Resolutions 10/6/06

ILA Annual Conference
Business Meeting
Moscow, Idaho
10/6/06

Resolutions - Approved

Resolution #1

WHEREAS the Idaho Commission for Libraries serves as a catalyst for development of all libraries in Idaho; and

WHEREAS the Idaho Commission for Libraries’ budget determines its ability to help
build the capacity of libraries to better serve their clientele and affects the quality of
library services throughout the State;

WHEREAS the budget request includes funding for maintenance of current operations and $209,000 to expand Read To Me, the statewide early literacy project for public libraries and their community partners;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Idaho Library Association support the
Idaho Commission for Libraries’ budget request for state fiscal year 2008.

Resolution #2

WHEREAS the Library Services and Technology Act is Idaho’s main source of funding for library development initiatives, and

WHEREAS the President recommended and the House approved a funding level for
FY07 LSTA State Programs sufficient to implement the new distribution formula,
and

WHEREAS Idaho would realize an increase of almost 10% in LSTA funding under the
new distribution formula,

THEREFORE be it resolved that Idaho Library Association support the President’s
recommendation for LSTA funding, and

THEREFORE be it further resolved that ILA urge its U.S. Senators to support the
President’s recommendation for LSTA funding to help us achieve our vision for
Idaho Libraries in 2020: that Idaho libraries are the nexus of global information,
innovative services, and community enabling us to sustain our history, empower our
present, and create our future.

Resolution #3

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKS AND
AGAINST THE DELETING ONLINE PREDATORS ACT

(Adapted from the resolution passed by the ALA Council on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 in New Orleans, Louisiana)

WHEREAS, the online environment, including networked resources, is an essential and growing part of economic, cultural, educational, civic and social life; and

WHEREAS, the use of developing Internet-based applications for collaboration and learning is increasingly important; and

WHEREAS, learning to use and operate in the online environment effectively and safely is an essential component of education and promotes and supports collaborative learning
and social environments; and

WHEREAS, such education occurs in classrooms, school libraries and public libraries where professional teachers and librarians are the adults best trained to educate young people to use online environments effectively and safely; and

WHEREAS, the development of essential information literacy skills require that young people be able to safely and effectively use such important collaborative tools; and

WHEREAS, the schools and libraries that are critical environments for learning these skills already have Internet use policies; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act (DOPA), as presently drafted, would require schools and libraries receiving E-rate discounts to block access to collaborative networking sites like MySpace or lose their funding; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 5319 would also require libraries and schools receiving E-Rate discounts to bar access to a wide array of other important applications and technologies such as instant messaging, e-mail, wikis and blogs or risk losing their funding; and

WHEREAS, the H.R., 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act, (DOPA) would require schools and libraries to block access to important new network-based collaborative environments that foster these crucial skills in our young people or risk losing their E-rate funds; and

WHEREAS, banning such tools in libraries and schools will not solve the problem but will, in fact, limit opportunities to teach young people Internet safety; and

WHEREAS, collaborative networking tools provide access to many useful and valuable support groups that would not be available if blocked by this legislation; and

WHEREAS, "DOPA" would place prior restraints on and deny access to constitutionally protected speech; and

WHEREAS, H.R. 5319 is unnecessary because schools and libraries receiving E-rate funds are already required to block obscene content; and

WHEREAS, such imposed regulation usurps local control of libraries and their collections, now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Idaho Library Association oppose the Deleting Online Predators Act as it is presently drafted; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that the Idaho Library Association affirms the importance of online social networks to library users of all ages for developing and using essential information literacy skills; and be it further

RESOLVED, that ILA ask library supporters to contact their representatives and senators toinform them about

* the important role "social networking sites" serve in civic participation, collaboration, etc. and

* problems caused by mandatory blocking as proposed in H.R. 5319; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that ILA communicate this resolution to the Idaho Congressional delegation and to others, as appropriate.