Freedom of Information

They’ve Got to See it to Believe It: Getting Decision Makers Into Your Library [webinar video]

 In-person visits are critical for effective influence on politicians, particularly in an election year. With the last three months of the election season (phew!) around the corner, now is the time to press council members, legislators, administrators, school board members — in fact, anyone you can think of — to visit. And if you’re concerned about whether election rules restrict your ability to be involved in advocacy at this time of year, don’t be! This video covers the rules of engagement and points you to the resources at nonprofitvote.org and clpi.org to keep your visits aboveboard. Watch to learn the secret strategies for getting decision makers in the door — and eventually agreeing with you!

http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/07/see-to-believe/

 Public Policy

Senate Votes Down DISCLOSE Act from All Articles

 The Senate held two votes on the DISCLOSE Act on July 16 and 17 but failed to pass the legislation each time. The bill would have created new campaign finance disclosure requirements and made public the names of super PAC contributors. In an effort to control the rising tide of “secret money” – political campaign spending by unknown donors – the bill attempted to make the federal election process more transparent.

http://www.ombwatch.org/node/12149

The Future or Big Data

 “Experts say new forms of information analysis will help people be more nimble and adaptive, but worry over humans’ capacity to understand and use these new tools well Tech experts believe the vast quantities of data that humans and machines will be creating by the year 2020 could enhance productivity, improve organizational transparency, and expand the frontier of the “knowable future.”

http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/030886.html

Privacy Concerns

Rep. Hank Johnson’s App Rights Seeks Feedback on Mobile

 It’s always heartening to see Congressmen make efforts to stand up for privacy rights. Yesterday, Rep. Hank Johnson launched AppRights.us, a website dedicated to promoting privacy, security, and transparency around mobile apps. Operating under the motto that “our apps should serve us—not spy on us,” Johnson’s website asks for feedback about issues surrounding mobile devices.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/rep-hank-johnsons-apprights-seeks-feedback-mobile-privacy

As Secrecy System Veers Into Absurdity, Politicians Argue For More

 The US classification system is “dysfunctional” and “clearly lacks the ability to differentiate between trivial information and that which can truly damage our nation’s well-being.” Those are not the words of EFF, nor any other government transparency advocate, but instead came from the former classification czar himself.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/secrecy-system-veers-absurdity-politicians-argue-more

 Franken Amendment Would Remove Worst Part of Cyber security Bill

As we noted last week, a new cybersecurity bill (S 3414) (PDF) was introduced with privacy protective measures championed by Senators Franken, Durbin, Wyden, Coons, Sanders, Akaka, and Blumenthal. The bill is a step in the right direction of protecting online rights, but still has major flaws that allow for nearly unlimited monitoring of user data or countermeasures (like blocking or dropping packets). To address these concerns, Senator Franken is spearheading an amendment that would strike all of Section 701 (text below), the section of the bill which provides companies with the explicit right to monitor private user communications and engage in countermeasures. EFF is proud to support this amendment, though we continue to oppose the bill as a whole.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/franken-amendment

Penn State’s Rodney Erickson says Joe Paterno Library won’t change

 STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Peter Russell hit the books Sunday evening at the other Penn State landmark bearing Joe Paterno’s name.  Hours earlier, the statue of the late football coach outside Beaver Stadium came down, ending weeks of speculation about its future

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/northeast/view/20120723penn_states_rodney_erickson_says_joe_paterno_library_wont_change/

Intellectual Property

Temporary Copies: A TPP Provision Absurdly Disconnected from the Reality of the Modern Computer

EFF has been among several groups following the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the huge ramifications it would have for the future of the open Internet, access to knowledge, and innovation. Based on what we know from its leaked intellectual property chapter (IP chapter), it carries many of the restrictive copyright provisions that already exist in U.S. law. From what we have seen, however, this agreement is even more extreme: it does not export the many balances and exceptions that favor the public interest and act as safety valves in limiting rightsholders’ protection.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/temporary-copies-another-way-tpp-profoundly-disconnected

International Outlook

 UN Human Rights Council Resolution on Internet and Human Rights a Step in the Right Direction

Earlier this month, the 47 member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a landmark Resolution (A/HRC/20/L.13) to include the “promotion, protection, and enjoyment of human rights on the Internet.” The Resolution, which was presented by Sweden, was backed by more than 70 countries in all, both members and non-members of the HRC.

