Alan Inouye's Public Policy and Advocacy Updates for This week
/A number of matters Mr. Inouye mentions are of special interest to libraries involved with digital:
POLICY & ADVOCACY UPDATES
>> Continuing: Please sign up for the Unite Against Book Bans campaign if you or your organization has not yet done so. Many have joined but many have not.
https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/
Book Bans, Libraries, and the Law: Standing Up to Library Censorship in Louisiana and Beyond--
https://twitter.com/UABookBans/status/1614105043711442944
Hammer, Vise, Lever: Better Tools, Stronger Advocacy--
https://www.eventscribe.net/2023/LibLearnX/index.asp?presTarget=2245431
>> Upcoming: ALA offers webinars on new federal resources for sustainable library buildings on February 1-2
ALA applauds passage of FY 2023 federal budget, key increases in funding for libraries
https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1606367186695618579
ALA Opposes North Dakota HB 1205, which would prevent libraries from meeting the information needs of their communities and would violate the rights of North Dakota readers. ALA submitted testimony.
https://www.oif.ala.org/american-library-association-opposes-north-dakota-hb-1205/
ALA President Lessa Pelayo-Lozada is interviewed by Teen Vogue, about book banning and libraries
https://twitter.com/ALALibrary/status/1604894079397072904
ALA joins EFF’s brief to the U.S. Supreme Court to protect Section 230 liability protections. “Increasing online platforms’ liability for hosting users’ speech would lead to severe censorship that could undermine the very architecture of the free and open internet.” “Online platforms” would include library services.
https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1616358961904750594
Kent Oliver and Sara Benson named as senior fellows of the ALA Public Policy and Advocacy Office. Kent will work on book banning, censorship, and the Unite Against Book Bans campaign with the ALA Policy Corps. Sara will work on ALA’s strategic directions for digital copyright and licensing.
Amber Gregory of the Arkansas State Library has been re-appointed to serve on the board of the Universal Service Administrative Company, the organization that runs the E-rate program on behalf of the FCC. ALA formally recommended Amber’s reappointment.
https://twitter.com/LibraryPolicy/status/1611063706154332161
https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1586818118848241666
ALA submitted comments to the FCC on Expanding Use of the 12.7-13.25 GHz Band and focusing on considerations of diversity, equity, and inclusion
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/1011004227779/1
REPORTS AND ARTICLES
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) visits the Patten Library in Maine to celebrate a $3.9 million grant in the FY23 appropriations package to support the construction of a new library building.
https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1612979023574958081
AFT New poll: Voters prioritize school basics over culture wars
https://www.aft.org/news/new-poll-voters-prioritize-school-basics-over-culture-wars
Libraries from my recent trip. Luang Prabang, Laos public library; National Library of Thailand; Bangkok City Library.
https://twitter.com/AlanSInouye/status/1606797955448864769