Library Juice 1:41 - November 18, 1998
Contents: 1. Monday the 16th was George Seldes' birthday 2. For history buffs: Images of libraries in the 1876 Report 3. 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 4. News stories appearing in the November 16 American Libraries Online 5. Urban Library Journal - Call for Papers 6. ARTS & LETTERS DAILY - electronic serial 7. Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services Mailing List 8. Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) Newsroom 9. Digital Libraries: preprints (electronic journal) 10. BUILDER Newsletter - Development of a hybrid library 11. mai-list: Discussion list for MAI and Libraries 12. Journal for MultiMedia History (electronic journal) 13. Travel to Zimbabwe as an "Inform the World" library volunteer 14. THE LIVING LIBRARY PROJECT IN BRAZILIAN METROPOLITAN AREAS 15. Mark Rosenszweig's letter on the current Iraq situation 16. AIP's Proposed revisions to "Libraries: An American Value" 17. European Privacy Law Goes Forward. From EPIC Alert 5.15 Quote for the week: "The road to perdition has ever been accompanied by lip service to an ideal." - Albert Einstein Congratulations to this semester's Culminators at the San Jose State U. SLIS! _______________________________________________________________________________ 1. Monday the 16th was George Seldes' birthday 1890 - George Seldes lives. Author, Correspondent, media watchdog, the I.F. Stone of his day. http://www.publiceye.org/pra/glossary/seldes. http://www.sfsu.edu/~avitv/avcatalog/5094.htm http://www.copi.com/books.htm http://www.fair.org/extra/9411/george-seldes.html _______________________________________________________________________________ 2. For history buffs: Images of libraries in the 1876 Report From: Charley Seavey <seavey[at]U.Arizona.EDU> Organization: School of Information Resources and Library Science, University of Arizona Subject: Images from the 1876 Report To: H-LIS[at]H-NET.MSU.EDU I have finished up the last few missing pieces on my web page "Images from the 1876 Report" visible at http://www.sir.arizona.edu/seavey/ There are still a few lose ends, and I'd welcome any additional information, but I'm leaving on sabbatical at the end of the semester, and could not leave the page in the state in which it existed. I commend to you all Kenneth Breisch's _Henry Hobson Richardson and the Small Public Library in America_ MIT press, 1997. It proved invaluable in finishing off the web page as well as being an excellent read. If nothing else take a look at illustration I.1 and see what explanation you can come up with. mas luego -- Charley Seavey Associate Professor and Acting Director School of Information Resources and Library Science University of Arizona 1515 East First Street Tucson, AZ 85719 http://www.sir.arizona.edu/school/faculty/cas/cas.html Ranganathan Said it All! _______________________________________________________________________________ 3. 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Sender: owner-member-forum[at]ala.org More than 50 ideas for commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights can be found at http://www.unhchr.ch/html/50th/ideas.htm#ga ________________________ Don Wood American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 800-545-2433, ext. 4225 Fax: 312-280-4227 dwood[at]ala.org _______________________________________________________________________________ 4. News stories appearing in the November 16 American Libraries Online (sent to multiple lists) <http://www.ala.org/alonline/> * NCLIS Hearing Examines Internet's "Promise and Perils" * NYPL Grosses $1.7 Million at Unveiling of Rehabbed Reading Room * Orlando Library Staff Move Toward Unionization * French Strikers Settle * Concord Moves Toward Secession from Contra Costa System * Barnes & Noble Buys Ingram for $600 Million * Vietnamese Refugee Librarian Vo Thi Van Freed * Anti-Filterers Blocked in Plano * Coining a Collectible for the Library of Congress * FOLUSA Launches Readers' Choice Awards 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 50 E. Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 1-800/545-2433, Ext. 3204 312/944-3897 (fax) lgregory[at]ala.org _______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Urban Library Journal - Call for Papers Please excuse cross-postings. Urban Library Journal, a refereed journal of research and discussion dealing with all aspects of urban libraries and librarianship, welcomes articles dealing with academic, research, public, school, and special libraries in an urban setting. Urban Library Journal, formerly known as Urban Academic Librarian, also invites submissions in broader areas such as public higher education, urban studies, multiculturalism, library and educational services to immigrants, preservation of public higher education, and universal access to World Wide Web resources. Topics for columns and special issues will also be entertained. Urban Library Journal will publish two issues annually. Manuscripts, editorial correspondence, and comments should be addressed to Dr. Michael Adams, Mina Rees Library, CUNY Graduate Center, 33 W. 42nd St., New York, NY 10036-8003 or 212-642-2878 or madams[at]pobox.gsuc.cuny.edu. _______________________________________________________________________________ 6. ARTS & LETTERS DAILY - electronic serial From: nj[at]ccat.sas.upenn.edu (News of New Electronic Journals) http://www.cybereditions.com/aldaily This new web site has been produced for all who share our broad interests in the arts, philosophy, and the humanities. We think it will be very useful to classicists. New material is added to Arts & Letters Daily six days a week. We continually tests links for reliability. However, despite our best efforts, links may fail (often only temporarily) without warning. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you enjoy the site, we ask that you bring it to the attention of other email listservs. If you know of an appropriate link for Arts & Letters Daily, please let us know. Contact: sharon[at]cybertime.net _______________________________________________________________________________ 7. Performance Measurement in Libraries and Information Services Mailing List To subscribe, send email to: mailbase[at]mailbase.ac.uk In the body of the message type: join lis-perf-measures yourfirstname yourlastname lis-perf-measures is a new list sponsored by the department of Information and Library Management at the University of Northumbria at Newcastle, England. Library and information managers as well as research and teaching staff are encouraged to discuss and exchange information on performance measurement, methodologies, the human dimension, the digital library, measuring electronic services, and more. [AG] >From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1998. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ _______________________________________________________________________________ 8. Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) Newsroom http://lanic.utexas.edu:80/info/newsroom/mitch.html The Latin American Network Information Center (LANIC) at the University of Texas, a very useful gateway for Latin American resources (mentioned in the Scout Report for January 23, 1998--http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/scout/report/archive/scout-980123.html#7), has recently added this current awareness feature. The LANIC Newsroom will feature a collection of links to a major current event in Latin America. The inaugural issue covers the aftermath and relief efforts following Hurricane Mitch. [MD] >From the Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1998. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ _______________________________________________________________________________ 9. Digital Libraries: preprints (electronic journal) From: nj[at]ccat.sas.upenn.edu (News of New Electronic Journals) http://xxx.lanl.gov/archive/cs/intro.html Covers all aspects of the digital library design and document and text creation. Note that there will be some overlap with Information Retrieval (which is a separate subject area). Roughly includes material in ACM Subject Classes H.3.5, H.3.6, H.3.7, I.7. For a full description of these classes see http://www.acm.org/class/1998/ccs98.html Archive Description: Researchers have made their papers available by putting them on personal web pages, departmental pages, and on various ad hoc sites known only to cognescenti. Until now, there has been no single repository to which researchers from the whole field of computing can submit reports. That is about to change. Through a partnership of ACM, the Los Alamos e-Print archive, and NCSTRL (Networked Computer Science Technical Reference Library), an online Computing Research Repository (CoRR) has been established. The Repository has been integrated into the collection of over 20,000 computer science research reports and other material available through NCSTRL and will be linked with the ACM Digital Library. The Repository is available to all members of the community at no charge. We encourage you to start using the service right away. It gains in value as more researchers use it. Submitting your research articles to the repository will be the surest way to have your work reach a wide audience. >From the above URL you can: * browse the Repository and peruse recent submissions or browse the entire NCSTRL collection * search the Repository or the NCSTRL collection * subscribe to the Repository or the NCSTRL collection, and get regular email notification of new submissions * submit a document to the Repository using web upload, if you have already registered. * get help on many topics, including: - submission, including registration and using email or ftp submissions (which do not require registration) - searching - submitting LaTeX source - other frequently-asked questions - mirror sites, for potentially faster access to the Repository if you are not in North America. See <http://xxx.lanl.gov/archive/cs/intro.html> to browse or search the library or to submit new documents. You can also subscribe to a notification service. Authors retain copyright on the papers they submit. Additional information on CoRR is available at <http://www.acm.org/corr>. Contact: cs-admin[at]xxx.lanl.gov. or Moderator: Michael Lesk, lesk[at]acm.org _______________________________________________________________________________ 10. BUILDER Newsletter - Development of a hybrid library From: nj[at]ccat.sas.upenn.edu (News of New Electronic Journals) BUILDER: Birmingham University Integrated Library Development