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/un-human-rights-council-resolution-internet-and-human-rights-step-right-direction

A new chapter for Beijing’s libraries

Self-service libraries are becoming increasingly popular with Beijing residents, with 50 having sprung up across the city over the past year and 100 more are expected to open in the coming months.

The 24-hour service allows readers to choose from 20,000 books housed in giant automatic machines scattered across the capital.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2012-07/17/content_15588013.htm

  Free access to British scientific research within two years

The government is to unveil controversial plans to make publicly funded scientific research immediately available for anyone to read for free by 2014, in the most radical shakeup of academic publishing since the invention of the internet.

Under the scheme, research papers that describe work paid for by the British taxpayer will be free online for universities, companies and individuals to use for any purpose, wherever they are in the world.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jul/15/free-access-british-scientific-research

The French Still Flock to Bookstores

PARIS — The French, as usual, insist on being different. As independent bookstores crash and burn in the United States and Britain, the book market in France is doing just fine. France boasts 2,500 bookstores, and for every neighborhood bookstore that closes, another seems to open. From 2003 to 2011 book sales in France increased by 6.5 percent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/21/books/french-bookstores-are-still-prospering.html

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The Intersect Alert is a newsletter of the Government Relations Committee, San Francisco Bay Region Chapter, Special Libraries Association.

Freedom of Information

Law Enforcement Agencies Demanded Cell Phone User Info Far More Than 1.3 Million Times Last Year

Yesterday, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) revealed that federal, state and local law enforcement agencies have made an astounding 1.3 million demands for user cell phone data in the last year, “seeking text messages, caller locations and other information.” The New York Times called the new findings proof of “an explosion in cellphone surveillance” in the United States—much of it done without a warrant. Worse, the eye-popping figure is actually a significant underestimate; the actual number is “almost certainly much higher” than reported, according to the Times:
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/law-enforcement-agencies-demanded-cell-phone-user-info-much-more-13-million-times

Death of SOPA Was Not a Fluke: Three Reasons Why Elected Officials Should Endorse the Declaration of Internet Freedom

The January 18th blackout protesting the Stop Online Piracy Act (“SOPA”) was an unprecedented event in Internet history.  Within 24 hours, dangerous and draconian copyright legislation went from being a forgone conclusion in Congress to completely rejected by its members. Still, many observers have remarked that, despite the protest’s effectiveness, the result was a fluke. It was a perfect storm of companies and people coming together that could not be replicated, they’ve said, and nothing has really changed.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/death-sopa-was-not-fluke-three-reasons-why-elected-officials-should-endorse

Sunlight provides databases of government information to university libraries

The Sunlight Foundation has launched a campaign to partner with university libraries to provide easy access for students and researchers by cataloging as electronic resources its vast online databases of information on politics and government data.
http://freegovinfo.info/node/3745

Public Policy

AALL Action Alert: Tell Your Representative to Support Public Access to CRS Report

On Tuesday July 10, Representatives Leonard Lance (R-NJ-07) and Mike Quigley (D-Ill-05) introduced H. Res. 727, the Public Access to Congressional Research Service Reports Resolution of 2012. The resolution would require the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to make their reports publicly available. CRS is a division of the Library of Congress which provides policy and legal analysis for use by members of Congress and their staff. American taxpayers spend more than $100 million a year supporting the work of the CRS.
http://aallwash.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/aall-action-alert-tell-your-representative-to-support-the-public-access-to-crs-reports/

