Library Juice 1:39 - October 28, 1998
Contents: 1. Information Industry Survival Guide 2. New articles on library job placement and salaries 3. News stories appearing in the October 26 American Libraries Online 4. Subscribe to the Librarians' Index (weekly email) 5. The Body: An AIDS and HIV Information Resource [RealPlayer] 6. IFLA/FAIFE - Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression 7. RESOURCE: Safe Surfing Sites, Tuesday, October 27, 1998 8. PORTFOLIO: Princeton Library Rare Books and Special Collections 9. The Ethics Connection [Java] (Santa Clara University) 10. Stoop Sale books - Used and out-of-print radical books 11. Staff strike as new French library opens 12. ALA/NMRT Grants 13. TRAINING GRANT LINKING ECOLOGY AND SOCIAL SOLUTIONS 14. ARLIS Muehsam Award for excellence in a graduate paper or project 15. Confessions of a public library defender 16. Bomb threats and how to deal with them 17. Virtual Autopsy [Frames] 18. HALLOWEEN IS FOR SCIENCE--SPECIAL EDITION OF THE NSF LIBRARY NEWSLETTER Quote for the week: "Since the very usage of language in our culture is defined and expressed via centralized sources of distribution such as television and radio, or as in this case - by LC subject headings, it becomes increasingly difficlut to even frame the nature of the debate when the very words which define these inter-relationships and avenues of power have been expunged from the public vocabulary by the purveyors of our common culture, e.g. big business and media conglomerates and by extension, by their lackies, state and federal government, of which LC is clearly a part." - Peter McDonald, "Corporate inroads & librarianship: the fight for the soul of the new millenium," _Progressive Librarian_ number 13/14, Spring/Summer, 1997. p. 32-44. http://www.libr.org/PL/contents.html ____________________________________________________________________________ 1. Information Industry Survival Guide (sent to the SJSU SLIS discussion list) Take a break from your research and writing and check this out. Mary Ellen Mort has given us an excellent resource....an Information Industry Survival Guide. Looking for a job? Looking for good resources? Point your browser to http://www.infotoday.com/it/oct/jobs.htm. Thanks, Mary Ellen! By the way, I found the link to this on the SCOUG (Southern California Online Users Group) site http://www.scougweb.org/ Have fun! Marge Marston ____________________________________________________________________________ 2. New articles on library job placement and salaries (also sent to the SJSU SLIS discussion list) Dear MLIS students: Two articles which appear in recent library journals should be of particular interest: Gregory, V.L. & K. de la Pena McCook. (1998, October 15). Breaking the $30K barrier. _Library Journal, 123_ (17), 32-38. Lists job placements and salaries of 1997 LIS graduates by school. Looking ahead: 20 in their 20s. (1998, October). _American Libraries, 29_ (9), 38-45. Recent LIS grads, who have gotten jobs, talk about the future of the profession. Enjoy! Cindy Mediavilla cmediavi[at]ucla.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ 3. News stories appearing in the October 26 American Libraries Online Subject: October 26 American Libraries Online Reply-To: member-forum[at]ala.org Sender: owner-member-forum[at]ala.org News stories appearing in the October 26 American Libraries Online <http://www.ala.org/alonline/> * Judge Voids Jersey City Privatization Contract * Discord over Discards Resurfaces in Philadelphia * Coalition Challenges Internet Child-Protection Law * Tin Drum Beats Obscenity Charge * Court Dismisses Livermore Suit over Internet Smut * Library Filters Become Issue in Illinois Secretary of State Race * Protestors Rally to Stop Plan for Shared San Jose Library * Trustees to Rule on Book Complaints in Fremont Schools * Lowell to Head UC/Berkeley * Los Angeles PL Extends Hours * Infoseek Founder Funds Internet Upgrade for Santa Clara County * Official Seeks End to Gwinnett Board Decision * Victoria PL Apologizes to Fired Librarian 44 Years Later American Libraries' Web site also features the latest "Internet Librarian" columns by Karen Schneider; AL's "Career Leads" job ads; listings of conferences, continuing-education courses, exhibitions, and other events from AL's "Datebook"; and Tables of Contents for the current year. Lois Ann Gregory-Wood Council Secretariat American Library Association ____________________________________________________________________________ 4. Subscribe to the Librarians' Index (weekly email) To: publib <publib[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu> Subject: FYI - Subscribe to the Librarians' Index Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.981020210837.19967H-100000[at]sunsite.Berkeley.EDU> Subject: FYI - Subscribe to the Librarians' Index You can now subscribe to the list of new and useful Internet resources added to the