September 2000 issue
VLA Wants You!
The Virginia Library Association invites VLA members to apply for positions on VLA's standing committees. The committees sponsor programs, perform research, and conduct much of the organization's business. Newer members are especially encouraged to consider committee service as a way to become involved in the Association. To apply for positions starting in 2001, please complete the Committee Service Interest Form included in this month's VLA Newsletter.
Intellectual Freedom Update
Virginia’s “Harmful Material” Internet Law
U.S. District Judge James H. Michael Jr. has barred Virginia from enforcing its law aimed at protecting children from “harmful” material on the Internet. Judge Michael said that the law, which makes it a crime to use the Internet to sell, rent or lend sexually explicit pictures or written narratives to juveniles that could be harmful to them, violates the First Amendment rights of online users. Michael’s opinion said that it is nearly impossible to block inappropriate material from children without blocking access to adults as well. This is a very similar analysis to the one used in other court decisions that have blocked enforcement of laws similar to Virginia’s. In fact, similar reasoning was used as recently as June, 2000 when a federal appeals court in Philadelphia blocked enforcement of the 1998 Child Online Protection Act, which would have required commercial Web sites to gather proof of an Internet user’s age before allowing the user to view certain material. In that case the justices of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit called the decision an agonizing conflict between the right of free speech and the duty to watch over children.
Other states continue to consider net filtering bills. The New Jersey legislature is considering legislation that would force schools and libraries to use filters to block not only web sites that contain partial or full nudity, but also those that promote hate, intolerance, satanic cults, violence, drugs or alcohol, and militant/extreme behavior. A Florida bill would require public libraries to install blocking software on at least half of their computers to prevent patrons from accessing “materials that contain obscene descriptions, photographs, or depictions.” Pennsylvania’s bill would require both public schools and libraries to use blocking software “reasonably designed to block access to material, the character of which is reasonably believed to be obscene, pornographic, or harmful to minors.” West Virginia, on the other hand, did not pass a bill that would have required libraries to adopt acceptable use policies. Although the West Virginia House of Delegates passed the bill, its Senate could not vote on the matter before the time expired in the session.
If you would like more information about Judge Michael’s opinion on the Virginia law, see “Judge Blocks Virginia Law on Internet Porn” (Washington Post, 8/10/00, p. A1) and “Virginia Net Law Barred” (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 8/10/00, p. A1). For a story about the court decision in the 1998 Child Online Protection Act, see “Setback for Pornography Law” (New York Times, 6/23/00).
U.S. Supreme Court Invalidates Section 505 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act
Section 505 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which requires cable television operators that provide sexually oriented programming either to “fully scramble or otherwise fully block” such programming or to limit transmission of such programming to hours when children are unlikely to be viewing, violates the First Amendment, according to the U.S. Supreme Court. On May 22, the Supreme Court in United States v. Playboy Entertainment Group Inc. said that Congress went too far by requiring the cable television operators to take this step. Parents who do not want their children exposed to sexually explicit cable television channels will have to ask the cable company to block adult networks or hide their remote control changers under the new ruling. Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the court, said that the government “has not met the burden the First Amendment requires” for censoring TV, even in the name of protecting children. The government did not show that section 505 represented the “least restrictive means” for addressing the problem. Another portion of this same 1996 Telecommunications Act, the Communications Decency Act that banned “indecent” material on the Internet, also was struck down by the Supreme Court for unconstitutionally curbing lawful speech.
--Timothy L. Coggins, VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee
Children's Book Week
Luncheon
The Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C., and The Washington Post will hold their annual Children's Book Week Luncheon on Saturday, November 4, 12 noon, at the Renaissance Hotel, 999 9th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. The recipient of this year's Award for Nonfiction is author/illustrator Diane Stanley, in recognition of her total body of work and the significant contribution she has made to the field of children's nonfiction. Ms. Stanley's books have won numerous national awards. Her recent titles include Joan of Arc, Raising Sweetness, and Roughing it on the Oregon Trail. Katherine Paterson, two-time Newbery Award winner and upcoming guest at the VLA Annual Conference, will speak at the event in addition to Caldecott Medal-winning author/illustrator David Wisniewski. The luncheon is open to the public by advance ticket ($40) only. Book sales and signings will be held before and after the lunch. For more information, contact Marilyn Courtot at (301) 469-2070, e-mail: marilyn@childrenslit.com or Peggy Jackson at (301) 585-0288, e-mail: peggyjack@aol.com.
