Library Fellows

[wake@wln.com]

     If you saw the recent issue of American Libraries, you will know that 
     funding for the Library Fellows program has been discontinued by USIA.
     If you are interested in an overseas library experience, you'll want 
     to apply for this year's award - it may be the last for a while. (See
     the third article below.)  KW

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LEADS FROM LAMA, vol. 7, no. 4
(ISSN: 1076-1926)
     
March 18, 1997
     
An electronic publication of the 
   Library Administration and Management Association
     
In this issue ...
     
+ ROBERT MORAN TO RECEIVE LAMA CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION 
+ SUPREME COURT TO HEAR CDA CHALLENGE ON MARCH 19
+ 1997-98 LIBRARY FELLOWS PROGRAM SEEKS APPLICANTS
     
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ROBERT MORAN TO RECEIVE LAMA CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION
     
Robert F. Moran, Jr., Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic 
Affairs-Technology and Director of Library Services at Indiana 
University Northwest, is the 1997 recipient of the LAMA Certificate 
of Appreciation.  The award is presented to honor significant 
contributions to the goals of LAMA over a period of years.
     
Moran is being honored for exemplary service in many areas of LAMA 
life.  He exercised leadership in the Library Organization and 
Management Section (LOMS), organizing conference programs, and 
resurrecting and then serving as Chair of the Comparative Library 
Organization Committee from 1981-1986.  As chair of the LAMA Program 
Committee from 1988-1991, Moran maintained the high quality of 
conference and preconference programs, revised and initiated 
procedures to make the program approval process more efficient and 
humane, and wrote a brief history of LAMA on the occasion of its 15th 
anniversary.  Most recently, Moran served on the LITA/LAMA National 
Conference Program Planning Committee.  
     
In announcing the award, Carol L. Anderson, chair of the LAMA 
Recognition of Achievement Committee, said "Bob Moran's eclectic 
contributions to LAMA have been distinguished by initiative, 
resourcefulness, risk taking, and implementation of new ideas that 
have moved LAMA forward."
     
The award will be presented on Sunday, June 29, at the LAMA 
President's Program during the ALA Annual Conference in San 
Francisco.
     
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SUPREME COURT TO HEAR CDA CHALLENGE ON MARCH 19
     
The United States Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the 
challenge to the Communications Decency Act (CDA) on Wednesday, March 
19, at 10 a.m. The historic case is the first to consider how freedom 
of speech rights guaranteed by the First Amendment apply to the 
Internet.
     
"Under this law, many materials that are perfectly legal on 
bookstores and library shelves would become illegal in cyberspace," 
says Elizabeth Martinez, executive director of the American Library 
Association (ALA). "We are optimistic that the Supreme Court justices 
will affirm the decisions of the lower courts and act to uphold 
freedom of speech on the Internet."
     
Judith F. Krug, director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, 
notes that the vast amount of helpful information available online far 
outweighs the risk of children being exposed to inappropriate 
material. "We believe the best way to protect children is for parents 
to supervise their children and to teach them to make good choices." 
     
Under the Act, passed last year as part of the Telecommunications 
Act, any person who knowingly sends or displays materials over the 
Internet to minors that could be interpreted as "indecent" or 
"patently offensive by contemporary community standards" could be 
imprisoned for up to two years and fined up to $250,000.
     
The Supreme Court case, titled Reno v. ACLU, combines a suit filed by 
the Citizens Internet Empowerment Coalition, which includes the 
American Library Association as lead plaintiff and the Freedom To Read 
Foundation, with a suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union 
(ACLU). Two federal district courts have declared the Act 
unconstitutional. The rulings are being appealed by the U. S. 
Department of Justice.
     
Bruce J. Ennis, counsel to the ALA and the Freedom to Read 
Foundation, will present the case on behalf of the Citizens Internet 
Empowerment Coalition and the ACLU. The Solicitor General of the 
United States will argue the government's case. A decision is 
expected in early summer.
     