Librarians' Index to the Internet (LII) each week. This is not a discussion list. The only mail you will get is the weekly list of the best Interest resources added to the LII. To subscribe: Send the message: subscribe liiweek yourFirstname youLastname to: listproc[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu For more information visit http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/mailinglist.html Regards, Carole ______________________________________________ Carole Leita, cleita[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu Coordinator, Librarians' Index to the Internet http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 5. The Body: An AIDS and HIV Information Resource [RealPlayer] http://www.thebody.com/index.shtml Body Health Resources Corporation (BHRC) is responsible for this site, a wide-ranging collection of resources related to AIDS and HIV. The Body acts as a clearinghouse for experts and organizations to exchange information with each other and make it available to the public. The sources of information are varied, from the Center for Disease Control to _POZ_ magazine to individual people with AIDS, and the site is consequently comprehensive, even contradictory at times. Articles on treatment, quality of life, and governmental issues are complemented by action alerts, conference announcements, and electronic forums, to name just some of the resources available here. In short, The Body has something to offer anyone interested in or living with AIDS or HIV. [TK] >From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1998. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 6. IFLA/FAIFE - Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression Date: Tue, 27 Oct 1998 10:09:17 -0600 From: "Don Wood" <dwood[at]ala.org> To: member-forum[at]ala1.ala.org Subject: FYI: IFLA/FAIFE Reply-To: member-forum[at]ala.org Sender: owner-member-forum[at]ala.org Jan Ristarp, FAIFE director, and Carsten Frederiksen, FAIFE deputy director, are visiting the Office for Intellectual Freedom this week. The FAIFE site can be found at http://www.faife.dk FAIFE, Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression, is an "initiative within IFLA (International Federation of Library Association and Institutions) to defend and promote the basic human rights defined in Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights."' "The FAIFE Committee and Office furthers free access to information ansd freedom of expression in all aspects, directly or inderectly, related to libraries and librarianship. FAIFE monitors the state of intellectual freedom within the library community worldwide, supports IFLA policy development and cooperation with other international human rights organisations, and responds to violations of free access to information and freedom of expression." ____________________________________________________________________________ 7. RESOURCE: Safe Surfing Sites, Tuesday, October 27, 1998 Hi NetInLib Listmembers, Please take a look at http://home.revealed.net/albee/pages/SafeSurf.html my 83rd Page at Needle in a CyberStack on "Safe Surfing Sites". This should help meet the needs of parents, administrators, teachers, and librarians for excellent, trustworthy, fun and informative sites for children on the internet. Suggestions for other excellent sites which should be included are appreciated! John John Albee mailto:albee[at]revealed.net Teacher, Davenport Community Schools Website: Needle in a CyberStack - the InfoFinder http://home.revealed.net/albee/ address: 736 Westerfield Road Davenport, Iowa 52806 phone: 319-386-2171 We are all Works In Progress... ------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from NetInLib-Announce, see http://www.targetinform.com/netinlib/ ------------------------------------------ ____________________________________________________________________________ 8. PORTFOLIO: Princeton University Library, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections http://libserv3.Princeton.EDU/rbsc2/portfolio/portfolio.html As anyone who has ever looked for images to illustrate a publication knows, many of the best pictures are in smaller collections at historical societies, museums, and university libraries. Often, despite the richness of their collections, these institutions have limited numbers of staff to provide reference and access. To address this dilemma, Princeton University's Special Collections Department presents the Portfolio Website, which offers digital versions of the 452 images most frequently requested for reproduction in recent years. The images are arranged in several series for ease of browsing. Users can view thumbnails with accompanying identification and then enlarge images. Also included are fax- or mail-back forms for ordering reproductions, fee schedules, and publication permission information. [DS] >From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1998. