Library Juice 2:17 - April 28



Contents:

1. Librarian.net
2. Intellectual Freedom Action News on the web
3. Dr. Laura Schlesinger Hates the ALA
4. NY Times Article on preserving digital resources
5. Internet Library of Law and Court Decisions
6. Price's List of Lists
7. ALiNUS - Academic Library Newsletters
8. Open Directory Project news
9. Researchbuzz
10. Reference sites for Drugs, Pharmeceutical and Pharmacy info
11. NLM LocatorPlus
12. Address Directory - Politicians of the World
13. Help Save or Restore Pacifica Radio's Archives
14. NCLIS Adopts Principles for Public Library Service
15. Letter Concerning Columbine High School Library
16. 1,000 Jokes from the Prairie Home Companion 4th Annual Joke Show


Quote for the week:

"I guess that what keeps me in librarianship, even though it has
at times been extremely frustrating and even perilous, is a sort of
compulsion to share, particularly ideas and information.  That
accounts for the kind of networking activity which I confess transcends
just library colleagues and spills over into the local and even
national community.  On discovering a piece of solid information that
I suspect would interest, say, a small press person or somebody in a
particular movement group, or a "new word" collector, I simply find myself
unable to suppress the instinct, the impulse, to get it to that
person.  So this compulsion results in a kind of pro-active, selective
dissemination of information, except some would claim that maybe
it's not so selective."

Sanford Berman, interviewed by Jim Dwyer for _Technicalities_, v.6, n.11
(Nov. 1986), p.13.  Reprinted in Sanford Berman, _Worth Noting_, 1988,
Jefferson, NC, McFarland.

_________________________________________________________________________



1. Librarian.net


Jessamyn West has long been an excellent resource for what's new on the
web.  Now she has set up a website specifically for librarians who want
to keep track of what's new in our mother country, Libraryland.  The
URLs point to resources for librarians to use as well as to articles and
fun stuff that librarians in particular can appreciate.  There's currently
something new every day or so.  Look for this site to develop over the
coming months unpredictable ways and become a favorite bookmark.

In case you didn't guess the URL, it's http://librarian.net
_________________________________________________________________________



2. Intellectual Freedom Action News on the web

IFAN (Intellectual Freedom Action News), from February 1997 to
March/April 1999, is available through the ALA Office of Intellectual
Freedom (OIF) Web site at

http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/ifan_pub.html

_________________________________________________________________________



3. Dr. Laura Schlesinger Hates the ALA


Dr. Laura Schlesinger, the bitter, mean radio TV psychotherapist,
is attacking ALA for its stand on intellectual freedom, in particular
for poisoning our Nation's children with unfiltered internet
access.  You can see what she says at her website:
http://wwww.drlaura.com
and going to the monologe or letters sections of her site.

She describes some pretty kinky sexual situations in describing the
dangers of browsing from ALA's website!

On the air she said something to the effect that people should stop
going to libraries and go to bookstores instead.  A caller objected
that bookstores were expensive.  Dr. Laura said "They have sales
sometimes."

"Saturday Night Live" may have gone downhill, but lately they've been
doing a ripping Dr. Laura - you might want to catch it if you've
heard her show.

Dr. Laura made the news not long ago because of some lawsuit over
nude photos of her on the internet; pictures from when she was young
and foolish (I am told).
_________________________________________________________________________



4. NY Times Article on preserving digital resources

<http://www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/04/circuits/articles/08arch.html>http://
www.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/04/circuits/articles/08arch.html

_________________________________________________________________________



5. Internet Library of Law and Court Decisions

http://www.phillipsnizer.com/internetlib.htm

Maintained by Martin H. Samson, a partner at Phillips Nizer Benjamin Krim &
Ballon LLP, this site offers summaries of Internet-related court decisions.
Brief synopses, organized by topic (Copyright, Domain Name, First
Amendment, Spamming, etc.), are available for each decision, with links to
a more extensive summary with analysis, quotes, and the full text, where
available. The site also offers a keyword search engine, but be sure to
select Internet Library in the pull-down menu. Users can subscribe for
email notification of new additions. [MD]

>From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1999.
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
_________________________________________________________________________



6. Price's List of Lists

http://gwis2.circ.gwu.edu/~gprice/direct.htm

A collection of countless links to myriad resources covering a vast range
of topics, all having subsidiary links. Broad topics include: archives and
major library catalogs; bibliographies and bibliographic aids; books;
business and economics; (full text); government (U.S. and foreign);
government (U.S. state and city); humanities; legal; news sources and
serials; ready reference; science; social sciences; subject specific. There
is also direct access to nine advanced search interfaces.