Why Libraries Are a Smart Investment for the Country’s Future

Today America’s library system sits at a critical juncture. The Library of Congress alone has lost some 1300 staff since the onset of the digital media age two decades ago. Until last week, four of the six largest American publishing houses did not lend digital books to libraries, president of the New York Public Library Anthony Marx noted. And last month, the NYPL’s move to renovate its landmark headquarters to include more computers and resources for the general public prompted protests from scholars and writers who wanted to preserve the space for research.
http://policynotes.arl.org/post/26021516881/why-libraries-are-a-smart-investment-for-the-countrys

Big Data, Bigger Opportunities: Plans and Preparedness for the Data Deluge
News release: “Smart grid deployments are creating exponentially more data for utilities and giving them access to information they’ve never had before. Accessing, analyzing, managing, and delivering this information – to optimize business operations and enhance customer relationships – is proving to be a daunting task. Somewhere in this data deluge lies the path to greater efficiencies, but how will access to this new data change the way utilities drive their businesses? Will predictive analytics spur operational change?
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/030855.html

Is Wikipedia more reliable than the Encyclopaedia Britannica?

Wikipedia is the premier example of the Internet phenomenon known as crowdsourcing, in which people spontaneously cooperate for the greater good. By many measures it has become the world’s leading reference resource, with 22 million articles in 285 languages, including four million articles in English. According to the Alexa tracking service, Wikipedia is the sixth most visited website in the world.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3061/is-wikipedia-more-reliable-than-the-encyclopaedia-britannica

Privacy Concerns

Privacy Amendments Strengthen Cybersecurity Billfrom Center for Democracy & Technology – Keeping the Internet Open, Innovative and Free

The amendments address key civil liberties concerns that have dogged the cybersecurity debate.  In terms of privacy, these changes make the Lieberman-Collins bill far superior to both the McCain bill and the House-passed CISPA.

“The amendments address key civil liberties concerns that have dogged the cybersecurity debate.  In terms of privacy, these changes make the Lieberman-Collins bill far superior to both the McCain bill and the House-passed CISPA,” said CDT President and CEO Leslie Harris.  “Senator Franken and his colleagues, who pushed hard for these amendments, and the co-sponsors of the bill, deserve praise and gratitude for listening to the concerns of the privacy community.”
https://www.cdt.org/pr_statement/privacy-amendments-strengthen-cybersecurity-bill

New Cybersecurity Proposal Patches Serious Privacy Vulnerabilities

For months, we’ve been raising the alarm about the serious civil liberties implications of the cybersecurity bills making their way through the Senate. Hours ago, we received some good news. A new bill called the Cybersecurity Act of 2012 (S 3414) is replacing the prior Lieberman-Collins Cybersecurity Act (S 2150). This new bill drastically improves upon the previous bill by addressing the most glaring privacy concerns. This is huge, and it’s thanks to the outcry of Internet users like you worried about their online privacy. Check out the new bill (PDF).
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/new-cybersecurity-proposal-patches-serious-privacy-vulnerabilities

Intellectual Property

International Outlook

Proponents of Canada’s Online Spying Bill Still Trying to Justify Excessive Powersfrom Deeplinks

Canada’s online surveillance bill may be on hold for now, but a recent news article confirms that a rather formidable figure has been angling for its return: Richard Fadden, head of the Canadian equivalent of the FBI. Fadden, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), wrote in a letter that the highly contentious Bill C-30 was “vital” to protecting national security. The letter was sent to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, the driver behind Bill C-30, in late February. It was released to the Canadian Press in response to a request filed under the Access to Information Act.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/proponents-canada-online-spying-bill-still-trying-justify-excessive-powers

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

The Intersect Alert is a newsletter of the Government Relations Committee, San Francisco Bay Region Chapter, Special Libraries Association.

By Cynthia Berglez
Past Chapter President and Research Librarian at Ropes & Gray

I recently received a thank-you note from a colleague in my SLA chapter. She and I are both on the Chapter’s Board of Directors, where she contributes her personal time and her great ideas to make our profession richer. My colleague had asked for a letter of recommendation because she was up for a promotion in a university library. I told her I would be honored to write a letter for her.