and Electronic Resource BUILDER Newsletter (Issue 1 - July 1998) is now available from the BUILDER Web site: http://builder.bham.ac.uk BUILDER aims to develop a working model of the hybrid library within both a teaching and research context, seamlessly integrating access to a wide range of printed and electronic information sources, local and remote, using a Web-based interface, and in a way which will be universally applicable. ---------------------------------- Andrew Hampson Project Development Officer http://lib137.bham.ac.uk/adhampson a.d.hampson[at]bham.ac.uk _______________________________________________________________________________ 11. mai-list: Discussion list for MAI and Libraries To: IFLA-L[at]INFOSERV.NLC-BNC.CA Dear List Members, The British Columbia Library Association announces a new listserv, mai-list, entirely devoted to the topic of the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI) and its effects on libraries around the world.* The list will provide an international forum for discussion of the issues surrounding the MAI, as well as a support network for action against the treaty. Please send your name, email address and library affiliation to bcla[at]interchange.ubc.ca and we will add you to the list. A welcome message and list commands will be sent to you shortly thereafter. __________________________________________________________________________ * in light of recent developments in the MAI negotiations, we may decide to broaden the focus to include international trade agreements in general and their effects on libraries, but this decision will be made amongst list members once they have subscribed. *********************************************************************** * IFLA-L is provided by the International Federation of Library * * Associations and Institutions (IFLA). For further information about * * IFLA activities, including organization or personal affiliate * * information, contact: IFLA[at]ifla.org * * * * URL: www.ifla.org * *********************************************************************** _______________________________________________________________________________ 12. Journal for MultiMedia History (electronic journal) **********ANNOUNCING A NEW FRONTIER IN ACADEMIC PUBLISHING:********** The Department of History at the State University of New York at Albany is pleased to present the first issue of The Journal for MultiMedia History. We are the first peer-reviewed electronic journal that presents, evaluates, and disseminates multimedia scholarship. This free online journal can be found at the following Web site: http://www.albany.edu/jmmh This exciting journal offers a new vision for presenting historical research. Adhering to the highest research standards and utilizing the most innovative multimedia technologies, The Journal for MultiMedia History (JMMH) combines audio, visual, and hyperlinked materials with thoughtful historical analysis. By exploiting the almost magical potential of digital code, authors can explore and present a range of scholarly source materials impossible to incorporate into traditional texts. The journal also provides in-depth reviews, including audio and visual clips and links, of multimedia resources such as CD-ROMs, videos, and Web sites. The first issue includes exciting pieces by accomplished scholars. One item centers on a radio interview conducted in 1960 with the Nation of Islam's Elijah Muhammad, accompanied by an analysis by his biographer, Claude A. Clegg III. This issue also contains the audio and text of a lecture by Professor Kathy Peiss that focused on her new book about American women and the making of the modern consumer culture. Tom Kriger explores a labor strike in New York that took place during the Great Depression. He uses a dazzling array of photographs and oral history interviews. Adrienne Hood and Jacqueline Spafford make judicious use of hypertext to demonstrate the promise and perils of integrating Web construction projects, and Corrine Blake offers a comprehensive hypertext review of Web-based resources for students and scholars of Islam and Islamic Civilization. We are privileged to have a distinguished editorial board that includes Steven Brier, co-founder of the American Social History Project (ASHP), City University of New York (CUNY), currently assistant provost forTechnology and Instructional Media at the Graduate School and University Center, CUNY; Joshua Brown, creative director of the ASHP and acting director of the ASHP/Center for Media and Learning, City University of New York; Mark Kornbluh, director of H-NET, Michigan State University; Carolyn Lougee, chair, Stanford University History Department; Roy Rosenzweig, head of the Center for New Media at George Mason University; and Richard Hamm, University at Albany, State University of New York; and the founding editors,Gerald Zahavi and Julian Zelizer of the University at Albany. Susan McCormick, a doctoral student in our department, has offered her expert guidance throughout this process as the managing editor of the JMMH. Please forward this announcement to other Internet discussion groups and post it on the bulletin boards of your institution. We hope you enjoy The Journal for MultiMedia History and we look forward to receiving your commentsand scholarly