While the subheadings under the broad topics are arranged alphabetically,
the recent additions are listed in random order.

It's not possible to come even remotely close to listing all of the links.
It's worth exploring.

A word of warning: I've found a couple of links that are no longer
available.

Submitted by:
Bill Bader
billb[at]library.stpaul.lib.mn.us

From: ResPool - http://members.tripod.com/~rtiess/respool.htm
_________________________________________________________________________



7. ALiNUS - Academic Library Newsletters

http://libaxp.hartford.edu/llr/alinusin.htm

Hosted by the University of Hartford Library, ALiNUS is a gateway to over
300 online newsletters from academic libraries. Designed to foster
communication among academic librarians, the ALiNUS database features
newsletters with a variety of content, design, and intended audiences. For
instance, some highlight new acquisitions and special collections; others
feature services or resources for students and faculty; some contain
scholarly library science articles; and some others are no-frills internal
notices to library staff. Any and all, however, can be used by librarians
for comparison with their own newsletter or simply as a back door into the
individual library. Users may browse the full list of newsletters or search
by title or institution. [MD]

>From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-1999.
http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/
_________________________________________________________________________



8. Open Directory Project news


 *  Lycos and HotBot have adopted the Open Directory

    Open Directory Project data is being used as the main
    directory content for both Lycos.com and HotBot.com.

 *  Open Directory Project data is now integrated with
    the Netscape browser What's Related feature.  Surf to
    a site that appears in the Open Directory, click on
    What's Related, and there will be a link back to the
    category where the sites appears.

 These developments, together with the existing audience given
 to the directory at dmoz.org and Netscape.com, give the Open
 Directory Project data a huge boost in reach and exposure.

 See http://dmoz.org/about.html for links to more information
 about these stories.

_________________________________________________________________________



9. Researchbuzz


http://www.researchbuzz.com


This site started in April 1998 as a companion site to
Official Netscape Guide to Internet Research, which was
published in April 1998 in a 2nd edition. Since the book
is a year old, however, the site has evolved to focus more
on Internet research resources.

Most business days you can get the latest on new research
sites and information by checking out ResearchBuzz.
ResearchBuzz is also available as a free weekly
newsletter. Click the ResearchBuzz link for more
information.

If you're interested in more general resources, check out
the Weblog, which is interesting stuff that turns up while
I surf, but which might not have much to do with Internet
research.

Maybe you want some more specific Internet research help.
See Quick Tips for brief pointers on how you can make the
most of your Internet research. Visit the Articles for
more in-depth discussions of Internet research topics.

If you want to learn more about the book, you can get the
essentials here. You can also read a couple of book
excerpts here.

Poke around and enjoy! Have an idea for a resource list or
a topic you'd like to see covered in an article? Send some
feedback.

_________________________________________________________________________



10. Reference sites for Drugs, Pharmeceutical and Pharmacy info


The premiere vol. 1, no. 1 of the Journal of Southern
Academic and Special Librarianship dated, June, 1999.
Includes a "Webliography" of reference sites for Drugs,
Pharmaceutical, and Pharmacy related information.  See:
http://www.icaap.org/SouthernLibrarianship/
--
_____________________________________________________
Paul T. Jackson       Trescott Research
        Information Consultant
                tresres[at]gte.net
-------------------------------------------------------
Those who say it can't be done should never interrupt
the one doing it.


From: ResPool - http://members.tripod.com/~rtiess/respool.htm

_________________________________________________________________________



11. NLM LocatorPlus


National Library of Medicine to Unveil New Online Catalog, LOCATORplus,
on the Web on Monday, April 12

On Monday, April 12, the National Library of Medicine will unveil its
new web catalog, called  LOCATORplus, which will allow anyone with
Internet access to find out what books, journals, audiovisuals,
manuscripts, and other items are contained in the world's largest
medical library.

