E D I T O R I A L  

'I 

EDITORIAL 

by Anne M. Galler 

This issue of Education Libraries continues the theme begun with our previous issue, Vol .  22, No. 3, covering 
collections outside the mainstream. Rosemary Kavanagh, the Executive Director of CNIB ( The Canadian National 
Institute for the Blind) introduces the reader to the virtual library for the blind. As Kavanagh states, "among blind 
students literacy not only means competency with braille, but a variety of special access and other technologies." 
This article gives a rare insight into library services to this special population. 

John Day continues the theme by addressing issues facing the deaf. He examines web sites which are most 
helpful to his patrons at GaJlaudet University. This should assist education librarians in institutions serving deaf 
populations to find appropriate materials for their customers. 

We have abandoned the annual "Conference Issue" which has caused increasing difficulties in past years. 
We were unable to secure copies of the presentations on time and/or in the proper format. Perhaps this was 
caused by the fact that many of the Educatio11:Division 's programs at conferences are increasingly co-presentations 
with other SLA Divisions. Since they do not have a refereed journal, they are unaccustomed to submitting their 
presentations to the scrutiny of referees. However, Deanna D .  Wood did submit her paper which was presented at 
the 1998 conference in Indianapolis. The topic, "Librarian and Unions: Defining and Protecting Professional 
Values" was deemed of interest and we are including it here, although it does not really fit the theme. While 
abandoning the conference issue per se, interesting and appropriate papers presented at such conferences will be 
included in future issues of Education Libraries. This will, of course, depend on the timeliness of the paper and 
the willingness of the presenter to submit it. 

The ERIC column ties in with the theme of the issue as usual, and the New and Forthcoming reference books 
by Gladys I. Dratch and Deborah S. Carson cover a variety of interesting new publications. Thanks to the 
contribution of our ever-increasing circle of publishers, the Book Review column continues to include more and 
more book reviews. W hile we are not always able to tie in the book reviews with the theme, I would like to draw 
particular attention to the A F B  Directory of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired Persons in the United 
States and Canada. 

ERRATUM 
The first sentence in the fourth paragraph of the 

article "The Deaf Col lection at the Gallaudet 
University Library" ( Vol. 23, No.3) should read: 

"One of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet's sons, 
Edward Miner Gallaudet, (also hearing) followed his 
father into the field of deaf education." The editors 
misconstrued the author's sentence by incorrectly 
inserting the word "impaired ." In fact, both 
Gallaudets had normal hearing. Education Libraries 
regrets the error. 

EDUCATION LIBRARIES VOL. 23, No. 1