U.S. Copyright Office, Issue No. 948 ; U.S. Copyright Office Joins Message on International Women’s Day 2022
"The U.S. Copyright Office has joined with national and regional intellectual property offices from around the world as well as with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to issue a message in support of women creators and innovators. This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Gender Equality for a Sustainable Tomorrow.”"
Forbes Coaches Council, Forbes ; 15 Ways Leaders Can Get Comfortable With Not Always Having The Answer
"Below, 15 members of Forbes Coaches Council share advice on how senior business leaders can intentionally work on getting more comfortable with not always having the answer."
American Libraries; ALA Announces $7 Million in Grants to Support Accessibility
Ellie Silverman, The Washington Post; D.C. activists once wrote letters to name MLK Library. They did it again to push out Jeff Bezos.
"“It’s a special thing to have a public bridge or a library or street named after you,” said Ann Bartow, a professor at the University of New Hampshire’s law school, who has researched the intersection of trademark law and naming rights. “Are we going to celebrate the people who made the most money? Are we going to celebrate people who gave their lives in the military? Are we going to celebrate teachers who worked hard and were underpaid for 30 years? That’s an expression of values.”...
“It’s more than just a library,” said Kaplan of American University, who remembers getting her start as a researcher in high school in MLK Library’s archives. “For many of us, it’s a place for safety, a place of pride, a place of promise for the future, a place where our history has always been celebrated, documented and displayed. And that raises the stakes.”...
The backlash, Reyes-Gavilan said, showed that the naming process “is flawed.” He said that the library system sent the Morrison family a letter about the naming and that it was unclear what their wishes are at this time.
Apologizing for “the aggravation the naming process has caused,” Reyes-Gavilan said during the meeting that “whatever happens next will be taking place in a much more public way.”"
Michael Schur , The Washington Post; ‘Good Place’ creator Michael Schur asks: How can we live a more ethical life?
"For every conscientious citizen, there’s a whole bunch of cheaters and liars and Wolf of Wall Street maniacs who see ethical rules as annoying obstacles to getting whatever they want — not, you know, once a month, but literally all the time. Perhaps we can break down this whole confusing morass into four simple questions that we can ask ourselves whenever we encounter any ethical dilemma, great or small:
What are we doing? Why are we doing it? Is there something we could do that’s better? Why is it better?...
“Trying to do the right thing” means we are bound to fail. Even making our best efforts to be good people, we’re gonna screw up. Constantly. We’ll make a decision we think is right and good, only to find out it was wrong and bad. We’ll do something we don’t think will affect anyone, only to find out it sure as hell did, and man are we in trouble. We will hurt our friends’ feelings, harm the environment, support evil companies, accidentally help an elderly Nazi cross the street. We will fail, and then fail again, and again, and again. On this test, which we take daily whether we want to or not, failure is guaranteed — in fact, even getting like a C-plus often seems hopelessly out of reach. All of which can make caring about what we do seem pointless.
But that failure means more, and has more potential value, if we do care. Because if we care about doing the right thing, we will also want to figure out why we failed, which will give us a better chance to succeed in the future. Failure hurts, and it’s embarrassing, but it’s also how we learn stuff — it’s called “trial and error,” not “one perfect trial and we nail it and then we’re done.” Plus, come on — the alternative to caring about our ethical lives is really no alternative at all. We’re supposed to just ignore all questions about our behavior? Phone it in, morally speaking? I can’t believe that’s the right move. If we care about anything in this life, we ought to care about whether what we’re doing is good or bad."
Good Housekeeping; 40 Best Maya Angelou Quotes to Live By
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."
George Iskander, Scientific American; The Manhattan Project Shows Scientists’ Moral and Ethical Responsibilities
"Collective action has power, but it starts with the individual."
, Info Docket, Library Journal; Statements of Solidarity with Colleagues in Ukraine by Archive, Library, and Other Organizations
"Statements of Solidarity and Support (Latest Entries in Bold)kansascity.com via NewsBreak; KC-area library leader quits after trustees rejected diversity, condemned LGBT program
"Steven Potter, director of the Mid-Continent Public Library in Independence, Missouri, is resigning after more than a decade at the helm, and a wrong-way shift to the hard right in library board ideology has something to do with it."