There are many exciting new features will be available via LOCATORplus.
Customers using the catalog from the Web can search by author, MeSH
subject, title, conference name, keyword and many other specific fields,
then e-mail the results to themselves. Current receipts of both serial
and  monograph material will be displayed along with information about
material which is on order or available electronically.  Hotlinks to
online journals  will be available from many records. Direct access to
a variety of other resources will be available from LOCATORplus
including MEDLINE, MEDLINEplus, Images of the History of Medicine,
TOXNET, HSTAT, and other U.S. medical library catalogs.

LOCATORplus is part of NLM=s new integrated library system (ILS)
which was installed for in-house use in November 1998.  The ILS is
being used for acquisitions, serials control, cataloging, collection
management, circulation and preservation.  LOCATORplus is the ILS's
online public access catalog and serves as the retrieval engine for
the Library's cataloging records, replacing existing online access
methods, such as Locator, CATLINE, AVLINE and SERLINE.  LOCATORplus
brings together a number of previously disparate databases, along
with information formerly available only to staff, using state-of-art
information retrieval technology.

Beginning April 12th, NLM=s LOCATORplus can be found at:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/locatorplus/ The site is updated daily.

For a preview of the system a Quick Start Tutorial can be found at:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/locatorplus/tutorials/quickstart/sld001.htm


***********************************************************************
*   IFLA-L is provided by the International Federation of Library     *
* Associations and Institutions (IFLA). For further information about *
*    IFLA activities, including organization or personal affiliate    *
*               information, contact:  IFLA[at]ifla.org                  *
*                                                                     *
*                      URL: www.ifla.org                              *
***********************************************************************

_________________________________________________________________________




12.  Address Directory - Politicians of the World


(forwarded to SRRTAC-L by Al Kagan)

April 3, 1999

Hello,

Thought you might find the following website to be a useful
resource for any international letter writing/lobbying/
advocacy campaign:

Address Directory - Politicians of the World
http://www.trytel.com/~aberdeen/

Snail mail and, being added, e-mail, phone and fax contact
info for the provincial governors, prime ministers,
presidents and monarchs of 195 nations.

ie:
Slobodan Milosevic
Federal President
Savezna Skupstina
11000   Belgrade, Serbia
Yugoslavia
e-mail:  slobodan.milosevic[at]gov.yu
webpage:  http://www.gov.yu

Best regards,
Donald V.

Address Directory - Politicians of the World
http://www.trytel.com/~aberdeen

_________________________________________________________________________




13. Help Save or Restore Pacifica Radio's Archives


====
Dear Librarian:

This letter is being sent to you to inform you
of the possibility that a very valuable source of
research material may be threatened with loss or
dispersal.  The Pacifica Archives, a collection of
50,000-plus tapes in addition to other documents,
photographs and disc recordings, currently is in a
state of neglect, being stored improperly, with
current cataloging efforts not up to the task.

Why should you care?  You may not even be a listener
to Pacifica Radio (KPFK FM 90.7 in Los Angeles).

I am writing to you in hopes that as a librarian
and scholar you may wish to help preserve a treasure
trove of late 20th Century American cutting edge
thought and radio broadcasting.  This archive is under
threat of loss due to a management structure which has
developed within Pacifica that envisions itself as
another imperial presence within the world of public
radio broadcast, in the mode of KUSC and KLON (for
those of you who are classical music and jazz listeners,
respectively).  In the process there is evidence that
the current assets of the Pacifica Foundation are
increasingly being viewed as just that -- assets which
may be disposed of for the sake of seeking other
"corporate goals".

The enclosed letter was written by Mr. Alan Stein, who
was briefly employed by as the Pacifica Archivist.  As
his letter explains, the serious deficiencies in the
management and administration of the Pacifica Archives
he discovered and was prepared to report on to Pacifica
management were essentially smothered by his sudden
dismissal and the rewriting of a short report in its
stead by Lynn Chadwick (now Executive Director of
Pacifica) citing no serious problems and no need to
allocate any additional resources to the proper
management of the Archives.