Librarianship is not my first career. In my past professional life, there was no organization of colleagues to turn to for support or advice. Also, in my other career, there was even less stability than we librarians are experiencing now. Hard to imagine, I know. To be in a position to even be asked to write letters of recommendation is a privilege for me.

I joined SLA when I was still a library school student. When I realized that I didn’t have to practice this new profession alone, I couldn’t wait to meet my fellows and build my network. One of the first series of events I attended with SLA was the Neighborhood Dinners in April. This is still one of my favorite months in our calendar. It was easy to meet others with the discussion of food and neighborhoods to break the social barriers and my natural introversion. At one of the dinners I met a fascinating librarian and I asked if I could see her library. That tour became an internship interview without my noticing. Through the early years of limited job opportunities I was able to piece together a variety of part-time, temporary positions that gave me skills, colleagues, and experience. This was only possible through the connections I have made through SLA.

There is still a lot I don’t know about research, library collections, and database coverage, and every day I learn more. SLA has given me the opportunity to make friends, find jobs, and learn more about my profession and about myself. It still surprises me that people ask for my help in making connections, in job search, and yes, in writing letters of recommendation. And, as for my colleague who sent the thank-you note, she got the promotion.

When I tell other librarians about the work I do for the chapter, they are impressed. I don’t do this only because I’m giving and supportive, I do it because this is how I learn, make friends, and find jobs in a difficult economy. I do it for myself; however, as much as I give, I get so much more in return.

I hope you’ll consider the same. Do something for yourself, as well as your profession. Donate your time to your SLA chapter and get so much more in return.

To volunteer for the SF Bay Region Chapter, you can contact any Board Member or sign up here: http://sanfrancisco.sla.org/volunteer/.

By Cynthia Berglez
2012 Awards Chair and Past Chapter President

Now is your chance to make us all aware of a Chapter member who has made a special contribution to our profession.

The Awards tab on our web page (http://sanfrancisco.sla.org/awards/) has a description of the awards we give, past recipients, and a form to nominate a deserving member for us to thank. As a volunteer organization, this is the one way we have to show how much we appreciate a special mentor, a colleague who gave vital help or a brilliant idea, or someone you think may be a shy, fabulous librarian.

I’m the Awards Chair this year. It’s my turn to seek out and thank our colleagues, and I need your recommendations to find those I may have missed.

This year we’re going to be giving the awards at our Holiday Party in December.

Please email me directly at past-president@sanfrancisco.sla.org if you know someone who should receive Chapter recognition or if you have any questions about the process.

Freedom of Information

Social Security IG – Title II Deceased Beneficiaries Who Do Not Have Death Information
“To identify and prevent erroneous payments to deceased beneficiaries, SSA’s Death Alert, Control and Update System (DACUS) matches reports of death received from Federal, State, and local agencies against SSA’s Master Beneficiary (MBR) and Supplemental Security Records (SSR). DACUS also processes death reports from internal sources. Finally, SSA records the death information processed by DACUS on the Numident, a master file that contains personally identifiable information (PII)5 for each individual issued a Social Security number (SSN).
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/030796.html

Copyright and Innovation: The Untold Story

“Copyright has an innovation problem. Judicial decisions, private enforcement, and public dialogue ignore innovation and overemphasize the harms of copyright infringement. Just to pick one example, “piracy,” “theft,” and “rogue websites” were the focus of debate in connection with the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) and Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA).

http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/030793.html

Public Policy

Congressional Connection – Privacy Trumps Cybersecurity
“Proposals to increase cybersecurity by allowing businesses and government to share information may enjoy bipartisan support in Washington, but Americans aren’t sold on the idea, the latest United Technologies/National Journal Congressional Connection Poll finds. Almost two-thirds of respondents—63 percent—said government and businesses should not be allowed to share information because it would hurt privacy and civil liberties.
http://www.bespacific.com/mt/archives/030791.html