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 9. The Ethics Connection [Java] (Santa Clara University) http://www.scu.edu/Ethics/homepage.shtml Created and maintained by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, the Ethics Connection demonstrates the power of the Web as an interactive information and communication medium. This site combines excellent content, form, and function to provide teachers, researchers, community leaders, and the public "with strategies to heighten ethical awareness and improve ethical decision making." The rich information resources at the Ethics Connection include an interactive forum for the discussion of ethical issues; an extensive collection of the latest news and publications on ethics, featuring the Markkula Center's own quarterly, _Issues in Ethics_; a collection of several case studies on ethics, which include message boards for visitors' comments; a Practicing Ethics section, offering numerous resources for day-to-day ethical decision making; and a compilation of 900 ethical links, all of which are categorized, rated, and reviewed. [AO] >From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1998. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 10. Stoop Sale books - Used and out-of-print radical books Please pass the news on... A new resource for radical book-lovers is starting STOOP SALE BOOKS Used & Out of Print Books on radicalism, history, social & cultural movements of change E-mail: stoopsale[at]erols.com P.O. Box 400171, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11240-400171 * Check our monthly list at our web page: http://www.erols.com/stoopsale * Anticolonialism, 1960s movement periodicals, Feminism, Black liberation, Novels , Poetry,Art * Most books are only $4-8 from list aut-op-sy[at]lists.village.virginia.edu --- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - from Agitprop News, a project of the Labor Art and Mural Project Email: lamp[at]igc.apc.org - Website: http://www.igc.apc.org/laborart To subscribe to AGITPROP NEWS, Send to: listserv[at]email.rutgers.edu Message: subscribe agitprop_news (Your Name) your[at]address ____________________________________________________________________________ 11. Staff strike as new French library opens From: Opleiding ICN/ICK Rotterdam <securma[at]XS4ALL.NL> To: BOOK_ARTS-L[at]LISTSERV.SYR.EDU <BOOK_ARTS-L[at]LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> Date: Sunday, October 25, 1998 1:13 AM Subject: Staff strike as new French library opens Staff strike as new French library opens By Charles Masters in Paris (Daily Telegraph, Oct.25, 1998) IT was supposed to be Fran=E7ois Mitterrand's final grandiose legacy, a library for the 21st century. But, like its counterpart, the new British Library in London, France's new national library has been plagued by technical problems. Barely a week after its inauguration, the library has been brought to a standstill by a series of hitches that have driven users to despair and prompted normally placid librarians to go on strike. The Biblioth=E8que Nationale de France (BNF) is equipped with the latest computer technology and book delivery systems that are designed to make the 10 million works of France's two previous national collections available to readers in one state-of-the-art building. But the =A31 billion library was badly designed from the start. The automatic transport system that delivers books from the 18-storey towers is too small for large-format volumes and is unsuitable for fragile works, since they sometimes fall from the overhead trolleys. Instead, the books have to be delivered manually. However, the heart of the problem is the library's central computer. The multi-million pound system, designed by the computer giant Cap Gemini, has proved woefully inadequate. Although the library has been designed for almost 4,000 readers, the system begins to malfunction when more than a few hundred people try to use it at once. The computer controls virtually every function in the building, including consultation of the catalogue, ordering books, and access for personnel and members to the various library floors. Marie-France Eymery, who is among staff who have been on strike since Tuesday, said: "Readers were finding themselves stuck in the building at closing time because the computer thought they still had books out in their names. It took some researchers up to six hours to register. The system was overloaded - everything was blocked. Everything that's visible to the public looks great. But everything behind the scenes has been designed with no ergonomic considerations." Staff say that instead of ironing out the problems before opening, the system is being tested on the paying public. Lack of training has compounded the problems, with some librarians given just two days' instruction on the complex computer terminals. Unions met officials from the culture