This is not a letter asking you for a contribution.
It is written in the hope that you will be sufficiently
concerned about the loss of this important arhive to
try to involve whatever professional associations with
which you may be affiliated to protest against the
deterioration and possible loss of the Pacifica Archives.

For further information .... etc.




February 22, 1999

Dr. Mary Frances Berry
Governing Board Chair
Pacifica Foundation National Board
624 Ninth St. NW #700
Washington, DC  20425

Reg.: February 1999 National Board Meeting

Dear Dr. Berry:

As the Archivist responsible for the Pacifica Radio Archives I
thought you should know that I did not prepare the two page PRA
February 1999 Board Report.  I am writing you to set the record
straight before the National Board meets.  Although I was to have
prepared the Archives Board Report, I was instructed not to do so
by Gail Christian. Ms. Christian is the author of the report, which
will be presented.  As I am struck by the inaccuracies that the
report contains.  I am submitting my own version to you.

By way of introduction I am a Certified Archivist and Librarian who
came to the Pacifica Radio Archives from the California State
Library.  I was hired as the Pacifica Radio Archivist on November 1,
1998.  Lynn Chadwick suddenly terminated me on February 18,
1999 in order to prevent me from reporting at the 1999 Pacifica
Foundation Governing Board Meeting.

As a former Library of Congress Junior Fellow I was responsible for
curating the "Amassing American Stuff," WPA art exhibit and
conference with John Cole at the LC Center For the Book in 1994.
In 1995 I was a USIA/ACOR Fellow who traveled to Amman, Jordan
to undertake a six-month survey of the Jordanian Labor Force, post
Desert-Storm.  In 1997-98 I received an Arthur Weinberg Fellow at
the Newberry Library in Chicago.  I have presented academic
papers at numerous conferences and am also an accomplished
photojournalist, with more than a decade of media experience. My
work has appeared in The University of California Press,
TriQuarterly, The San Francisco Examiner, the Library of Congress
Information Bulletin, and LC Gazette.

I have been a researcher and still photographer for a handful of
historical documentaries and features, including the acclaimed
drama, NORTHERN LIGHTS. In 1992 I was awarded a New York
Times Company Foundation Grant.  In 1993, I was an Albert P.
Weisman Scholar in Broadcast Communications at Columbia
College, Chicago, where I graduated with honors and began
working with Studs Terkel in his radio archives. I am an active
member of the Society of California Archivists, the Society of
California Archivists, the Southwest Oral History Association, the
American Library Association, and the Oral History Association.

During the four months I have been at the Archives, I have
witnessed a variety of practices, which I believe jeopardize the
preservation of the important historical material over which I
putatively have had responsibility.  In fact, I feel that my efforts to
employ my professional expertise has been undermined at every
turn by Ms. Christian and another consultant from the Bay Area,
Adi Gevins, and that the lines of responsibility for decisions at the
Archives shift at a bewildering rate.

As an historian, Dr. Berry, you can appreciate the need to preserve
Pacifica's history.  Not only is the collection intrinsically valuable
for the historical material it contains, but it will be used more often
in the next century in a multi-media context, especially with the
Proliferation of much fine public history programs throughout the
United States and abroad.

Here are some of the pressing problems and concerns for the
collection that I have as an Archivist:

· BACKLOG INFORMATION

Here is factual Backlog information regarding the PRA:
Approximately 6,000 tapes sent from WBAI have been inventoried
but not prioritized for cataloging.  These will need to be audited by
the volunteers already recruited by the Archivist.

Democracy Now!
September, 1997-February, 1999 not cataloged
Approximately 245 tapes

Living Room
July, 1997-August, 1998 not cataloged
Approximately 250 tapes

Sunday Salon
January-February, 1999 not cataloged
Approximately 8 tapes

Explorations with Michio Kaku
June, 1997 to January, 1999 not cataloged.
These will have to be audited by volunteers.
Approximately 77 tapes

Restoration Project Backlog (cataloged, in need of restoration work)
Approximately 2,000 tapes

Office area contains 1,000 tapes not cataloged, not climate
controlled either

Off-site storage presents access and preservation problems in that
there has been a long history of Pacifica tapes being moved around
from site to site

· STATION RELATIONS

On February 1, 1999 I was told by Gail Christian not to go through
the KPFK tape archives with Pam Burton.  This was contrary to my
Archival training, and to the Pacifica Radio Archives policy to
develop good station relations.


