand participants in the first year alone and continues to grow. For more than a quarter of a century, Gordon, Whatever the method used to draw the students in, all Thompson, and Walker have actively sought to extend RIF’s three women agree that RIF can serve as a valuable way to literacy programs to countless elementary and high school excite more students about books. “I saw RIF as a way to students. With the common goal of helping children develop present students with books they would want to read, a love for reading, all three women have combined RIF book books they helped select, books on topics they never distributions with other library and literacy activities, ulti- thought about but which interested them when they saw the mately expanding student access to—and interest in—books. book on the table,” Gordon said. “Once you start a RIF “Students are so enthusiastic for having the opportunity to program, you get the layering effect of giving children select their own book,” Thompson said. “Schools are pre- books repeatedly and families receiving books repeatedly,” scriptive; they tell children which textbooks and reading lists Walker said. “For many children, it’s their first and only to read. But with RIF they’re free. They can come and choose opportunity to start a library.” whatever they want to read, and I think that’s really the Made possible this year by a donation from Nestlé USA, magic of it.” the annual Anne Richardson RIF Volunteer of the Year Award Gordon and Walker, both recent retirees, have each honors extraordinary RIF volunteers across the country and served as RIF volunteers for twenty-six years. Gordon’s relent- pays tribute to the late Anne Hazard Richardson, who served less fundraising efforts at Lincoln High School in Ypsilanti, as RIF’s chair from 1981 to 1996. An independent panel of Michigan, have led to three yearly book distributions as well judges selects one winner from each RIF region. as an additional distribution of four thousand books a year. For more information and to access reading resources, Walker, who helped grow her RIF program at Amesti visit RIF’s Web site at www.rif.org. Elementary School in Watsonville to serve fourteen sites in the

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