If you are running a quality directory, google approves of people submitting to you! Today on the google, there was a paragraph directory submissions, and here is the exact quote:
Directory entries are often mentioned as another way to promote young sites in the Google index. There are great, topical directories that add value to the Internet. But there are not many of them in proportion to those of lower quality. If you decide to submit your site to a directory, make sure it's on topic, moderated, and well structured. Mass submissions, which are sometimes offered as a quick work-around SEO method, are mostly useless and not likely to serve your purposes.
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2010/06/quality-links-to-your-site.html
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