Welcome to SLA Connections, your source for news and information from the information profession and industry.
Knowing the Flow of Information, Part II
One of my favorite quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. goes like this: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." I was reminded of this recently when I heard the news that the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), as part of its new Content Anti-Piracy Program, is representing its members in a case against a company that has engaged in the use of "numerous digital articles without licenses to do so." I don't have the details of SIIA's case against the company, but sources tell me that the evidence is "immense."
This dovetails with our recent efforts to help SIIA test a pilot course on content rights management. They're billing the course as a "certification" for information professionals who want to protect their organizations from exposure to intellectual property liability. SLA members are involved in shaping the scope, structure, and content of the course, which I see as an excellent sign that SIIA wants to do the right thing for users of content. They want to educate companies so that litigation becomes unnecessary. Look for the SIIA course to be launched in 2007.
I've commented previously in this space and elsewhere about the important role you play in helping to assess your organization's current practices in the use of print or digital content that is copyrighted. In-house attorneys cannot do the work alone--they know the law, but they do not know the flow and use of information. By knowing what case and statutory law allow, conducting content usage audits, assessing the trouble spots, and recommending changes to management, you can position yourself as a valuable asset in a sphere that most people only think about when they are faced with the threat of legal action.
Next month, SLA will host a special Click U Live! program titled, "The Importance and Consequences of Copyright in the Digital Environment." The 90-minute webcast will be hosted by Laura N. "Lolly" Gasaway, director of the law library and professor of law at the University of North Carolina. Lolly is no stranger to SLA, having been a member now for just about 40 years! I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity to learn from an expert in the profession and in the field of intellectual property law. To sign up for the session, click here.
You'll see more from SLA in the coming months that will focus on the strategies, tools, and ideas you need to make copyright law your friend and ally in enhancing your value as an info pro.
Burning Question
Do you have a copyright/intellectual property success story? Can other SLA members learn from your experiences? I want to hear from you! Send me an email at Janice@sla.org.
Janice's List
Bound by Law? (Tales from the Public Domain), by Aoki, Boyle, and Jenkins (Center for the Study of the Public Domain, 2006). This graphic novel is a great primer to copyright law in the U.S. It's written to make copyright a little easier to understand. The story centers around a filmmaker who wants to record life in New York City. She learns about the basics of copyright, including fair use, public domain, and how digital technology affects the law. The book is published under a Creative Commons License, which clearly spells out the rights granted to readers, is also available to be read or downloaded for free.
Consider This
"The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creature that cannot." Mark Twain, American Author (1835-1910).
| OUTSIDE THE BOX |
EPA Library Update: STOP THE CLOSURES!
Senators call for delay in closing EPA libraries
A group of U.S. senators has joined the fray over whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should slow or stop a campaign to digitize materials in its technical libraries and close the facilities to agency researchers and the public.
On Friday, 3 November, 17 Democratic senators and one Independent wrote to appropriators asking that EPA be directed, through the budget process, to maintain physical access to its libraries while the public is given an opportunity to comment on planned closures. Read more.
Online Information Conference 2006 Is Right Around the Bend
There is still time to plan a trip to VNU's Online Information Conference, 28-30 November in London. Learn more or register.
NCLIS Urges Congress to Ensure Net Neutrality
The U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) announced on 7 November its position on Internet neutrality ("net neutrality"), currently being debated in the U.S. Congress.
"The current discussion centers on whether content transmission on the Internet should be subject to a system of prioritization known as ?tiered service'," said Commission Chair Beth Fitzsimmons. "So far, the underlying transmission of information treats all packets of information equally but this could change unless Congress acts to prevent a move to a tiered service." Read the press release.
Web 2.0 Bubble: Is There a Silver Lining?
Hundreds of technology executives and investors will congregate this week to take the quickening pulse of Internet entrepreneurship. At the third annual Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, dozens of industry players will gather to break down topics like Internet. Read more at CNET.
The Next Generation of Search
"...We view the need to go to a search engine to find information as a failure," said Jay Budzik, chief technology officer of Intellext, which produces the new Watson search application. "Your computer should anticipate your needs. If we succeed, this will be one of the standard ways to receive information." Read more in Library Journal.
| INSIDE THE BOX |
NEW MEMBER BENEFIT:
SLA Partners with NewsGator to Deliver Free Customized RSS Feeds to Info Pros
SLA has partnered with NewsGator to launch an online service that delivers RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds to the desktops of thousands of information professionals. This exclusive service is free only to members of SLA, and is available at www.sla.org as part of the SLA News Connections. Read the press release.
Internet Governance Forum (IGF) Update
The IGF was formed by the United Nations Secretary-General to carry out the mandate from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to convene a new forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue. The IGF met recently in Greece, where SLA CEO Janice Lachance, who served on the original U.S. Delegation for WSIS 2005, again joined the group and presented a paper titled Transparency and Openness in a Global Economy to the invited delegates from across the globe. Read more about the IGF meeting.
Are you a member of the President's Club?