For more information, contact the ALA Office for Intellectual 
Freedom, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Telephone: 312-280-4224 
or see the ALA Web page at http://www.ala.org
     
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1997-98 LIBRARY FELLOWS PROGRAM SEEKS APPLICANTS
     
The American Library Association seeks applicants for the eleventh 
year of the Library Fellows Program.  The Library Fellows Program, 
funded by the United States Information Agency (USIA) and 
administered by ALA, will place U.S. citizens abroad beginning in 
August 1997.  ALA is recruiting for 18 project assignments; however, 
all positions are subject to availability of funds.  Unless otherwise 
noted, English language fluency is the only language requirement for 
the position.  The deadline for applications is May 1, 1997.
     
USIA has announced that it will be eliminating funding for the 
program beginning next year (1998/99).  Therefore, individuals who 
are interested in international library opportunities are strongly 
encouraged to apply during this upcoming competition.
     
Brief descriptions of the 1997-98 Project Assignments are given 
below.  For a full description of each project, contact ALA or visit 
ALA's web site at:  http://www.ala.org).
     
AFRICA
* Botswana (Gaborone): University of Botswana, Dept. of Library & 
Information Studies.  8 months.  Library Education Fellowship 
involving the development of a Center of Information Management at 
the Center of Information Management at the Dept. of  Library & 
Information Studies of the University of Botswana.
* Uganda (Kampala): Parliament of Uganda, East Africa School of 
Information Science, and University Library.  8 months.  Law 
Librarianship and Information Storage & Retrieval Fellowship 
involving the development of an effective legislative service for the 
Parliament of Uganda.
     
AMERICAN REPUBLICS
* Bolivia (La Paz): International Relations Information & Document 
Center, Bolivian Education Secretariat.  4 months.  User Instruction 
Fellowship involving the training of Bolivian researchers in online 
searches of information to facilitate access to specialized U.S. 
databases for Bolivian education researchers and training Bolivian 
library staff in how to access online data.  Fluent Spanish required. 
* El Salvador (San Salvador): Biblioteca Nacional.  8 months. 
Collection Development Fellowship involving the creation and 
organization of a system for the selection, acquisition, evaluation, 
and discarding of materials, and development of a priority list for 
the budget assigned to materials acquisitions.  Fluent Spanish 
required.
     
EAST ASIA
* Japan (Kyoto): Ritsumeikan University.  4 months.  Collection 
Development Fellowship (American Studies) involving the organization 
and establishment of collection development policies concerning a 
collection of information about the U.S. general public, academic 
institutions, businesses, and private organizations. 
* Myanmar (Rangoon): Rangoon University Central Library.  6 months. 
Collection Development Fellowship (American Studies) involving 
general advisement on the improvement of a U.S. studies collection at 
the university to integrate into the development of an American 
studies collection to assist in the university's course and research 
work.
* Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Can Tho City): Can Tho University. 
8 months.  Automation and Library Education Fellowship involving a 
needs assessment and automation plan for the university, including 
in-house workshops on cataloging principles and computer skills, and 
the development of a library network proposal.
     
EASTERN EUROPE & NEWLY INDEPENDENT STATES
* Estonia (Tallinn): Estonian Academy of Sciences Library.  4-4.5 
months.  Automation Fellowship involving the implementation of an 
automated system for the major Estonian research libraries.
* Latvia (Riga):  National Library of Latvia. 8 months.  Automation 
and Library Management Fellowship involving the implementation of a 
cooperative automation project for the largest Latvian libraries, 
including teaching and training of the library staff.  Latvian 
language skills desirable, but not required.
* Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek): Library Association of Kyrgyzstan.  6 months.
 Library Education and Information Storage & Retrieval Fellowship
involving the analysis of Kyrgyzstan's library infrastructure and 
teaching courses for librarians in the area of automation and 
information storage and retrieval. Russian language skills desired, 
but not required.
* Moldova (Chisinau): National Library of Moldova.  4 months. 
Library Management and Education Fellowship involving advisement on 
the structure and content of training courses and materials in a 
newly opened training center in library management.  Knowledge of 
Russian or Romanian highly desired.
* Russia (Ekaterinburg): Municipal Information-Library System.  8 
months.  Library Education Fellowship involving the development of a 
training center to provide professional development and continuing 
education opportunities to librarians in the region in the areas of 
management, fundraising, new technology, preservation, security, and 
user service.  Russian language skills desired, but not required.
     
