Library Journal News Bulletins

[Evan St. Lifer]

Library Journal's Breaking News 
1. LIBRARY JOURNAL JOB SURVEY FINDINGS FOR SPECIAL,
ACADEMIC, AND PUBLIC LIBRARIANS
2. BIG TELECOMM DISCOUNTS LOOMING FOR LIBRARIES?
3. SAN FRANCISCO GRUDGE MATCH CONTINUES
4. ELECTION DAY VICTORIES
5. CHICAGO PL GETS HUGE APPROPRIATION
6. ABA SETTLES SUIT AGAINST RANDOM
7. HUNTER IS INTERIM IN ATLANTA



LIBRARY JOURNAL JOB SURVEY: TECHNOLOGY FUELING
REDEFINITION OF JOBS IN SPECIAL, ACADEMIC AND PUBLIC LIBRARY
SECTORS
More staff from special and (67 percent) and academic libraries (66
percent) say their jobs have changed in the last year, versus 59 percent
of those working in public libraries, according to the most comprehensive
survey ever conducted by Library Journal and published in its November
15 issue. More than 1000 librarians responded to the survey with
100-plus more offering their perceptions via email.  

Of those librarians that say there jobs have changed in the last year, 54
percent in academe, 47 percent in special libraries, and 66 percent in
public libraries say their job change was fueled by technology. Broken
down by professional degree, 59 percent of MLS librarians said new
technology was the cause of their job change versus 52 percent for
support staff. 

Other factors for job change include reengineering/staff development
(special libraries, 30 percent; academic, 24 percent; public, 23 percent)
and downsizing/cost-cutting (special libraries, 30 percent; academic, 19
percent; public, 18 percent). 

Behind the Numbers: Almost three out of four support staffer and almost
half of MLS-educated librarians say the profession should offer a
standard on-the-job certification as a complement to the MLS.

Responding librarians also rated career advancement in their respective
sectors, with 54 percent of both special and academic library staffers
rating it poor and 46 percent public libraries rating it poor. About 42
percent of librarians in each of the three library sectors rated career
advancement as very good or fair. 

BIG TELECOMM DISCOUNTS LOOMING FOR LIBRARIES?
Universal Service, a primary component of the historic 1996
Telecommunications Act, could mean cheaper service for libraries
seeking to provide comprehensive Internet service to patrons. In fact,
librarians mulling deals or partnerships with cable or phone companies
may want to wait until May 8, when the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) will make public its final policies on telecomm
discounts to libraries and schools. The FCC is basing its rulemaking on
recommendations by the Federal-State Joint Board, the body it appointed
to determine how and to what extent the FCC should mandate
discounted rates. Based on the Joint Board?s findings released last
month, libraries could enjoy deep discounts ranging in size from 20
percent to 90 percent by the fall of 1997. 

SAN FRANCISCO GRUDGE MATCH CONTINUES
A determined but small group of dissidents continues to assail San
Francisco Public (SFPL) Library Director Ken Dowlin in the aftermath of
the Nicholson Baker piece published in the October 14 New Yorker. Now
they have even more ammunition: Dowlin has his hands full  after the
SFPL Commission voted 5-0 to freeze book purchases as a result of a
budget shortfall of almost $3 million. According to the San Francisco
Chronicle, the Library Commission has requested more than $1 million in
supplemental funding from San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. Library
officials cite the huge surge in the public?s usage of SFPL?s New Main as
the reason for proliferating costs that have thrown the budget out of
whack. 

ELECTION DAY VICTORIES
California Libraries, which in recent years have struggled under dire
financial conditions, emerged from the November elections as the
greatest success story, with voters approving seven out of 11 library
bond issues. However, San Diego citizens continue to rebuff the libraries
efforts to secure additional funding, this time saying no to a .25? sales
tax increase, which would have raised upwards of $73 million a year for
five years. The measure, which carried 60.6 percent of the vote, needed
66 percent to pass. In other Election Day news:		
Alameda received $5 million over four years.	
Berkeley?s main library will be expanded thanks to $30 million in general
obligation funds. Voters also allowed a previously approved operating
tax to continue.	
A Mello-Roos tax in Mill Valley will raise $.6 million for the expansion and
renovation of the library.
Oakland voters mustered $13 million for their library.	
Sacramento voters in the city approved a benefit assessment of $22 per
residential parcel, which will raise $3 million for the library. An identical
measure, however, failed among county voters.	
Santa Cruz citizens in both the city and county unanimously agreed to a
.25? sales tax, which supplies libraries with $5.5 million annually for the
next 16 years.	
Elsewhere, winners included Hartford and Danbury, CT, and Round
Rock, TX. 	
Citizens of Chesterfield County, VA, approved a $10.3 million bond
referendum to implement the library's Technology Plan 2000 and to
replace two branch libraries.	
Pickaway County District Public Library, OH, unfortunately, lost its
proposed levy of two mills for the second year running.

CPL GETS $50 MILLION FOR IMPROVEMENTS
The Chicago City Council has approved a plan to provide $50 million to
the Chicago Public Library (CPL) for expansion and renovation of its
facilities. The three-year program, which is supported by a $9 million
increase in property taxes, directs $42.5 million of the funds for
construction of new facilities and the renovation of several existing
branches. 

ABA SETTLES SUIT AGAINST RANDOM HOUSE
The American Booksellers Association (ABA) and Random House have
settled a court suit over the New York based publishing giant?s alleged
violation of antitrust laws. ABA, the plaintiff in the suit, charged that
Random had been giving preferential price promotional allowances to
national retailers but not to independents. The settlement with Random
comes on the heels of similar out-of-court agreements between ABA
and five other publishers.

HUNTER INTERIM IN ATLANTA
Julie Hunter will serve as interim director of the Atlanta-Fulton Public
Library System while a national search for a new director is conducted. 
She joined the library in 1993 as administrator of the library's Auburn
Avenue Research Library onAfrican American Culture and History.

Library Journal, which is preparing to debut its website in the early part
of 1997, is exploring ways to deliver the latest news and information to
all sectors of the library profession. While we plan to highlight news as a
major component of the web site, we're also investigating the efficacy of
email as a news delivery medium.  In an effort to gauge your interest,
Library Journal periodically will be circulating late-breaking news bulletins
and analysis that we hope will inform you and in turn, will help us
determine if this is a desireable and effective way to distribute info to
those librarians who want it. We encourage you to cross-post this info
to other lists. Please answer the four questions below to give us your
comments, and to let us know if you'd like to continue receiving LJ's
periodic news updates. Thanks in advance for your cooperation and
assistance. Please reply directly to me instead of the list. 

Evan St. Lifer
Senior Editor, News
Library Journal 
stlifer at lj.cahners.com

1. Do you like to receive news bullentins/reports delivered to you via
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