Overview of growth and progress of American librarianship from 1945 to 1970 ("Golden Age") highlights library education; expansion of American Library Association; library philanthropy; federal aid to libraries; library buildings and new technology; changes in academic, public, school, and special libraries; general trends; and end of…

Provides background on federal literacy programs and legislation. Proceedings of a national literacy forum for state libraries are summarized, and priority issues identified by participants are listed. The importance of the library role is emphasized. (MES)

Provides an overview of the American Library Association (ALA) 1991 midwinter conference. Highlights include federal legislation, the organization of library support staff, fees for library services, library collection preservation policies, electronic access, access policy guidelines for academic libraries, reference staffing for electronic…

Traces the role of public libraries in American democracy and free enterprise and their contributions to the careers of such men as Carnegie, Radtke, Goddard, and Land. Library services to industry are described, and a new federal-state-local pattern of funding is advocated for the maintenance of public libraries. (RBF)

Provides suggestions for academic libraries to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Topics addressed are planning, including patron surveys; physical access to buildings; signage; library security systems; furniture; library services; staff development; telephone access; library acquisitions; and equipment and software. A sidebar lists…

Highlights the American Library Association (ALA) 1987 Midwinter Conference, including the aftermath of the Attorney General's report on pornography; Congressional pay equity bills; library copying rights; federal librarians' decline in membership and privatization; public library planning, role setting, and output measures manuals; and summaries…

Describes activities of the 1991 American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference. Topics discussed include federal legislation; Israeli censorship and Palestinian library closings in the occupied territories; intellectual freedom; library services to an aging population; cultural diversity; children's rights; video copyright; access services;…

Describes a proposed National Research and Education Network designed to meet the needs of scholars and researchers, and discusses the technical and political aspects of such a network. The possible impacts on library roles and services are explored, and the need to extend existing networks to include public, school, and rural libraries is…

Discusses attempts to make English the official language of the United States, examines the pros and cons, and describes the impact of these efforts on libraries. An example at the Monterey Park Public Library (California) is examined; meeting the needs of all members of the community is addressed; and possible future outlooks are suggested. (four…

This article, written before report to Congress by Register of Copyrights was issued, examines whether balancing of rights of creators and needs of users has been accomplished by Copyright Revision Act of 1976, and reviews key issues in dispute between librarians and publishers over use of copyrighted materials in libraries. (EJS)

A brief historical examination of state and federal court rulings on funds to public libraries based upon their status as educational institutions. (AP)

Summary of American Library Association's (ALA) 1986 Midwinter Meeting highlights administrative reports, legislative update, government publishing update, finances and operations (the long range outlook), the Oxford Project, library education, standards, issues and ideas, accreditation project, toward a White House conference, aspiring ALA…

Reviews the history of the federal depository library program, noting the legislation that determined the present system of libraries. Two important developments are described--the format change of the Monthly Catalog and the GPO (Government Printing Office) micropublishing program--and future plans are revealed. (JD)

Addresses several differences between computer software and books that affect copyright-related issues. Discussion covers durability of the physical medium, dilemma of backup copies, software licensing agreements, integrity of honest customers, and policy suggestions for libraries that have or are considering microcomputer labs and are concerned…