Diana Marszalek, PRovokeMedia ; Ronn Torossian Admits To "Ethical Lapses" Amid News Site Controversy
"After finally admitting to owning Everything-PR, 5WPR founder and CEO Ronn Torossian apologized for his lack of transparency on the issue, acknowledging making “missteps including ethical lapses and errors in judgment” during the 20-year history of his firm...
Torossian’s apology comes following Crain’s New York Business’s report last week that he does indeed own Everything-PR, despite years of denial, and used the site to boost his own firm while slamming other agencies...
“In addition to being a cowardly and blatant violation of PRSA's Code of Ethics, Ronn’s actions are a stain on our profession and undermine our role as guardians of facts and integrity for those we serve. We strongly condemn his and his firm’s direct role in perpetrating disinformation while pretending to be a legitimate industry news site," said PRSA-NY's board said in a statement."
American Libraries; ALA Stands with Ukrainian Library Community
"On March 1, the American Library Association (ALA) released a statement in support of the Ukrainian library community. The full statement reads as follows:
ALA and its divisions support our Ukrainian colleagues and will work with the global library community to answer the appeal from the Ukrainian Library Association to provide accurate information as a means to support democracy and freedom of expression.
ALA has adopted into its policies Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states, “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers.”
ALA continues to encourage our members to help raise public consciousness regarding the many ways in which disinformation and media manipulation are used to mislead public opinion in all spheres of life, and further encourages librarians to facilitate this awareness with collection development, library programming, and public outreach that draws the public’s attention to those alternative sources of information dedicated to countering and revealing the disinformation.
American Library Association Executive Board
American Association of School Librarians Board of Directors
Association for Library Service to Children Board of Directors
Association of College and Research Libraries Board of Directors
Core: Leadership, Infrastructure, Futures Board of Directors
Public Library Association Board of Directors
Reference and User Services Association Board of Directors
Young Adult Library Services Association Board of Directors
United for Libraries Board of Directors"
Stanley Kurtz, The New York Times; The Battle for the Soul of the Library
"Ultimately, librarians who work to balance a library’s holdings will be far more persuasive advocates for intellectual freedom than those with a political ax to grind.
There is a lesson here for the professions upon whose trustworthy refereeing our society depends for its stability: judges, government bureaucrats, journalists and more. These occupations should work to recapture lost neutrality. As our political conflicts deepen, we need our traditionally fair and impartial referees far more, not less, than before."
Yuval Noah Harari, The Guardian; Why Vladimir Putin has already lost this war
"Nations are ultimately built on stories. Each passing day adds more stories that Ukrainians will tell not only in the dark days ahead, but in the decades and generations to come. The president who refused to flee the capital, telling the US that he needs ammunition, not a ride; the soldiers from Snake Island who told a Russian warship to “go fuck yourself”; the civilians who tried to stop Russian tanks by sitting in their path. This is the stuff nations are built from. In the long run, these stories count for more than tanks."
Patrick Wintour, The Guardian ; The phone has become the Ukrainian president’s most effective weapon
"One leader’s office said: “We are in awe of him. He may not eventually be able to save Ukraine, or change Russia, but he is changing Europe.”
Take Saturday’s diplomacy. Zelensky said he opened another day on the diplomatic frontline with a phone call to Emmanuel Macron, followed as the day progressed with calls to the European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, the Italian prime minister, Mario Draghi, the president of Switzerland, Ignazio Cassis, the prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Azerbaijani president, Ilham Aliyev, the Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, the UN secretary general, António Guterres, the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the Pope, the Czech prime minister, Petr Fiala, the Polish president, Andrzej Duda, and finally a virtual nightcap with the British prime minister.
The day before, the number of calls was similar, all focused on requests for arms and tougher sanctions. Quite how Zelenskiy managed to make these calls, rally the home front, direct his army and sleep is hard to fathom. One who has heard him in action says: “He is very direct, very passionate and very practical.” But the calls have produced golden rewards for Zelenskiy and helped turn the tide."