ministry on Friday, but were not happy with proposals to address the difficulties. They voted to continue the strike until tomorrow. Mr Mitterrand was dying of cancer when he ordered the construction of the new library, and some regard the four bleak L-shaped towers - designed to resemble open books - as his cenotaph. But one thing the library's staff and readers agree on is that the late president left a costly and inefficient legacy. The Museum Security Network http://museum-security.org/ http://www.xs4all.nl/~securma/ archive of messages sent: http://museum-security.org/artcrime.html ____________________________________________________________________________ 12. ALA/NMRT Grants This message is being posted and forwarded to multiple lists. Please excuse the duplication ... and feel free to forward it to your favorite library-related list. Please note the December 15th application deadline. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ALA's New Members Round Table is accepting applications for the Shirley Olofson Memorial Award and the 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant. All current members of ALA/NMRT are encouraged to apply. 1) New Members Round Table Shirley Olofson Memorial Award The Shirley Olofson Memorial Award is presented annually in honor of Shirley Olofson, a well-respected former NMRT President, who died during her term in office. The award, which is intended to help defray costs to attend the ALA Annual Conference, will be presented in the form of a check for $500 at the NMRT President's Program during the 1999 Annual Conference in New Orleans. Applicants must be members of ALA and NMRT; active within the library profession; show promise or activity in the area of professional development; have valid financial need; and have attended no more than five ALA annual conferences. The recipient of the Shirley Olofson Memorial Award is required to attend at least one NMRT Executive Board meeting during ALA's Annual Conference, as well as the President's Program at which this award is presented. Contact: Dora Ho, Shirley Olofson Award Committee Chair North Hollywood Regional Branch Los Angeles Public Library Phone: (818) 766-7186 5211 Tujunga Ave. Fax: (818) 756-9135 North Hollywood, CA 91601 Email: ap520[at]lafn.org 2) New Members Round Table 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant The purpose of the 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant is to encourage professional development and participation by new ALA members in national ALA and NMRT activities. All ALA/NMRT members within their first ten years of membership are eligible for the grant. The grant is sponsored by 3M's Safety and Security Systems Division, which markets materials flow management products to libraries to prevent unauthorized borrowing and to streamline the flow of library materials. Since its establishment in 1975, the grant has been awarded to 88 NMRT members. The 1999 grant will help finance attendance at the ALA Annual Conference, which will be held in New Orleans, LA. It covers round trip airfare, lodging, conference registration fees and some incidental expenses. Contact: Marilyn Grush, 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant Committee Chair 2245 Rogene Dr. #101 Phone: (410) 706-1784 Baltimore, MD 21209 Fax: (410) 706-0067 Email: mgrush[at]hshsl.umaryland.edu *** Please note that the application deadline for both scholarships is December 15, 1998. *** Further details and applications are available on the NMRT Home Page (the URL is: http://www.ala.org/nmrt/) and from the committee chairs noted above. --------------------------------------------------------------- Posted by: Gene Kinnaly Cataloger Computer Files & Microforms Team Special Materials Cataloging Division Library of Congress 101 Independence Avenue SE Washington DC 20540-4371 email: gkin[at]loc.gov voice: (202) 707-2722 fax: (202) 707-7161 Co-Chair, Publicity Committee, New Members Round Table, ALA NMRT Home page: http://www.ala.org/nmrt/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 13. TRAINING GRANT LINKING ECOLOGY AND SOCIAL SOLUTIONS The Department of Biology of the University of Pennsylvania announces an NSF-sponsored training grant "Linking Basic Ecology with Social Solutions" available to support doctoral students*. The training initiative provides students with a solid background in basic ecology while giving them the tools to become effective problem solvers in areas that effect both the natural biological world and social systems. The curriculum includes instruction in environmental law, public policy, and science writing. The core faculty are members of the Biology Department at Penn and adjunct faculty at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the nearby Stroud Water Research Center, and the Conservation Research Center in Front Royal, Va. A policy seminar is taught by Dan Janzen, a world expert