Information Outlook, Vol. 6, No. 11, November 2002

Nominations for IFLA Sections

Are you interested in serving as an SLA representative to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)?If so, please contact Stephanie A. Russell at stephanie@sla.org for complete details regarding the nomination process and available IFLA sections. You can also visit IFLA's website at http://ifla.orgfor additional information. In mid-November, IFLA will send SLA all deadline requirements for the nominating process.

SLA Helps Present Teleconference

SLA has joined with the American Association of Law Libraries, the American Library Association, the Medical Library Association, and the Association of Research Libraries to sponsor "Safeguarding Our Patrons' Privacy: What Every Librarian Needs To Know About the USA Patriot Act and Related Anti-Terrorism Measures."

This teleconference will provide libraries and their governing institutions with an analysis of the implications of the recent anti-terrorism measures, including the USA Patriot Act, the attorney general's guidelines expanding the investigative powers of the FBI, and the Homeland Security Act. Panelists will address the key legal issues and policy implications for libraries as well as the impact of legislative and regulatory proposals on the privacy and First Amendment rights of library users. Panelists will also identify steps that institutions need to take to comply with proper search warrants, subpoenas, and wiretap requests from law enforcement.

LISA IV Fourth Conference Held in Prague

The fourth conference on Library and Information Services in Astronomy (LISA IV), was held July 2­5, 2002, in Prague, Czech Republic, hosted by the Astronomical Institute of Charles University and the Astronomical Institute of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic. The conference theme, "Emerging and Preserving: Providing Astronomical Information in the Digital Age," emphasized the vast changes librarians and other information professionals are facing today. The conference brought together almost 100 librarians, astronomers, publishers, and computer specialists representing astronomical institutes, observatories, and affiliated organizations worldwide.

Sessions focused on mastering new roles and new tools; physical versus electronic libraries; trends, collaborations, and models in electronic publications; networking among astronomy librarians; virtual observatory projects; preservation and history of astronomy; bibliometrics; library user requirements; and innovative services and projects in developing countries. The 30 excellent poster presentations gave further insight into ongoing projects and developments in astronomy libraries and institutes, and provided a glimpse of the rich history and varied collections of a diverse group of libraries.

The Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC), which developed the program

for the meeting, included four SLAPhysics, Astronomy, and Mathematics division members: Liz Bryson (Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Corp.), and SOC members Christina Birdie (Indian Institute of Astrophysics), Brenda Corbin (United States Naval Observatory), and Uta Grothkopf (European Southern Observatory).

The conference proceedings will be published later this year by the U.S. Naval Observatory. As papers proceed through the editorial process, electronic versions will be available on the Web at http://www.eso.org/libraries/lisa4/.

Harlow Receives Promotion

Jeanette Harlow has been appointed director of the American Hospital Association (AHA) Resource Center, Chicago, IL. In this role, she is responsible for overall leadership and administration of the Resource Center, as well as the Center for Hospital and Healthcare Administration History and the National Information Center for Health Services Administration. Harlow has been with the AHA since 1986. She was previously manager of information services.