In this issue...

1. LCA Provides Comments on the WIPO Development Agenda
2. Joint Letter Expresses Concerns Over FISA Bill
3. Document Released Promoting Access to Federally Funded Research
4. U.S. Senators Look to Extend Internet Tax Ban
5. Google's Privacy Policies Scrutinized
6. News from the National Security Archive
7. ERIC Thesaurus Updates

LCA Provides Comments on the WIPO Development Agenda
The Library Copyright Alliance (LCA), of which SLA is a member, in collaboration with the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), provided joint comments on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Development Agenda. Reinforcing multiple issues of prime importance to libraries, the comments were distributed in print form as well as provided to WIPO administration for placement in the official meeting records during the 24 September - 3 October meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. Read Joint Comments.

Joint Letter Expresses Concerns Over FISA Bill
Several organizations, including SLA, sent a letter to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, urging the opportunity for public debate on any proposed legislation to alter the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The letter expressed grave concern that, without a public draft of the bill available, there is insufficient time for discussion and debate. Read letter.

Document Released Promoting Access to Federally Funded Research
Three organizations released a document stating that mandatory public access to federally funded research does not violate copyright obligations. In recent communications to members of Congress, several publishers of scientific, technical, and medical journals have argued that the proposed legislative changes to the NIH Public Access Policy would violate U.S. treaty obligations under Article 13 of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and Article 9 of the Berne Convention, and potentially constitute a "compulsory license." These arguments have no merit. Read document. SLA has supported public access to federally funded research, specifically at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and wrote a letter in July and a letter in September.

U.S. Senators Look to Extend Internet Tax Ban
Top Democrats have been working on a compromise to extend a ban on State Internet Taxes before the moratorium expires on 1 November. The ban has been in place since 1998, and was last reinstated by Congress in 2004 for a period of three years. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) and Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) said they hoped to clear the way for an extension of the ban with a compromise between supporters of a permanent ban and those who want the moratorium to remain temporary. Read news story. Read NCLIS news release.

Google's Privacy Policies Scrutinized
Google's attempt to acquire DoubleClick, the world's largest Internet advertising firm, has drawn scrutiny for its privacy policies from regulators in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and several European nations. Worldwide complaints have been filed with regulators arguing against the purchase until information collection policies have been clarified.
Read news stories. ARMA. New York Times.

News from the National Security Archive
A District Court in Washington, D.C., has ruled that an Executive Order issued by President George W. Bush in 2001 that severely slowed or prevented the release of historic presidential papers is, in part, invalid. A lawsuit, filed in November 2001 by the National Security Archive and other plaintiffs, challenged President Bush's Executive Order 13,233 that gave former presidents and their heirs (as well as former vice presidents for the first time) indefinite authority to hold up release of White House records. Read related pieces. NSA Story, NY Times Article, Bill Summary: Presidential Records Act Amendments of 2007, Ruling: American Historical Association v. National Archives and Records Administration, Motion Filed by CREW.

ERIC Thesaurus Updates
The Education Information Resources Center (ERIC) has an ongoing commitment to maintain the thesaurus. In addition to adding new descriptors, ERIC updates the hierarchical relationships; modifies the status of an existing descriptor if the term is seldom used, overlaps with other terms, or becomes obsolete; updates scope notes; etc. These changes, generally based on literary warrant, are considered routine maintenance, and are in accordance with standard practices of thesaurus development and maintenance. Read Standards. View Thesaurus Updates.