in biological and political issues, related to the conservation of biodiversity. Additional courses involve Penn law school faculty and professional journalists. The faculty is well-equipped to supervise a wide variety of dissertation research topics. Their field sites are distributed world-wide, and many are involved in the collection of long term data sets. Research interests include behavioral ecology (Dorothy Cheney, John Smith), freshwater and marine community ecology (Clyde Goulden, David Hart, Peter Petraitis), physiological ecology/population biology of reptiles (Art Dunham), biodiversity and animal-plant interactions (Dan Janzen), belowground interaction in plant communities (Brenda Casper), and evolution, including molecular evolution, and systematics (Neil Shubin, Paul Sniegowski). Students will be encouraged to take advantage of campus-wide programs in computational biology, paleobiology, and environmental sciences. A number of natural habitats are easily accessible from the Penn CampusQcoastal and freshwater marshes, the pinelands of New Jersey, hardwood forests, and serpentine barrens. The academy of Natural Sciences houses one of the best natural history libraries in the country and several major taxonomic collections, including mollusks, diatoms, fishes and birds. Students commonly use resources at the American Museum of Natural History (N.Y.C.) and the Smithsonian (Washington, D.C.). The Morris Arboretum and the Tyler Arboretum are within an hourUs drive. Some students conduct their field research overseas. We encourage applications from women and minorities. The deadline for applications is January 2 of each year, for the following fall. For more information concerning this training grant contact: Dr. Brenda Casper E-Mail address: bcasper[at]sas.upenn.edu or a faculty member appropriate for your interest http://www.sas.upenn.edu/biology/ Or if a Graduate Division School of Arts and Sciences application packet is needed, contact: Allan M. Aiken E-Mail address: aaiken[at]sas.upenn.edu *This NSF-sponsored training grant is limited to the support of United States citizens only. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To get a single daily digest of the CE-EE-ACTIVISTS list, instead of separate messages, send email to LISTSERV[at]LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG Make the message text (not the Subject): SET CE-EE-ACTIVISTS DIGest ____________________________________________________________________________ 14. ARLIS Muehsam Award for excellence in a graduate paper of project Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) announces the Muehsam Award given annually to recognize excellence in a graduate paper or project on a topic relevant to art librarianship or visual resources curatorship. The Award Recipient will also receive: $200 cash a one year membership to ARLIS/NA $300 travel reimbursement to attend the ARLIS/NA 27th Annual Conference in Vancouver, BC. March 25-31, 1999 publication of your abstract, and possibly your paper in Art Documentation, ARLIS/NA's bi-annual journal. The paper or project must have been written during the preceding 18 months by a student enrolled in an accredited graduate library program or in a post-MLS program in art history or a related discipline, and must be in conjunction with a course assignment. The length of the paper should be 10-25 pages, with an abstract of 250 words. All copy must be typed and double-spaced on one side of an 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper or the entry may besubmitted on 3-1/2 inch diskette (IBM compatible, DOS or MS Windows). The title page should include the name of the entrant and the institution attended, the name of the faculty member for whom it was written, and the course title. The bibliography and footnotes should follow an accepted format, such as the Chicago Manual of Style. In addition, authors should inform the committee Chair if their contribution has been published previously or is being considered for publication elsewhere. Papers will be judged based upon their relevance to art librarianship or visual curatorship, depth of research and scholarship, originality of thought or observation, appropriate use of terminology, style, clarity, grammar, spelling and punctuation. Entries must be received no later than Wednesday, December 10th, 1998. Entries will not be returned. The abstract of the winning paper will be published in Art Documentation, and the paper will be forwarded to the Art Documentation editor for possible publication. The announcement can also be viewed on the ARLIS/NA website at www.lib.duke.edu/lilly/arlis/contents.html Please mail entries to, or request further information from: Jennifer L.S. Moldwin Chair, Gerd Muehsam Award Committee The Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library 5200 Woodward Avenue Detroit, Michigan 48202 Tel: 313-833-7929 FAX: 313-833-9169 email: jmoldwin[at]dia.org ____________________________________________________________________________ 15. Confessions of a public library defender X-Sender: dbroderick[at]pop.erols.