Library Juice 2:27 - Library Juice is now a book and a blog

Library Juice 2:27 - July 14, 1999 L'edition le meilleur Contents: 1. Today is Bastille Day 2. French National Library (Bibliothèque Nationale) online catalog 3. Tour de France 4. The battle continues at KPFA 5. An open letter to ALA members from Sandy Berman 6. A2A - Access to Archives (archive web directory in progress) 7. U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian is back! 8. Carol Reid's "Bad Libraries" article updated 9. Globalization Bibliography 10. Your Nation - http://www.your-nation.com/ 11. Meta Search Engine for Searching Multiple Human Rights Sites 12. Letter from Sandy Berman on Poor People's Policy resolution 13. Facts About The "Booming" U.S. Economy 14. A Short History of the US Working Class (review) 15. Hypertext Library Lingo - a glossary 16. New Online: Gateway To Interent Resources For Librarians 17. Planning and Building Libraries 18. Dr. Laura: Wronging rights in the library 19. Anti-Dr. Laura Graphic for use on websites 20. "I liked Powell's Speech," by David Burt 21. Toward a new definition of "community values?" 22. "How to Communicate with your Spanish Employees" 23. Languages on the Web 24. Feline Conservation Center (FCC) Quote for the week: "It is especially the narrowing of the range of public discourse in a market-dominated information industry that requires vigilant librarians who recognize that libraries in a corporate sense symbolize the totality of human knowledge in all modes of knowing. As consumers of information products, library systems could, for example, use their collective purchasing power to remain critical of the ethical consequences of convergence and concentration industry trends for their collection and interpretive functions." Archie L. Dick, "Epistemological Positions in Library and Information Science," _Library Quarterly_, Vol. 69, no. 3, July 1999, pp. 305-323 Home page of the week: Deborah Richards page, "POOKLAND" http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Heights/6248/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 1. Today is Bastille Day Explanation of Bastille Day http://www.premier-ministre.gouv.fr/GB/HIST/FETNAT.HTM Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, Aug 1798 http://www.larocheind.com/Declaration.htm The Marseillaise: Allons enfants de la patrie, Le jour de gloire est arrivé. Contre nous de la tyrannie L'étendard sanglant est levé. Arise, children of the nation! Our day of glory is here. For against us we see raised Tyranny's bloody banner! ____________________________________________________________________________ 2. French National Library (Bibliothèque Nationale) online catalog The Catalogue of the French National Library (Bibliothèque Nationale) is online at http://www.bnf.fr/ An English version of the interface is promised. The main index, BN-OPALE PLUS announces 7 million index entries, describing 8 million documents stored by the library since the 16th century, when King François I enacted a law obliging printers to provide one copy of every book published in France to the library. -- David Sharp - Equipe Web/Web Content Team, AFP News Agency <http://www.afp.com> Dépt. Multimédia, AFP, 13 place de la Bourse, 75002 Paris, France Tel 331 40 41 47 92. Fax 331 40 41 45 72 E-mail - David.sharp[at]afp.com ICQ: 16881741 Note: Library Juice has covered the BNF in these past issues: Library Juice 1:39 - http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol1/LJ_39.html Library Juice 1:43 - http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol1/LJ_43.html Library Juice 2:19 - http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol2/LJ_2.19.html ____________________________________________________________________________ 3. Tour de France le Tour de France [.pdf] http://www.letour.com/ _Bicycling Magazine_ 1999 Tour de France Center http://bicycling.com/tdf/ ESPN Tour de France Multimedia [RealPlayer] http://espn.go.com/cycling/france99/multimedia.html 1999 marks the 86th Tour de France, the most prestigious bicycle race in the world. On July 3rd, 180 riders (20 teams of 9) began this year's 23 day, 20 stage (plus a prologue), 2,200+ mile race. The race includes eleven flat, three mountain, and four high mountain stages, as well as two time trials (each rider alone against the clock). The official Tour site is presented in four languages (French, English, German, and Spanish) and includes detailed information on both the riders and the stages (including DHTML-enhanced maps), as well as live updates during each stage. _Bicycling Magazine_'s site also includes live coverage of the race, previews of the day ahead, and special coverage of the US Postal Team's effort this year. ESPN and ABC have teamed up to provide a multimedia section showing the last few minutes of each day's race in RealPlayer format. They also provide video of historic Tour de France moments dating back to 1989. [PMS] >From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1999. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 4. The battle continues at KPFA Last night (Tuesday, July 13) Pacifica Corporation took over the airwaves at KPFA, forcibly removing the station's regular broadcaster. For info on the crisis, the flashpoint in the corporate media's cold war, go to these links: http://www.radio4all.org/freepacifica http://www.savepacifica.net Pacifica's site is also worth a look - http://www.pacifica.org - but keep in mind that they are the party with the upper hand in this conflict, which has involved arrests and shootings (that's right, guns). KPFA was the country's first public radio station and its collective leadership has been cast to the four winds by the increasingly corporate controlled Pacifica Foundation. See Library Juice 2:17 for information on a project aimed at preserving the Pacifica Archives at KPFA: http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol2/LJ_2.17.html ____________________________________________________________________________ 5. An open letter to ALA members from Sandy Berman Dear Friends, Early in March, hoping to prevent other colleagues from undergoing the same denial of on-the-job intellectual freedom that I was experiencing at Hennepin County Library, I proposed this resolution to the ALA Council: WHEREAS the American Library Association is firmly committed to human rights and freedom of expression (POlicies 53 and 58.4.1); and WHEREAS candid, robust debate is essential to the making of sound policy; and WHEREAS library staff do not universally enjoy the right to openly discuss library and professional issues without fear of reprisal; THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ALA Council amends the Library Bill of Rights (53.1) by adding: 7) Libraries should permit and encourage a full and free expression of views by staff on professional and policy matters. E.J. Josey, Marice J. Freedman, Tamara Miller, and Gretchen Wronka (Minnesota Chapter Councilor) seconded the resolution. On Tuesday, June 29th, in New Orleans, ALA Council overwhelmingly voted to refer the amendment to its Committee on Professional Ethics, which presumably will report back in six months, perhaps recommending new language for the ethics code. While some sympathetic Council members supported the referral as a way to at least keep the proposal alive, I opposed it. The arguments favoring referral largely asserted that the Library Bill of Rights was exclusively user-centered and that the document itself was now tantamount to holy writ, not to be frivolously desecrated by the unanointed. This is what I said: 1) The focus is entirely on free speech, which perfectly harmonizes with the tone and substance of the Library Bill of Rights; and 2) hardly anyone, in truth, sees or reads the code of ethics, but the Library Bill of Rights is often laminated, framed, displayed, and even distributed to public and staff--and thus seems an ideal vehicle for stating with equal firmness and clarity that library resources *and* employees should be uncensored. I added that the speech-climate within a library could directly impact user resources, access, and services, particularly if staff were unable to openly and fully discuss such basic matters as cataloging policy, fee-based activities, and collection development. To thwart the ALA "establishment" from burying or muting this vital issue, and to concretely establish free speech rights for all library staff, I invite every ALA member to contact both the Ethics and Intellectual Freedom Committees, demanding that the amendment as originally proposed be speedily added to the Library Bill of Rights. Yours for an unmuzzled profession, Sanford Berman Former ALA Councilor-at-Large July 6, 1999 Library Bill of Rights: http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/lbr.html ____________________________________________________________________________ 6. A2A - Access to Archives (archive web directory in progress) The A2A - Access to Archives website is now live at http://www.pro.gov.uk/a2a/default.htm We'll be updating the site as the project develops over the coming months -in addition, suggestions for information you'd like to see here, or links, would be welcomed. Margaret Procter Communications Officer A2A Steering Group ---------------------- University of Liverpool Library PO Box 123 Liverpool L69 3DA Tel: 0151 794 5675 Fax: 0151 794 5417 mprocter[at]liverpool.ac.uk ____________________________________________________________________________ 7. U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian is back! Several folks asked, so here is info on The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian Here is the subscription info from the latest (#110) issue of _The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian: the "how I run my library good" letter (sm)_: Published four times a year. US $48.00. Many back issues in print -- US $12.00 each (First issue -- Fall 1971) Canandian and foreign postage and handling -- US $2.00 per issue ($8. per year); foreign airmail -- US $5.00 per issue ($20. per year) Marvin H. Scilken M.L.S., Creator, Mary P. Scilken, Editor and Publisher. The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D Librarian G.P.O. Box 2631, New York NY 10116. Fax 212-691-3807. Michael A. Golrick mgolrick[at]sclc.org Southern Connecticut Library Council 2911 Dixwell Ave, Suite 201 Hamden CT 06518-3130 voice: 203-288-5757 fax: 203-287-0757 Connecticut Library Association President 1999/2000 Connecticut Chapter Councilor ____________________________________________________________________________ 8. Carol Reid's "Bad Libraries" article updated Carol Reid writes that the version of her "Bad Libraries" article published in Library Juice last week contained some factual errors. She has corrected them and made some other changes to the article as well. The updated article can be found in the web version of Library Juice 2:26, at http://libr.org/Juice/issues/vol2/LJ_2.26.html . The article is about offenses to truth and justice at the hands of various North American library directors, but has a happy ending. ____________________________________________________________________________ 9. Globalization Bibliography Hey all, please stop by my new globalization bibliography site. http://www.angelfire.com/oh2/kinsey Suggestions and submissions are welcomed. Kinsey http://i.am/notJoking Ta ta for now. Nolite te bastardes carborundorum. (sent to librarians[at]tao.ca) ____________________________________________________________________________ 10. Your Nation - http://www.your-nation.com/ This database provides an interface to data from the CIA Factbook and other sources. You can compare any data element of two countries, find the top five countries for any data element, or look at all data elements for a particular country. You can also compare data values against another data value (for instance, see the population of two countries as per total land area) using a modifier. -rs From Librarians' Index to the Internet http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 11. Meta Search Engine for Searching Multiple Human Rights Sites http://www.innovamedtech.com/lawform.html Recently unveiled by the Human Rights Library of the University of Minnesota (originally reviewed in the January 5, 1996 Scout Report), this new search engine will be welcomed by researchers and activists in human rights. Searchable by keyword and several optional operators (Boolean, proximity, truncation), the engine retrieves data from any or all of the 23 different rights-related sites that users select. Interestingly, returns are presented "as is" from the source pages (with page header, images, and unique formats) but combined into a single results page. A test search for "Northern Ireland" on four selected sites returned over 40 results. Direct links to the featured databases and, in some cases, their search tips pages are also provided. [MD] >From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1999. http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/ ____________________________________________________________________________ 12. Letter from Sandy Berman on Poor People's Policy resolution July 3, 1999 "Letters" _American Libraries_ 50 E. Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 Dear Colleagues, On June 29th, in New Orleans, ALA Council refused to approve the "Resolution on the Subject Heading Revisions Related to the 'Poor People's Policy" that had been introduced at the 1999 Midwinter Meeting and subsequently referred to ALCTS for comment. That vote derived, in part, from an error-ridden, LC-idolizing, alibi-laden "background paper" by the Subject Analysis Committee (SAC) chair, coupled with appallingly elitist, condescending, and user-unfriendly remarks made by ALCTS leaders and allied Councillors (one alleging that making recommendations directly to LC catalogers would be like telling reluctant teenagers how to behave, only making them more defiant, and another claiming that outsiders' suggestions for new or reformed subject headings should always be "strenuously resisted"!). The resolution itself sprang from the "Poor People's Policy" injunction to "promote the ready accessibility of print and nonprint materials that honestly address the issues of poverty and homelessness, that deal with poor people in a respectful way, and that are of practical use to low-income persons." As slightly emended, it *urged* the Library of Congress to "a) replace PUBLIC WELFARE and PUBLIC WELFARE ADMINISTRATION with the more familiar WELFARE and WELFARE ADMINISTRATION; b) humanize the current heading, POOR, by transforming it into POOR PEOPLE; and c) swiftly establish and assign" some 39 "warranted and essential headings related to poverty and social policy," including CHILDREN OF UNEMPLOYED PARENTS, CLASSISM, CORPORATE POWER, CORPORATE WELFARE, ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY, HOMELESS MENTALLY ILL PERSONS, HOMELESS TEENAGERS, LIVING