August 2002

UNC lawyers appeal Quran book order

Lawyers for the University of North Carolina told an
appeals court Saturday that students wouId be deprived
of free-speech rights if the court banned discussions of
a book on the Muslim holy text, the Quran. The Family Policy
Network appealed and asked the 4th U.S. Circuit
Court of Appeals in Richmond to stop the book
discussions. The court was expected to rule before the
discussions begin Monday.



Full Story.

While, Elizabeth Dole said the state
legislature should stay out of the debate over
UNC-Chapel Hill\’s summer reading assignment
involving the Quran. She doen\’t agree with the
university\’s decision to ask incoming freshmen to read
\”Approaching the Qur\’an: The Early Revelations.\” But
she also said she disagreed with the House budget
provision that blocks money to the reading program
unless it gives equal time to all known religions.

August 18, 2002 by Books Legal Issues

The Problem in Aisle One

Lee Hadden writes: \”Yesterday\’s Wall Street Journal (August 18, 2002) has an interesting
article on the book trade. Borders is now dividing books up into 1,000
subject divisions.

Hmmm. The same number of broad and fine divisions as the Dewey
Decimal System…

I wonder where they will place a book on vampires from flying saucers
in the Old West that is also a mystery novel and a bodice ripper?\”


Read more about it at: WSJ.com (Subscription required).

August 17, 2002 by Uncategorized

UNC can assign Koran to freshmen, judge says

Jen Young points to CNN where They Say incoming freshmen at the University of North Carolina will participate in discussion groups on Islam\’s holy text after a judge ruled that having them read about the Koran did not threaten religious freedoms.

Both sides claimed a victory after the ruling.

August 17, 2002 by Legal Issues

Library Investigated for Racial Bias Over Summer Reading Program

A girl scout leader has accused a Texas library of racial bias against black children who participated in a local summer reading program. According to the article \”The names of a dozen black children had been left off a list to be entered into a prize drawing to be held at the library, and one of the librarians made derogatory comments about the children’s names. Read More.

August 16, 2002 by Librarians Libraries

Librarians Air Concerns Over USA Patriot Act

From the Missoula Independent… The Pacific Northwest Library Association recently hald its annual conference. The main topic was the changing roles of librarians in the wake of the USA Patriot Act. \”As a group, librarians are not known for being overly emotional or prone to hyperbole. So when a regional association of librarians gathers to voice its concerns over the erosion of civil liberties and the destruction of historical documents, it might be wise for the rest of us to sit up and take notice.\” Read More.

August 16, 2002 by Librarians Libraries

Child Porn, Libraries and Police Probes

This appeared in the Opinion section of the Eastside Journal. It\’s in regard to the situation at the King County Library, where authorities recently siezed computers because they may have contained child porn.
\”It appears that a Kent police detective acted with the best of intentions when he seized two library computers he believed contained evidence of child pornography. But, as a federal judge ruled Tuesday, a search warrant was necessary beforehand. That seems to be a logical, and legal, requirement in this. What is more troubling, however, is the uncooperative attitude of King County library officials in this case. Library officials appear to be hampering a criminal investigation under the guise of protecting the privacy of library patrons. If the American Civil Liberties Union wants to litigate on behalf of library freedom in child pornography cases, that\’s its choice. But that\’s not a fitting or dignified role for our public library system.\” Read the Rest

August 16, 2002 by Legal Issues Libraries

LISNews At 5000

I think 5,000 stories is quite a collection, we actually have a larger collection than the first library I worked in. When I started the site almost 3 years ago, I never imagined how far the site would go, or how far it would take me.


The best thing about LISNews is the people that run it, and that ain’t just me. I’ve never referred to this site as “Blake Carver’s LISNews” because it’s really not my site, I may keep it going, but I don’t think I make it great. Starting the site was the easy part, keeping it running isn’t always easy, but so far it’s been fun. The truly hard work is done by the people who do the little things that make LISNews great.

I think 5,000 stories is quite a collection, we actually have a larger collection than the first library I worked in. When I started the site almost 3 years ago, I never imagined how far the site would go, or how far it would take me.


