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Comments on library blogs. Potential of blogs for promoting library services to the community; Question of how to compel readers to return regularly to the library blog; Observation that there is a technology available to feed blog postings directly into courseware sites; Author's experience starting up a blog for his library; Ways to interest students in reading blog content; Suggestions for successful blogging; Reasons for optimism about library blogs. INSET: Tips for Successful Blogging.

The article discusses public services for library users in France, with advice to new librarians on the different forms of these free services and educational materials. Topics include a comparison of France's library lending systems to those in Great Britain and Scandinavia; librarians' focus on outreach programs for library users; and free Internet access for library users.

This article discusses the act of capturing statistics for database usage, analyzing and interpreting subscription-based database, which has emerged as an important task among librarians. In a rapidly evolving information environment, it is necessary to examine the end user's usage patterns and needs on a periodic basis. The article investigates whether there are differences among user groups, both in their amount and frequency of subscription database use, based on user characteristics such as gender, location of network access, and participation in user instruction. Findings include no statistically significant difference in database use based on gender and a statistically significant difference in the frequency of using the subject-specific databases based on location of accessing the computing network.

The article discusses the effects of Internet on the way libraries offer information sources in the U.S. Latest observation shows that Internet or Web technologies have changed the arena of libraries, revealing new opportunities and challenges for the librarians and its users. The National Commission on Libraries and Information Science has documented reports that most of public libraries in the country have access to the Internet. This is because they see Internet as a useful tool to the provision of information.

Presents the experiences of the author as a librarian and a writer for this magazine. Work of the author in writing library policies; Importance of policies to libraries; Role of American Library Association guidelines in many library policies; Mention of Internet access for library users, including children; Issue of privacy for users.

The article discusses the introduction of the Internet Screening in Public Libraries Act (ISPLA) to the Illinois General Assembly, focusing on opposition to the bill by the American Library Association (ALA) and Illinois Library Association (ILA). Other topics include information on supporters and opponents of the bill, the bill's resemblance to the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA), and how the bill puts the burden of determining legitimate research on patrons and librarians.

Relates how two librarians at a public library put together a proposal to build a collection of computer software. Areas that needed to be addressed; Selection of three systems; Software selection; Circulation; Their experience processing and packaging the disks; Reaction of the public; Economical approach; Outlook for software lending by libraries.

The article profiles Michael Stephens, a librarian and library science professor in Indiana. When St. Joseph County Public Library (SJCPL), IN, became the first U.S. public library to offer public Internet access, Michael Stephens discovered he had a knack for technology and for teaching people to use it. Word spread about how effective (and entertaining) Stephens's training sessions were, and he was soon presenting workshops for other libraries Even as he was taking on ever more responsibilities at SJCPL, he realized he wanted to focus on teaching and writing. He was one of ten students awarded an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant to earn a Ph.D. in library and information studies and join the next generation of LIS faculty.

Reports on grievances filed by several staffers at the Ottawa Public Library in Ontario. Issue of the library's unrestricted Internet access policy; Efforts of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) to change library policy; How staffers are forced to see sexually explicit material; Outlook for privacy screens on all public access computers and filters; How the controversy in Ottawa has affected other librarians.

Lists web sites that may be of use to librarians. Propaganda Analysis Home Page; All Music Guide web site; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site; Others.

Focuses on the role of the librarian, Internet technology, and patron service. Trend in librarianship of moving toward the private-sector, market-driven models of salable service; View that librarians are not customer service centers; Plan for consolidating library services into the virtual domain called www.librariansknow.org; Reasons that patrons should be taught to trust and rely on librarians in their home-based institutions.

Editorial. Offers the author's thoughts on censorship in libraries. Reaction to those who oppose unrestricted Internet access in libraries; Belief that good librarians oppose censorship of any kind; View of the public library as a hostile work environment.

Offers thoughts on and solutions to common problems in libraries. Programs to help teach online research skills; How to promote a library Web site proactively; Importance of publicizing remote access database links; Separating the library from the Internet, in terms of service.

Presents a letter from the editor that invites readers to write in to the magazine and tell them what their dream library Internet product would be. Desire to add to the dialogue among librarians and between librarians and vendors; Librarians who have been leaders in developing technology, by designing new systems, or reviewing and critiquing new products; Author's dream Internet product which would include a search engine that always found what she needs.

The article focuses on the significance of Lifelong Education at your Desk-top (LE@D) course, an online workshop designed for people working inside the libraries in Texas. The advantage of the LE@D online training was that anyone can take classes from any Internet-linked computer and the student can start and stop at its own self-paced. Furthermore, LE@D courses are approved for three contact hours of credit by the Western Council of State Libraries.

The article reports that the Solano County Board of Supervisors in the Solano County Library in California emphasized the need for children under the age of 18 to use Internet-filtering software when surfing the Web at all branches of the library. An overview of the complaint against the library which prompted the action of the county board is presented. It discusses the duties of librarians in line with the installation of Internet-filtering software.

This article explains how to create guest users in Horizon 8.0. Horizon 8.0 will have the functionality to allow librarians to issue anonymous, cash-based cards to patrons. Libraries can have a number of different types of guest users, depending on whether the guests want to be completely anonymous or whether they just need temporary privileges. To set up guest users, first, edit the library's location record to permit guest users. Next, create a new loan type for guest users. Then, if librarians want overall statistics about anonymous use, they can create a new user statistical class and link it to the loan type. Using item types and the loan type, librarians can now assign privileges. They will need to determine whether to require a deposit and what other limits may apply. Librarians can now start issuing and using guest cards at their library.

The author discusses a report issued by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in September 2013 regarding small and rural libraries in the U.S. Topics include an increase in people using small and rural U.S. libraries, the offering of digital resources including publicly accessible computer terminals and electronic books, and the value of the Masters in Library Science degree for librarians.

The author examines whether providing computers and Internet access in libraries is librarianship. He observes that most library patrons are on computers. He suggests that librarians should not be concerned because people coming to the library to surf the Web is a good thing. He advises that librarians should take advantage of every opportunity to grab people's attention and have them notice and use their libraries.

The article focuses on the role of U.S. librarians in the information technology era. Librarians have always been cutting edge: They were often the first within their organizations to have online search capabilities. Once again, they are on the cutting edge of exploring ways to use the new Web 2.0 networking and collaboration tools, far earlier than most of their clients. Some are rolling out really simple syndication feeds and wikis; some are considering along library users to add tags to catalog entries or to rank or rate library content; while some are reusing the information from Google Maps or Craigslist to provide a customized view of information for the library's user groups.

Comments on the way the Internet has changed the role of libraries. Views of librarian Umberto Eco on the role of libraries in the digital world; Views on the knowledge that Internet provides; Future of the libraries; Goal of libraries for the future.

Focuses on why library standards take so long to adopt and implement. Topics of open standards, complex multiparty standards, Z39.50 protocol, and MARC II; Discussion of Internet connections and computer systems; View that it takes so long because librarians are human and have limited resources.

Comments on the role of the Internet as an information resource in libraries. Experiences of the author on a road trip across the United States, during which she did not have access to the Internet; Question of how the quality of online connectivity influences people's opinion of the Internet versus traditionally printed information resources; Advice to librarians about making themselves available to library users.