WAGE LAWS, POOR PEOPLE--RIGHTS, STREET NEWSPAPERS, VIOLENCE AGAINST POOR PEOPLE, and WORKING POOR PEOPLE. Every one of the proposed descriptors had been innovated at Hennepin County Library, freqently in the course of handling materials already cataloged by LC. Contrary to the "background paper" assertions, cross-references, public notes, usage-examples, and assignment-citations have been routinely reported to both the Subject Authority Cooperative Program (SACO) and LC's Cataloging POlicy and Support Office by means of the bimonthly _HCL cataloging bulletin_. Typically, there has been no explanation for rejecting or ignoring particular forms. However, LC lately *did* dismiss CORPORATE WELFARE as a partisan, editorial buzzword--even though HCL created that heading in December 1995 and has ever since recorded and forwarded usage-examples and assignments, now truly overwhelming, which clearly indicate "literary warrant" and its applicability to actual library materials. The lame and hoary argument against humanizing POOR is that too many authority and bibliographic records would have to be modified. And to explain the contrast between the two extant headings, POOR and RICH PEOPLE, LC stated "Poor" is an original subject heading, established in 1898, that followed a pattern, prevalent at the time, of referring to groups of people in this manner, similar to "Blind" or "Deaf." "Rich people," however, was established in 1996 and follows the current pattern of including "people" in the heading. It appears that "historic preservation" now justifies retaining obsolete, Victorian terminology. Libraries are regularly touted as "bulwarks of democracy," but how can they usefully support or contribute to public policy debates when such genuine issues or concepts as classism, corporate power, living wage laws, and corporate welfare can't even be searched in library catalogs? This resolution doesn't *require* LC to do anything. It merely "urges" them to improve access to poverty and social policy topics. And that doesn't seem like to much for the profession to ask--without a SAC Task Force first agonizing over every already-researched and worked-our proposal and, in all likelihood, finally accepting LC's stock, head-in-the-sand excuses for not doing anything at all. Sanford Berman Former Chair, SRRT Task Force on Hunger, Homelessness, and Poverty Former Head Cataloger, Hennepin County Library Edina, MN bc: Library Juice ____________________________________________________________________________ 13. Facts About The "Booming" U.S. Economy In the 1970s, the top 1 percent of households had about 20 percent of the national wealth. This was widely considered excessive. Today, the number is over 40 percent and climbing. Thirty years ago, about 10 percent of American households were broke, with a net worth of zero or less. fifteen years ago, the number was about 15 percent. Today the number is almost 20 percent. Adjusting for inflation, blue-collar workers are making less than they did a quarter-century ago. The U.S. savings rate is now negative 0.5 percent, the lowest level since the early Depression. Most Americans have a lower net worth than they did 15 years ago, when the greatest stock market rally in history began. the bottom two-fifths of households have lost about 80 percent of their average net worth. The middle fifth has lost about 11 percent. The richest 1 percent of America owns more wealth than the entire bottom 95 percent combined, and the inequality is increasing. Twenty years ago, a typical big-time corporate CEO was paid about 40 times what an average worker received. CEOs today are paid almost 420 times as much. As CEO of Genreal Electric, Jack Welch has eliminated 128,000 jobs. But GE stock has appreciated about 40-fold, even adjusting for inflation. So Jack Welch is paid $83.6 million. Meanwhile, after what economists will soon call the longest economic expansion in U.S. history, 20 percent of all American children now grow up in poverty. And Money magazine can write "Everyone's Getting Rich!" in giant letters across the cover... (This is snipped from an article by Bob Harris in the new issue of Extra!, the quarterly magazine published by Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. [ http://www.fair.org ] The figures come from the economic watchdog group United for a Fair Economy, whose reports can be found online: http://www.stw.org ____________________________________________________________________________ 14. A Short History of the US Working Class (review) A SHORT HISTORY OF THE U.S. WORKING CLASS, From Colonial Times to the Twenty-First Century by Paul Le Blanc Illustrations by Mike Alewitz "An excellent overview, enhanced by a valuable glossary, chronology, and bibliography. A must for all students of U.S. labor history." ---Elaine Bernard, director of the Harvard Trade Union Program "A compelling, lucid, and concise history of the U.S. working class. . . . Le Blanc is passionately committed to the labor