All Virginia Reads...
Academy Award winners Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline, stars of the motion picture Sophie's Choice, will co-host An Evening With William Styron at the Library of Virginia on December 2, 2000. This gala celebration honoring the life of William Styron will cap the activities of "All Virginia Reads... Sophie's Choice," a joint project of the Library of Virginia, the Virginia Center for the Book and the Library of Virginia Foundation. The project invites all Virginians to read Sophie’s Choice, by William Styron, in the year 2000 and to participate in statewide community discussions about the issues and themes explored in the book. The main goals of "All Virginia Reads" are to foster a renewed interest in reading across the Commonwealth, to promote books and excellence in literature, and to begin a statewide dialogue about indifference, intolerance, hatred, and injustice. Ticket sales from the December 2 event will help to establish the William Styron Endowment for the Virginia Authors Room at the Library of Virginia. For ticket information, please call (804) 692-3900.
ALA Councilor Report
Nearly 25,000 members, exhibitors, guests and members of the press attended the American Library Association’s annual conference in Chicago in July. Highlight topics included:
Ø A discussion of core values in which consensus could not be reached. The recommendations of the Core Values Task Force were rejected and incoming ALA President Nancy Kranich was asked by Council to create a new process to address the issue. The discussion was often emotional, leaving many to feel the issue is more divisive than uniting at this time.
Ø A re-visiting of how trustees for the ALA Endowment set investment objectives led to a vote rejecting a resolution on socially responsible investing. The vote indicated, at least for now, that Council is satisfied with current handling of the endowment. Trustees had indicated that socially responsible investment tenets are already present.
Ø Attendance at ALA Membership Meetings was discussed widely because efforts had been made to revitalize the meetings to attract members wishing to participate. Two Membership Meetings were held at conference and both failed to attract the necessary quorum of 500 members.
Ø A report about outsourcing, which Council had requested in 1999, was presented by a team from Texas Woman’s University School of Library and Information Science. A long discussion followed emphasizing concerns that the report affirmed privatization efforts and was unresponsive to concerns that library values and the profession may be endangered by outsourcing. Council requested that President Kranich choose exactly how the topic will be further examined.
I will present a full report at the September VLA Council meeting and will send a copy to anyone interested. The outsourcing issue has already directly affected librarians in Virginia and federal librarians in particular. Please contact me with your specific concerns and your opinions (mmayerh@npl.lib.va.us).
Mary Mayer-Hennelly
Virginia Chapter Councilor
Norfolk Public Library
VLA Scholarship
Recipients
The Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the two recipients of the 2000 Virginia Library Association Scholarships.
Christina Anderson has been employed in a library setting since 1993 and currently works at the Bristol Public Library as a reference assistant. Previous to this position she was a Youth Services Coordinator for the Bedford Public Library System and wishes to continue her library work in children's services in Virginia after graduating from the University of Tennessee next year.
Sandra Shell recently became the manager of the Collinsville Branch Library of the Blue Ridge Regional Library System where she has worked for almost five years. Prior to becoming the branch manager she served as circulation assistant, assistant branch manager and children's librarian. Sandra plans to continue serving as branch head at the Collinsville Library after finishing her MLS degree through Florida State University.
Both recipients were awarded $2,000 to assist them in pursuing Master's degrees in library science. VLA congratulates Chrissy and Sandra and wishes them well in their studies.
These scholarships are made available again this year through the generosity of Blackwell North America and the Information Access Company. The Scholarship Committee gratefully acknowledges this continuing support.
Grolier National
Library Week Grant
U.S. libraries of all types are invited to apply for a $4,000 National Library Week Grant for the best library promotion/public awareness campaign tied to the goals and theme of National Library Week (April 1-7, 2001). The grant is sponsored by the Grolier Publishing Co. and administered by the National Library Week Committee of the American Library Association. This year's application deadline is November 15, 2000.
Grolier Grant proposals should reflect the National Library Week 2001 theme "@ your library." Libraries are encouraged to be as imaginative and inventive as possible in developing a local public awareness campaign or program for National Library Week that reflects this national theme. The theme, which is open-ended and provides lots of room for creativity, should be used on any and all promotional and publicity material to support National Library Week.