· RECORDS MANAGEMENT PLAN/ENVIRONMENTAL PLAN

The Archives should play a key role in the development and
implementation of a Pacifica records management plan (which
could be modeled under the Strategic Plan).  However, the
Archives do not serve as a key repository for the Pacifica
Foundation nor does it serve the full needs of the producer/archivist
who is concerned about the preservation of his or her show.
Historically, Pauline Kael, Eric Bauersfeld, Max Schwartz, Ed
Robbins, and many others have kept their original tapes because
the Archives did not and still does not have the reputation as THE
ARCHIVE OF PACIFICA.  It has also lost tapes during periodic
moves and earthquakes, and its air conditioner goes out every six
months or so until it gets another jolt of freon. The temperature in
the Archives, often set by Gail Christian, is excessively warm and
unstable for tapes. Many a producer and Archivist has questioned
the unstable environment, and attempts at temperature control
have not met with Ms.Christian's cooperation. When the former
Archivist, Julie Graham made such an attempt to stabilize the
environment at PRA she had a staff mutiny on her hands, led by
Gail Christian.

The Archives' collections have been deaccessioned over the years
due to limited resources at Pacifica.  Periodically the Board has
taken a hard look at the need to keep the entire collection.
Consequently, one can find NFCRB tapes and manuscripts from
Pacifica at the National Public Broadcasting Archives in Maryland;
manuscripts at the Social Action Archives in Madison, Wisconsin,
and tape libraries at each Sister Station. For example, KPFK has
about 3,000 tapes stored, which are technically out of the Archives
storage facility - stored in a non-air-conditioned traffic control room
at KPFK. An immediate priority suggested by the Archivist (but not
"approved" by Gail Christian or Adi Gevins) would have been to
survey, duplicate, and share tape resources, while at the same
time trying to maintain a stable environment for all Pacifica tapes.
Additionally the Pacifica photographic collection needs to be
cataloged and inventoried for the PRA and efforts need to be made
to preserve that collection and make it more accessible too.


RESTORATION PROJECT (NHPRC) 1987-1990

Approximately 2,000 tapes in the Archive are in the active process
of disintegration due to their advanced age. They were originally
recorded on acetate stock which was made to last only a few
years, and many tapes have severe lubrication and splice
problems. Pacifica Archives did not allocate enough time to the
restoration process.  Over 6,000 reels of endangered tapes were
targeted for preservation in 1987.  The project resulted in the
remastering of 3500 hours of tapes and came to an end in January
1990. Since then the remainder of the tapes have not been
restored.  In order not to loose them entirely, there is an urgent
need to have them re-recorded.  Apparently the National Historical
Publications and Resources Commission (NHPRC) was not
notified of this.  A distinction must be made that the project was
not completed due to limited resources, not intentional negligence.


Included in this early collection are the literature, music history,
popular culture, and social movements of the 20th Century.  For
example: Sigmund Freud speaking in English during his last
lecture tour of the United States, a ten- part lecture series
produced in 1963 on the history of the Mexican-Americans in
California, one of four existing interviews with John Coltrane, an
interview in South Africa with Steve Biko, a unique collection of
Northern California Indian Tales, actuality of the Vietnam War from
both South and North Vietnam, a rare interview with Elijah
Muhammed, documentaries on Martin Luther King, Jr., on the
Winter Soldiers Investigation, and interviews with Jessica Midford,
Aldous Huxley, and Iranian students in the occupied American
embassy in Teheran.


· DISC RECORDINGS

In my weekly archival reports I observed that PRA holds some 250
sound recording discs of early Pacifica broadcasts, potentially
containing up to 125 hours of material.  I encouraged Lynn
Chadwick, Adi Gevins, and Gail Christian to look at these
materials, since they are the earliest items documenting Pacifica
recording history and could be used to showcase the 50th
Anniversary. No attempt was made by any of them to even
consider my recommendation.  These valuable items should NOT
be at PRA but instead should be transferred to the National Public
Broadcasting Archives in Maryland where they can be properly
preserved and made available to researchers.


