HOTEL DEADLINE APRIL 23! MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW!

Lawyers for Libraries is an education program started in 1997 by the OIF. Its goal was—and continues to be—to inculcate in attorneys the First Amendment principles that animate librarianship. Over the past decade, it has done just that, by training hundreds of attorneys, as well as librarians and trustees, on the laws and court decisions affecting America’s libraries. After the first two trainings in Chicago, we opted to take the trainings on the road, and beginning in 2003, we have held institutes in Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Washington DC, Boston, Columbus, and Chicago.

Next month, we’ll be conducting another East Coast seminar: this one in Philadelphia. Registration is open now. As with previous trainings, topics will include the Library as a Public Forum, Internet issues, challenges to library materials, and privacy & confidentiality. Faculty include Theresa Chmara (general counsel for the Freedom to Read Foundation), OIF’s Judith Krug and Deborah Caldwell Stone, Dallas attorney John Horany (the attorney who gained a crucial victory for libraries in Wichita Falls, Texas), and IF stalwarts Candy Morgan and Barbara Jones.

And we’re excited to announce that ALA President Leslie Burger and New Jersey Library Association counsel Grayson Barber will be guest faculty.

If you know an attorney who would benefit from Lawyers for Libraries (perhaps one of your board members, or your city/county attorney), and can travel to Philadelphia, have them register today! Let them know that Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits will be available – between 5 and 6.5 hours, depending on the home state. If you are a librarian, you are welcome to attend – we just ask that you be accompanied by an attorney. If you are both a librarian and an attorney, then this is definitely the institute for you. The charge for one attendee is $395 and for two it’s $745.

Please note that the Loews Hotel’s discounted rate for attendees ($179/night) is good for reservations made by Monday, April 23, so if you’re planning on coming, please notify us – and the hotel ASAP. Reserve your room by calling (215) 627-1200 and referencing “American Library Association May 17 event.”

We look forward to seeing you there!

P.S. If you’re west of the Mississippi, stay tuned to OIF’s blog for an announcement about a fall Lawyers for Libraries…