The OIF blog will be down starting today (December 29th) through Sunday (January 4th) as we upgrade our blogging software.
Please visit our new blog at: http://www.oif.ala.org/oif/ on Monday, January 5th, and update your RSS feeds accordingly.
Happy New Year!
OIF
American Library Association President Jim Rettig released the following statement regarding a federal appeals court ruling made Monday in New York that upheld portions of a decision striking down provisions of the Patriot Act preventing National Security Letter (NSL) recipients from speaking out about the secret demands for individuals’ records.
Rettig said, “The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has issued its opinion in John Doe, et al. v. Mukasey, the lawsuit challenging the FBI’s use of National Security Letters (NSLs) on constitutional grounds.
“The American Library Association (ALA) welcomes the court’s decision to protect our First Amendment freedoms by placing reasonable limitations on the FBI’s ability to impose a gag order when issuing National Security Letters. We also welcome the court’s decision requiring meaningful judicial review when an NSL gag order is challenged.
“The court’s order, however, does not address the constitutionality of the FBI’s use of NSLs to obtain an individual’s personal data, and we remain concerned about the FBI’s use and abuse of NSLs, as documented by the Department of Justice’s Inspector General.”
The Freedom to Read Foundation and the American Library Association participated in the litigation as amicus curiae, filing briefs urging the Second Circuit to uphold the District Court’s decision and preserve First Amendment rights.
The full court opinion is available online at the website maintained by the Second Circuit at http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov.
If you would like more information, here is the link to the ACLU’s statement: http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/38113prs20081215.html
Also, here are links to the ALA’s NSL resolution and the accompanying press release: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/statementspols/ifresolutions/nationalsecurityletters.cfm
http://www.ala.org/ala/newspresscenter/news/pressreleases2007/july2007/nsl07.cfm
UPDATE: Please note that you do NOT need to join Twitter in order to vote in this poll – anyone can just go to www.twitter.com/privacyala and vote anonymously. Also, these are NOT scientific polls, but rather an opportunity to get a general sense of what people think about privacy issues.
Today’s Privacy Revolution poll – “What is the biggest threat to privacy today?” Join our Twitter feed to vote and see the results!
ALA’s Privacy Revolution initiative kicked off at the 2008 Annual Conference with one of the most blogged-about programs in Anaheim: the privacy panel featuring Cory Doctorow, Dan Roth, and Beth Givens.
Now, the Privacy Revolution is getting ready to launch some exciting new steps, including a new interactive website, more programs and videos, and some resources for you to start a privacy revolution of your own.
The best way for you to follow all of the action is via the Privacy Revolution Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/privacyala. Be the first to know what’s new with the Revolution, get privacy news from around the globe, and vote in our weekly polls. Today’s poll: What’s the biggest threat to privacy today?
New to Twitter? Check out the “Twitter in plain English” video on the Twitter home page.
Young Adult author Lauren Myracle, whose book ttyl was one of the 10 most frequently challenged books of 2007, will be the featured speaker at the fourth annual Freedom to Read Foundation author event on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009 in Denver, Colo. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and Myracle’s talk will begin at 7:30 p.m., to be followed by a book signing. The event will take place at the Tattered Cover Book Store, 1628 16th Street in Denver’s Lower Downtown (LoDo). It is co-sponsored by Friends of the Denver Public Library and the Tattered Cover Book Store. Proceeds will benefit the Freedom to Read Foundation.
**See Lauren and friends read from ttyl at the 2008 Banned Books Week Read-Out! in Chicago** http://alfocus.ala.org/videos/2008-banned-books-week-read-out
The Colorado-based Myracle, whose other books include ttfn, l8r g8r, Bliss and the coming-of-age trilogy Eleven, Twelve and Thirteen, is a rising YA star. Last month, ttyl (a New York Times bestseller) was the subject of a high-profile banning in Round Rock, Texas middle schools. Other Myracle books, including ttfn, l8r g8r and The Fashion Disaster That Changed My Life, have also been recent targets of censors, for “offensive language,” “sexually explicit content” and being “unsuited to age group.” Her myriad fans, however, recognize her books as “awesome” and “soooooo good,” and she cites the following as her favorite compliment ever: “I can’t believe it was written by a–cough, cough–grown-up!”
Says FTRF Executive Director Judith Krug, “We are thrilled to have Lauren Myracle headline our fourth annual FTRF author event! Lauren’s books have been challenged for some of the same reasons that also make them so popular—because she speaks the language of her audience and addresses the issues they deal with on a regular basis. Moreover, she doesn’t back down from defending her work when it’s challenged.”
The suggested donation to attend the event is $25. Refreshments will be provided. Space is limited. Copies of Myracle’s books will be on sale at the event.
* To purchase your ticket in advance, please visit www.dplfriends.org.
* Tickets (by cash, checks, or credit card) also may be purchased at the event based on space availability.
Visit Lauren Myracle’s homepage at www.laurenmyracle.com to learn more about Myracle’s life and work. She’s also on MySpace: www.myspace.com/laurenmyracle.
The event will take place during the 2009 American Library Association Midwinter Meeting. For more information, visit www.ftrf.org or contact Jonathan Kelley at jokelley@ala.org or (800) 545-2433 x4226.
Save the Date! * July 12, 2009 * Chicago
Freedom to Read Foundation 40th Anniversary Gala
2009 will be the 40th anniversary of the Freedom to Read Foundation. To celebrate, we are planning a gala event at the new Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago on July 12, 2009, during ALA’s Annual Conference. Please mark the date in your 2009 calendar – we want you to be a part of this great event!
Tickets will go on sale January 2, so stay tuned to this space! Individual tickets are $125 for the dinner and program; $125 for the VIP reception; and $250 for both events.
**This will be one of the first events at the Modern Wing, an acclaimed new space designed by internationally renowned architect Renzo Piano!**
If your organization has a newsletter, please consider putting the below ad in your organization’s next newsletter. Contact ftrf@ala.org or (800) 545-2433 x4226 for a larger version of the ad.
SPONSORS NEEDED
We are looking for individual, library, organizational, and corporate sponsors to underwrite the event. Below is the rate list, explaining the benefits of each level of sponsorship. If you would like to sponsor the gala, or know of a potential sponsor, please contact Jonathan Kelley at (800) 545-2433 x4226 or jokelley@ala.org.
Sponsorship Rates
Gold Sponsor — $25,000
Two tables (20 seats) for dinner in prime location; 20 tickets to VIP reception; recognition in the invitation, program book and during ceremony; major signage; back-page ad in program book.
Silver Sponsor — $10,000
One table (10 seats) for dinner; ten tickets to VIP reception; full-page ad in program book; signage; recognition in invitation, program book and during ceremony.
Bronze Sponsor — $2,500
One table (10 seats) for dinner; four tickets to VIP reception; quarter-page ad in program; recognition in the invitation, program book and during ceremony.
Table only — $1,250
One table (10 seats) for dinner; two tickets to VIP reception; recognition in program book.
The Freedom to Read Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