· MISREPRESENTATION/JOB RESTRUCTURING AT PRA

Gail Christian restructured the Pacifica Radio Archivist's job on
1/22/99 without consulting with the Archivist or the Pacifica Board.
Pacifica management (Lynn Chadwick) and consultants (Gail
Christian, Adi Gevins) collectively supervised the Archivist during a
"Special Review (Probation) Period" which effectively reduced the
Archivist's review period from six months to four months.  The
Archivist was terminated prior to March 1st, when the special
review period final report was to have been submitted to Lynn
Chadwick by Gail Christian and Adi Gevins.  Once again, Pacifica
Radio Archives is without a professional archivist, thanks to Gail
Christian.  The same sort of restructuring pattern occurred with
Pam Burton (former Director Pacifica Radio Archive, 1993-1997)
and Julie Graham (former Archivist, 1997-1998) who also left
because of Gail Christian.


· RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PACIFICA NATIONAL
GOVERNING BOARD MEETING,
FEBRUARY 27-28, 1999.

Archivist Alan H. Stein intends to speak on Sunday, February 28th
at the 1999 Pacifica National Board Meeting.  As former Archivist
for Pacifica, he will recommend an audit of a Federal Grant from
the NHPRC for the Pacifica Archive Tape Restoration Project; an
audit and investigation of Adi Gevins (Pacifica Consultant) and her
husband, Michael Cousins (Pacifica Attorney) for a possible
conflict of interests; and the removal of Gail Christian, who
fabricated large portions of the Pacifica Radio Archives February
1999 Board Report.  She is a former National Program Director,
Pacifica Program Service Archive Director, and a paid Pacifica
consultant, since October 1998.

Additionally, I propose instead of a Board Archives Committee, the
formation of a Pacifica Radio Archives Advisory Board to advise the
Archivist and Executive Director in developing the direction of the
PRA, including policy development, program preservation, fiscal
accountability, and long range planning

It is clear to me and others that my termination came on the eve of
my plans to expose Ms. Christian and the problems faced by the
PRA under her so called direction.   My comments and
recommendations do not seem to have met with the approval of
Ms. Christian and Ms. Gevins, who informed me that my "special
introductory period" had been shortened from 6 months to 4
months, and that they did not intend to continue my services. This
once again leaves Pacifica without an archivist. Generally, I have
encountered what appears to be lack of respect both myself
personally as well as the position of Archivist.  Both my
predecessors feel the same way.  My symposium and conference
budget was cut in order to make funds available for "consultants
salaries."  Ms. Christian has shown the same disdain for the
Pacifica tapes.  According to eyewitness reports, she wanted to
dispose of most of the WBAI tape library - thousands of tapes.
They were removed from the Archives and stored off-site in order for
her not to dispose of them. When I began my job, she asked me to
stop archiving Larry Bensky's "Living Room," and I politely refused
to do so.

In order for the Archives to best serve Pacifica and the public it is
imperative that you and the Board assure these tapes are
preserved for the 21st Century.  We have a mutual respect for the
collection and in historic preservation. While I don't expect you to
respond directly to this letter, you should know that I can be called
upon at any time to be of any kind of assistance to you in regards
to the Pacifica Radio Archives.


Sincerely,

Alan Harris Stein
Certified Archivist/Librarian



________________________
http://www.radio4all.org
http://www.radio4all.org/freepacifica


_________________________________________________________________________




14. NCLIS Adopts Principles for Public Library Service



For Immediate Release For Information Contact April 21,
1999 Barbara Whiteleather


NCLIS Adopts Principles for Public Library Service


 Washington, DC - The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and
Information
Science (NCLIS) has passed a resolution adopting Principles for
Public Library Service based on the UNESCO Public Library
Manifesto.  The 1995 UNESCO Manifesto was prepared as an aid to
improving public library services in both developed and developing
countries.

Commission Members took this action during their meeting on April
7, 1999 in Ann Arbor, MI. The Principles clearly articulate the
Commissionís long-standing belief that public library services
should be provided on the basis of equality of access for all;
specific and appropriate services and materials should be provided
for those in need, regardless of disability or age, in appropriate
media, using modern technologies as well as traditional means.
The Principles put forth 12 key missions considered to be the core
of public library services and they specifically address issues of
funding, legislation and networks, as well as operation and
management issues.