contributions at jmmh[at]csc.albany.edu Gerald Zahavi and Julian Zelizer Founding Editors, the Journal for Multimedia History http://www.albany.edu/jmmh Department of History, University at Albany http://www.albany.edu/history Phone: (518)442-4488 Fax: (518)442-3477 E-mail: jmmh[at]csc.albany.edu _______________________________________________________________________________ 13. Travel to Zimbabwe as an "Inform the World" library volunteer INFORM THE WORLD! Next summer, you could change lives as an Inform the World Volunteer Librarian in rural Africa. Instead of battling with your computer catalog, you could use your professional skills to help rural librarians in English-speaking Zimbabwe. For example, you might teach a class on book repair, help implement a simple cataloguing system, peddle a bicycle-mounted book box to a remote village, or lead a donkey driven "book mobile" to a group of eager children. If this sounds like the adventure you have been looking for, join us for this exciting service project and help make the information poor a little bit richer. Who: The World Library Partnership (WLP) in the USA and the Rural Libraries and Resources Development Programme (RLRDP) in Zimbabwe are pleased to announce the 1999 Inform the World Librarian Volunteer Program. WLP connects libraries around the world with partner libraries in the US and produces training materials for librarians in developing countries. The RLRDP has established a network of over 100 rural libraries in Zimbabwe and has a waiting list of 4,000 communities that want libraries. What: The Inform the World Program will train and place 10-15 American librarians in rural libraries in Zimbabwe. The volunteers will conduct practical service projects determined by their host libraries. They will also work with WLP and the RLRDP to design projects to promote the sustainability of their host libraries once they return to the US. When: The trip will last approximately 4 weeks in late June through mid July 1999 (contact WLP for the exact dates). The pre-departure orientation and training will take place in Durham, NC. Cost: The estimated cost of the trip is $3,900 (contact WLP for the exact price). This includes placement, orientation/training, debriefing/follow-up, lodging and round-trip airfare from Durham to Harare. Starting in January, WLP will post information about travel grants and other potential funding sources on its web site. How to apply: Contact Laura Wendell at WLP (see below) for an application and information packet. Space is limited so contact us soon! Laura Wendell Executive Director The World Library Partnership 1028 Bahama Rd. Bahama, NC 27503 (919) 479-0163 wendell[at]acpub.duke.edu http://rtpnet.org/~wlp _______________________________________________________________________________ 14. THE LIVING LIBRARY PROJECT IN BRAZILIAN METROPOLITAN AREAS Summary Living Library is a 2 year project that aims at making the act of reading and writing an everyday activity for poor children and their teachers. This would mean less failures in elementary school and more children learning about their reality and how to change it. These libraries are being implanted in Community Centers in charge of children and adolescents living in the poor districts on the fringe of the big cities, where huge slums and acute social problems are concentrated. To achieve its objective the Project team provides personal development for the community teachers by preparing them to work with books and reading activities in the context of poverty and deprivation of their institutions. Each library is unique, taking into account the needs and the culture of the community where it is located. The Project is supported by a grant from Citibank in partnership with the Abrinq Foundation for the Childrens Rights (1995 - 1997 and 1998 until 2000). Narrative >From the mid 40's to the 70's the big cities in the south of Brazil expanded due to internal migrations. The poorest settlers were brushed-off to the outskirts of these cities and there lives today a great mass of unqualified workers crammed in huge slums. Some of these slums have no water supply and none have sewage systems. In these poor districts we find the highest rates of illiteracy and elementary school failures. There, also, can be found the worst schools and most doubtful health services, despite all the improvements conquered by organized inhabitants during the 80's. During those years, with the intensification of social problems, many nongovernamental institutions were created and many existing Community Centers boosted their activities to provide informal education for children and adolescents after school hours. Most families send their children to these institutions to take them off the streets. There they receive food, several types of care and the help of an adult for their homework, since they are typically children that fail in elementary school. These nongovernamental institutions work with little or no materials, and untrained profissionals seldom identified as teachers - they are called volunteers, entretainers or nannies. They want help, they want training in order to provide high standart educational support that can realy change the life of these children. One disadvantage of these teachers and children is the fact that