[Libs-Or] ACTION: Contact your Congressional Representatives about Net Neutrality and Libraries.

[Diedre Conkling]

I just signed the petition sent out by Credo and am supplying information
about their petition below.  Rep. Schrader is one of the people who has
signed one of these letters.  the information from Credo is below.  I will
also be calling Rep. Schraeder about this issue, outside of the Credo
petition.

The American Library Association has been part of the coalition working to
help us maintain Net Neutrality.  You can find more information here:
http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/telecom/netneutrality/index.cfm

On this page is a good section that you can use about why net neutrality is
important.  I am attaching a bit with this message.

I hope you will contact your Senators and Representatives and let them know
how important net neutrality is.  For contact information just go to
http://capwiz.com/ala/dbq/officials/?affiliate_lookup=1

-----------------------------
Why does Net Neutrality matter to libraries?

The American Library Association is a strong advocate for intellectual
freedom, which is the “right of all peoples to seek and receive information
from all points of view without restriction.” Intellectual freedom is
critical to our democracy, because we rely on people’s ability to inform
themselves. The Internet connects people of diverse geographical, political,
or ideological origins, greatly enhancing everyone’s ability to share and to
inform both themselves and others.

Our libraries’ longstanding commitment to freedom of expression in the realm
of content is well-known; in the context of the net neutrality debate,
however, we believe it is equally important to stress that the freedom of
libraries and librarians to provide innovative new kinds of information
services will be central to the growth and development of our democratic
culture. A world in which librarians and other noncommercial enterprises are
of necessity limited to the Internet’s “slow lanes” while high-definition
movies can obtain preferential treatment seems to us to be overlooking a
central priority for a democratic society -- the necessity of enabling
educators, librarians, and, in fact, all citizens to inform themselves and
each other just as much as the major commercial and media interests can
inform them.

The ability of the Internet to spread and share ideas is only getting
better. With modern technology, individuals and small groups can produce
rich audio and video resources that used to be the exclusive domain of large
companies. We must work to ensure that these resources are not relegated to
second-class delivery on the Internet – or else the intellectual freedoms
fostered by the Internet will be constrained.

One application that libraries are especially invested in is distance
learning. Classes offered using audio and video streamed over the Internet
have huge potential to bring expert teachers into the homes of students
around the globe.

-------------------------------------------------

>From Credo:



Subject: 74 Democrats sold us out to AT&T, Verizon and Comcast
Dear Friend,

74 Democratic members of Congress just sold you out to AT&T, Verizon and
Comcast.

They signed industry-backed letters telling the FCC to abandon efforts to
protect Internet users by prohibiting big companies from blocking Internet
traffic.

Not only is this letter an attack on net neutrality, but by signing the
industry letter, they are attempting to drastically undercut the FCC's
ability to make a fast, affordable and open Internet available to everyone
in America. They are actually taking a position against the interests of
rural and low-income communities.

This is unacceptable.

We need to make sure these members of Congress know that their constituents
are paying attention and will hold them accountable when they undermine net
neutrality protections.

I just signed a petition to these 74 House Democrats telling them that I'm
upset by their decision to side with the wealthy telecommunications
corporations over their constituents. I hope you do, too.

Have a look and take action at the link below.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/74_dems/?r_by=9345-320506-0d6w_lx&rc=paste1

-- 
Diedre Conkling
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR  97365
Work phone & fax:  541-265-3066
Work email:  diedre at beachbooks.org
Home email:  diedre08 at gmail.com
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