SIM members: Our reference librarian forwarded the following information to us. PLEASE read it. Librarians are leading the way in pushing to keep internet access open. This should be of concern to all of us in education--for scholarly exchange and educating our students.
--Mary Mallott
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
Volume 15, Number 49
May 4, 2006
In This Issue:
Yesterday Representative Ed Markey (D-MA) sent a letter to his
colleagues in the Congress asking for support of H.R. 5273, the
"Network Neutrality Act of 2006," a bill he co-sponsored along
with Representatives Boucher (D-VA), Eshoo (D-CA), and Inslee (D-
WA).
Please call your Members of Congress today and urge them to co-
sponsor this important legislation.
Background:
Until now, all Internet content is equally accessible to users -
it is not more difficult to access one website than another. But
some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) want to change the rules -
economically or technically - to allow favored access to some
content providers for an added fee.
If the nation's largest telephone and cable companies are allowed
to limit access and discriminate against those who cannot pay
higher tolls, then libraries, schools, colleges, non-profit
groups, small businesses, independent publications and bloggers
could be blocked from digital-age benefits and innovations.
Library advocates can make a difference by emphasizing the need
for network neutrality and an open Internet and its importance to
library users, businesses, education and the general public.
Key Messages:
Ask your Member of Congress co-sponsor H.R. 5273 and preserve
network neutrality. Please feel free to use the following
messages:
* H.R. 5273 is civil rights for the Internet. It will ensure that
the basic and essential principle of open and non-discriminatory
access to all information will endure.
* Libraries are committed to the core principle of open and
equitable access to information of all kinds. The Internet is
built upon a similar principle that ensures the ability of all
people to publish and access information without discriminatory
barriers.
* Libraries are both users and creators of Internet content. It
is critical for libraries to have non-discriminatory access to
serve the public whether for those who come to libraries or those
who remotely access library resources.
A copy of the bill is located here:
http://markey.house.gov/docs/telecomm/Markey%20Net%20Neutrality%20
Act%20of%202006.pdf
******
ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the
American Library Association Washington Office. All materials
subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be
reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial purposes with
appropriate credits.
To subscribe to ALAWON, send the message: subscribe ala-wo
[your_firstname] [your_lastname] to
listproc@ala.org or go to
http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon. ALAWON
archives at
http://www.ala.org/washoff/alawon.
ALA Washington Office, 1615 New Hampshire Ave., N.W., First Floor,
Washington, D.C. 20009-2520; phone: 202.628.8410 or 800.941.8478
toll-free; fax: 202.628.8419; Web site:
http://www.ala.org/washoff. Executive Director: Emily Sheketoff.
Office of Government Relations: Lynne Bradley, Director; Don
Essex, Melanie Anderson, Erin Haggerty, Patrice McDermott and
Miriam Nisbet. Office for Information Technology Policy: Rick
Weingarten, Director; Carrie Lowe, Kathy Mitchell, Carrie Russell.
ALAWON Editor: Bernadette Murphy.
_______________________________________________________________________
To send a message to the list, send your email to
SIM@aomlists.pace.edu
_______________________________________________________________________
Visit the SIM Division website at:
www.simdivision.org
_______________________________________________________________________
If you wish to unsubscribe from this list or change your delivery
options, you can do so online at:
http://aomlists.pace.edu/scripts/wa.exe?SUBED1=sim&A=1