May 2003

Steve Fesenmaier wishes to announce:

“We have created a new list that is entitled: the ALT-LIBRARIANS-LIST, or ‘Alternative News for Progressive WV Librarians’.

The ALT-LIBRARIANS-LIST is an open list providing an alternative for WV librarians who wish to stay abreast of events, issues, problems, opportunities and happenings in and around library life. Topics other than libraries will be discussed occasionally as members are encouraged to post
anything they want to share with their colleagues.

List etiquette is expected. Flaming is not tolerated. The list is designed to be used as a forum for free expression and constructive discussion.

Everyone’s opinions will be respected. The list moderator reserves the right to remove anyone who abuses the list without prior warning. If you are interested in joining, you can subscribe yourself with the following instructions….” [for full instructions, see “Read Some More…” below.]

To join the list, go here.

Steve Fesenmaier wishes to announce:

“We have created a new list that is entitled: the ALT-LIBRARIANS-LIST, or ‘Alternative News for Progressive WV Librarians’.

The ALT-LIBRARIANS-LIST is an open list providing an alternative for WV librarians who wish to stay abreast of events, issues, problems, opportunities and happenings in and around library life. Topics other than libraries will be discussed occasionally as members are encouraged to post
anything they want to share with their colleagues.

List etiquette is expected. Flaming is not tolerated. The list is designed to be used as a forum for free expression and constructive discussion.

Everyone’s opinions will be respected. The list moderator reserves the right to remove anyone who abuses the list without prior warning. If you are interested in joining, you can subscribe yourself with the following instructions….” [for full instructions, see “Read Some More…” below.]

To join the list, go here.
How to subscribe:

* Create a message to:
[email protected]
* Ignore the subject line
* In the body of the message, type the subscribe command and include
your e-mail address: subscribe ALT-LIBRARIANS-LIST [email protected]
* Delete your signature tag if you have one
* Send message
* You will receive an immediate response and instructions on how to
post to the list.
* This is a public list. Anyone may post a message
* If you have problems getting online, contact the List Moderator:
Steve Fesenmaier at [email protected]
* This list is also archived on the Web: click here.

Enjoy!!

Steve & Monica
“

A Very Defiant Duckling Named Ender writes:

“Saying they are worried about Americans’ privacy, Pentagon officials announced in a report today that they were changing the name of a projected system to mine databases for information to help catch terrorists to Terrorist Information Awareness from Total Information Awareness.”

Ender gives us several views of the story, from the New York Times, the National Law Journal and the Gulf News
(Dateline Dubai). Also an interesting op/ed by Ted Rall.

Kathleen de la Peña McCook of A Librarian at Every Table has some concerns about one of the lists she subscribes to. Here are her comments:

The National Institute for Literacy has several discussion lists including one on poverty and literacy. Advocacy is not permitted. Increasingly, government lists are using \”advocacy\” as a reason to restrict discussion. I have seen this happen on other lists which become impotent bulletin boards rather than robust public fora once the \”advocacy\” filters are in place. This is the announcement from the NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY sent to subscribers. [full text follows. Click the \”Read Some More…\” link below.]

Note, tho, that information is provided for NLA.

Kathleen de la Peña McCook of A Librarian at Every Table has some concerns about one of the lists she subscribes to. Here are her comments:

The National Institute for Literacy has several discussion lists including one on poverty and literacy. Advocacy is not permitted. Increasingly, government lists are using \”advocacy\” as a reason to restrict discussion. I have seen this happen on other lists which become impotent bulletin boards rather than robust public fora once the \”advocacy\” filters are in place. This is the announcement from the NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY sent to subscribers. [full text follows. Click the \”Read Some More…\” link below.]

Note, tho, that information is provided for NLA.— Forwarded message follows ——-

Date sent: Fri, 23 May 2003 20:23:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: [email protected]
Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:1130] Message from Sandra Baxter,
NIFL Interim Director
To: Multiple recipients of list
Send reply to:[email protected]

The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL) created the online discussion lists in 1995 to bring together literacy stakeholders – researchers, policymakers, administrators,
practitioners and students – to discuss critical issues within the literacy field; share resources, experiences, and ideas; ask questions of subject experts; and keep up-to-date on literacy issues. NIFL partners with national literacy organizations who provide knowledgeable staff to facilitate the discussion lists. These volunteer facilitators strive to encourage active discussion on the subject of the list.

