To highlight the 2012 observance of “Choose Privacy Week,” the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is debuting a new short documentary, “Vanishing Liberties: The Rise of State Surveillance in the Digital Age,” on the Choose Privacy Week website.

The film explores the government’s growing use of surveillance tools to watch and monitor immigrant communities, and the proposals to adopt these tools to track the activities of all Americans. It also features commentary from experts and everyday citizens who ask important questions about the impact of the growing surveillance state on national security, civil liberties and privacy rights.

Featured speakers include Michael German, ACLU senior policy counsel for national security and privacy; Margaret Huang, executive director of the Rights Working Group;  Paromita Shah, associate director of the National Immigration Project; Julia Shearson, Executive Director at Council on American Islamic Relations – Cleveland; and Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

The documentary is available for viewing as a streaming download at the Choose Privacy Week website, www.privacyrevolution.org.

Now in its third year, Choose Privacy Week (May 1-7) is a national public awareness campaign that aims to educate the public about their privacy rights and to deepen public awareness about the serious issue of government surveillance.  The campaign seeks to achieve this goal by helping libraries work with their communities to navigate the complicated but vital issues of privacy, government surveillance, and civil liberties. The theme for Choose Privacy Week 2012 is “Freedom from Surveillance.”

For more information on Choose Privacy Week, visit www.privacyrevolution.org or contact Deborah Caldwell-Stone, deputy director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, atdstone@ala.org or 312-280-4224.

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In an article titled “Why Preserving History Matters” in the Huffington Post, best-selling author Steve Berry writes about the pride he takes in his role in Preservation @ your library, as well as the role of libraries in preserving history.

But he also warns that libraries need to have proper funding, so they can continue to fulfill their role.

“More than 4.8 billion artifacts are held in public trust by more than 30,000 archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, scientific research collections, and archaeological repositories in the United States, but lack of funding places a third of these items at risk of being lost.”

April 22-28 is Preservation Week @ your library. During Preservation Week @ your library, themed “Pass it on,” participating libraries will offer special programs and services that will help connect library users with preservation tools; promote the importance of preservation; and will strive to enhance knowledge of preservation issues within the general public. Each weekday libraries will focus on a preservation theme: Monday LP (vinyl) records, Tuesday quilts, Wednesday comic books, Thursday slides, Friday digital photos and Saturday old family letters.

Preservation Week @ your library was created in 2010 because some 630 million items in collecting institutions require immediate attention and care. Eighty percent of these institutions have no paid staffs assigned responsibility for collections care; 22 percent have no collections care personnel at all. Some 2.6 billion items are not protected by an emergency plan. As natural disasters of recent years have taught us, these resources are in jeopardy should a disaster strike. Personal, family and community collections are equally at risk.

Preservation Week @ your library is a collaborative effort supported by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association, Library of Congress and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

For more information on Preservation Week @ your library please visit www.ala.org/preservationweek .

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In today’s digital world, nothing is private. Every keystroke, every Web search and every e-mail is recorded. Whether through social media, credit cards, GPS, biometrics or even coupons, emerging technologies have made it possible for organizations and government agencies to monitor the activities of citizens through surveillance.

ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) invites everyone to visit their local library to learn more about the decline of privacy rights and the government’s growing use of surveillance tools during Choose Privacy Week, May 1 – 7, 2012.

Now in its third year, Choose Privacy Week is a national public awareness campaign that aims to educate the public on how to protect their privacy and understand their rights. The campaign gives libraries tools to educate and engage users, and gives individuals the resources to think critically and make more informed choices about their privacy. This year, ALA encourages libraries to develop programs and resources that help their users better understand how government agencies and corporations are monitoring and tracking their activities, and collecting, storing, and using that information. The theme for this year’s Choose Privacy Week is “Freedom from Surveillance.”

Many of these resources are available online at www.PrivacyRevolution.org, including:

• Privacy Video: The Choose Privacy Week 2010 video featuring author Neil Gaiman and Constitutional scholar Geoffrey Stone explores the meaning and importance of privacy in a digital age.
• Video Study Guide:  A supplemental study guide for the video is available to help promote learning and discussion.
• Civic Engagement Materials: Tools for libraries to moderate community discussions on privacy. This page includes free downloadable PDF guides for hosting a community forum.
• One-page Privacy Handout: Sample handout for communicating library privacy policies to users.
• Word Search: Free downloadable PDF word search, focusing on “Computers and Privacy.”
• Web Banners and Graphics: Add web badges and banners to your library’s website.

“Libraries are the ideal places to come together to consider and discuss the incremental loss of privacy and liberty that occurs when the government decides to monitor citizens’ daily activities without any cause for suspicion,” said Barbara Jones, director of the OIF. “Libraries are trusted institutions with a long history of protecting and defending readers’ privacy rights, including the freedom to read and receive ideas anonymously without government interference.”

Highlights of Choose Privacy Week include:

• A series of online presentations and blog posts by academics, librarians and civil liberties experts that explore the growing role of government surveillance in our lives. The presentations are intended to help persons better understand how government agencies and corporations are tracking their daily activities, and how that impacts their civil liberties.

• The preliminary results of the survey, “Librarian Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Informational Privacy,” released to coincide with Choose Privacy Week. The survey, which is funded by a generous grant from the Open Society Foundations and managed by Dr. Michael Zimmer at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Information Studies, will provide an update on the 2008 survey assessing librarians’ attitudes about privacy, both within the library as well as towards increased government and commercial surveillance activities.

