Awards and Honors
SLA’s Awards and Honors Program is an important part of recognizing and honoring members and others important to the information profession. Each year, staff solicits nominations for the approximately 14 award categories. Solicitation takes place during the latter months of the year, with the announcement of award winners coming in February or March of the following year.
The “Class of 2005” Award Winners and Honorees were selected by the Awards Committee meeting at the January 2005 Leadership Summit. The public announcement was made in late February, and staff worked with award winners leading up to the Awards Presentation and Reception at the Annual Conference in June. Awards were presented at a ceremony held at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, hosted by President Ethel Salonen, on June 5, 2005. A reception then was held in the hotel Ballroom. Staff is preparing for nomination solicitations for the 2006 Awards and has been working with leadership and the Conference Planning Committee on the presentation and reception to take place during SLA 2006.
Public Policy
SLA engages in monitoring and shaping legislation and regulatory proposals that affect the profession through direct communication with government officials and participation in coalitions with like-minded organizations. Staff at SLA Headquarters works actively with individuals and coalitions in representing member concerns. In 2005, these activities included:
- Filed an Amicus Brief in support of Grokster in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster;
- Developed Library-Related Principles for the International Development Agenda of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO);
- Communicating and discussing with the Government Printing Office (GPO) concerns with the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) digitization projects with regards to authentication and version control;
- Supported the Family and Entertainment Copyright Act of 2005, S. 167;
- Submitted comments to the U.S. Copyright office regarding "orphan works" (Orphan works are those whose owners are difficult or even impossible to locate);
- Filed supplemental “Standing” brief in the Court of Appeals in Washington, DC in challenging the FCC's "Broadcast Flag" rule (a rule that will prevent librarians from being able to distribute or make available copies of broadcast television programs on the Internet).
- SLA opposed a plan by the Department of Homeland Security to exempt a vast database from legal requirements that protect privacy and promote government accountability.
- In a unanimous ruling in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that distributors of peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing systems may be held liable if they actively induce copyright infringement by users of those P2P systems. SLA has been very active in this case, including filing an Amicus Brief, and welcomes this balanced decision that supports the interests of libraries while addressing issues of widespread copyright infringement.
- Provided comments regarding fair-use to the Australian government. Australia is considering adopting a U.S.-style fair use exception, and information colleagues in Australia requested the LCA to weigh in.
- Submitted comments on Report of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG). The U.S. Department of State requested comments on the report of the Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG). The United Nations Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG), created by Phase 1 of the U.S. Department of State's World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), was tasked "to investigate and make proposals for action, as appropriate, on the governance of Internet by 2005."
- Delivered a letter to Senator Stevens, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, urging the committee to hold hearings before adopting any legislation authorizing the FCC to promulgate Broadcast Flag. If Broadcast Flag went into effect, it would, at minimum, hamper the use of broadcast materials for teaching and scholarship, and harm effective public discourse (which often requires the copying and re-dissemination of broadcast content). For example, a website seeking to demonstrate the disparate treatment on the news of black "looters" and white "food liberators" in the wake of Hurricane Katrina would need to include clips of television news broadcasts.
- Partnered with AALL (American Association of Law Libraries) & AFFECT (Americans for Fair Electronic Commerce Transactions) to promote Virtual Learning Seminar “Shrink-Wrap and Click-Wrap Licenses: Why Should Information Professionals Care?” Click-on license agreements are included in most off-the-shelf and downloadable digital products. Consumers often quickly bypass the fine print of the product’s license agreement. Many don’t realize that certain consumer rights may not apply—rights afforded when they purchase traditional goods and services. These terms are embedded into the digital product and can jeopardize the consumer’s computer security and privacy.
- Filed an Amicus Brief in support of Independent Ink, Inc. in Illinois Tool Works, Inc. and Trident, Inc. v. Independent Ink, Inc. The case involves the tying of products. For example, the manufacturer of a computer printer may require a consumer also to purchase computer paper from the printer manufacturer. Under the antitrust law, such a tie is unlawful if the printer manufacturer has market power in the printer market -- the market for the tying product. Usually the plaintiff needs to prove that the defendant had market power in the tying product, which can be difficult and expensive to do. In this case, the Federal Circuit ruled that if a person has a patent or copyright on the tying product, market power in the tying product is presumed. The presumption makes it easier for consumers and competitors to bring tying cases.
- Participated in the AFFECT annual meeting. AFFECT has been dedicated to educating the public and policy makers about the dangers of UCITA and other non- negotiated EULAs (End User License Agreements).
- Delivered letters to Senator Orrin Hatch, Senator Patrick Leahy, Rep. Howard Berman, and Rep. Lamar Smith requesting that hearings be held concerning the negotiating position of the U.S. government with respect to the Broadcast Treaty. For several years, the Patent and Trademark Office and the Copyright Office have been participating in discussions at the World Intellectual Property Organization concerning a proposed Treaty on the Protection of Broadcasting Organizations. The WIPO General Assembly recently decided to attempt to convene a diplomatic conference to finalize the Broadcast Treaty in late 2006 or early 2007.
- Met with the Executive Director of the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information (NCLIS) and other information leaders to discuss ongoing trends and patterns in the industry.
- Statement was given on behalf of the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) in a Hearing on "Fair Use: Its Effects on Consumers and Industry” The statement was presented to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
- Filed an Amicus Brief in support of National Geographic in Psihoyos v. National Geographic Enterprises in the Supreme Court of the United States. The case presents a direct, material and acknowledged conflict between two U.S. courts of appeal on American copyright law.
- In November, Janice Lachance was selected to serve on the U.S. Delegation to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) held 16–18 November, in Tunis, Tunisia. Public Policy Staff worked with the Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) to put Janice’s name forward to serve as its official representative. A major goal of the Summit was to reach consensus on the future of Internet Governance. The U.S. Delegation succeeded in negotiating language on freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and the free flow of information, and Janice played an active role in shaping those statements.
Public Relations
One of the most important aspects of SLA’s operations is outreach to SLA units, the library community, the information industry, students and faculty of library science programs, and other related communities that impact the profession. This is accomplished primarily through speaking engagements, exhibition activities, and media outreach. The impact of these activities is enormous, as the association’s strategy and results are communicated to members and industry partners regularly. This allows the leadership and staff to gauge the response to our activities and make adjustments when necessary.
Executive-Level Speaking Opportunities
The Executive Director spoke at 16 events in 2005, including 8 chapter meetings, 3 division meetings, 2 SLA events and 3 major information industry events.
Exhibition Activities
SLA invested in 6 exhibition opportunities in 2005, including trade shows in Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Known results include 8 prospects for the Info-Expo and 20 memberships sold. Additionally, SLA’s Marketplace, the membership center at SLA 2006 in Toronto, generated over USD 9,000 in gross revenue. Additionally, a partnership with Books for Business – a Toronto-based, SLA member-owned operation – enhanced the member experience in the Marketplace.
Feedback form