When It Comes to Cybersecurity, Scare Tactics Aren’t Convincing Americans to Sacrifice Privacy
This week, comments from Democratic Senators, a panel of witnessses, and the director of the National Security Agency (NSA) called on the Senate to enact cybersecurity legislation. But a new poll shows that Americans don’t want to sacrifice civil liberties by allowing unfettered data exchanges between corporations and the government. Discussions this week were part of an effort to break the partisan stalemate over the Cybersecurity Act, a bill that would allow Internet companies to monitor the sensitive communications of users and pass that data to the government without any judicial oversight. The Cybersecurity Act would also give companies the right to “modify or block data packets” if they do it with “defensive intent,” while offering little in the way of liability for companies that overstep their authority.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/when-it-comes-cybersecurity-scare-tactics-arent-convincing-americans-sacrifice

Is the Web Driving Us Mad?
Tweets, texts, emails, posts. New research says the Internet can make us lonely and depressed—and may even create more extreme forms of mental illness.
Before he launched the most viral video in Internet history, Jason Russell was a half-hearted Web presence. His YouTube account was dead, and his Facebook and Twitter pages were a trickle of kid pictures and home-garden updates. The Web wasn’t made “to keep track of how much people like us,” he thought, and when his own tech habits made him feel like “a genius, an addict, or a megalomaniac,” he unplugged for days, believing, as the humorist Andy Borowitz put it in a tweet that Russell tagged as a favorite, “it’s important to turn off our computers and do things in the real world.”
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/07/08/is-the-internet-making-us-crazy-what-the-new-research-says.html

Intellectual Property

International Outlook

The ITU’s WCIT Negotiation: Internet Governance, or Just Governing the Internet?
(1) The Who, Where, and How of Internet Governance
(2) What the WCIT Is About
(3) The ITU Is Not the Right Venue for Internet Governance
In the run-up to the ITU’s World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT), a persistent point of contention has been whether the WCIT will be taking up the topic of “Internet governance” as Member States renegotiate the ITU’s underlying treaty.
https://www.cdt.org/policy/itus-wcit-negotiation-internet-governance-or-just-governing-internet

FAA Releases Thousands of Pages of Drone Records
We just received new information today about drone flights in the United States, including extensive details about the specific drone models some entities are flying, where they fly, how frequently they fly, and how long they stay in the air. The 125 drone certificates and accompanying documents the FAA released today total thousands of pages and were released in response to EFF’s Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, which has already uncovered the list of all entities licensed to fly domestic drones.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/faa-releases-thousands-pages-drone-records

Update: Russian Duma Approves Internet Blacklist Bill
The Russian Duma overwhelmingly approved the controversial Internet regulation Bill № 89417-6. 441. A total of 441 out of 450 deputies representing all four party factions within the Duma, voted to support the bill. The regulations set forth within the bill, including the creation of a national blacklist and legal partnership with a content-monitoring bureau, are expected to go into effect in January after President Putin signs the bill into law.
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/07/update-russian-duma-approves-internet-blacklist-bill
Please feel free to pass along in part or in its entirety.

The Intersect Alert is a newsletter of the Government Relations Committee, San Francisco Bay Region Chapter, Special Libraries Association.

Freedom of Information

Happy Birthday, FOIA!
The fourth of July gives us more than one reason to celebrate— yesterday marked the 46th birthday of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). President Lyndon Johnson signed the historic law on July 4, 1966, and since then, FOIA has become a cornerstone of democracy in America.
http://aallwash.wordpress.com/2012/07/05/happy-birthday-foia/

Copyright Alliance: Kirtsaeng case threatens library lending
Library Copyright Alliance LogoThe Library Copyright Alliance (LCA) filed an amicus curiae brief (PDF) earlier this week with the Supreme Court of the United States in support of petitioner Supap Kirtsaeng in the case Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons. The Alliance is comprised of the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/07/library-copyright-alliance-kirtsaeng-case-threatens-library-lending/#more-8245

Valley libraries unite to boost funds, access to programs
“Glendale’s library system whittled nearly $550,000 from its budget this fiscal year, but an agreement with the Maricopa County Library District will offer some gains to residents and non-residents who use the city’s three branches. This month, Glendale will join 15 other cities and communities — including Avondale, Phoenix and Peoria — in the Reciprocal Borrowing Program. The program will allow non-residents to use Glendale libraries free of charge. The county also will pay for a new library management system, including an improved database that Glendale patrons can use to search for books and other materials.”
http://www.librarystuff.net/2012/07/08/valley-libraries-unite-to-boost-funds-access-to-programs/

