ALA Core Values - Preservation

52.2.1 Preservation Policy. National Information Services and Responsibilities. Permanence and Durability of Information Products

The American Library Association's policy on preservation is based on its goal of ensuring that every person has access to information at the time needed and in a usable format. ALA affirms that the preservation of library resources protects the public's right to the free flow of information as embodied in the First Amendment to the Constitution and the Library Bill of Rights.

The Association supports the preservation of information published in all media and formats. The Association affirms that the preservation of information resources is central to libraries and librarianship.

The Association and its Divisions will work closely with standards-setting organizations to identify and develop standards relevant to the preservation of library collections, participate in their periodic review and updating, identify and develop new standards when needed, and promote compliance with existing standards.

Manufacturers, publishers, distributors and purchasers of information products must work in tandem to imp rove the usability, durability, and longevity of the media (e.g., paper, film, magnetic tape, optical disk) that ensure the persistence of these products. The Association will engage in active education and public relations efforts to develop, promote, and publicize standards for the usability, longevity, and durability of information media.

The Association will work with the publishers of content in digital form to develop guidelines on the preservation of digital information to help ensure that such information will not be lost when publishers can no longer retain and disseminate it.

Libraries have an obligation (a) to inform donors, users, administrators, and local officials about the ephemeral nature of primary source materials, (b) to promote strategies for the proper care, handling, and storage of these materials, and (c) to recommend the use of durable media and methods of documentation.

The federal government must provide leadership in developing an expansive and inclusive national preservation policy. The Association urges the federal government to take responsibility for the longevity of information that it publishes on paper, in microform, and in digital formats. (See "Current Reference File": Preservation Policy. National Information Services and Responsibilities. Permanence and Durability of Information Products, 2000-2001 CD#39.1)

ALA Core Values - Diversity

53.8 Libraries: An American Value

Libraries in America are cornerstones of the communities they serve. Free access to the books, ideas, resources and information in America's libraries is imperative for education, employment, enjoyment, and self-government.

Libraries are a legacy to each generation, offering the heritage of the past and the promise of the future. To ensure that libraries flourish and have the freedom to promote and protect the public good in the 21st century, we believe certain principles must be guaranteed.

To that end, we affirm this contract with the people we serve:

• We defend the constitutional rights of all individuals, including children and teenagers, to use the library's resources and services;

• We value our nations diversity and strive to reflect that diversity by providing a full spectrum of resources and services to the communities we serve;
• We affirm the responsibility and the right of all parents and guardians to guide their own children's use of the library and its resources and services;

• We connect people and ideas by helping each person select and effectively use the library's resources;
• We protect each individual's privacy and confidentiality in the use of library resources and services;
• We protect the rights of individuals to express their opinions about library resources and services;

• We celebrate and preserve our democratic society by making available the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions and ideas, so that all individuals have the opportunity to become lifelong learners-informed, literate, educated, and culturally enriched.

Change is constant; but these principles transcend change and endure in a dynamic, technological, social and political environment.

By embracing these principles, libraries in the United States can contribute to a future that values and protects freedom of speech, in a world that celebrates both our similarities and our differences, respects individuals and their beliefs, and holds all persons truly equal and free.

ALA Core Values - Access

53.1.14

The American Library Association opposes the charging of user fees for the provision of information by all libraries and information services that receive their major support from public funds.
All information resources that are provided directly or indirectly by the library, regardless of technology, format, or methods of delivery, should be readily, equally, and equitably accessible to all library users.
The ALA opposes any legislative or regulatory attempt to impose content restrictions on library resources, or to limit user access to information, as a condition of funding for publicly supported libraries and information services. Adopted 1993.

(See also Policies 50.3, 50.8, 60.1, and 61.1.)

(See "Current Reference File": Economic Barriers to Information Access: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights: 1992-93 CD #26.6.2.)

Words from my friend

The skills you have recently acquired after overcoming an obstacle have given you new capabilities that you never thought you would ever have -- and if you don't want to lose them, you need to use them!

Dare to dance the tide

- Garth Brooks

boring blog

Sometimes, I wonder what people think when they get to this blog. I wonder what they were looking for. It's just a hodge-podge of stuff, and not very active. I feel badly for those who come to it expecting something they googled for and getting this blog.

See how intesting that was?
Guess it was time for true confessions.

something new

I'm learning how to dance. What a fine thing!