books (mainly good ones) and written materials are absent in their homes and working places. The Living Library project has been created to meet this need for good books, information and professional training. The Living Library Project is based on the idea that reading and writing are meaningful only when they become means for children to learn more about their reality and change their lives and their environment. Some 1995 results >From September to December 1995 Forty-four institutions took part in the selective process. Among those 10 were chosen to receive the library : 2 in Brasilia and 8 in Sao Paulo city Fourteen community teachers went through a 44 hour training program The first 10 libraries received 4,000 books, directly benefiting 2,500 children and adolescents. The first 10 libraries were implanted and are open to the community. They attend institutions that look after street children from slums in the outskirts, children living in tenements downtown, children living in shelters (who have no parents or are temporarily separeted from them), and children from poor villages (previous construction camps), as is the case of Vila Planalto in Brasilia, Brazils capital. The Project will affect decisively these children as it changes their relationship between children who come from literate families and those coming from homes deprived of contact with books or written materials. It will teach them not only to read and to value books but also to read their environment , to look at their reality using concepts they can obtain from books with the community teachers help. The Project affects community teachers in many ways: They are trained and given new knowledge for working with children, using books as a tool for educational purposes. They are led to understand how books change people and reality itself. Finaly, they learn to introduce new subjects with which to teach children and impart knowledge needed for success in elementary school. Perspective 1998 -2000 110 libraries in 2 years 240 teachers trained by the program an estimated 32,000 children and adolescents reached by the Project 24,000 books sent to 80 community centers (Distributed by Raimund Dehmlow, raimund.dehmlow[at]aekn.de) _______________________________________________________________________________ 15. Mark Rosenszweig's letter on the current Iraq situation Dear fellow librarians, Presidential spokespersons officially announced that 10,0000 Iraqis were to die in a massive US armed attack unleashed against the people of the nation of Iraq as punishment for its governments "non-compliance" with US/UN weapons inspections there. The horror of this action was narrowly averted, we are told. This kind of threat, the open threat to kill civilians by the thousands to punish a dictator and his cabal for their alleged evasions of international inspectors looking for hidden weapons caches, is state terrorism and it makes a mockery of international law and the rational pursuit of a peace and security. The kind of free, democratic culture to which we, as librarians, hope we are contributing cannot abide our government brandishing the threat of such a mass slaughter, of such calculated technological barbarism, as a legitimate tool to force the compliance of another government to our will. Democratic librarians who see global peace and security and justice as the foundations for the advancement of the cultural and educational projects which are our special professional responsibilities must make their voices heard along with those from all walks of life who decry the threat of bloody mass murder as a legitimate instrument of diplomacy. The US cannot continue to play this kind of brinksmanship with the threats of unleashing unspeakable devastation.We already have hobbled Iraq with sanctions which have had disatrous consequences for the common people of the nation. This itself is abominable. It is, however, truly degrading to the moral foundations of our own democratic republic to resort to escalating threats of mass butchery at every impasse to our will and in so doing to create a state of permanent anxiety of imminent war, here in this country as around the world, in order to deal with an irresponsible and recalcitrant government in Iraq which challenges our right to infringe what they believe to be their nation's sovereignty. The press asks "who blinked?" to assess the relative advantage of Iraq versus the United States after a bloodbath was narrowly averted. The question is "Who wouldn't blink in horror at the brink of the planned prospect of the death of at least 10,000 persons and the devastation of their country?" Democratic, progressive librarians say "NO to US threats of mass destruction and death against the people of Iraq! End the sanctions against the people of Iraq! Books not bombs!" Prof. Mark C. Rosenzweig ALA Councilor at large co-cordinator, Progressive Librarians Guild _______________________________________________________________________________ 16. AIP's Proposed revisions to "Libraries: An American Value" Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1998 13:32:58 -0600 From: "Cathleen Bourdon" <cbourdon[at]ala.org> To: Reference and User Services Association List <rusa-l[at]ala1.ala.org> Subject: ALTERNATIVES IN PRINT TASK FORCE Reply-To: cbourdon[at]ala.org