FOR SUBSCRIBERS, The San Diego Union-Tribune; The Backstory: Paywalls and the ethics of charging for news content
[Kip Currier: Not a joke...This story --
is only available to subscribers.
Hey, San Diego Union-Tribune, you might want to think about making a piece about the ethics of paywalls accessible to non-subscribers too. You might actually persuade some people to your viewpoint and generate some worthwhile conversation about the pros and cons of paywalls.
Bad editorial and marketing decisions, as subscriptions to many newspapers continue to decrease and local news coverage is increasingly endangered.]
LYDIA SAAD, Gallup ; Military Brass, Judges Among Professions at New Image Lows
"Gallup's annual rating of the honesty and ethics of various professions finds five of the 22 occupations rated this year at new lows in public esteem. While the majority of Americans continue to believe military officers have high ethics (61%), the score is down 10 percentage points since it was last measured, in 2017. TV reporters' ethics rating has fallen nine points to 14% over the same period, and judges' has declined five points to 38%...
The latest results are based on Gallup's annual Honesty and Ethics survey, conducted Dec. 1-16, in which Americans were asked to rate the honesty and ethics of different occupational groups as very high, high, average, low or very low.
Gallup first conducted its Honesty and Ethics poll in 1976 and has updated it annually since 1990. A handful of professions have been on the list every year, while Gallup asks about others periodically.
For the 20th straight year, nurses lead Gallup's annual ranking of professions for having high honesty and ethics, eclipsing medical doctors in second place by 14 points -- 81% vs. 67%."
, The Washington Post; Ukraine’s President Zelensky: In the streets of a war-rattled city, a hero is born
Sallyann Price , American Libraries Magazine ; The Public Interest
BILL SCHACKNER, PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE; At Pitt, war or not, Russian and Ukrainian cultures share a bond
Immigrants who helped build the 'Steel city' are part of famed Nationality Rooms
[Kip Currier: An uplifting, poignant article, amidst the wrenching scenes emanating from an under-siege Ukraine.
The Nationality Rooms (more aptly, Classrooms) are one of the United States' truly singular treasures -- at the nexus of cultures and education -- and are my favorite place to take visitors, having had the privilege of serving as a Quo Vadis student organization volunteer tour guide for these architectural marvels during my undergraduate years at Pitt.]
"The Russian room, dedicated in 1938, and the Ukrainian room, dating to 1990, are historical treasures. But just as important, they are functioning classrooms at the University of Pittsburgh — part of the Cathedral of Learning's 31 famed Nationality Rooms.
Built on ethnic pride and donations, the rooms honor immigrants whose labor in the steel mills helped make Pittsburgh what it is today. In that, the two Eastern European communities share a deep bond.
Only now, Russia has invaded Ukraine and the countries are at war. Pitt undergraduates who routinely sit in these rooms taking classes that have nothing to do with geopolitics find themselves surrounded by trappings of cultures now locked in bloody conflict.
Time will tell if Pitt can turn all that into a teachable moment.
The rooms, like the people whose contributions built them, have always been about advancing understanding globally across cultures, said Kati Csoman, director of Pitt’s Nationality Rooms.
"They are intended to be spaces of, really, timelessness and cultural values," she said. "These are volunteers who have worked hard to raise funds for scholarships."
The Nationality Rooms are located on the first and third floors of the Cathedral, one of the world’s tallest classroom buildings, 42 stories high, its summit visible for miles beyond the sprawling Oakland campus. The massive Indiana limestone structure was opened in 1936 after a decade of construction.
Then-Chancellor John Bowman wanted to harness the enthusiasm of immigrant mill workers by establishing classrooms that would honor their traditions and inspire their children to seek a college education. That idea became the Nationality Rooms."
; Defiant Zelensky Tells Leaders They May Not See Him Alive Again
"As Russian troops encircle Kyiv, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has struck a defiant tone while allowing that his bravery may cost him dearly. In a video call with European Union leaders Thursday night, Zelensky told them, “This might be the last time you see me alive.”
In an address on Thursday an unshaven and casually dressed Zelensky had called himself “Target No. 1” but said Ukrainians “are not afraid of anything...