Digital Revolution and Libraries Featured in 2012 Bowker Annual
The first three articles in the just released 2012 Library and Book Trade Almanac (formerly The Bowker Annual) feature authors affiliated with the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) writing about the digital revolution and libraries. These articles examine the contemporary challenges and opportunities for libraries enabled by technological advances and institutional and social change.
http://www.districtdispatch.org/2012/07/digital-revolution-and-libraries-featured-in-2012-bowker-annual/

Public Policy

Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Award (U54)from NIH Funding Opportunities (Notices, PA, RFA)
Funding Opportunity RFA-TR-12-006 from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts. The purpose of the Institutional Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) is to strengthen the entire spectrum of NIH supported translational research. Through integrated homes that build upon and support institutional scientific strengths, they provide research resources and workforce training that improve the quality, validity, generalizability, and efficiency of clinical and translational research. These awards are the centerpiece of the NCATS CTSA program.
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-TR-12-006.html

Section 1201 Rulemaking Updated from Copyright Advisory
After being delayed several months, the Copyright Office has come out with the latest round of exemptions.
Section 1201 Rulemaking
There are some good things here. The news immediately circulating the tech blogs was that it should be allowable to jailbreak smartphones. (I expect we’ll see some interesting license-related battles soon as a result.) The exemption allowing film/media studies professors to use small clips for educational purposes has been expanded so that it can actually be used by professors and students. Even more notably, IMHO, the exemption was expanded to include noncommercial use. That’s huge, and I’m not certain how this will play out.
http://www.copyright.gov/1201/

Privacy Issues

English books rejected, stir debate at Fremont school board meeting
“A Fremont teacher’s request for a controversial story to be included in the list of acceptable texts for Advanced Placement English was rejected by Fremont Unified School District’s Board of Education in a 5-3 vote June 27. Teri Hu, a Washington High School AP English teacher, requested the use of “Bastard Out of Carolina” in 2009 and was rejected although books with similar subject matter such as “The Color Purple,” “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” and “We Were the Mulvaneys” were approved, according to Acacia O’Connor, a National Coalition Against Censorship project coordinator.”
http://www.librarystuff.net/2012/07/06/english-books-rejected-stir-debate-at-fremont-school-board-meeting/

Are you a library scofflaw?
“Your library card status may soon follow you like your credit history. Washington and Dakota county libraries are pursuing a $47,000 federal grant to try out a library card verification system that would tell them instantly if someone from the neighboring county is a good bet as a book borrower.  People increasingly use libraries where they work or visit, not just where they live, and a computer link between library patron accounts would stop people from ducking fines for overdue materials at their home libraries and skipping to another county to get books.”
http://www.librarystuff.net/2012/07/05/are-you-a-library-scofflaw/

Prosecutors Dispute Claims of Selective Anti-Leak Prosecution
Last month, former CIA officer John Kiriakou, who is accused of unlawfully disclosing classified information to two reporters, said in pre-trial motions that he had been wrongly and unfairly singled out for prosecution, particularly since he had criticized the U.S. practice of waterboarding.  (“Kiriakou Calls Leak Prosecution Selective, Vindictive,” Secrecy News, June 22).
This week, prosecutors unsurprisingly rejected such claims while affirming that they intend to vigorously pursue their case against Mr. Kiriakou.
http://www.fas.org/blog/secrecy/2012/07/dispute_selective.html

Intellectual Property

Open Data Creates Accountability
A series of recent blog posts raised questions on the value of open data and transparency.
While thoughtful skepticism is constructive, there appears to be some significant confusion about the meaning of “open data,” and about transparency and accountability. When activist developers like Aaron Swartz are concluding that “the case for opening up data to hold government accountable simply isn’t there,” or former government leaders like Beth Noveck are suggesting that there are “serious doubts” whether “open data” make government “more transparent or accountable,” then it’s time to engage.
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2012/07/06/open-data-creates-accountability/

International Outlook

UN supports Internet freedom
In a shift from its proposed—and highly opposed—plan to increase the power of its International Telecommunications Union, the United Nations has backed a resolution stating that citizens have the same rights online as they do offline. (The Hill)
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2012/07/06/2day-in-opengov-762012/

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

The Intersect Alert is a newsletter of the Government Relations Committee, San Francisco Bay Region Chapter, Special Libraries Association.

