Thanks to Library Juice for letting us know that books published by Library Juice Press are now available for purchase through Amazon and Chapters.
Archive for October, 2008
Where do the Conservatives stand on Media and Culture?
… no where, it seems. Campaign for Democratic Media sent a series of questions to the five major federal parties to asses their stand on media and cultural issues. The Conservatives are the only party that did not replied. If you are as worried as I am with the non existant party platform that the Conservatives ran on (and for which about 20% of the total population of Canadians actually voted for), perhaps this list of non-anwers should make us worry even more about the future of media and culture in Canada.
Jumpstarting the Public Sphere
If you plan on being in Vancouver on October 23 - 24, you should think of attending what looks like a very interesting conference put together by the BCLA Information Policy Committee: Jumpstarting the Public Sphere: Information Policy Issues for the 21st Century. The issues convered include net neutrality, media concentration, telecommunications policy, TILMA, access to information, and intellectual property. For a very cheap price, you’ll get to hear some fascinating speakers. Thanks to the committee for organizing this!!
Net Neutrality talking points
SaveOurNet.ca has published a Net Neutrality report called “Net Neutrality: Fact vs Fiction.” It provides a very clear overview of the wool that telecommunications companies tries to pull over consumer (and government!) eyes when it comes to net neutrality. According to the press release, here are some of the fallacies that are debunked in the report:
- the industry has not needed regulation in the past and does not need it now
- net neutrality legislation prevents corporations from making their networks more efficient
- corporations need to manage traffic on their networks in order to prevent congestion
- throttling internet traffic does not affect a consumer’s enjoyment of the internet
Speaking of talking points, the CLA is making use of an election widget. By entering your address and contact information, it sends an email to all candidates in your riding with five issues that are mentioned in CLA’s election kit: copyright, literacy, the Library Book Rate, the CAP programme (Community Access Program - which subsidizes Internet connections for schools and public libraries), and net neutrality.
Worrysome EPA libraries reopening
The Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) are concerned that the EPA library reopenings will not return the libraries to the state they were before they were shut down.
Here are few of the concerns:
- The minds which plotted their closure remain in charge
- Most of the re-opened new libraries will be housed in less space and one, in Chicago (formerly the largest regional library), will re-open without permanent furniture and shelving
- Collections are broken up and disbursed in a fashion that they may never be reassembled
- Library acquisition and management decisions are done under a political appointee