[SLA-SF] Intersect Alert, March 27, 2006

Mon Mar 27 20:24:14 PST 2006

Freedom of Information

DOD removes missile defense system report from Web site

The Defense Department has removed from the DOD inspector general's Web site a critical report that states that the network that links radar systems, missile sites and command centers for the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) ground-based defense system has serious flaws in the security technologies, policies and procedures needed to protect the integrity, availability and confidentiality of information on the network.

http://www.fcw.com/article92668-03-20-06-Web

UVM librarian fights USA Patriot Act

In fall 2001, before the ink had dried on the nation's new anti-terrorism law known as the USA Patriot Act, University of Vermont librarian Trina Magi was analyzing how the federal measure would affect the civil liberties of library patrons. The news, Magi concluded, was not good. . . Since then, the UVM librarian has traveled across the country, publicly fighting the law that opponents say infringes on free speech and abuses Americans' rights to privacy.

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060326/NEWS02/603260308/1007&theme=

National Archives Makes State Department Records Available Online

For the first time, the National Archives and Records Administration has made available online more than 400,000 State Department telegrams and other records for 1973 and 1974. Central Foreign Policy Files, 1973-1974 is available at http://www.archives.gov/aad. This series, popularly known as the "State Department Cables" or the "State Department Telegrams", consist of telegrams, and an index to airgrams, memoranda, correspondence, reports, diplomatic notes, and related material.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=62740

2004 Presidential Term Web Harvest

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) conducted a harvest (i.e., capture) of Federal Agency public web sites as they existed prior to January 20, 2005. This harvest was intended to document Federal agencies' presence on the World Wide Web at the time that the Presidential Administration term ended in early 2005.

http://www.webharvest.gov/collections/peth04/

Freedominfo.org Launches New Country-by-Country Resource on FOI Laws

Freedominfo.org, sponsored by the National Security Archive, has introduced "a new, comprehensive country-by-country section that gives users access to resources about FOI laws in more than 60 countries-including background, legal texts, links to government bodies and organizations, and current news about the FOI movement in the country."

http://www.freedominfo.org/countries/index.htm

GAO Report: Managing Sensitive Information: DOE and DOD Could Improve Their Policies and Oversight

"While DOE and DOD have policies in place to manage their OUO or FOUO programs, our analysis of these policies showed a lack of clarity in key areas that could allow inconsistencies and errors to occur. . . DOE and DOD officials told us that limited resources, and in the case of DOE, the newness of the program, have contributed to the lack of training requirements and oversight. Nonetheless, the lack of training requirements and oversight of the OUO and FOUO programs leaves DOE and DOD officials unable to assure that OUO and FOUO documents are marked and handled in a manner consistent with agency policies and may result in inconsistencies and errors in the application of the programs."

http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/abstract.php?rptno=GAO-06-531T

Orwellian

IRS plans to allow tax preparers to sell data

The IRS is quietly moving to loosen the once-inviolable privacy of federal income-tax returns. If it succeeds, accountants and other tax-return preparers will be able to sell information from individual returns - or even entire returns - to marketers and data brokers.

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/14147002.htm

NSA Might Listen to Lawyer Calls

"National Security Agency could have legally monitored ordinarily confidential communications between doctors and patients or attorneys and their clients, the Justice Department said Friday of its controversial warrantless surveillance program. . .

The department also avoided questions on whether the administration believes it is legal to wiretap purely domestic calls without a warrant, when al-Qaida activity is suspected. The department wouldn't say specifically that it hasn't been done. "Interception of the content of domestic communications would present a different legal question," the department said."

http://www.wired.com/news/wireservice/0,70500-0.html

Public Policy

EPA Librarians' Union Demands to Bargain Over Proposed Closings

Library Juice has posted a letter from the American Federation of Government Employees regarding the impending closure of the EPA libraries.  Among many notable aspects in the letter is fact #4. In addition to EPA Region 5's immediate plans for the library closure, the letter notes: "On March 9, 2006, Lynda F. Carroll, Assistant Administrator for Management, Region 6, sent to Forrest John, President AFGE Local 1003, a memo with the subject "Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6 Library Closing". This memo indicated that, "Region 6 library will be closing effective on the close of business September 30, 2006."

http://libraryjuicepress.com/blog/?p=24

Internet Access

FCC Chair Offers Support for Tiered Internet

FCC Chair Kevin Martin told a Las Vegas conference "that he supports network operators' desires to offer different levels of broadband service at different speeds, and at different pricing -- a so-called "tiered" Internet service structure that opponents say could give a market advantage to deep-pocket companies who can afford to pay service providers for preferential treatment."

http://www.networkingpipeline.com/news/183701554

Copyright Issues

CATO Institute Releases Study Criticizing DMCA

Conservative think tank the CATO Institute has released a new study that concludes that the DMCA hinders innovation. Entitled Circumventing Competition: The Perverse Consequences of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, the study expresses deep concern with the government interference into digital rights management techniques.

Report at: http://cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=6025

Spanish Court Recognizes Creative Commons-Music

A Spanish court has addressed Creative Commons licenses in a case on whether the major collecting society in Spain could collect royalties from a bar that played CC-licensed music. The court ruled in favor of the bar, since the music was not licensed by the collecting society and the CC licenses permitted public performance of the work. Coverage at

http://creativecommons.org/weblog/entry/5830

Take Action!

National Library Legislative Day 2006

This year marks the 60th Anniversary of the American Library Association's Washington Office, and the 32nd National Library Legislative Day! Join hundreds of library supporters from across the country visiting Members of Congress to share stories about libraries in your communities and to talk about the needs and accomplishments of libraries in your area.

http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washevents/nlld/nationallibrary.htm

Can't go to Washington? You can still participate in Legislative Day. In California, you can join the California Library Association in Sacramento for Library Legislative Day on Wednesday, April 26th.

http://www.cla-net.org/weblog/mt/archives/cat_advocacylegislation.php#000203.

Or participate in a Virtual Library Legislative Day. On May 1st and 2nd call, fax, or email your Members of Congress and tell them how important libraries are to you, your family, and your community. To organize your own Virtual Library Legislative Day complete with handouts and issue briefs visit:  

http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washevents/nlld/vertld.htm

Please feel free to pass along in part or in its entirety.
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