An application form and guidelines are available from the ALA Public Information Office. For more information, call (800) 545-2433, ext. 5041/5044, e-mail pio@ala.org, or see the ALA website at www.ala.org/pio/nlw/grolierapp.html. The winner will be notified at the end of December and announced at the 2001 ALA Midwinter Meeting in Washington, D.C.
SOLINET Speakers
Bureau
Are you planning a library conference, meeting or program? SOLINET has established a Speakers Bureau of experienced, knowledgeable speakers and facilitators. Speakers are available to address a variety of subjects of interest and importance to libraries and librarians in the Southeast. More than fifty topics encompass electronic resources, library cooperation, OCLC systems and services, preservation, continuing education and training, cataloging and technical services, technology, patron services, and public library issues. A complete list of topics is available on the SOLINET website at http://www.solinet.net/events/speakers_bureau.htm. For more information, contact Michele Behr at (404) 892-0943, ext. 3816.
People &
Happenings
Glenn Bunton has accepted the position as Head of Systems Development at Perry Library, Old Dominion University. Glenn has been the Systems Librarian for Internet Technologies at Old Dominion University since 1998. Prior to that, Glenn was at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Library for a number of years during which he was Reference Librarian; Microcomputer Librarian; Systems Librarian; Head, Educational Technology Laboratory; and Microcomputer Specialist. He holds a BA in Sociology from Miami University, Ohio, an MLS from the University of North Texas, and an MS in Computer Education and Cognitive Systems from the University of North Texas.
Beth Horn has joined the staff of the Staunton Public Library as Head of Technical Services. She was formerly a reference librarian at the Roanoke City Public Library.
Concepcion ("Siony") Brown has accepted the Library Assistant position in Microforms at Perry Library, Old Dominion University, effective August 10th. Siony has been the Office Services Assistant in Microforms since 1998. Prior to coming to Old Dominion University, Siony was a library assistant at the College of the Albemarle Library and the Pasquotank-Camden Library in Elizabeth City. She has also served as a librarian at the U.S. Embassy in Manila, at the University of the Assumption, and at the ABS-CBN Foundation in the Philippines. She holds a BA in Library Science from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines.
Lawrence Reed O'Brien, 76, died Friday, August 4, of complications of Hodgkin's lymphoma. He worked as a school and library consultant for Doubleday Publishers for 35 years, until 1981, and then became a partner and consultant in O'Brien Associates, a Richmond-based business that represents various publishers of children's books to schools and libraries. He retired in 1993.
The East End Branch of the Richmond Public Library is one of 20 libraries nationwide that has been awarded a $2,500 grant to implement a series of programs designed around the popular new PBS children's television series "Between the Lions." The series uses a mix of music, stories, animation, live action and puppetry to create a multi-media virtual classroom in which children find the tools they need to learn to read. A major objective is involving parents and other adults in making sure that young children are read to every day.
The Richmond Public Library has been selected as one of 16 public libraries across the nation to participate in preparing and planning for the 14th edition of the H.W. Wilson Fiction Catalog. The consultation portion of the Catalog requires the Richmond Public Library's Collection Development staff to review 8,000 authors and titles for inclusion. Throughout the next two years, the Richmond Public Library will be asked to participate in research for the Fiction Catalog Supplement. The new H.W. Wilson Fiction Catalog is scheduled for publication in 2001.
VLA Council Meetings
The next VLA Council meeting will be held in Charlottesville at the Main Library on September 15.
Library of Virginia
Board Meetings
The next Board meetings are scheduled for September 18 and November 13.
September 14
ePublishing and
Libraries
Sponsor: Region V
Place: Freedom Forum World Center, Arlington
Contact: Jo Murphy
(703) 248-5035
September 15;
September 29; October 11
Patchwork of Programs
Sponsor: Youth Services Forum
Place: Lynchburg Public Library; Tuckahoe Public Library; Bull Run Regional Library
Contact: Rebecca Purdy
(540) 372-1144, ext. 242
October 13
Serving the Under
Served: Library Services for Teens
Sponsor: Youth Services Forum
Place: Shenandoah County Library
Contact: Jennifer Heelen
(540) 984-8200, ext. 207
October 19-20
VLA Annual Conference
Norfolk