June 2002

Anti-censorship advocate fights anti-porn filters

Bob Cox told us The Cincinati Enquirer is running This AP Story on Internet activist Bennett Haselton, the guy who runs Peacefire.org. Marc Kanter, marketing director for Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Solid Oak Software, which makes the CYBERsitter program says “He\’s being totally irresponsible” for offering free downloads and details methods for circumventing filtering software.

“This is something that practically nobody else is working on, and only a couple of people in the world actually know as much about the blocking software issue”

It\’s a repeat, but maybe you missed it.

June 19, 2002 by Censorship Internet Web Filters

How Google Searches Itself

I thought I saw this one here already, but I guess it was just everywhere else, and not here for a change.

Bob Cox sent along How Google Searches Itself from FastCompany that takes a look at how they work to keep ahead of the curve.

\”You can take Google\’s temperature just by going to the intranet site,\” Rosenberg says. \”It\’s a window to everyone\’s soul.\”

June 19, 2002 by Google Internet

Copryright, secuity, and other hobgoblins

An interesting and simple overview of the security and copyright issues shaping the future of the Web:

Today, the Internet is messy, dangerous ground. Viruses and system break-ins are on the rise, while vested interests battle over what isn\’t allowed.

Millions of corporate dollars are fueling a fight to control what consumers can view or listen to, how many times, in what format and over what type of connection. Lawyers are suing, lobbyists are lobbying and policymakers are grasping to figure out what role government should play.

Full article.

June 19, 2002 by Internet Legal Issues

Cook carpets Commons cat call

Bob Cox sent over this BBC story on plans for a House of Commons cat to clear up its perennial mice problem. It seems Commons leader Robin Cook threw out the suggestion of a moggie patrolling the corridors of power because he feared it might take over the sofas in the library.

June 19, 2002 by Libraries

Annotated Bibliography of Gov Docs Related to Terrorism And 9-11

Someone sent in This Annotated Bibliography of Government Documents Related to the Threat of Terrorism & the Attacks of September 11, 2001 from the Oklahoma
Dept. of Libraries.

\”This bibliography is intended to serve as a means of access to information produced by the United States Government concerning the events of September 11. Unlike so many of the nations of the world, the United States considers fundamental the right of its citizens to know what their government is doing, the logic behind its actions, and the ramifications of its policies. To this end, our government produces copious quantities of informational materials that are freely accessible to the public through libraries and the Federal Depository Library system. This bibliography presents a sampling of the materials available through the Depository system, via the Internet, or both.\”

June 18, 2002 by Internet Libraries

Starbucks Ad Mocks 9/11 Tragedy

I received a library request for this story, and related photo, today and decided to pass the information along here. Starbucks has pulled an advertising campaign that mocks the 9/11 tragedy. The posters depict twin drinks, standing tall above square blades of grass, with a dragonfly about to divebomb into one of them. The caption reads: \”Collapse into Cool.\” A number of the posters were placed near Ground Zero. Some people are furious, and have fired back at Starbucks. Read more.

June 18, 2002 by Libraries

Fun Library Facts

Here\’s some Library Facts that made it to the AP wire from The ALA.

The country contains more than 122,000 public and private libraries.


About 79 percent of public librarians are women, compared with 92 percent of school librarians and 68 percent of college and university librarians.


About 95 percent of public libraries offer public Internet access and computer classes.


Annual federal spending on libraries is about 54 cents per person.


Americans check out an average of seven books per year.


College and university librarians answer 97 million reference questions yearly — almost three times the attendance at college football games.

June 18, 2002 by Internet Librarians Libraries School Libraries Yahoo

Of Work and Suff

Here\’s 2 stories sent in by Bob Cox on what\’s doing in American libraries these days.



Libraries Face Staffing Shortages says More than 30,000 of the roughly 125,000 school, public, and college and university librarians in the country–about one-fourth of the total–are expected to reach retirement age by 2009, according to the American Library Association.

While NCSU says Twenty-seven library workers, including all six security guards, have received layoff notices. Spending for new books will be slashed.

I keep seeing these two seemingly contradictory stories repeated again and again.

June 18, 2002 by American Library Association Libraries School Libraries

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