Sender: owner-rusa-l[at]ala1.ala.org ALTERNATIVES IN PRINT TASK FORCE 1716 SW Williston Road Gainesville, FL 32608-4049 Tel. 352/335-2200 willett[at]gnv.fdt.net 9 November 1998 Contact: Charles Willett 352/335-2200 willett[at]gnv.fdt.net NEWS For Immediate Release November 1998 The Alternatives in Print Task Force of SRRT proposes revisions to "Libraries: An American Value," that raise intellectual freedom standards for libraries. The Alternatives in Print Task Force (AIP) of ALA's Social Responsibilities Round Table has issued an "Open Letter to ALA Units" proposing that the draft intellectual freedom statement, "Libraries: An American Value," written earlier this year by a special presidential committee be substantially revised. The views of the two groups differ widely as to the purpose and effect of the document. Both sides see it as a major ALA policy statement for the 21st century, standing alongside the Library Bill of Rights. But whereas the drafting committee wants the statement to "speak to the public," AIP wants it to "set clear standards for libraries" in areas where intellectual freedom has not yet been achieved. Thus, for example, where the presidential committee declares that "Libraries in America are cornerstones of the communities they serve, [providing] free access [to resources]," AIP says they "should be cornerstones [providing] free and equal access. . . ." Where the committee's draft states that librarians help users "identify and effectively use the library's resources," AIP modifies the phrase to include "bibliographies, catalogs and indexes to both mainstream and alternative resources." Where the committee's draft assures the public vaguely (and incorrectly) that librarians make available "the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions and ideas," AIP specifies: ". . . through the acquisition of small and alternative press materials, and through the avoidance of professional self-censorship stemming either from ideological bias or ease of acquisition." Finally, the AIP proposal includes an entire new paragraph: "We endorse Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and stand in solidarity with people everywhere in support of their right to free expression," and in the final summation adds the important phrase "in a world free of fear and want," recognizing vital social and economic human rights. --------------open letter to ALA units----------------- ALTERNATIVES IN PRINT TASK FORCE 1716 SW Williston Road Gainesville, FL 32608-4049 Tel. 352/335-2200 willett[at]gnv.fdt.net 9 November 1998 AN OPEN LETTER TO ALA UNITS >From the Alternatives in Print Task Force (AIP), ALA/SRRT Rory Litwin and Charles Willett, Co-coordinators In response to the first (March 1998) draft of the intellectual freedom statement, "Libraries: An American Value," written by the presidential committee chaired by June Pinnell-Stephens, several members of the Alternatives in Print Task Force (AIP) of the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT), acting as individuals, submitted a proposed revised text to the committee in July. The committee incorporated some of these proposals into its second (August) draft, but rejected others with the following comment (which should have read "AIP members" instead of "SRRT;" SRRT took no position): "SRRT made a number of other suggestions that the committee did not adopt, primarily because they did not speak to the public but rather changed the focus of the document." Changing the focus of the document from complacent self-congratulation to conscientious striving for higher standards in American libraries and ALA is indeed the purpose of these AIP proposals! Our task force has now reworked them into the August draft and is disseminating them to ALA units for discussion before ALA Council takes up the concept at Midwinter. The official intellectual freedom statement of the American Library Association should be more than a bland public relations document intended for outsiders. It should set clear standards for libraries. Unless its text addresses specific issues, this "contract with the people we serve" will not be binding on the libraries they use and pay for. Therefore the Alternatives in Print Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table proposes the following more precise language*additions in CAPS (deletions in parentheses): Libraries: An American Value Libraries in America SHOULD BE (are) cornerstones of the communities they serve. Free AND EQUAL access to the books, ideas, resources and information in America's libraries is imperative for education, work, recreation and self-government. Libraries are a legacy to each generation, offering the heritage of the past and the promise of the future. To ensure that libraries flourish and have the freedom to promote and protect the public good in the 21st century, we believe certain principles must be guaranteed. An Open Letter to ALA Units from AIP/SRRT Page 2 To that end, we affirm this contract with the people we serve: We defend the constitutional rights of all individuals, including children and young adults, to use the library's resources and services WITHOUT REGARD TO AGE, SEX, RACE, CLASS, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, PHYSICAL DISABILITY, OR ABILITY TO PAY. We value