In remarks Friday, Putin sounded as detached from reality as he did when he declared war, labeling Ukrainian leadership “drug dealers” and “neo-Nazis” — a particularly outrageous claim considering Zelensky is Jewish."
Hannah Weinberger , Crosscut; The new emergency responders: Librarians
"Seeing libraries as a multipurpose community resource is something some staff members embrace, but others feel this latest trend may have gone a step too far."
SLJ Staff , School Library Journal ; NCAC Launches Book Challenge Crisis Hotline and Censorship Database | News Bites
"In response to the rising number of book challenges and attempted book bans in K-12 libraries and classrooms, the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) has launched a Book Challenge Crisis Hotline and a Youth Censorship Database and Map.
The hotline allows educators to report an incident to an NCAC staff member, ask questions, and get the answers needed to help defend the right to read. The virtual meetings are confidential, and no information is shared without permission.
In addition to the hotline, the NCAC has launched a searchable database and map intended to create a better understanding of the attempts to censor intellectual freedom and access in K-12 schools and libraries. The information can be filtered by the type of censorship—be it a book challenge, attempt to remove artwork or a display, or hinder the freedom of expression in appearance, at an event, in a yearbook, or on social meeting—as well as the year, age level of those impacted, and who filed the complaint.
To report attempted censorship without using the hotline, educators can fill out a form online."
Lisa Peet, Library Journal; Libraries Providing Home COVID-19 Test Kits Face Challenges
"Libraries have been distributing masks throughout the pandemic. In 2021, they began partnering with local health departments to distribute test kits as well—at curbside, in parking lots, or in the building—with varying results. Particularly in late 2021 and January of this year, kits ran out almost immediately even as takers lined up for blocks. Communication from city and county health agencies was not always timely or accurate. And library workers once again found themselves on the front lines managing patron reactions and their own safety concerns."
Claire Taylor, The Acadiana Advocate; Lafayette library board cuts input from librarians in book banning review
ALA News ; PLA responds to growing intellectual freedom challenges with virtual townhall
"For Immediate Release
Tue, 02/22/2022
CHICAGO — As libraries continue confronting unprecedented attacks on the freedom to read, the Public Library Association (PLA) will offer a virtual townhall event, Facing the Challenge: Intellectual Freedom in Libraries, on Friday, March 4, from 1–2 p.m. Central time.
During this free session, panelists will participate in facilitated conversations that explore effective responses to the coordinated attempts at censorship currently sweeping the nation. A moderated chat will follow, inviting attendees to pose questions and share insights based on personal experiences. Due to high demand, PLA will accept up to 1,500 registrations, but only the first 1,000 viewers will be able to attend live. The webinar room will open about 15 minutes before the start of the event, and we recommend you arrive early. The on-demand recording will be available in the ALA eLearning site within 1–2 business days. Learn more and register for this event.
As those who have faced book banning attempts and related legislative efforts know, the experience is often isolating and stressful. The virtual townhall will provide an opportunity for public library professionals to connect in the face of these difficult experiences. At the conclusion of the event, participants will be able to:
Townhall panelists include Deb Sica, deputy county librarian at Alameda County Library (Freemont, CA); Cindy Hohl, director of branch operations at the Kansas City (MO) Public Library and immediate past-president of the American Indian Library Association (AILA); Kathy Carroll, school librarian at Westwood High School (Blythewood, SC) and immediate past-president of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL); and Melanie Huggins, executive director of the Richland Library in Columbia, SC and president of the Public Library Association (PLA).
Facing the Challenge: Intellectual Freedom in Libraries is presented by the Public Library Association (PLA) with support from the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, the Freedom to Read Foundation, and the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund.
PLA will also be hosting an Intellectual Freedom Forum on March 24 as part of the upcoming PLA 2022 Conference in Portland, Ore. This forum will give attendees an opportunity to share resources and build connections in support of intellectual freedom. Forum sessions include: Ask a Lawyer, Peer-sharing roundtables, and 1-on-1 appointments with ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.
About the Public Library Association
The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 10,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world. PLA strives to help its members shape the essential institution of public libraries by serving as an indispensable ally for public library leaders. For more information about PLA, contact the PLA office at 1 (800) 545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or pla@ala.org."