The best thing about LISNews is the people that run it, and that ain’t just me. I’ve never referred to this site as “Blake Carver’s LISNews” because it’s really not my site, I may keep it going, but I don’t think I make it great. Starting the site was the easy part, keeping it running isn’t always easy, but so far it’s been fun. The truly hard work is done by the people who do the little things that make LISNews great.
People like Bob Cox, Charles Davis, Aaron Turn, Jen Young and Gary Price with their frequent and very helpful story submissions. Ender, who catches all my stupid mistakes, and Nabeal who helped with the code early on, they are just some of the many voices that are LISNews. The authors, of course, are a large part as well, Steve and Steven who helped get the momentum started so long ago. Ryan, Ieleene and Aaron, who all manage to find time to post a story or two quite often. Ben keeps the polls fresh and interesting, and Celine, Rory, Matt, Brian, Jill, Aaron, and Hermit keep us on our toes with a post when they have time. Few of us have met face to face, we’re not even all librarians, but somehow we’ve managed to come together, and each of us bring our voice and own personal view point to the site each day. But, it’s not just us, it’s not just the authors, it’s the people who talk to us, and talk with us that really make things interesting.


Walt Crawford chimes in with his always appreciated comments, and lately I’ve been seeing comments from Michael Nellis, Fiona, The Ex Librarian, Ender, and many others who add their thoughts to our stories anonymously. The comments can often be the best part of the site, the wisdom and experience others bring to the stories we post is simply amazing. It’s wonderful when so many people take the time to share an experience, or their views on a story. This helps us learn from each other in some remarkable ways.


Looking at the most popular stories list, I am happy to see most of them are LISNews originals. Interviews, stories, jokes and even a song, a great mix, just like always, you never know what your going to find. Though, as I look deeper in the list, I still feel we are missing a regular original voice, a columnist, someone who writes for us and to us.


I’d still love to bring Susan back some day, some of you may remember she was scared off a year ago or two ago by some ugly comments. She was our first and only all-original voice. I’ve always hoped to bring in other people contribute their own writing, their own stories from the front lines, their own weekly columns, and thoughts. I think LISNews is best when it speaks in an original voice, when it has a voice, rather than just a pointer to someone else’s.


So far I’ve let the site grow slowly. I’ve done little promotion, few of those constant weekly announcements to the lists that keep us on everyone’s radar, no spam, no ads, for the most part the numbers show a slow steady rise, with a couple huge spikes when a story made a big splash. To be honest, most of the time I prefer things kind of quiet. I like the feeling of a small community of readers who care about the site, and the stories we post. I like to see the site stand on its own, with out a lot of marketing. I’d like to think the site has created it’s own audience, and for me that makes the numbers look so much better. I’ve let it sit, quiet, maybe it’s grown by word of mouth, or maybe it’s just the same old people are coming in more often, whatever the case, an average days brings in about 1,300 people, and that’s the only goal I’ve ever set for the site, we’ve made it there, so I am happy.


Thanks to everyone who makes LISNews a really special place. I owe you all for helping me grow both personally and professionally.

August 16, 2002 by Libraries LISNews

These readers are eager to pass the book

Here\’s Another Story on BookCrossing.com. a virtual book club aimed at turning the whole world into a lending library.

Here\’s the idea: Take a book you\’ve read, register it at the BookCrossing site, slap a special identifying label inside the cover, and leave the book in a public place.

When someone finds it and logs on to the Web site using the book\’s BookCrossing ID number, you get notified by e-mail.

August 16, 2002 by Books Libraries

Libraries find a place in the home

The Detroit News Says in many new homes here and around the country, living rooms are getting smaller, and a lot of times, they\’re being replaced outright by a small library, or at least a study with shelves that makes it look like a library.

\”Almost all the new houses we\’re designing have a study that is much more librarylike,\” says architect Tom Bauer of Nashville, who notes that he\’s seeing a trend of transforming some space, whether from what would have been a larger living room or dining room, into a library.
\’\’I think this trend will continue unless you\’re buying a 4,000-square-foot house,\”

Something tells me not many librarians are buying 4,000-square-foot houses!

August 16, 2002 by Libraries

LISNews Archives