NORTH AFRICA, NEAR EAST & SOUTH ASIA
* India (Madras): Annamalai University, Department of Library 
Sciences.  6-8 months.  Automation and Networking Fellowship 
involving advisement on the automation and networking of the 
university's library and campus and training library staff on 
effective use of those systems.
* Ramallah, West Bank (Palestinian Authority): Birzeit University.  8 
months. Library Management and Information Storage & Retrieval 
Fellowship involving the advisement and training of staff in the 
access and use of American online databases and resource materials, 
including the development of a network among Palestinian libraries to 
access those materials.
* Sri Lanka (Colombo): Sri Lanka National Library Services.  6 
months.  Automation and Information Storage & Retrieval Fellowship 
involving the advisement and training of staff in integrated 
automated systems, including CD-Roms, Internet, online access to 
commercial databases, and the design and development of the library's 
web site.
* Tunisia (Tunis): Higher Institute for Library Science.  4 months. 
Library Education, Automation, and Information Storage & Retrieval 
Fellowship involving training staff on the use of the Internet and 
access to online databases, and teaching two intensive automation and 
information storage & retrieval classes.  Fluent French and/or Arabic 
required.
     
WESTERN EUROPE
* Cyprus (Nicosia): Intercollege University, University of Cyprus, 
and Eastern Mediterranean University.  6-8 months. Automation and 
Information Storage & Retrieval Fellowship involving the development 
of a Cyprus library network via a fully automated system.
* Germany (Leipzig):  College of Technology, Economics, and Culture, 
Department of Computer Science.  6 months.  Library Education and 
Digital Library Development Fellowship involving the teaching courses 
on U.S. virtual library systems and electronic publishing, and 
assistance in the development of digital library project.  Fluency in 
German required.
     
The Library Fellows Program provides for international round-trip 
airfare to/from the host country; a modest housing allowance; health 
insurance coverage during the period of the fellowship; a 
professional materials allowance; and a stipend of $34,000/year, 
prorated for the length of the fellowship.  (Rate listed is for the 
1996-97 Program.  The 1997-98 stipend level is to be determined). 
     
Eligibility requirements are U.S. citizenship; education and 
experience in library and information science or other fields 
directly related to the needs of specific projects with demonstrated 
competency as required; and English language proficiency.  Language 
skills of host country may be required.  ALA may require 
certification from a physician attesting to physical and emotional 
soundness to undertake an overseas assignment.  Persons who have 
lived abroad for a 10-year continuous period (1988-1997) immediately 
preceding application are not eligible.  
     
To apply, submit an original and 2 complete collated copies of the 
following:
* 1997-1998 Library Fellows Program application form [available via 
ALA's website at:  http://www.ala.org; via ALA's fax on demand 
service (1-800-545-2433, press 8, then press 014), or by contacting 
the ALA International Relations Office].
* A statement of interest (no longer than three (3) typed, 
double-spaced pages), indicating the reason for applying for the 
Fellowship; the applicant's specific areas of expertise in library 
and information science; how the applicant's background is suitable 
to the proposed fellowship assignment; and any problems the applicant 
envisions in fulfilling the fellowship assignment as outlined in the 
full project proposal and within the given time frame.  
*A current resume or CV.
* Three (3) confidential letters of recommendation  (Letters should 
be in sealed envelopes, signed and dated across the back seal).
     
For more information contact:  Carol A. Erickson, Director, ALA 
International Relations Office, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 
60611-2795.  Telephone: 1-800-545-2433 x3201.  Fax: 312-280-3256. 
E-mail: cerickso@ala.org; or April Brinkmeyer, Administrative 
Assistant (abrinkme@ala.org).
     
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