In adopting this resolution, the Commission encourages decision
makers at national, state and local levels and the library
community at large within the United States to provide public
library service in conformance with the Principles. Vice Chair
Martha Gould, Reno, NV, observed, ìBecause we are always raising
the bar on the level of excellence in public libraries, we urge
all Federal, state and local governments to consider these
Principles when making policy and funding decisions affecting our
public libraries.  We believe that by adopting and implementing
these Principles for Public Library Service, our libraries will
set new and higher standards of service and continue to serve as
models for lifelong learning throughout the world.î

Commissioner Bobby Roberts, Director, Central Arkansas Library
System, stated, ìThese Principles reinforce the need for community
collaborations, which are the basis of good government.  Libraries
are an integral part of every community and, as such, must always
search for better ways to provide the best possible service. This
document provides another model of excellence for public libraries
to strive to achieve.î

The full text of the NCLIS Resolution follows:

WHEREAS Congress has affirmed that library and information
services adequate to meet the needs of the people of the United
States are essential to achieve national goals and to utilize most
effectively the nationís educational resources; and

WHEREAS Congress established the U.S. National Commission on
Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) as a permanent,
independent agency of the Federal government to advise the
executive and legislative branches on national library and
information policies and plans; and

WHEREAS the Commission has the primary responsibility for
developing overall plans for meeting national library and
informational needs and for the coordination of activities at the
federal, state, and local levels, taking into consideration all of
the library and informational resources of the nation to meet those
needs; and

WHEREAS the Commission concurs with the UNESCO Public Library
Manifesto that the public library, the local gateway to knowledge,
provides a basic condition for lifelong learning, independent
decision-making and cultural development of the individual and
social groups; and

WHEREAS the Commission concurs with the UNESCO Public Library
Manifesto that the public library is a living force for education,
culture and information, and an essential agent for the fostering
of peace and spiritual welfare through the minds of men and women;
and

WHEREAS the Commission shares with UNESCO the conviction that the
establishment and maintenance of public libraries is a task of
government at national and local level; and

WHEREAS the Commission hopes that educators, social and cultural
workers, and community leaders will stimulate interest and promote
by all available means the availability of public library service
which will meet the needs outlined in these Principles and be a
central and dynamic force in their community.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Members of the U.S. National
Commission on Libraries and Information Science hereby adopt the
following Principles for Public Library Service and encourages
U.S. implementation of the UNESCO Public Library Manifesto:

A gateway to knowledge

Freedom, Prosperity and the Development of society and of
individuals are fundamental human values.  They will be attained
through the ability of well-informed citizens to exercise their
democratic rights and to play an active role in society.
Constructive participation and the development of democracy depend
on satisfactory education as well as on free and unlimited access
to knowledge, thought, culture and information.

The public library, the local gateway to knowledge, provides a
basic condition for lifelong learning, independent decision-making
and cultural development of the individual and social groups.

This Manifesto proclaims UNESCOís belief in the public library as
a living force for education, culture and information, and as an
essential agent for the fostering of peace and spiritual welfare
through the minds of men and women.

UNESCO therefore encourages national and local governments to
support and actively engage in the development of public libraries.

The local center of information

The public library is the local center of information, making all
kinds of knowledge and information readily available to its users.

The services of the public library are provided on the basis of
equality of access for all, regardless of age, race, sex,
religion, nationality, language or social status. Specific
services and materials must be provided for those who cannot, for
whatever reason, use the regular services and materials, for
example, linguistic minorities, people with disabilities or people
in hospital or prison.

All age groups must find material relevant to their needs.
Collections and services have to include all types of appropriate
media and modern technologies as well as traditional materials.
High quality and relevance to local needs and conditions are
fundamental. Material must reflect current trends and the
evolution of society, as well as the memory of human endeavor and
imagination.

Collections and services should not be subject to any form of
ideological, political or religious censorship, nor commercial
pressure.

