ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

News from the Field

Mary Ellen Davis

CDA ruled unconstitutional

In June a federal district court panel declared the new Com- munications Decency Act (CDA) unconstitutional. ALA was the lead plaintiff in a suit filed by the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition, a coalition of organizations that also includes online provid- ers, publishers, parents, and other groups.

The suit challenged the act on the grounds that it is overly broad and so vaguely worded that it would subject librarians and other members of the public to criminal prosecution for posting materials online that are legal in other media. ALA Executive Director Elizabeth Martinez said, “This is a historic case. The judges have acted to protect public access to information in this new and important medium.”

The suit, filed in Philadelphia, was consolidated with a similar suit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union. The government is expected to file an appeal that could be heard as soon as this fall by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Under the act, passed in February as part of the Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996, any person who knowingly sends or displays materials over the Internet that could be interpreted as “indecent” or “patently offensive by contemporary community standards” could be imprisoned for up to two years and fined up to $250,000.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued that the law would curtail freedom of speech by restricting all communication on the Internet to a level appropriate for children and would unfairly subject libraries, colleges, and other educational institutions to criminal prosecution for distributing great works of art and literature, health, science, and other materials that some might find offensive.

ACRL publishes ACRL University Library Statistics, 1994–95 …

This biennial ACRL survey includes statistical data from 116 participating libraries. Institutions surveyed include Carnegie Classifications Research I & II and Doctoral Granting I & II. Among library operations categories reported are collections, personnel, expenditures, and interli- brary loan. Institutional cat- egories include degrees of- fered, enrollment size, and faculty size. The report (ISBN 0-8389-7831-2), com- piled by the Library Re- search Center in the Gradu- ate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Ur- bana-Champaign, is avail- able for $79.95; ACRL mem- ber discounted price is $49.95. Send orders to Hugh Thompson, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611-2795 or call toll- free (800) 545-2433, press 7; fax: (312) 836- 9958.

. . . and Reference Training in Academic Libraries, CLIP Note #24

The reference desk is a key element in the ser- vice a library provides to its users, and the role of the reference librarian is expanding rapidly. Web pages, net- worked campuses, community out- reach, and distance education are all fall- ing under the pur- view of today’s ref- erence librarian. Reference Training in Academic Librar- ies, compiled by Kimberley Robles and Neal Wyatt, sur- veys training programs in small and medium- sized academic libraries and provides examples of training documentation for both new and experienced librarians. Among the areas of ref- erence training covered are desk service, refer- ence collection and subject specialist knowl- edge, database training, Internet services, library instruction, outreach skills, and evaluation of both trainee and program.

Reference Training in Academic Libraries(ISBN 0-8389-7842-8) is available for $31.95; ACRL member discounted price is $27.95. Send orders to Hugh Thompson, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 606l1-2795 or call toll-free (800) 545-2433, press 7; fax: (312) 836-9958.

Humor is one of the forms digital art can take to enliven a Web site. See more of Susan Jurist’s creations and an explanation of how to make your own Web graphics on page 418.

Dogs raise money for CSU library

Highly trained dogs jumped hurdles, balanced on teeter-totters, leapt through tires, and ran through tunnels while raising approximately $1,500 for the University Library at California State University, Northridge. The dog agility trials were put on by DogSports, and were held on the front lawn of the university’s Oviatt Library. More than 158 dogs competed in the two-day agility competition of jumping and obstacle courses.

Proceeds from the event were donated to the University Library. In addition, owners could contribute to the Honored Scholar Dog campaign which raised $500. Each dog (and one rabbit) received a thank you letter. Dogs who won in their categories will have their names on bookplates placed inside books purchased with the money raised.

The event was the brainchild of librarian Mary Finley and her husband Paul Kirk who are active in West Valley DogSports.

Choiceand Brodart form partnership

Choicemagazine, ACRL’s review journal for academic libraries, has entered a partnership with the Brodart Company. Beginning with the May 1996 issue, the full text of all Choice reviews will also be available through Brodart’s Title Information Preview Service (TIPS). The TIPS subscription service provides custom lists of new titles based on user requirements. Sub- scribers can access Choice titles alone or in combina- tion with TIPS’ other sources—Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal. Subscribers can elect to re- ceive basic title informa- tion with review citations or full-text reviews.

TIPS lists can be pro- vided in traditional print formats of list or slip, but they are also available electronically through disk or download. The file can be in ASCII or OCLC form for loading into database, word-processing, or elec- tronic ordering software. Once received, files can be transmitted to appropriate departments, librarians, or faculty members for purchase consideration.