movement, but he does not gloss over the many divisions which have plagued it---slavery, racism, sexism, corruption, and anti-communism. This is popular historical writing at its best and will be of great interest to students and scholars alike." ---Michael Yates, professor of economics, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, and author of Why Unions Matter "Paul Le Blanc. . .places into perspective the struggle for economic justice and equality as an extension of the principles of the American Revolution that were again affirmed during the Civil War. It is a struggle that continues today." ---Russell W. Gibbons, former editor of Steel Labor, and director of the Philip Murray Institute of Labor Studies Paul Le Blanc blends economic, social, intellectual, cultural, and political history into a compelling narrative that includes the views of key figures of U.S. labor. His broad analytical framework highlights issues of class, gender, race, and ethnicity. A bibliographical essay directs readers to classic works and cutting-edge scholarship in the field of U.S. labor history as well as to relevant fiction, poetry, films and videos. The book's glossary offers clear definitions and thought-provoking mini-essays for almost two hundred terms from the most basic to the most complex and technical. Illustrations throughout by acclaimed labor muralist Mike Alewitz provide an imaginative counterpoint to the text. Paul Le Blanc has been active in labor and social movements for many years. He is the author of From Marx to Gramsci: An Introduction to Revolutionary Marxist Politics (Humanity Books). He is assistant professor of history at Carlow College. Available: July 1999 201 pages Paper/1-57392-664-7 $17.95 Humanity Books (an imprint of Prometheus Books) 59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst NY 14228 phone: (716) 691-0133 FAX: (716) 564-2711 ____________________________________________________________________________ 15. Hypertext Library Lingo - a glossary Dear LIBREF-L: A new, expanded version of HYPERTEXT LIBRARY LINGO, a glossary of library and publishing terminology is availble at: http://www.wcsu.edu/library/library_lingo.html The glossary now includes approximately 1,000 terms, and the new generic version lacks references to specific procedures and layout at Western CT State University, which makes it more suitable for linkage to other library Web sites. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Plans are underway to add a search engine, and possibly translate the glossary into a second language. Joan Reitz Instruction Librarian Ruth A. Haas Library Western CT State Univ. Danbury CT 06810 (203) 837-8308 ____________________________________________________________________________ 16. New Online: Gateway To Interent Resources For Librarians As Internet awareness and the World Wide Web have become familiar to more people you might think that there would be fewer Internet-related questions. But this has not been the case. To assist in answering questions and address issues about the Internet in your community look into "The Librarian's Guide To Cyberspace For Parents & Kids." To find out more visit http://www.gbalc.org/cyber/ # # # Stephanie Stokes GBALC PR FORUM 415-749-0130 phone 415-749-0735 fax info[at]gbalc.org stephanie[at]ssdesign.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ VISIT THE "GUIDE TO LIBRARIES" +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ (GBALC) Greater Bay Area Library Council http://www.gbalc.org e-mail: info[at]gbalc.org phone 415-749-0130 fax 749-0735 Representing librarians and library systems within the fourteen Greater Bay Area counties, from Mendocino to Monterey and San Mateo to Contra Costa +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ____________________________________________________________________________ 17. Planning and Building Libraries http://www.slais.ubc.ca/architecture/index.html INTRODUCTION This site has been created for Architects, Librarians, Design Consultants, and students - those interested in - useful web resources on planning and building libraries. The purpose of this page is to provide an outline of all the resources. Listed below is an outline of the subject categories found on each page: AUTOMATION: Technology Planning / Comprehensive lists of suppliers / Library Journals on Automation / Suppliers BARRIER-FREE DESIGN: Comprehensive Lists / Other related links FAMOUS LIBRARIES: AIA/ALA Award Winning Libraries 1999, 1997, 1995 / Carnegie Libraries / National Libraries INTERIORS Comprehensive Directories / Suppliers LIGHTING Projects, Case Studies & Research / Suppliers PLANNING Planning guides / Library Plans / Planning Teams - Architects / Planning Teams - Library Building Consultants PROGRAMMING Design Guidelines / Needs Assessments / Sample Building Programs SECURITY Design Guidelines / Suppliers STANDARDS Comprehensive Lists / Standards and Codes and Organizations RESOURCES L578 Course Reading List (University of