[Libs-Or] Fwd: A message from ALA President Roberta Stevens

[Diedre Conkling]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Roberta Stevens, ALA President <kmurphy at alawash.org>
Date: Mon, Mar 14, 2011 at 7:10 AM
Subject: A message from ALA President Roberta Stevens
To: Diedre Conkling <diedrec at charter.net>


     *American Library Association*   *A message from ALA President Roberta
Stevens*
 Dear Members,

First and foremost, I want to thank you for your patience. I held back on a
public statement on the recent decision by Harper Collins to restrict the
lending of e-books until the Equitable Access to Electronic Information Task
Force (EQUACC) met last week. Please know that I heard your voices of
concern about the impact of additional costs on your libraries and ability
to meet the needs of the communities you serve. A press
release<http://capwiz.com/ala/utr/1/MCBCPDENXZ/KXVHPDEPNW/6603748371>was
issued today that speaks to our shared alarm at announced and
potential
limitations to the access to knowledge, information and the creative written
works of authors in the electronic era. We know that libraries are essential
to an informed nation and therefore our democracy. I have been and will
continue to highlight our commitment to access in every media interview I
give.

As an outgrowth of EQUACC’s working retreat, a website will be launched
within the next week. The site will allow you to provide your comments and
ideas. The site’s availability will be announced using the many ways we have
within the association to “get the word out.”

I want to express my thanks to the task force members, the representative
from the E-Book Subcommittee and staff of the Office of Information
Technology and Policy. Their collective efforts to tackle this complicated
topic and provide a means to reach out broadly to our members and
organizations affiliated with ALA are important to our being informed and
taking wise actions.

I also wanted to give you the heads up that equitable access to information
and e-books will be the subject of the first virtual Membership Meeting. The
meeting is scheduled for June 1. More information will be forthcoming as we
get the plans in place.

Thank you for your support,
Roberta Stevens, ALA President
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-- 

*Diedre Conkling**
Lincoln County Library District
P.O. Box 2027
Newport, OR 97365
Phone & Fax: 541-265-3066
Work email**: **diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org*<diedre at lincolncolibrarydist.org>
*
Home email: **diedre08 at gmail.com* <diedre08 at gmail.com>
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