• The premiere of a new short form documentary that examines modern day government surveillance techniques used to spy on immigrant communities in America and the decision by local, state and federal government to use these techniques to monitor and track the activities of all Americans. The film features commentary from experts and everyday citizens who ask important questions about the impact of the growing surveillance state on national security, civil liberties and privacy rights. Featured speakers include Michael German, ACLU senior policy counsel for national security and privacy; Margaret Huang, executive director of the Rights Working Group; Paromita Shah, associate director of the National Immigration Project; Julia Shearson, executive director at the Council on American Islamic Relations-Cleveland; and Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Submitted by Jennifer Petersen, Public Information Office

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From April 22 – 28, libraries across America will celebrate Preservation Week @ your library, a time when libraries across the country will provide information and expertise on how to preserve collectables, photos, family records and other valuable materials.

Themed “Pass it on,” participating libraries will offer special programs and services that will help connect library users with preservation tools; promote the importance of preservation; and will strive to enhance knowledge of preservation issues among the general public.

More than 4.8 billion artifacts are held in public trust by more than 30,000 archives, historical societies, libraries, museums, scientific research collections and archaeological repositories in the United States. More than 1.3 billion of these items are at risk of being lost.

During the week, libraries will focus on preservation themes including: Monday, LP (vinyl) records; Tuesday, quilts; Wednesday, comic books; Thursday, slides; Friday, digital photos; and Saturday, family letters.

“Preservation week will provide an opportunity for library staff to teach patrons how to care for their family keepsakes,” said Charles Wilt, executive director, Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS). “Our goal is to provide the information and the tools to patrons to assist them with preserving things like old photographs that are now yellowing, or great grandma’s quilt. We need to teach the public how to make memories last a lifetime.”

Historical treasures exist outside public institutions. Pieces of lost history can be found in attics and garages. One such large collection can be found in the home of Brian Schottlaender, “Audrey Geisel University Librarian” at the University of California San Diego. Schottlaender is a collector of classic rock vinyl records and his collection includes rare albums from Pink Floyd and Captain Beefheart.

New York Times best-selling author Steve Berry has been named the first national spokesperson for Preservation Week. Berry is the author of nine novels, including his most recent book, The Jefferson Key, the seventh in the Cotton Malone series.

Submitted by Jennifer Petersen, Public Information Office

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After a successful first year in 2011, with libraries in over 30 states participating, the American Library Association is again partnering with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for Money Smart Week @ Your Library in 2012.

Money Smart Week’s mission is to promote personal financial literacy. Libraries of all types have participated in Money Smart Week, partnering with community groups, financial institutions, government agencies, educational organizations and other financial experts to help consumers learn to better manage their personal finances.

“The Chicago Fed is proud to partner with ALA to leverage Money Smart Week as a platform for financial education across the country. Libraries are leading by example in communities everywhere and providing critical access to consumers regarding money management,” said Alejo Torres, Senior Outreach Program Manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

This year, more than 200 libraries in 36 states will present programs for all ages, and all stages of life, related to personal financial literacy.

One of Falmouth (Maine) Memorial Library’s  programs is entitled “Healthy Skepticism: Tips for Keeping Your Identity Safe,” while the Hawaii State Library’s programming will include a “Money Smart Family Storytime,” that teaches kids 3 and up about money through stories and crafts.

For some libraries, programs in Spanish are important. Kern County (Calif.) Library has a session on “Curso Bancario Basico,” and Pima County (Ariz.) Library will be providing homebuyer education with “Aprende el Proceso de Comprar Casa.”

Money Smart Week @ your library is not just for public libraries. The Chester Fritz Library at the University of North Dakota is hosting a program for faculty, students and staff on “Money Smart—Understanding Credit Scores and Cash Tiers.”

ALA and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago have launched a special section of the Money Smart Week® website devoted to libraries, with information on how to participate, as well as toolkits, resources and examples of programming for public, academic, school and special libraries.

So check out the Money Smart Week® consumer map site to see what programming might be @ your library.

Submitted by Jennifer Petersen, Public Information Office

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On April 12, 2012, librarians across the county will participate in Support Teen Literature Day to raise awareness among the general public that young adult literature is a vibrant, growing genre with much to offer today’s teens. Why? Because it is!

Sponsored by YALSA, Support Teen Literature Day seeks to showcase some award-winning authors and books in the genre, as well as highlight librarians’ expertise in connecting teens with books and other reading materials. It’s one of the many events that take place each year during National Library Week (April 8 – 14, 2012).

“Young adult librarians throughout the U.S. work year round to support teen literature and make sure that teens have access to a wide variety of books to choose from,” said YALSA president Sarah Flowers. “Support Teen Literature Day provides libraries with the opportunity to discuss the benefits of teen reading and to ensure that it is an important priority in every community.”

New to Support Teen Literature Day this year is a fundraising campaign called “Booze for Books.”  Aimed at raising money to support literacy for needy teens, the “Booze for Books” campaign encourages those who would like to participate to host an event to raise funds for Books for Teens, a program which aims to give libraries funds to purchase age-appropriate, high-quality recent materials for teens.

Also on Support Teen Literature Day, YALSA will also announce the nominations for the Teens’ Top Ten, a booklist where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year. The nominations will be posted on the web so teens across the country can be reading them all summer. Voting will open this August and September and the winners will be announced during Teen Read Week, Oct. 14 – 20, 2012.

Submitted by Jennifer Petersen, Public Information Office

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