British Columbia SLAIS) / LAMA (Library Administration and Management Association) Publications ____________________________________________________________________________ 18. Dr. Laura: Wronging rights in the library Paul McMasters, First Amendment Ombudsman, has written an editorial--Dr. Laura: Wronging rights in the library--found on the free! The Freedom Forum Online, at http://www.freedomforum.org/first/1999/7/12ombudsman.asp The editorial praises librarians, as the following paragraph evidences: "What's puzzling is that so few people have come to the ALA's defense for what amounts to a bizarre attack on the integrity and motives of some of the nicest people in the whole world, the folks who work in our libraries." ________________________ 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 http://www.ala.org/oif.html ____________________________________________________________________________ 19. Anti-Dr. Laura Graphic for use on websites Anti-Dr. Laura graphics are now online for use on websites. If you want a custom one done, let me know. http://www.infoshop.org/library/drlaura.html -- Chuck0 Alternative Press Review http://flag.blackened.net/apr/ Free Leonard Peltier! Support anarchism in Cuba. Boycott tourism to Cuba! Don't help Castro's authoritarian regime! ____________________________________________________________________________ 20. "I liked Powell's Speech," by David Burt ...and a response Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 04:53:13 -0700 (PDT) From: David Burt <dburt[at]afo.net> To: publib <publib[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu> Subject: I liked Powell's Speech As the person who started the "Don't go to ALA, Colin Powell" campaign, I'd like to comment that I very much liked Colin Powell's thoughtful, even-handed treatment of the filtering in libraries controversy. Here is my own summation of the portion of his speech that addressed library cyberporn for those of you who weren't there, drawn from my own notes, ALA Cognotes, Library Journal Digital, and LJ Hotline: Saturday, June 26, Opening General Session, Keynote Speaker Colin Powell The large auditorium was filled with several thousand attendees. A small group of ALA members demonstrated outside, carrying placards protesting Powell's presence and his $70,000 fee ($50,000 of which was paid by The Library Corp.) Television and video media were also excluded from the session, as one of Powell's conditions for signing a contract with ALA. Colin Powell spoke for about 45 minutes. He spent the bulk of his speech addressing the library cyberporn issue. He said he had thought this would be an easy speech, "then the fun started." After Dr. Laura's suggestion that her listeners encourage him not to go, he got more than 2000 letters in the first week alone. Powell was obviously deeply affected by the Dr. Laura campaign. In preparation for his speech, Powell visited libraries that were not filtering Internet access and read transcripts of testimony to Congress in support of filtering. He talked to Sen. McCain and listened to Dr. Laura. He read many of the letters sent to him and said they were "not from zealots, but concerned people who are uneasy about new technology and dangers in cyberspace." Powell related that his son Michael is a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission, the body that will be responsible for E-rate decisions if Senator McCain's child protection legislation is passed in Congress and signed by President Clinton. After doing his research, Powell concluded, "the primary line of defense rests with the parents", which caused the librarians applaud loudly and cheer. Powell said, "You care about the safety of our children as much as any group of Americans", to more loud applause. Powell then gave a rousing defense of the First Amendment, saying, "Freedom of speech is the most essential ingredient in a democratic society and we must protect it vigorously. An informed electorate comes from freedom of speech." He went on that "Freedom sometimes requires us to defend things we don't agree with." By now most of the crowd was going wild, as Powell had up to this point mostly followed ALA positions. Then Powell altered course. "As determined as I am to protect the First Amendment, I recognize that freedom can be difficult. We all know that for the good of society, sometimes restraints are necessary", and suggested a "slow release of freedom and responsibility until they [children] are ready." Powell used the examples of v-chips and movie ratings for children, and concluded "it may not be inappropriate" to place similar restraints on children's access to the Internet. He said that filtering technology was improving, and added, "why not use filtering software if it can protect children", which brought scattered applause. Powell said he thought that whether or not to apply filters "should be left up to each community." But he felt certain that the McCain legislation would be signed into law, and that it "won't destroy the First Amendment rights of children, but will assist us in making our way through the difficulty", which brought audible gasps. At the conclusion of his speech, he received a standing ovation. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Date: Mon, 12 Jul 1999 06:35:15 -0700 (PDT) From: Christine Lind Hage <hagec[at]metronet.lib.mi.us> To: publib <publib[at]sunsite.berkeley.edu> Subject: Colin Powell's / ALA I too heard Colin Powell address ALA and came away with a very different version than David Burt. Powell spent a great deal of time telling us about all his family connections to public libraries (his wife works in a public library). He defended his career as a soldier. He talked about his "third career" as he called it which focuses the Alliance for Youth and he did talk about filtering. Powel waffled all over the filtering issue. My impression was here is a politician doing his stuff of not committing to either side of the filtering issue. He was trying to make everyone happy, but in fact ticked me off because of his indecisiveness. Christine Lind Hage ALA Councilor-At-Large Director, Clinton-Macomb Public Library 43245 Garfield Road Clinton Township, MI 48038-1115 Voice: 810/226-5010 Fax: 810/226-5008 Email: hagec[at]metronet.lib.mi.us ____________________________________________________________________________ 21. Toward a new definition of "community values?" Thoughts and comments Subject: Toward a new definition of "community values?" Date: Fri, 9 Jul 1999 13:36:13 -0400 (EDT) From: Melora Ranney <macbeth[at]saturn.caps.maine.edu> Reply-To: Melora Ranney <macbeth[at]saturn.caps.maine.edu> To: ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom List <alaoif[at]ala1.ala.org> CC: ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom List <alaoif[at]ala1.ala.org>,publib[at]sunsite.berkeley.EDU Please forgive the cross-posting. I wanted to share these thoughts with all of you. -=- -=- -=- Who is the community, and what are its values? Perhaps we, as information professionals, can help to guide our communities toward a new definition. Consider, for instance, that each and every person who comes into our libraries is a bona fide member of our community. Just about every community is likely to include gays, lonely single people for whom erotica is a healthy outlet, married people for whom erotica is a supplement to a successful marital relationship, teens who are determined to learn about sex one way or another (and, last I knew, nobody had been known to contract AIDS from a keyboard), plus the usual mix of Catholics, Protestants, fundamentalists, anti-abortionists, pro-choice people, Quakers, Pagans, Unitarians, atheists, agnostics, libertarians, NRA members . . . the list goes on and on. Now, let us take the radical approach that these people are not only all members of our communities, but that their interests comprise, collectively, the values of the community: all of their different beliefs, needs, wants, dreams, aspirations, pet peeves, etc. etc. Further, let us assert that the expression and active practice of this collective community value is what our great country is all about. Then, let us go so far as to say that not only is this expression and practice precious, but it is also a blessing. That libraries are the holders of a sacred trust. Is it possible that we can organize and support one another toward a global, tolerant, inclusive idea of what "community" is all about? .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. From Chuck0: ... I wonder how the statistics would include a person like myself, who stopped using public libraries years ago, mainly because I couldn't find the alternative materials I was looking for? I've made the point several times, that porn has to be a community value, if the porn "industry" makes billions of dollars each year. Folks in a community certainly have porn at home, but they won't fess up, for a variety of reasons. The same goes for people with offbeat views or interests. The incredible diversity of information that can be found on the Internet, much of it DIY stuff put up by average people, is a testimony to the diversity of our communities that isn't apparent on the surface. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. From Paul Weiner: This is an excellent statement, but I'm afraid it applies mainly to the virtual world - and thus, to virtual librarianship. When all these disparate groups meet in the flesh they tend to bark and chew on one another and I've yet to meet a librarian who can mediate these conflicts. Perhaps it's a good thing that the human body is becoming irrelevant; it'll make it a lot harder for handgun salesmen to prosper. I agree: libraries DO hold "American values" in a sacred trust. Part of our job is to protect them from actual Americans. ____________________________________________________________________________ 22. "How to Communicate with your Spanish Employees" "The booming economy for the upper middle class and