Via the LiB: http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/2007/02/dopa_returns_th.html Republican Senator Ted Stevens from Alaska has introduced a bill called “Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act” (#S49.IS). This is simply the new version of the DOPA bill, including all the original DOPA propositions with two additional Titles added: restricting the sale of personal information of children for marketing and raising fines for child pornography violations. Because DOPA is now sandwiched between these two other things that sound hunky dory, it is more likely to pass than it was last time. Now, why should librarians and their patrons care about DOPA? As I said the […]
Categories Advocacy
84 posts
Jaap and Erik speak to an LIS Class at Dominican Originally uploaded by mstephens7. As I type, dear readers, it’s a COLD Thursday morning..still dark outside with temperatures hovering around 0.’ Jaap and Erik from Deflt Public Library are already up as well, getting ready for their next adventure: tours of libraries to the northwest and meetings with more innovative librarians. Yesterday was wonderful because I had them with me, on campus at Dominican University, as guests of the Graduate School of Library & Information Science. We had lunch in the Dining Hall with Professors Kate Marek and Karen Brown. […]
David Warlick would like your elevator speeches about the value of librarians! http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2007/01/29/who-needs-em/ While at the National School Boards Association Conference the other day, more than one school board member came up to me, a tech guy, and asked, “We’re trying desperately to find ways to deal with budget crunches. With all of these computers and access to online information, do we really need librarians or libraries any more?” This is one of those questions that I absolutely love to hear — if I have an hour to answer. It’s a question that I hate, if I only have a […]
http://www.startribune.com/789/story/963043.html The library board plans to vote next month on a proposal to install Internet filters on more than 1,000 computers in its 26 libraries. Hennepin County libraries are the only ones in Minnesota that don’t already use filters, said board Secretary Holly Guncheon. Currently, the library relies on staff members to enforce rules against displaying offensive material, said Janet Leick, operations director. That’s a poor use of staff time and sometimes leads to confrontations when patrons refuse to log off offensive sites, she said. State law allows libraries to use filters to protect children from viewing “harmful” material, Leick […]
An Aussie Librarian writes: I was dismayed to read your post ‘Lock the Doors’ regarding the library who have decided to close for part of the day, due to youth violence and inappropriate behaviour. I am glad that the community is taking a role to keep the library open. These types of problems with youth are by no means limited to the USA and we have experienced very similar here in Australia. We have a success story You may want to share with readers of TTW. One of our public libraries, West Torrens Library Service, recently won an award for […]
Via one of my lists, a scary tale from a library user on how we present ourselves to the public: The next day I gave the library a ring. That’s when things got weird. According to the nice lady at the circulation desk, I checked out the book in April, 2006. “But I haven’t been to your library in a decade,” I told her. “I don’t even live in Queens anymore!” I asked her the title. It turned out to be a children’s book, written in Spanish: El Hombre Que Aprendio a Ladrar Y Otros Cuentos. I don’t speak Spanish, […]
http://queequegs.blogspot.com/2006/08/comment-about-culture-of-no.html Erica Reynolds posts about my talk at Northeast Kansas Library System Tech day a couple of weeks ago and the “culture of No:” Many of my colleagues were at NEKLS Tech Day, and they were probably all snickering each time Michael Stephens talked about how important it is to battle the so-called culture of no, because lately, I’ve totally been on the “no” train at work. I’ve had “no” plastered on my laptop, my office door, etc…Because I’ve had to launch a campaign to limit our new projects until we entirely rebuild out Web world from the ground up. […]
Don Wood on DOPA: http://donwood.alablog.org/blog/_archives/2006/7/28/2172866.html For one thing, schools and libraries are required under CIPA to block obscene or offensive internet content. DOPA is not necessary. For another, DOPA is much too broad. The bill proposes to block access to beneficial collaborative Web applications and resources. And for another, education is the best way to protect children from online predators. Blocking Web sites does not protect children—teaching them to use the Internet responsibly and safely does.
..and I am feeling low. 🙁 http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/07/27/us-house-resolution-targeting-myspace-web20-passes-410-15/ Read what David King has to say: http://www.davidleeking.com/2006/07/27/dopa-or-dopey/
From Stephanie: Hi Michael! Teen librarians are in need of your help. Could you post something about what’s going on with DOPA? We need people to contact their representatives and prevent what is about to go into place. URGENT Action Needed: The ALA Washington Office has learned that the US House of Representatives may try to expedite passage of H.R. 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), TOMORROW, July 26th. The bill is moving forward as is, with no changes to the original language. PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE’S OFFICE TODAY and ask that he/she oppose HR 5319. The Capitol Switchboard […]