The American Library Association (ALA) will present the Mid-Atlantic Regional “Lawyers for Libraries” Training Institute at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel on May 17, 2007. This will be the tenth in a series of regional institutes following two national institutes in 1997 and 1998.

The Lawyers for Libraries institute is primarily intended to equip attorneys with tools they need to effectively defend the First Amendment in libraries. Participants will be instructed by practicing attorneys specializing in First Amendment law and will be eligible for continuing legal education (CLE) credits for their participation.

Among the topics to be covered during the institute are:

• Privacy, law enforcement requests for records, and the USA PATRIOT Act
• Public forum analysis and libraries, including developing meeting room and display case policies
• Internet filtering and the ongoing repercussions of the Supreme Court’s CIPA decision
• How to respond to attempts to censor books and other library materials

In addition, a panel of librarians will discuss their real-world experiences with creating and enforcing library policies.

“Libraries today need committed, informed attorneys to provide clear guidance and expertise,” said ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) Director Judith F. Krug. “The Lawyers for Libraries training institutes ensure that attendees know about the most up-to-date, accurate and relevant legislation and case law related to the First Amendment and libraries. The best part is that we’ve been able to create a network of attorneys who continue to work with OIF and share information with each other about censorship and privacy issues, policy development, and crisis management.”

While “Lawyers for Libraries” is designed primarily for attorneys and library trustees, librarians are welcome to attend the training if accompanied by an attorney.

To register for the “Lawyers for Libraries” institute, contact Jonathan Kelley, (800) 545-2433 x4226, or e-mail jkelley@ala.org. Online registration and additional information are available at http://www.ala.org/lawyers. The cost to attend an institute is $395.00 for one and $745.00 for two.

The Loews Philadelphia Hotel is offering a rate of $179.00/night for attendees. Reserve your room by calling (215) 627-1200 and referencing “American Library Association May 17 event” to get that rate (before April 20!).