February 2002

Coin toss to determine librarian’s fate

News From Canada where a library has determined that a part-time library technician has the same classification and seniority as another employee. The library is going through the process of amalgamating several libraries, and some jobs have been made redundant.

The tie-breaker, as set out in the union agreement, is the flip of a coin. She has hired a lawyer to check into the seniority issue and hasn\’t decided what she will do if she\’s forced to make the coin toss.


\”A coin toss I associate with sports,\’\’ said the woman who works in the fine arts section. \”I\’m totally offended by it. Even if I win the toss, it will make me sick.\’\’

February 26, 2002 by Legal Issues Librarians Libraries

Risks Prompt U.S. to Limit Access to Data

The Washington Post has A Story that says Since Sept. 11, the Bush administration has gone to what academics, lawmakers and civil-liberties proponents describe as unprecedented lengths to control the dissemination of information in the name of national security, escalating the debate over how to balance protection with the public\’s right to know.

\”It has always been true that in times of war you don\’t release battle plans to the enemy,\” said Sen. Robert F. Bennett \”

February 26, 2002 by Legal Issues

Canterbury Tales set for the web

Charles Davis writes \”from
ananova with More at
guardian.co.uk

The British Library has begun the task of getting Chaucer\’s
Canterbury Tales on to the internet.

The project is being led by staff from Tokyo\’s Keio
University and should be available to view by late summer.

The Library\’s last digitisation project, the Gutenberg Bible,
drew a million hits in the first six months. \”

February 26, 2002 by Internet Libraries

Parent wants right to visit school library

I\’m not sure I understand This One.


A mother accompanies her daughter to the library on a weeknight to help with a research project. The school librarian says the mother cannot stay. The reason, she\’s told, is that parents are considered \”a security risk.\”

\”I\’m not a risk when I\’m at Crawford Stadium, or when in the gym, or even at a concert in the auditorium,\” Zajko. \”Apparently I am only a risk when I attempt to enter the high school library – a library funded and supported by my tax dollars.\”

February 26, 2002 by Librarians Libraries School Libraries

Living With The cut and paste generation

A Fun Little Story to remind all you kids out there not to cheat.

\”Teachers can tell the difference between what a child can create himself and what is written in an encyclopedia,\” Brown said. \”The teacher won\’t be fooled. That\’s the bottom line.\”


Whether or not the teacher can do anything about it is another story, I guess.

February 26, 2002 by Uncategorized

Dispute leaves author puzzled

Russell Banks can\’t understand why some parents of Canandaigua Academy students objected to the use of his book, \”The Sweet Hereafter\”, in English classes.


Full Story

\”\”Anybody who picks up a paper and reads about the priest being indicted for pedophilia knows this goes on, and to pretend it doesn\’t, is to lie. It\’s the same thing with drug abuse, domestic violence and school bus accidents and then the question becomes, \’How do you deal with that?\’ To some degree, everyone has to deal with these issues more or less.\”

February 26, 2002 by Authors School Libraries

Help beta test KeyLogger

Nicholas writes: \”I\’m looking for web sites –both Unix (Linux, BSD, Solaris) and
Windows NT servers to beta test KeyLogger, a very simple
search engine phrase harvesting program, demo at:

www.hastingsresearch.com/software.shtml. Testees get
free installation, PDF user manual when finished (actual literate
documentation), and free upgrades for a year. The program works
fine, I just need to make sure it\’s bulletproof, and get more feedback
for the user manual.

February 26, 2002 by Uncategorized

One Book, One City Creator Worries

Four years ago Nancy Pearl organized the \”one book, one city\” program in Seattle, worries that the original purpose is getting lost. It has become too popular, and too political.



\”It\’s very gratifying that people are doing this, but this was never intended to be a civics lesson,\” she says. \”This was always intended to be a library program that promoted a deepening engagement that helps people engage in good books.\”


Full Story.

February 25, 2002 by Books Libraries Yahoo

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