Contact:
Cara Battaglini
+1.703.647.4917
cara@sla.org

DVD on Government Secrecy Now Available from SLA

"Are We Safer in the Dark?" covers national "Sunshine Week" discussion on right-to-know, access to information, and openness

Alexandria, Virginia, USA, 4 October 2006 -- A DVD examining the issues of government secrecy is now available for purchase on the Special Libraries Association (SLA) Web site for the cost of $25 (USD). Titled Are We Safer in the Dark, A Sunshine Week National Dialogue On Open Government & Secrecy, the DVD is produced through a collaboration of like-minded national organizations dedicated to open government around the world.

The organizations sponsoring the event and DVD include associations and groups focused on public policy or mass media, as well as the rights of journalists, librarians and information professionals to gain access to government information.

"SLA and the global community of information professionals have a vested interest in information policies developed by the various layers of government, including any public policy matters involving the protection of individual intellectual freedom, safeguarding freedom of expression, and opposition to government censorship," said SLA Chief Executive Officer Janice Lachance. "Because the needs of our community are so closely tied to this issue, it is important that we voice our position and educate the public on these matters. We will maintain our involvement in the efforts of this collaborative group as we continue to have serious concerns over access to information created by government organizations."

In addition to SLA, joint sponsors of the program include: American Association of Law Libraries, American Library Association, American Society of Newspaper Editors / Sunshine Week, Association of Research Libraries, Coalition of Journalists for Open Government, League of Women Voters, National Freedom of Information Coalition, National Press Club, and OpenTheGovernment.org.

The DVD is a recording of a 90-minute national teleconference which was conducted on 13 March, during Sunshine Week 2006 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The distinguished speakers addressed important issues and fielded questions that came in from audiences in sites throughout the U.S. The resulting DVD is a complete discussion on the hot-button issues surrounding open access to government information in the United States today.

The DVD features speakers & video segments addressing the following issues:

• Do federal laws such as the Freedom of Information Act fulfill their promise to guarantee openness in government?
• How do laws passed and policies/regulations implemented since 9/11 encourage secrecy or openness?
• How does transparency affect the government's readiness and response to disasters such as Sago Mines and Hurricane Katrina? What about the public's ability to plan and respond - or to prevent disasters?
• What tools and resources work effectively in safeguarding the public's ability to hold government accountable?

To order a copy of Are we Safer in the Dark? please visit the SLA website:
http://www.sla.org/marketplace/stores/1/DVD_-_Are_We_Safer_in_the_Dark_P90.cfm

About SLA
The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a nonprofit global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves more than 11,000 members in 75 countries in the information profession, including corporate, academic, and government information specialists. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives. For more information, visit us on the Web at www.sla.org.

About Sunshine Week
Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know. Sunshine Week is led by the American Society of Newspaper Editors and is funded by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation of Miami. Though spearheaded by journalists, Sunshine Week is about the public's right to know what its government is doing, and why. Sunshine Week seeks to enlighten and empower people to play an active role in their government at all levels, and to give them access to information that makes their lives better and their communities stronger.

Note to Editors: To schedule an interview with an SLA representative, request a copy of the DVD for review, or for more information on SLA?s public policy platform and talking points on access to government information contact Cara Battaglini at +1.703.647.4917 or cara@sla.org