1. DPI files comments with FCC on digital literacy program
2. Public libraries in the digital age presentation at COSLA meeting
3. Survey shows librarians are committed to privacy
4. Website of the Week -- Smithsonian Institution: Ocean Portal
5. Calendar
=================================================
EDITOR'S NOTE - Channel Weekly will not be published next week. The next issue of Channel Weekly will be the May 17, 2012, edition.
***************************************************************************************
1. DPI FILES COMMENTS WITH FCC ON DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM
On Tuesday the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of the FCC's proposal to create a national digital literacy program. It is well documented that of lack basic computer skills or lack of knowledge related to use of the Internet and the web is one reason why 1/3 of households still do not have broadband connectivity. The proposed digital literacy program will likely be funded at $50 million annually from the federal Universal Service program's Low-Income fund. Here are some specific highlights from the DPI filing:
-- DPI agrees with the American Library Association (ALA) that funding should not come out of the federal E-rate program.
-- The FCC recommends that libraries currently offering digital literacy programs be ineligible to apply. The DPI does not support this position and believes that all libraries should be eligible for the funds. Many libraries now offering digital literacy programs could likely increase their programming if they had more funding.
-- The FCC recommends that all grants have a local funding match. Because library and school budgets are under severe fiscal pressures, the DPI does not believe that requiring a local match is realistic nor will it further the overall goal of increasing digital literacy.
-- DPI agrees with ALA that consortia applications at a regional or state level be eligible to apply. The FCC should not just encourage this but give consortia grants some type of priority ranking.
The complete DPI comments are at http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021915168.
2. PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE DIGITAL AGE PRESENTATION TO COSLA
Mary Madden and Kathryn Zickuhr of the Pew Internet and American Life Project gave a presentation on "Public Libraries in the Digital Age" at the spring 2012 meeting of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), held April 25 in Washington, DC. They reported on their findings on the rise of e-reading, including reading-device ownership and the general reading habits and preferences of Americans. Fact sheets from the presentation can be found at http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2012/Apr/Public-libraries-in-the-digital-age.aspx.
3. SURVEY SHOWS LIBRARIANS ARE COMMITTED TO PRIVACY
In conjunction with Choose Privacy Week, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom released preliminary findings from a new survey measuring librarians' views on privacy rights and protecting library users' privacy. The survey, a follow up to a 2008 survey on librarians' attitudes about privacy, was funded by a grant from the Open Society Foundations and managed by Michael Zimmer, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Information Studies and co-director of its Center for Information Policy Research. Nearly all of the survey's respondents agreed that individuals should be able to control who sees their personal information, that government agencies and businesses shouldn't share personal information with third parties without authorization, and that libraries should never share circulation or internet use records unless authorized by the individual or a court of law. More information about Choose Privacy Week can be found at http://www.privacyrevolution.org/. The survey results were reported in American Libraries magazine; a link to the article is at http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/new-survey-confirms-librarians-commitment-protecting-privacy-rights.
4. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Smithsonian Institution: Ocean Portal -- http://ocean.si.edu/ -- This site from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History offers visitors an opportunity to explore the sea via links to information about marine biology, videos, pictures, facts, and more. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
5. CALENDAR
May 4, 2012 - Special Needs Consultants annual meeting, DeForest
May 9-11, 2012 - Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries annual conference, Stevens Point
May 18, 2012 - Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, Whitewater
October 23-26, 2012 - Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) annual conference, La Crosse
==================================================
To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/chn_chweekly
==================================================
Roslyn M. Wise
Editor, Channel Weekly
Department of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries and Technology
PO Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
Phone: (608) 266-6439
FAX: (608) 267-9207
2. Public libraries in the digital age presentation at COSLA meeting
3. Survey shows librarians are committed to privacy
4. Website of the Week -- Smithsonian Institution: Ocean Portal
5. Calendar
=================================================
EDITOR'S NOTE - Channel Weekly will not be published next week. The next issue of Channel Weekly will be the May 17, 2012, edition.
***************************************************************************************
1. DPI FILES COMMENTS WITH FCC ON DIGITAL LITERACY PROGRAM
On Tuesday the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in support of the FCC's proposal to create a national digital literacy program. It is well documented that of lack basic computer skills or lack of knowledge related to use of the Internet and the web is one reason why 1/3 of households still do not have broadband connectivity. The proposed digital literacy program will likely be funded at $50 million annually from the federal Universal Service program's Low-Income fund. Here are some specific highlights from the DPI filing:
-- DPI agrees with the American Library Association (ALA) that funding should not come out of the federal E-rate program.
-- The FCC recommends that libraries currently offering digital literacy programs be ineligible to apply. The DPI does not support this position and believes that all libraries should be eligible for the funds. Many libraries now offering digital literacy programs could likely increase their programming if they had more funding.
-- The FCC recommends that all grants have a local funding match. Because library and school budgets are under severe fiscal pressures, the DPI does not believe that requiring a local match is realistic nor will it further the overall goal of increasing digital literacy.
-- DPI agrees with ALA that consortia applications at a regional or state level be eligible to apply. The FCC should not just encourage this but give consortia grants some type of priority ranking.
The complete DPI comments are at http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7021915168.
2. PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN THE DIGITAL AGE PRESENTATION TO COSLA
Mary Madden and Kathryn Zickuhr of the Pew Internet and American Life Project gave a presentation on "Public Libraries in the Digital Age" at the spring 2012 meeting of the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA), held April 25 in Washington, DC. They reported on their findings on the rise of e-reading, including reading-device ownership and the general reading habits and preferences of Americans. Fact sheets from the presentation can be found at http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2012/Apr/Public-libraries-in-the-digital-age.aspx.
3. SURVEY SHOWS LIBRARIANS ARE COMMITTED TO PRIVACY
In conjunction with Choose Privacy Week, the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom released preliminary findings from a new survey measuring librarians' views on privacy rights and protecting library users' privacy. The survey, a follow up to a 2008 survey on librarians' attitudes about privacy, was funded by a grant from the Open Society Foundations and managed by Michael Zimmer, assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's School of Information Studies and co-director of its Center for Information Policy Research. Nearly all of the survey's respondents agreed that individuals should be able to control who sees their personal information, that government agencies and businesses shouldn't share personal information with third parties without authorization, and that libraries should never share circulation or internet use records unless authorized by the individual or a court of law. More information about Choose Privacy Week can be found at http://www.privacyrevolution.org/. The survey results were reported in American Libraries magazine; a link to the article is at http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/news/ala/new-survey-confirms-librarians-commitment-protecting-privacy-rights.
4. WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Smithsonian Institution: Ocean Portal -- http://ocean.si.edu/ -- This site from the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History offers visitors an opportunity to explore the sea via links to information about marine biology, videos, pictures, facts, and more. (Website reference courtesy of refdesk.com)
5. CALENDAR
May 4, 2012 - Special Needs Consultants annual meeting, DeForest
May 9-11, 2012 - Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries annual conference, Stevens Point
May 18, 2012 - Council on Library and Network Development (COLAND) meeting, Whitewater
October 23-26, 2012 - Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) annual conference, La Crosse
==================================================
To access previous issues of Channel Weekly, or to subscribe or unsubscribe,
go to: http://channel.dpi.wi.gov/chn_chweekly
==================================================
Roslyn M. Wise
Editor, Channel Weekly
Department of Public Instruction
Division for Libraries and Technology
PO Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
Phone: (608) 266-6439
FAX: (608) 267-9207
For questions about this information, contact Roslyn Wise (608) 266-6439