Freedom of Information

New Federal Agency Hits the Ground Running with Proactive Standards for the Release of Information
“A new federal agency is making a strong start out of the box by establishing a proactive policy of releasing information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). FOIA regulations published today by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) include an important clause committing the agency to proactively disclose the information it collects. The agency adopted the policy in response to a recommendation by OMB Watch.”
http://www.ombwatch.org/node/12118

League of California Cities Opposes State Open Data Legislation
“The League of California Cities said in a statement that it opposes proposed open data legislation in that state because it would “impose new duties and costs on public agencies at a time when they can ill afford them, under the guise of promoting greater government transparency.” In addition to requiring that state and local agencies make their records available for public inspection, the bill, SB 1002, would “authorize an agency, upon request, to provide a copy of an electronic record in a format in which the text in the electronic record is searchable by commonly used software.” The bill is backed by California Newspaper Publishers Association, SF Tech Dems, the California Faculty Association, California Teachers Association, Common Cause and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.”
http://techpresident.com/news/22458/league-california-cities-opposes-state-open-data-legislation

Vein: Data.gov to spin off cities.data.gov
“The federal government wants to connect more with state and local governments on open government projects, said Chris Vein, deputy federal chief technology officer. To that end, data.gov will soon launch a spin-off platform called cities.data.gov.”
http://www.fiercegovernment.com/story/vein-datagov-spin-citiesdatagov/2012-06-26

Open City launches new civic app to map crime in Chicago
“Last year, Chicago-based open data wranglers Open City set a high bar for open government data visualizations and transparency websites. Today, Open City launched a new civic Web app at CrimeInChicago.org, adding to their growing portfolio of projects. Derek Eder, one of the co-founders of Open City, emailed in this morning to share news of Crime in Chicago. “The website offers an interactive data visualization of the 4.8 million crimes reported in Chicago over the last decade,” he wrote. “It lets citizens see crime trends around them, compare crime levels over the years and across city wards, and explore each ward’s homicides, robberies, assaults and dozens of other crimes.””
http://gov20.govfresh.com/open-city-launches-new-civic-app-to-map-crime-in-chicago/

FOIA request forces DoJ to reveal National Security Letter templates
“As the result of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Department of Justice has revealed, for the first time, the types of secret letters that the government can send out to ISPs and other tech companies being asked to reveal personal data about their users and customers who are being investigated for national security reasons. In 2009, over 6,000 Americans received such National Security Letters (NSLs). According to the Wall Street Journal, the “letters show that the FBI is now informing people who receive the letters how they can challenge the documents in court. But some key elements of the letters remain blocked from view—including lists of material the FBI says companies can send in response to the letter.””
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/06/foia-request-forces-doj-to-reveal-national-security-letter-templates/

Open Data Policy Guidelines
““Open Data” policies have been making their way through legislative bodies and executive orders with increasing frequency, especially since 2009. While those that have passed mark progress and serve as inspiration for other governments and advocates to approach this issue, we’re only just starting to really explore what open data policies can do, what broader issues they can address, and what open data can mean. To move forward in grappling with those questions, we’ve created this series of Guidelines for Open Data Policies.”
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2012/06/29/open-data-policy-guidelines/

Public Policy

Louisiana Eliminates State Aid to Public Libraries
“The Louisiana budget signed by Governor Bobby Jindal on June 15 eliminates almost $1 million in state aid to libraries, according to The Advocate. Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne said Jindal excluded the $896,000 when he presented his proposed spending plan, and legislators failed to find funding for libraries during the regular session.”
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/06/funding/louisiana-eliminates-state-library-funding/