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1998 09:07:11 -0500 To: member-forum[at]ala1.ala.org From: "Dorothy M. Broderick" <dbroderick[at]erols.com> Subject: Confession time Reply-To: member-forum[at]ala.org Sender: owner-member-forum[at]ala.org The national atmosphere is heavy on true confessions, so I thought I'd finally 'fess up that while I am an ardent defender of the concept of the public library, the thing I hate most about moving is the thought of becoming a new public library user. In case some of you out there actually care about improving library services, let me spell out why some of us can never really be devoted fans of specific libraries as opposed to the concept. Why do libraries act as though potential new borrowers have a nefarious purpose in wanting to sign up for a library card? It was easier and more pleasant to register my two cars and get a driver's licence from the Motor Vehicle Dept. than it was to get a library card. Is it really asking too much for the person at the registration desk to express pleasure at the thought of having a new borrower? Then there is the problem of learning how a particular library is arranged and what services you can receive. In my latest case, I was told I'd get a sheet with the library card that was coming through the mail to assure that I and the address actually existed. The sheet came, but it was a photocopy of the library's rules. Not one word about its services. Strike you as strange? The library has an OPAC, heaven knows for how long, but certainly long enough so that the staff assumes you can use one and never mentions it. Well, here I am, 69-year-old coot having never encountered an OPAC before in real life. I don't even know what the letters stand for. Would it be asking too much for the person at the information desk to do a complete run-down of its possibilities when a patron asks how it works? Apparently, the answer is yes, it would be too much because when I ask a question, I get a specific narrow answer and not another word about scope and possibilities. There are a variety of machines sprinkled around the library, but all OPACs are on stand-up desks with no printed instructions anywhere, in fact, no printed signs to identify them as such. Also, not an inch of space available to write down the info one eventually unlocks. Either have total memory or leave your search up on the screen while you walk over to a table and scribble down info, thus leaving the screen and your search available for everyone to see. Does the library have a Friends group? Maybe, but as a new borrower you're clearly not invited since there isn't a word about it anywhere in sight. Eavesdropping, one discovers the library offers e-mail accounts. Anyone tell you that as part of joining up? Nope. There apparently is also Internet service and another machine with a lot of databases on it. Any sign indicating these services exist? Nope. After almost three full months of visiting the library 3 or 4 times a week, I was finally spoken to when I picked up a flier about its proposed bond issue for a new extension. That action prompted a circulation staff member to almost physically drag me over to look at the architect's design and give a spiel about what was at stake. A couple weeks later, I took myself to the library to cast a yes vote. The bond issue won, but by so small a margin, I'd ask myself what's going on here if I were a board member or the head librarian. Maybe I'm not the only one who finds the library inhospitable, the difference being I would never punish myself (the potential beneficiary of improved physical quarters) just to get back at rotten current service. It is popular folklore these days to blame the failure of bonds or budgets on either the censors who are mad because you bought Madonna or Heather Has Two Mommies, or are offering unfiltered Internet service, or on old folks (like me) who vote no to save pennies on their taxes. There may be something else at work here: dissatisfaction with using a tax supported institution whose attitude seems to be, "We have to let you in, but we don't have to make you feel welcome." Least anyone jump to the conclusion that this is just about my current library, let me stress that in one way or another, becoming a new borrower has been unpleasant in New Jersey (twice), New York (twice), Alabama, Ohio, Wisconsin, Maryland, Virginia, Kansas, and Nova Scotia, so nothing personal here, folks, just good old generic public library bashing. The institution itself is too important to not raise these issue about what a user has a right to expect. Nasty old diddie may, radical librarian redux Dorothy M. Broderick 35 Mercury Avenue East Patchogue, NY 11772 516-776-2166 ____________________________________________________________________________ 16. Bomb threats and how to deal with them Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 19:42:02 -0800 (PST) From: Laura Ellen Mitchell <lmitch[at]iquest.net> To: publib <publib[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu> Subject: How do you handle bomb threats at your library? Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.981026194159.6796F-100000[at]sunsite.Berkeley.EDU> I have had a little trouble posting this, so if it has already appeared, please excuse me. Since I have had no PUBLIB replies, I presume it has not yet appeared. For some reason, I could not find PUBLIB in the listings of www.liszt.com, nor at another site I stumbled across. But here's my question: Following two bomb threats this summer, our library staff association is working on a program concerning proper procedures. We do have a policy in place which involves talking to the caller, contacting 911, and evacuating the building. Our staff was surprised that the police expected us to search for the bomb, but it seems to be customary advice from most sources, including the bomb threat experts, the ATF. I have posted to Libref-L, and some responders were indignant that the police would expect us to search. Aside from that issue, we would like to hear from libraries that have experienced bomb threats to see what advice you would give on what you did right, what you did wrong, and what you would advise us to do in the future. Any comments would be appreciated. Laura E. Mitchell Vigo County Public Library One Library Square Terre Haute, IN 47807 Website: http://vax1.vigo.lib.in.us Voice: (812) 232-1113 X245 Fax: (812) 232-3208 TDD: (812) 232-2055 e-mail: lmitchell[at]vigo.lib.in.us e-mail: lmitch[at]iquest.net (home) > Laura E. Mitchell lmitch[at]iquest.net 2522 College Ave. lmitchell[at]vigo.lib.in.us Terre Haute, IN 47803 (812) 234-0692 Visit the Vigo County Public Library Webpage at: http://vax1.vigo.lib.in.us - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 08:33:40 -0500 (CDT) From: Ray Vignovich <RV5271S[at]ACAD.DRAKE.EDU> To: plib2[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu Subject: Re: [PUBLIB] (Fwd) Bomb threats (fwd) I believe the reason is probably that library staff can spot something that looks suspicious more readily than the police. None of us would argue that point, but when you consider the number of purses, backpacks, and other items brought into a library, I don't know that the expectation is reasonable. Furthermore, anything that looks like a book could be placed on a shelf and we would probably overlook it. Searching for clandestine ordinance is a needle in the haystack operation. If the individual delivering the threat isn't specific, you may be looking a long time. Chances are you won't find anything, but you can't presume that and make no attempt. The predominant feeling by most staffmembers is to get out of the building at once, and many of the patrons may feel that way too. A clever bomber may actually leave the device where the crowd will gather, so don't feel you are safe if you are standing around outside your building. Searching for a bomb can be very nerve wracking, and if you are lucky you won't find it because it was a hoax. If you do find it, obviously get away from the building and describe where it was to the experts. As a former Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal technician, I know that most of the bombs we were called to disarm were ordinary items mistaken for explosive devices. So don't feel embarrased if you summon the police and have them render safe an object that turns out to be a pencil sharpener or stapler. It happens all the time. Just be relieved it wasn't what you feared it would be. Ray Vignovich rv5271s[at]acad.drake.edu wdm, ia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Date: Mon, 26 Oct 1998 19:43:04 -0800 (PST) From: Bryan Davis <davis[at]crpl.cedar-rapids.lib.ia.us> To: publib <publib[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu> Subject: Re: (Fwd) Bomb threats (fwd) Message-ID: <Pine.SOL.3.91.981026194302.6796G-100000[at]sunsite.Berkeley.EDU> After my first bomb threat, about 10 years ago, I had similar reactions to those who were indignant that the police wouldn't respond until we actually found something. But after having several more sense then, it makes sense. I had a man from the local bomb squad come and do a training session with the staff which also helped a lot. Almost all bomb threats are bogus. Actual bombers are unlikely to call prior to an explosion. And who better to do the search than the people who actually work there? It's us who would notice something out of place or suspicious long before the police would. Also, on advice from the bomb squad we have never evacuated, although it wasn't necessary in a couple of cases because the time specified for the bomb to go off was