Missions of the public library

The following key missions which relate to information, literacy,
education and culture should be at the core of public library
services: 1. Creating and strengthening reading habits in children
from an early age;
2. Supporting both individual and self-conducted education as well
as formal education at all levels;
3. Providing opportunities for personal, creative development;
4. Stimulating the imagination and creativity of children and
young people;
5. Promoting awareness of cultural heritage, appreciation of the
arts, scientific achievements and innovations; 6. Providing access
to cultural expressions of all performing arts; 7. Fostering
intercultural dialogue and favoring cultural diversity;
8. Supporting the oral tradition;
9. Ensuring access for citizens to all sorts of community
information; 10. Providing adequate information services to local
enterprises, associations and interest groups;
11. Facilitating the development of information and computer
literacy skills; and
12. Supporting and participating in literacy activities and
programs for all
age groups, and initiating such activities if necessary.

Funding, legislation and networks

The public library shall in principle be free of charge. The
public library is the responsibility of local and national
authorities. It must be supported by specific legislation and
financed by national and local governments. It has to be an
essential component of any long-term strategy for culture,
information provision, literacy and education.

To ensure nationwide library coordination and cooperation,
legislation and strategic plans must also define and promote a
national library network based on agreed standards of service.

The public network must be designed in relation to national,
regional, research and special libraries as well as libraries in
schools, colleges and universities.

Operation and management

A clear policy must be formulated, defining objectives, priorities
and services in relation to the local community needs.  The public
library has to be organized effectively and professional standards
of operation must be maintained.

Cooperation with relevant partners - for example, user groups and
other professionals at the local, regional, national as well as
international level - has to be ensured.

Services have to be physically accessible to all members of the
community. This requires well situated library buildings, good
reading and study facilities, as well as relevant technologies and
sufficient opening hours convenient to the users.  It equally
implies outreach services for those unable to visit the library.

The library services must be adapted to the different needs of
communities in rural and urban areas.

The librarian is an active intermediary between users and
resources. Professional and continuing education of the librarian
is indispensable to ensure adequate services.

Outreach and user education programs have to be provided to help
users benefit from all the resources.


 The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science
is a permanent, independent agency of the Federal government
charged by Public Law 91-345 to advise the President and Congress
on national and international library and information policies and
plans.

Kim A. Miller
U.S. NCLIS
1110 Vermont Avenue, NW; Suite 820
Washington, DC  20005-3552
202-606-9200; fax 202-606-9203
kmiller[at]nclis.gov

_________________________________________________________________________



15. Letter Concerning Columbine High School Library



PLEASE PASS ON...  Fred Stoss
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 14:46:15 -0400
From: Kathleen M Delaney <kdelaney[at]ACSU.BUFFALO.EDU>

Folks,
The following message from the Archives & Archivists list concerning
Columbine High Library is being cross-posted to several lists. Please
excuse duplications. An additional message regarding the staff of
Columbine indicated the names of the staff. Card, letters and e-mails are
being forwarded to them. Staff include:
        Liz Keating, Librarian;
        Mary Swanson, Librarian
        Lois Kean, Aide
        Carol Weld, Technician
        Kathleen Keffer, Volunteer

(e-mail c/o Bobbie Ponis <rponis[at]jeffco.k12.co.us>

Mail messages to: Messages for Columbine Library Staff
                  Jefferson County Public Schools
                  P.O. Box 4001
                  Golden, CO 80401-0001

Donations to: Jefferson County Public Schools
              1829 Denver West Drive, #27
              P.O. Box 40001
              Golden, CO 80401-0001

Specify how you want the donation directed (i.e., library collection,
computers, etc.)

For those interested, the Littleton Colorado Jaycees have set up a fund to
help with repairs to the damaged to the library.  In addition to
the clean-up,  extensive water
damage occured when  sprinkler system activated.

Donations can be sent by check to:
        Columbine High Library Fund
        c/o Littleton Jaycees
        P.O.Box 1008
        Littleton, CO 80160-1008


Kathleen M. DeLaney
Project Archivist
University Archives
420 Capen Hall
University at Buffalo
e-mail: kdelaney[at]acsu.buffalo.edu
tel: 716-645-2916
fax: 716-645-3714

_________________________________________________________________________




16. 1,000 Jokes from the Prairie Home Companion 4th Annual Joke Show

http://phc.mpr.org/activities/19990410_jokeshow/index.shtml


_________________________________________________________________________




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