The Recruit-a-Member Campaign is an annual membership drive we hope you will participate in! The provided e-mail template has yielded more members in the first month of this campaign than the entire campaign last year! To date 94 members have recruited 110 new members to the Association. Let's continue this momentum! Have you participated yet? Learn more about how you can champion SLA to one of your colleagues and be in the President's Club! Click here.
Leadership Summit 2007 Registration Now Open
If you want to develop your leadership skills in your employing organization or in SLA, it's time to register for SLA's 2007 Leadership Summit, 24-27 January 2007 in Reno, Nevada. More Information.
Information Outlook: Call for Profile Candidates
We're looking for people who are making a major contribution to the information profession, doing interesting work--or who might have something unusual in his or her background. We want subjects who are high-level contributors to the profession. You probably know many people who would make a good profile in Information Outlook. If you do, please let us know by sending an e-mail Information Outlook Editor John Adams at jadams@sla.org
Call for Nominations for IFLA Section Standing Committees
Serving on a standing committee offers an exciting opportunity to make a contribution at the international level.
The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) and SLA have partnered on several programs and will continue to work closely on future endeavors. IFLA's professional program is divided into sections. Each section is governed by a democratically elected standing committee composed of professionals with expertise and interest in the field of the section. SLA is now compiling a list of interested individuals who wish to be considered as a potential candidate to serve on the standing committees from August 2007 to August 2011. Full description of the nomination process and timeline. If you are interested in having your name put forth, please contact Doug Newcomb, SLA's Chief Policy Officer, at dnewcomb@sla.org.
| CLICK UNIVERSITY |
What's happening at Click University? This online learning system is an exclusive SLA member benefit. Please log in when prompted. Click University is the foundation for all of SLA's educational and professional development programs.
CLICK U LIVE!
22 November 2006: The Value of Corporate Libraries
Presented by: James M. Matarazzo, Simmons College
SLA Member Price: Live Site: $99 (USD), Replay: $69 (USD)
Missed a LIVE! Seminar?
You can still purchase a REPLAY! Click here for more information.
Professional Improvement Libraries
Click U also offers a range of recorded courses through our Professional Improvement Library. To see the full Click U program listing, please go to www.clickuniversity.com
Lesley Ellen Harris' 2007 Schedule of Courses
Canadian and international copyright lawyer Lesley Ellen Harris is teaching courses online to SLA members through Click University.
Lesley is the author of several books, including Canadian Copyright Law (McGraw-Hill Ryerson.) The course begins 19 February and 9 April and you can register anytime before the start of the courses.
Her topics include:
Canadian Copyright Law Online
19 Feb- 23 Mar, 2007 [5 week, Monday - Friday]US Copyright Law Online
19 February- 23 March, 2007 [5 week, Monday - Friday]
9 April-1 June, 2007 [8 week, Monday - Friday]Managing Copyright Online
19 February- 23 March, 2007 [5 week, Monday - Friday]
9 April-1 June, 2007 [8 week, Monday - Friday]Digital Content Management
9 April-1 June, 2007 [8 week, Monday - Friday]Primer on International Copyright Law
19 February- 19 March, 2007 [3 week, Monday - Friday]Digital Licensing Online
9 April - 8 June, 2007 [9 week, Monday - Friday]
2007 Course Schedule Available
Start planning your next semester today! Take a moment to check out what is happening on campus next year: 2007 Click U Live! Schedule.
| SLA GRAPEVINE: Your Source for SLA Member News, Achievements, and Opinions |
"Them's is fightin' words"-- D.C. Chapter Accepts Challenge from NYC Chapter
Which SLA chapter can recruit more members before 2007 Annual Conference?
For years, there has been a healthy and friendly rivalry between the two SLA Chapters over which one had more members. Never did we think it would come down to this!
The gauntlet has been thrown, the challenge accepted, and in the end, one chapter will have hard-earned bragging rights. Both chapter presidents have begun to rally their troops to recruit and retain, all in the interest of meeting current SLA President Rebecca B. Vargha's goal of 1,000 new members before 2008. NYC Chapter President Kevin Manion and Shirley Loo, president of the D.C. chapter both wrote about the challenge in their respective newsletters for November. Take a look and take your side!
Remember: SLA members are free to join any chapter they choose, regardless of geographic location. Care to join the fight?
Stephen Abram Named Chief Strategist of SirsiDynix Institute
The SirsiDynix Institute is an ongoing forum for professional development in the library community. The Institute monitors library industry trends and issues of concern to the library community.
Abram has more than 25 years of experience with libraries, both as a practicing librarian and in the information industry. He is a frequent keynote speaker on issues that affect libraries, their communities and librarians. He is a Fellow of SLA and will take office as president of the Association in 2008. Abram was also awarded the SLA John Cotton Dana Award in 2003, and has served as president of the Canadian Library Association as well as the Ontario Library Association. Read the press release.
Do you have an item to include in SLA Grapevine? Email the editor.
| THE BIG FINISH |
Factiva's New Taxonomy Warehouse Drives Better Information Asset Management
Dow Jones to Purchase Reuters' Interest in Factiva
Will increase its ownership of Factiva from 50% to 100%
Thomson Announces Strategic Realignment of Operations; Company to Sell Education Businesses
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