The lastest news and advice on library legislation includining the US Patriot Act, Library Services and Technology Act, privacy, and more from Library Journal. en-us http://www.libraryjournal.com/community/Legislation/47102.html?nid=3278 2008 Reed Business Information. Subject to its Terms of Use. Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:45:08 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6576211.html?nid=3278 Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6574584.html?nid=3278 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6574290.html?nid=3278 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6550453.html?nid=3278 (A preview of an editorial appearing in LJ's May 1 issue.) A stealth attack on U.S. freedoms—intellectual, academic, and personal—came to a halt in early April, at least for the time being, when quick action by librarians restored the term abortion to the search function of a health database. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6547028.html?nid=3278 The Section 108 Study Group has delivered its long-awaited report, but it remains unclear how quickly, or if, the group's carefully-worded, conditioned recommendations for updating the Copyright Act will ever make it into law. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6546240.html?nid=3278 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last week said it will re-establish five closed libraries, but an employee group warned that the plan was insufficient. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6542329.html?nid=3278 For years, librarians and patrons have complained that the most popular digital audio player, the iPod, is incompatible with the Windows Media Audio (WMA) files, the format for library downloadable audio titles. Now OverDrive will offer at least 3000 titles—about 15 percent of its catalog—in MP3 format, which means compatibility with nearly every MP3 player and mobile phone, including iPods. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6532761.html?nid=3278 Depending on whom you ask, the Vancouver Public Library, BC, either is taking freedom expression seriously by welcoming a harsh critic of Israel or giving an undeserved platform to a fringe author whose books appear in very few libraries. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6532534.html?nid=3278 After significant criticism, including from the American Library Association, a Connecticut library has reversed its decision to cancel two talks by a pro-Palestinian speaker, Alison Weir. Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6523163.html?nid=3278 The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the appeal of Kahle v. Ashcroft, brought by Internet Archive and Open Content Alliance founders Brewster Kahle and Rick Prelinger in 2003, which challenged the constitutionality of the current copyright regime. Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6510776.html?nid=3278 After a patron at the Lewiston Public Library, ME, removed and then refused to return an "amoral" book, the library faced (and beat) charges of violating anti-obscenity laws. Now the patron faces charges. Fri, 07 Dec 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6495666.html?nid=3278 Some volunteers are up in arms after the Fayetteville Public Library considers requiring background checks of all volunteers. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6495780.html?nid=3278 Ten years after it rejected software filters on computer terminals in public libraries, the San Jose City Council is reconsidering filters to block access to pornographic sites. Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6495684.html?nid=3278 OCLC has released an international research study, which has some sobering news for libraries. Even though 60 percent of respondents say they trust the library, only a small fraction of people consider library web sites more private than other web sites. Library directors in the United States have "an inflated view of the information privacy attitudes" of the general public. Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6495391.html?nid=3278 The American Library Association (ALA) and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) are seeking language that would ensure that law enforcement requests for library patron records or the surveillance of library users through library networks go through judicial review. Mon, 29 Oct 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6483677.html?nid=3278 Comedian Jim Norton, whose publisher proclaims him a "pervert," has achieved best-seller status with Happy Endings: The Tales of a Meaty-Breasted Zilch. A library has decided to make it available only "on request." Wed, 26 Sep 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6478625.html?nid=3278 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6476431.html?nid=3278 California public libraries suffer huge budget losses after the governor slashes $14 million from two major library programs. Fri, 07 Sep 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6473303.html?nid=3278 On the Congressional agenda: reconcile House and Senate versions of the OPEN Government Act, which mandates quicker responses to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Mon, 03 Sep 2007 00:00:00 MST http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6471402.html?nid=3278 Facing a potential UK libel suit it wouldn't win, Cambridge University Press pulps Alms for Jihad and asks libraries to yank it from their shelves. Don't do it, says the American Library Association. The authors may republish the book in the United States. Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:00:00 MST