In October, 1998, Congress enacted the Child Online Protection Act and established the Commission on Online Child Protection (COPA) to study methods to help reduce access by minors to certain sexually explicit material, defined in the statute as harmful to minors. Congress directed the Commission to evaluate the accessibility, cost, and…

The appendices for the Commission on Child Online Protection (COPA) Report to Congress, October 20, 2000, include the following: Commission overview, which includes scope and timeline, original statute, amended statute, technologies and methods, and biographies of the commissioners; Commission finances; Commission meetings for the year 2000;…

This paper discusses the importance of intellectual freedom for libraries, librarians, and library associations. Examples of attempts at censorship in Australia are presented, including the Broadcasting Services Amendment (Online Services) Act, 1999, legislation that requires filtering of Internet content. The IFLA (International Federation of…

The 129th meeting of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) focused on anticipating the future of higher education in North America and identifying responses from research libraries that will contribute to emerging agendas for change. An opening session (convened by Nancy Cline, ARL Presiding President) began the meeting. The first session,…

The Secretary amends 34 CFR part 99 to implement the Department of Education's interpretation of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) identified through administrative experience as necessary for proper program operation. These final regulations provide general guidelines for accepting ''signed and dated written consent'' under…

This discussion of information policy focuses on library services for distance education. Topics include the logistics and management of providing library services off-site and/or responding to student requests; and meeting the needs of distance education students for information and library instruction, both students from the member institution…

Provides guidelines for the development of campus computer policies, focusing on legal issues related to adult material, harassment, privacy, commerce, and copyright. Notes that computer use policies and practices need to evolve in concert with the changing computer culture. (MDM)

Outlines three rules to help companies plan for and implement intranets: (1) adopt a long-term vision for corporate Intranet usage; (2) create a culture of information usage; and (3) recognize, adapt to and take advantage of the inherent qualities of electronic information. (AEF)

Argues that community colleges must address four major issues regarding intellectual property and the development of Internet course materials: copyright, fair use, duplication and revenue generation for print and nonprint educational materials. Suggests that intellectual property issues be viewed as a continuum from low to high levels of risk.…

Assesses the impact of technology on privacy. Discusses electronic monitoring of people in the workplace; interception and reading of e-mail messages; merging of databases which contain personal information; rise in the number of hackers; and the development of software that makes the decoding of digital information virtually impossible. Presents…

Improvements in technology have increased the social and economic value of government information. This increase, combined with changes in information storage and dissemination cost, contributes to controversy over how government information should be disseminated and priced. Discussion includes economic concepts, rules and algorithms used by…

Discusses steps taken by the Idaho Library Association to defeat an antigay ballot initiative by means of a coordinated, statewide public relations campaign. The ballot, known as Proposition One, would have violated First Amendment rights and caused library materials to be censored to determine whether they addressed homosexuality. (Author/JKP)

Discusses 50 years' worth of development of librarianship in Pakistan and analyzes the policies and plans made. Reviews the role of library schools and their curriculum in the development of the profession and examines the impact of the information revolution, as well as new dimensions in librarianship. Provides a timeline of plans and…

Discusses implications to the management of the U.S. federal government information resources from recent legislation. Examines relevant policy instruments in light of the federal government's high-level commitment to the development of a National Information Infrastructure (NII) which promotes accessible and high-quality services to its citizens.…

To give students a direct voice in library user policy and the library a point of contact with the student body, the Evans Libraries at Texas A&M University formed a Student Advisory Committee. The committee meetings provide a forum for student representatives, library administrators, and student liaisons to discuss concerns and proposed…