the new availability of illegal immigrants has fueled a rebirth of household servants. Over 1.8 million people now work as housekeepers, cooks, nannies, gardeners and chaffeurs in a field expanding at 5 times the rate of overall job growth. Fortunately, a book has appeared in the nick of time to help employers manage their largely Latino helpers, entitled "Household Spanish: How to Communicate With Your Spanish Employees" by William C. Harvey. The book is chockful of Spanish phrases essential for good relations, phrases like "Bring the dustpan","Please use soap" and "Don't pour grease down the garbage disposal." You can learn how to ask prospective helpers whether they have been a bellhop, or a busboy, or a pool cleaner or a dishwasher. Then you can tell them how you are an architect, or a doctor, or a lawyer, etc. Among my favorite phrases, "How long are you planning to stay in the USA?" and "There's so much to do." The author even provides helpful advice like this: "Commands are practical and easy to use, but don't overuse them" (so true). As an added bonus, the book provides the all-important phrase "You're fired" ("Usta esta despedido"). Invaluable. - Wayne Grytting <wgrytt[at]animal.blarg.net> From the editor: Now, I think I might have a hard time buying this book for my library even if there were a demand for it, because I might find it socially damaging. I believe this book can serve as an example of an intellectual conflict that is extremely uncomfortable - the potential conflict between the values of social responsibility and intellectual freedom. I realize I'm talking about self censorship. Well, at least the temptation for it is there, on the basis of social responsibility concerns. I believe we in the social responsibilities movement should face this issue more directly, and really figure out the nature of the conflict, or potential conflict, and what our responsibilities are. This particular book shouldn't be a test that we can put behind us and then not think about the issue any further. Many people might not object to this particular book, but it should still serve to illustrate how we might want to select against buying a book on the grounds of social responsibility. The interests of social responsibility and intellectual freedom may overlap much of the time (especially in advocacy of the independent press) but they aren't identical, and I think they can come into conflict, at least if the doctrines of intellectual freedom are understood strictly. Write and tell me what you think. Rory Litwin, editor[at]libr.org Now in case the review left you wondering if the book was real, as it did me, here is some info from BIP: Title: Household Spanish Subtitle: How to Communicate with Your Spanish Employees Publisher: Barron's Educational Series, Incorporated, Publ. Date: April 1996 ISBN FIELDS- ISBN: 0812084055 Binding: Analog AudioTrade Paper Language: EnglishEnglish Status: Active Record The review comes from AGITPROP NEWS -- ARTISTS AND WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE... YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT BAD TASTE! Email: lamp[at]igc.apc.org - Website: http://www.igc.apc.org/laborart __________________________ To subscribe to AGITPROP NEWS, the LAMP weekly digest of news and humor for artists and activists: Send to: listserv[at]email.rutgers.edu Message: subscribe agitprop_news Your Name ___________________________ Snailmail: LaBOR aRT & MuRAL PRoJECT Labor Education Center Rutgers University Ryders Lane & Clifton Avenue New Brunswick, NJ 08903 Phone: 732-220-1472 - Fax: 732-296-1325 Spanning the Globe to: ORGANIZE - AGITATE - EDUCATE - INSPIRE PIRE ______________________________________________________ Mike Alewitz, Artistic Director ____________________________________________________________________________ 23. Languages on the Web http://www.languages-on-the-web.com Said to contain 30,000 links to language resources and a number of texts presented as parallel translations. Submitted by: Robert J. Tiess ResPool List Owner rjtiess[at]warwick.net From ResPool - http://members.tripod.com/~rtiess/respool.htm ____________________________________________________________________________ 24. Feline Conservation Center (FCC) http://www.cathouse-fcc.org/ This resource contains pictures and sound recordings of 16 species of wild cats currently housed and bred at the center including the Asian golden cat, bobcat, caracal, cougar, Eurasian lynx, fishing cat, Gordon's (Arabian) wildcat, jaguar, jaguarundi, leopard, margay, ocelot, serval, and tiger. The site also provides information on membership activities and wild cat classification. - nbh Subjects: wild cats Librarians' Index to the Internet http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/InternetIndex/ ____________________________________________________________________________ L I B R A R Y J U I C E | http://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 This page was created by SimpleText2Html 1.0.3 on 13-Jul-99.