International Book Fair to be held in September

The International League of Antiquarian Book- sellers (ILAB) will hold its 16th book fair in San Francisco, September 6–8, 1996. Approximately 200 major rare book- sellers from 20 coun- tries are expected to bring a representative selection of their best books, manuscripts and related materials to the book fair. Daily entrance fees are $5 per person. Book spe- cialties represented in- clude early printed books and manu- scripts dating to the 15th century and ear- lier, illustrated books and maps, fine bind- ings and livres d’artistes, literature and science, medicine and law, children’s books, autographs, antiquarian and rare books in all fields, and modern first editions. The ILAB Book Fair was last held in the United States in 1980 and on the West Coast in 1967. For more information on the fair call (415) 695-1449.

Book of Hours, illustrated ms. on vellum, Rouen: c. 1480.

Research mentors sought

ACRL’s Research Committee seeks experienced researchers willing to share their skills in a mentoring relationship. The committee is sponsoring a mentoring program for those librarians who aspire to conduct research but need to develop their skills. The program supports goal one of ACRL’s new Strategic Plan, “to contribute to the total professional development of academic and research librarians.”

For details on becoming or obtaining a mentor contact Marilyn J. Martin, Chair, ACRL Re- sèarch Committee, Rowan College Library, 201 Mullica Hill Rd., Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701; phone (609) 256-4981; e-mail: martin@library. rowan.edu.

ACRL publishes calendar featuring C&RL News covers

ACRL has featured some of its most popular covers from C&RL News in a limited edi- tion 17-month aca- demic appointment calendar. This spiral- bound, monthly cal- endar, which high- lights important ACRL dates and events, runs from Au- gust 1996 through December 1997 and will be available for $7.00 at the ALA stores at the 1996 Annual Conference and 1997 Midwin- ter Meeting. Not attending the conference? Cop- ies of the calendar are available by mail for $9.00, which includes shipping and handling. To receive a copy send your check, made pay- able to ACRL, to: ACRL Calendars, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 606ll.

ACRL Instruction Section seeks nominees

ACRL’s Instruction Section (IS) Nominating Committee is seeking nominations for the positions of vice-chair/chair-elect, secretary, and member-at-large. Details are available on the IS Web site: http://www2.colgate. edu/instruction. Send nominations or questions to committee chair: Barbara MacAdam, head, Educational and Information Services, University of Michigan, 1102 Shapiro Library, Ann Arbor, MI 48109; (313) 763-5084; fax: (313) 764-6849; e-mail: bmacadam@umich.edu.

Plan your Banned Books Week celebration now

ALA, the American Booksellers Association, the Association of American Publishers, the National Association of College Stores, the American Society of Journalists and Authors, and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression are sponsoring Banned Books Week, September 28–October 5, 1996.

A press kit of materials features three posters, 100 bookmarks, and a resource guide containing camera-ready art for ads and bookmarks, display ideas, sample news releases, an annotated “List of Books Some People Consider Dangerous,” Notable First Amendment court cases, quotes on the First Amendment, and tips for dealing with concerns about library resources.

The 1996 Banned Books Week kit sells for $28 and is available from Banned Books Week, Office for Intellectual Freedom, ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; (800) 545- 2433 ext 4223. Individual posters and bookmark packages are also available. Check out the Web site at http://www.ala.org/ bbooks.

University of Illinois auction a success

The public/mailbid auction of duplicate books held by the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign (C&RL News, March 1996) brought in nearly $30,000. Of the 373 lots available for sale, 314 lots were sold with almost two-thirds of the sales to those bidding by mail. “I’ve got to say that, except for a couple of minor hitches, this went well for a first-time event,” said Vincent Golden, the organizer of the auction. “Expenses were only $2,400 and the net revenue generated will be used to purchase special materials for the library.” The highest priced sale was for Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, volumes 1–4, 1788–1798; it was sold for $1,900 to an individual who collects science material. Golden said, “Given a chance, we will definitely have another auction in the future.”

Utah consortium selects Ameritech

The Utah Academic Library Consortium (UALC) and Ameritech Library Services announced a partnership to install Ameritech’s Horizon automated library system at each of the 11 academic institutions in Utah. Implementation of the system will expand student and faculty access to electronic information held by the state’s universities and available across the Internet. Joan Hubbard, university librarian at Weber State College and chair of UALC, said, “The partnership between UALC and Ameritech . . . continues the long and unique tradition of cooperation among libraries in Utah. It represents the technological move that each library must make to support the future academic information needs of the state.” ■