Uses interview and telephone survey data to demonstrate that the merger of the vowels in words such as "cot" and "caught," traditionally considered a defining characteristics of the speech of western Pennsylvania, is well established in the mining towns of eastern Pennsylvania. Notes that the data indicate that the merger arose…

Examines demographic and economic trends of rural areas nationally, in the Northeast, and in Pennsylvania, and discusses the impact of these trends on rural library planning and services. Four options for developing rural library policy and implementing quality library services are outlined. (55 references) (CLB)

Study objectives were to assess actual changes in normative traditionalism which had occurred in a sample of rural Pennsylvania areas and to determine the extent to which the changes in traditionalism were associated with the rurality of these areas. Utilizing a combination of socioeconomic data (census derived) and longitudinal data obtained via…