after closing (which is a tip off in itself). Usually the prankster is waiting near by to see everyone come rushing out. Do it once and you invite more calls. This has happened at schools and employers in the area when someone thought it would be funny to get everyone in a panic or just wanted the rest of the day off. This was happening at a local employer on Friday afternoons until they caught on and stopped evacuating and letting everyone go home. When they stopped evacuating, the calls stopped. Of course, if you actually find something suspicious, that's different. Call the bomb squad and get the hell out. When I first arrived here we had a very detailed bomb scare procedure. It involved setting up a "command center." The director, supervisors, etc. would gather there and direct a very elaborate search and communication plan. All this accomplished was to put everyone in a panic. Now if we have a call, (it hasn't happened in 7 or 8 years) we alert the staff and have our supervisors, pages and security guard check through the building as thoroughly (and as inconspicuously) as possible, paying particular attention to trash cans, stacks, isolated spots, study rooms, verticle files and so on where a bomb could easily be left. We are looking for packages, bags, boxes, briefcases - anything that looks out of place or unattended. Why would any of these things just be sitting on a shelf in the stacks, for example? Supervisors know the building well enough to spot something that looks suspicious, and nobody knows the stacks better than the pages. As the guard makes rounds, he/she is likely to notice things which are left unattended for unusually long times. We also keep a list of questions near the phones that we are supposed to ask if a call comes in. Of course, a person may or may not have the presence of mind to do this, but we're told that callers will actually answer them sometimes. The more specific information you get, the better chance the call is real. These questions are: 1. When is the bomb going to explode? 2. Where is it right now? 3. What does it look like? 4. What kind of bomb is it? 5. What will cause it to explode? 6. Did you place the bomb? 7. Why? 8. What is your address? 9. What is your name? Exact wording of the threat: Sex of caller: Race: Age: Length of call: Number at which the call was received: Time: Date: ____________________________________________________________________________ 17. Virtual Autopsy [Frames] http://www.le.ac.uk/pathology/teach/VA/ Designed with medical students in mind, Leicester (England) University's new Virtual Autopsy site takes the student on a virtual tour of seven autopsies. Several options allow for efficient navigation of the site: Cause of Death is a self-assessment quiz students may take after "performing" each autopsy; Return to History takes the user back to the beginning of each case; and Choose another Case lets the user move between the seven cases. Each case contains nearly a dozen detailed color images of certain key parts (including tissues) of the human anatomy--lung, body, heart, head--with hyperlinks to further information. By clicking on the dictionary icon, for instance, a student links to a pop-up page with detailed descriptions of that particular condition. Aspiring pathologists are sure to find this worthwhile, and the absence of gruesome images makes it a good learning site for many budding medical scientists as well. [LXP] >From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1998. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 18. HALLOWEEN IS FOR SCIENCE--SPECIAL EDITION OF THE NSF LIBRARY NEWSLETTER For a copy of this special issue of the NSF Library Newsletter (10k), email Stephanie Bianchi <sbianchi[at]nsf.gov&> It has links to science sites on bats, mummies, wolf howls, wolf's bane, phases of the moon, masks from various cultures, and black cats, as well as halloween sites for kids. Worth writing for if you want some halloween resources on the web. ____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ | | | # # ##### ##### ## ##### # # | | # # # # # # # # # # # # | | # # ##### # # # # # # # | | # # # # ##### ###### ##### # | | # # # # # # # # # # # | | ###### # ##### # # # # # # # | | | | | | # # # # #### ###### | | # # # # # # # | | # # # # # ##### | | # # # # # # | | # # # # # # # # | | #### #### # #### ###### | | | | | | http://www.libr.org/Juice/ | | | | Except where noted, items appearing in Library Juice | | are copyright-free, so feel free to share them with | | colleagues and friends. Library Juice is a free weekly | | publication edited by Rory Litwin. Original senders | | are credited wherever possible; opinions are theirs. | | Your comments and suggestions are welcome. | | mailto:Juice[at]libr.org | |__________________________________________________________|
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Date: Wednesday, October 28, 1998 06:43 PM