our nation's diversity and strive to reflect that diversity by providing THE (a) full spectrum of resources and services to the communities we serve. We affirm the responsibility and the right of all parents to guide their own children's use of the library and its resources and services. We connect people and ideas by helping each person identify and effectively use the library's BIBLIOGRAPHIES, CATALOGS AND INDEXES TO BOTH MAINSTREAM AND ALTERNATIVE resources. We protect each individual's privacy and confidentiality in the use of library resources and services BY EDUCATING STAFF, THE PUBLIC, AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ABOUT THESE LEGAL GUARANTEES AS THEY APPLY TO LIBRARY USERS. We protect the rights of individuals to express their concerns about library resources and services BY PROVIDING AVENUES FOR COMPLAINTS, REQUESTS AND SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING LIBRARY MATERIALS. We celebrate and preserve our democratic society by making available the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions and ideas THROUGH THE ACQUISITION OF SMALL AND ALTERNATIVE PRESS MATERIALS, AND THROUGH THE AVOIDANCE OF PROFESSIONAL SELF-CENSORSHIP STEMMING EITHER FROM IDEOLOGICAL BIAS OR EASE OF ACQUISITION, so that all individuals have the opportunity to become lifelong learners*literate, educated, culturally enriched, and informed. WE ENDORSE ARTICLE 19 OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH PEOPLE EVERYWHERE IN SUPPORT OF THEIR RIGHT TO FREE EXPRESSION. Change is constant; but these principles transcend change and endure in a dynamic technological, social and political environment. By embracing these principles, libraries in the United States can contribute to a future that values and protects freedom of speech, in a world FREE OF FEAR AND WANT that celebrates both our similarities and our differences, respects individuals and their beliefs, and holds all persons truly equal and free. _______________________________________________________________________________ 17. European Privacy Law Goes Forward. From EPIC Alert 5.15 The European Union Data Directive goes into force this week. The new law provides basic privacy rights for consumers and should encourage the development of privacy enhancing technologies. The data directive grew out of specific circumstances related to the integration of the European economies and the need to harmonize national privacy laws. It also reflects a widely held belief that privacy is a fundamental human right, entitled to full protection in law. Under the EU rules, European citizens have a right to: See any information about them and know how the information will be used; access the information and make corrections; be notified before the information is sold or shared elsewhere and choose who else can have access to the information; and sue if a company is in violation of these conditions. The EU Data Directive has been endorsed strongly by BEUC, the leading European Consumers Organization. In a letter this month to European Commission Member Mario Monti, BEUC Director Jim Murray wrote, "Our concern is with the personal data of European consumers which may be exported to the U.S. European consumers must not lose their specific protections when that data is exported. If the U.S. cannot give effective guarantees on this point, personal data should not be exported from the EU to the U.S." Other countries are following Europe's lead. Canada is the most recent of several governments that have announced plans to adopt comprehensive privacy legislation to promote consumer confidence and encourage the development of new commercial services. The EU Data Directive has also been cited several times as contributing to the decision of EU member countries not to endorse the U.S.-promoted key escrow/key recovery encryption scheme. Simon Davies, Director of Privacy International, has indicated that PI will begin enforcement actions against firms that fail to comply with the requirements of the EU Directive as early as this year. Louise Sylvan, Vice President of Consumer International, has said that the international consumer organization will begin an evaluation this year of the adequacy of consumer privacy protection around the globe. In the United States opinion polls show public support for new privacy legislation. The following resources are available online: European Union Directive http://www.privacy.org/pi/intl_orgs/ec/eudp.html Privacy International http://www.privacy.org/pi/ Consumers International http://www.consumersinternational.org/ EPIC Congressional Testimony on the EU Data Directive and Privacy http://www.epic.org/privacy/intl/rotenberg-eu-testimony-598.html ------------------------------------------------------------ The EPIC Alert is a free biweekly publication of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. To subscribe or unsubscribe, send email to epic-news[at]epic.org with the subject: "subscribe" (no quotes) or "unsubscribe". A Web-based form is available at: http://www.epic.org/alert/subscribe.html Back issues are available at: http://www.epic.org/alert/ _______________________________________________________________________________
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Date: Tuesday, November 24, 1998 05:02 PM