October 2002

Survey says copy-protected CDs should be labeled.

Protected CDs \’should be labelled\’ – from BBC News

The music industry risks alienating its core consumers by selling copy-protected CDs without warning labels, according to new research.
Record companies have begun placing blocking devices on many new CDs to prevent them being copied to MP3 files or blank discs, including albums from Michael Jackson, Natalie Imbruglia and Celine Dion.
A survey among adults and teenagers in the US found that 74% strongly agreed the industry should be required to label CDs.
But the survey also saw 82% of respondents say they believe it is actually legal to make copies for back up purposes and 77% believe they should be able to copy a CD or use it in another system.
And 60% believed they should be able to give another member of the household a copy.

Upcoming Asia-Pacific Library Conference

Thanapun Kulachan writes: \”Please annouce the following information:

International Conference (Asia — Pacific)
\”Challenges and Opportunities for Library and Information Professionals in Knowledge Management and the Digital Age\”

20-22 March 2003
At Lotus Hotel Pang Suan Kaew
Chiang Mai, Thailand

See more detail at the conference website.\”

HP and the Holy See unveil joint project

Charles Davis sent us this quick synopsis from yahoo.com: A full story is available here. \”HP and the Holy See have unveiled a joint project to deliver on-line access to the manuscripts, documents and
ancient texts of the Vatican\’s Apostolic Library. A new section of the Vatican\’s Web site, www.vatican.va will
include images of manuscripts that have until now only been accessible to professional scholars and professors.
The Apostolic Vatican Library was founded by Pope Nicholas V and specialises in humanistic disciplines such as
history and classical literature. \”

President To Author: Your Book Is Unpatriotic

Here\’s A Story from CT on author Gabe Hudson. The book, \”Dear Mr. President\”, brought a letter from the President that said, in part, \”unpatriotic and ridiculous and just plain bad writing\”.
Hudson says FBI agents have been hanging around at his recent book readings, and the book\’s website (Gabehudson.com) is apparently being monitored by the government.

Asked whether the president might have other things to do than write letters to authors, Hudson said, \”Like jogging? Or starting wars? I don\’t get the sense that the president has read enough books, or that he ever will. But you\’re right. I mean, our country, the economy, is in complete disarray.\”

Montgomery County judge defends removal of controversial books

A Story From TX [Not Maryland, sorry] says the fervent debate over controversial children\’s books at Montgomery County libraries continued to divide residents over whether the publications create a \”recruiting ground for homosexuals\” or an acceptable avenue for adolescents to learn about the facts of life.

Sadler and the commissioners came under fire after they removed two books written by Robie H. Harris, \”It\’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex & Sexual Health,\” Aug. 26 and \”It\’s So Amazing\” in early September, from library shelves for review due to complaints of graphic content.

\”Was our response radical? I don\’t think it was,\” Sadler told the group of more than 50 who attended the meeting. \”I think our response was moderate and it was middle of the road.\”

Bibliophile is on quest to give free books to all who need them

A Really Neat Story From Canada.com on Russell Wattenberg, a guy who scavenged for books at thrift shops, used bookstores and yard sales and gave them to his customers at his bar.

The idea really caught on and now he’s giving away about 20,000 to 25,000 books a week and there’s about a thousand people coming through each weekend.

And so was born, The Book Thing of Baltimore….whose mission “is to put unwanted books into the hands of those who want them

‘Demanding’ book wins French prize

The BBC Says France\’s top literary prize, the Prix Goncourt, has been won by Pascal Quignard with a book that has been described by critics as a \”demanding\” read.

Les Ombres Errantes (Wandering Shadows) is a collection of personal reflections, musings and historical memories written in a disjointed form.