Home > News Archive > October 2004
Social Responsibilities
Advocacy Groups
Librarian Activists
Library & IT Issues
Progressive Journals
October 30, 2004
Award for progressive librarian students
The 2005 Braverman Award, sponsored by the Progressive Librarians Guild, is given to the best library/information science student essay concerning some aspect of the social responsibilities of librarians, libraries, or librarianship. The winning entrant will have his/her essay published in Progressive Librarian and receive a $300 stipend toward attending the ALA annual meeting in Chicago.
source: PLGNet-listserv
October 28, 2004
ALA on the presidential candidates
From Peter Suber on Open Access News: "The ALA Washington Office has put together a table comparing the policy proposals and track records of the two candidates on library issues, including the PATRIOT Act."
source: Open Access News
October 26, 2004
Seize this!
Put your name on the Indymedia petition condemning the seizure of their hard drives at the request of the US "Justice" Department in early October.
source: PLGNet-listserv
Harnad on Open Access and Libraries
Stevan Harnad, Open Access advocate, was interviewed about Open Access at the Internet Librian International. The interview is available for dial-up users or high-speed users. Other presentations at the Forum on Open Access for internet librarians are also available.
source: American Scientist Open Access Forum
Celebrate Zines!
If you're in Montreal, check out (or participate in!) the annual Expozine on Sunday November 26th. If you can't wait until then, get your Zine buzz through ZineStreet. They even have a section listing Zine Libraries!
source: Thanks Chris!
Alternative libraries in the UK
The Commonweal Collection at the University of Bradford is "an independent specialist library concerned with issues relating to non-violent social change." The 1 in 12 Club Library is comprised of a "small but comprehensive resource of alternative views of history and society."
source: Thanks Chris!
October 18, 2004
RFIDs: Libraries lead by example
More on RFIDs and the "good" example libraries are giving for the usefuless of this technology
source: Google news
Celebrate Ontario Public Libraries
October 18-24 is Ontario Public Library Week. "With more than 1,100 service points throughout Ontario, public libraries provide access to more than 29 million books for research, recreation and self-improvement."
source: Google news
Fair employment in academia
October 25-29 is Fair Employment Week 2004 in Canada where academic staff raise awareness on the overuse and exploitation of contract workers in academia. Libraries are no strangers to this phenomena. Campus Equity Week is the U.S. equivalent.
October 11, 2004
Semi-naked librarian protest
Man in India protests for a permanent job.
source: Google news
Best little infoshop in town
The Crossroads, a Kansas City infoshop, is named best new business!
source: A-librarians listserv
October 7, 2004
Books not Bars
The Albany Public Library will host a free film viewing and panel discussion of the documentary short Books Not Bars as part of the Human Rights Video Project. Mark your calendars for October 28th @ 7:00 pm.
source: NYLINE-listserv
Canadian Copyright Overprotective
Article in First Monday about, in part, the Educational Internet licensing that has been suggested by the Heritage Committee’s Interim Report on Copyright Reform. According to the author:
Copyright policy in Canada appears to be driven at the moment by the concerns of rights–holders who fear unauthorized distribution of their material on the Internet, and the concerns of technocrats that the legal protocols be honoured and regulatory mechanisms operate smoothly.
The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) is also very critical of Heritage Canada's Report. And here is the CLA's submission to the Heritage Committee.
source: Open Access News
School libraries = Student Achievements
Research paper from Scholastic Library Publisher ("publisher of children's print, non-fiction and online reference material for use in schools and public libraries") finds that school libraries are critical to student achievement...
source: Google News
October 5, 2004
Canadian book on US imperialism
Rodrigue Tremblay, economist and professor emeritus at l'Université de Montréal has written a book titled the "New American Empire". Anyone doing collection development?
source: Merci Carole!
Libraries for All?
Mount Vernon City Library in Washington State is planning on denying access to non-city residents (rural residents of Skagit county), because of budget restrictions.
source: Thanks Frank!
October 3, 2004
Documenting the destruction of libraries
Excellent article in Counterpunch describing Julian Samuel's new movie, Save and Burn, about the war against libraries and access to information. Very à propos, this being 1 day after ALA's Banned Books Week.
source: Google news
Check out the archives for past headlines