NIFL funds the discussion lists through LINCS, using funds appropriated to the NIFL by Congress.
Recently, some messages submitted to discussion lists either didn\’t appear or were returned to their senders. This happened because they encouraged political advocacy, and federal law prohibits the use of appropriated funds to support advocacy. In response to concerns raised about these messages, NIFL implemented automated filters to block advocacy messages as a temporary means of ensuring NIFL\’s compliance with federal law while continuing to maintain the discussion lists as a resource for the field.

Unfortunately, some messages that did not encourage advocacy also were stopped by the automated filters, and we apologize for this.

NIFL is working with the list facilitators to develop clear guidelines on discussion list policies. These guidelines will be posted to the NIFL discussion lists as soon as possible but no later than mid-June and will be implemented
by NIFL staff and list facilitators.

NIFL requests that all discussion list participants use the NIFL sponsored lists in accordance with their intended purposes and not to post advocacy messages.

Comments,suggestions, references, and ideas posted on the lists should serve as resources for enhancing the field\’s capacity, and knowledge base. NIFL will reserve the right to block messages containing advocacy content and remove them from archives. In addition, please be reminded that views reflected by participants on NIFL discussion lists do not represent NIFL\’s position.

If you have questions or concerns about the policy governing participation in the discussion lists, please direct them to Jaleh Behroozi at [email protected].
Participants who wish to inform the field about legislative matters or advocate for a policy position are encouraged to use the National Literacy Advocacy (NLA) a non NIFL discussion list sponsored by the American Association of
Adult and Continuing Education. (Go to:
http://lists.literacytent.org/mailman/listinfo/aaace-nla.)

——- End of forwarded message ——-

The current Punk Planet (which unfortunately — though maybe appropriately for this issue — doesn’t have the zine’s content on its website) is devoted to the joys of hard copy, and it includes interviews with and excerpts from Dave Eggers & Co., Underworld cartoonist Kaz, and others. There’s also a nice profile of
zine libraries.

Jean-Marie Arnoult from the Bibliotheque National de France was denied a visa which would have allowed him to travel with a UNESCO (United nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation) team that visited Baghdad earlier this month. An anonymous source alleged that Arnoult was denied the visa because he is French and was vocal in his opposition to the Iraq War.

Ross Shimon, general secretary of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) condemned the U.S. decision. Shimon has requested that members of the international library and information community speak out and expose this ”scandalous state of affairs”. More here. That\’s the only news story to date, but the story is making the rounds on lists, and support for an ALA resolution is strong.

The following is a link to a photo of a Japanese librarian assessing earthquake damage at Miyagi Prefectural Library in Sendai, Japan. \”The powerful earthquake hit on Monday, tangling communications and rocking buildings as far away as Tokyo about 450km (280 miles) to the south. The government said 104 people were injured, but no deaths resulted from the earthquake.\” View the photo and caption Here.

I had to look at the first paragraph of this story twice to believe it …

\”PA Governor wants to use bailout to lessen cuts. Governor would use much of $900 million from Washington to soften reductions in programs for needy for the next 2 years. Looks like some good news for librarians, recovering drug addicts, bus riders and others who may be poor or needy: The state budget cuts won\’t be as harsh as previously announced.\” Get the full effect here.

“This past Memorial Day, May 26, 21 fully digitized collections of materials submitted by veterans and civilians became available for the first time on the Library of Congress Web site at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.”

“The Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project at the American Folklife Center collects and preserves oral histories and documentary materials about America’s war veterans from World War I, World War II and the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, as well as from the civilians who served on the home front.
“The Veterans History Project gives all veterans the opportunity to speak openly and freely about their wartime experiences. We think it a fitting tribute on this Memorial Day, that Americans across the nation can go to the Library’s Web site and experience firsthand such an important piece of our national memory. Every veteran has his or her own war, and each is custodian of a unique story and memories,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.” (from URL Wire)

“Librarians in Palo Alto, California have been shredding some documents and deleting computer files to protect patrons from the USA Patriot Act.”

“One of the federal anti-terror law’s provisions allows the FBI to look at the reading habits of library users. In Palo Alto, six days after a book is returned, all records of the transaction are deleted from the computer. Paper records are shredded.”

“Library groups are upset with the Patriot Act because it makes it far easier for the FBI to obtain records and offers libraries no way to resist.” (From CBS News)

“The Friends of the Newark Free Library have spent months building a collection of more than 4,000 books its members are unlikely to use.”

“That’s because the reading materials are shelved behind about 10 locked steel doors and five chain-link security fences at Delaware Correctional Center near Smyrna.”

“The volunteer group decided to collect the used books after learning budget constraints prevented the state from stocking a second library built as part of a prison expansion last year.”

“We had lovely book shelves. We had no books,” the prison’s treatment administrator, Ronald G. Hosterman, said.” (from The News Journal)