TLA TEXLINE NO. 166 Posted: January 22, 2004 LEGISLATIVE ISSUES NETWORK

ALA Training Lawyers for Libraries

The American Library Association has made the following announcement.

The Lawyers for Libraries Training Institute will be held in Dallas, Texas, on February 12-13, 2004. Developed by the American Library Association, the program is geared for attorneys with the goal of increasing understanding of legal issues affecting libraries-specifically, censorship and privacy matters. Participants will be instructed by practicing attorneys specializing in First Amendment law and will be eligible for CLE credits for their participation.

The recent US Supreme Court decision on the Children's Internet Protection Act has many libraries wondering what their options are regarding Internet filtering and other censorship concerns. At the same time, the USA PATRIOT Act has made it increasingly important for libraries to protect the privacy of users. The Lawyers for Libraries Institutes give crucial help to attorneys and libraries as they prepare for emergency situations that will surely occur.

To register for Lawyers for Libraries/Dallas or for more information, please contact Jonathan Kelley at 800-545-2433 x4226 or email jkelley@ala.org. You may also visit our Web site at www.ala.org/lawyers to see the schedule and print & fax the registration form. The cost to attend is $500 per person, which includes the reception and dinner on Thursday and breakfast, lunch, and snacks on Friday.

The Dallas institute will be held at the Fairmont Hotel, 1717 North Akard Street. The hotel is offering a special room rate of $119.00/night for conference goers through January 26. Call (800) 257-7544 for reservations and mention American Library Association. Contact Jonathan Kelley with any questions at jkelley@ala.org, or call (800) 545-2433 x4226.

Special features of the Dallas Lawyers for Libraries institute include:

* A panel featuring two Texas librarians whose libraries underwent high-profile, controversial book challenges. Jerilynn Williams of Montgomery County and Linda Hughes of Wichita Falls will discuss the legal and political struggles they were able to overcome to keep books in their libraries.

* A reception and dinner at the JFK Museum at Dealey Plaza on Thursday.

TLA-Texline is an irregular publication of the Texas Library Association mailed directly to members interested in legislative and governmental issues affecting libraries. To subscribe--or to offer comments or suggestions-- contact Gloria Meraz, Director of Communications, Texas Library Association. Previous issues of Texline are archived on the TLA website.