Substance Abuse Librarians Raise the Alarm as Libraries Continue to Close
“Members of the Substance Abuse Librarians and Information Specialists (SALIS) are calling for urgent action to halt the closure of specialist libraries and databases, before valuable resources and expertise are lost forever.   Since SALIS started actively campaigning against the closure of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) libraries and databases eight years ago, more than twenty-five libraries and databases worldwide have been downsized or closed, their resources dispersed or destroyed.”
http://www.addictionjournal.org/viewpressrelease.asp?pr=175

Privacy Issues

Why won’t the Obama administration reveal how many Americans’ emails the NSA has collected and reviewed without a warrant?
“Since last year, a few members of Congress—led by Senator Ron Wyden—have been trying to get the Obama administration to answer a simple question: how many Americans’ phone calls or emails have been and are being collected and read without a warrant under the authority of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (FAA)?  Unfortunately, no one else in the government  seems to want that question answered.”
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/06/why-wont-obama-administration-reveal-how-many-americans-phone-calls-or-emails

Intellectual Property

UK Issues Tougher Draft Code For Online Copyright Infringement
“United Kingdom communications regulator Ofcom today published three documents on digital copyright infringement, including a draft code requiring large internet service providers (ISPs) to inform customers of allegations that their internet connection has been used to infringe copyright, and consultations on the code and on cost-sharing. Under the proposed code, ISPs would have to explain in the notifications the steps subscribers can take to protect their networks from being used to infringe copyright and tell them where they can go to find licensed content on the internet, Ofcom said.”
http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/06/26/uk-issues-tougher-draft-code-for-online-copyright-infringement/

International Outlook

Brazil’s Open-Government Shock Treatment
“Countries arrive at more transparency and greater freedom of information either through long training or sudden shock treatment. The U.S. experience, with decades of incremental law and legal precedent, is synonymous with the archetypical training regime. Brazil, on the other hand, is undergoing the epitome of shock treatment. In one month, May 2012, Brazil formally launched an ambitious freedom of information law that outlines a “right to information” – replete with provisions for the release of information in open, computer-readable formats – and, at around the same time, a new open-data portal. For added shock, the Brazilian government inaugurated a second new fundamental right, the “right to historical truth.” This right is embodied by the newly established Truth Commission, whose aim it is to reconcile abuses from the military dictatorship that controlled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. Brazil also currently occupies the co-chair of the Open Government Partnership. In short, Brazil is in the midst of a massive transparency offensive and there are positive signs that it is moving in the right direction.”
http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/22476/brazils-open-government-shock-treatment

Hamburg’s Transparency Law to open government more than ever
“The Beatles played their first concert in Hamburg. Hamburg’s harbour is one of Europe’s largest. Now Hamburg, one of Germany’s 16 federal states, also has one of the world’s best transparency laws. Passed in mid-June, the new law sets a precedent that might resonate in the worldwide open government community. The new 10-page Hamburg Transparency Law, was  passed through the parliament of city-state Hamburg with the support of all political parties. Observers rubbed their eyes since the legal implications are enormous. The law is so much more far-reaching than the most advanced information of freedom laws at national level.”
http://blog.transparency.org/2012/06/25/hamburgs-transparency-law-to-open-government-more-than-ever/

Open Data White Paper: Unleashing the Potential
“Today we publish our Open Data command paper, which sets out how we’re putting data and transparency at the heart of government and public services. We’re making it easier to access public data; easier for data publishers to release data in standardised, open formats; and engraining a ‘presumption to publish’ unless specific reasons (such as privacy or national security) can be clearly articulated. From the Prime Minister down, central Government is committed to making Open Data an effective engine of economic growth, social wellbeing, political accountability and public service improvement.”
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/open-data-white-paper-unleashing-potential

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The Intersect Alert is a newsletter of the Government Relations Committee, San Francisco Bay Region Chapter, Special Libraries Association.