ALA Activities-1988

(1988). A walk on the bright side: Bright number, prospects, outshine gloomy issues as
ALA moves form Midwinter to the busy year ahead. American Libraries,19, 170- 177.

The ALA Midwinter Meeting which took place on January 9-14 in San Antonio addressed themes relating to equity of access such as access to government information and increasing access to AIDS victims and people with physical or mental impairments. The Council voted for the following (taken from American Libraries):

• to adopt a Government Information "Bill of Rights" affirming equal access to government information in electronic formats (CD 37).
  
• to urge the Public Printer to request a 1989 appropriation to immediately implement electronic dissemination of government Information to depository libraries and urge the House and Senate Appropriations Committee to permit current distribution of electronic government information (CD 35).
  
• to declare that the Library Bill of Rights, which insures access to library facilities, materials, and services by all people of the community, includes individuals with physical or mental impairments (CD 30).
  
• to deplore discrimination against or denial of library and information access to all persons who have acquired AIDS or AIDS-related complex, or who test positive for the human immunodeficiency virus HIV (CD 30).

ALA Activities - 1989

Pattern-cutting for the '90's. What ALA's Midwinter Meeting promises for the near future. il American Libraries, 20, 245+, March 1989.

Much of the March 1989 Midwinter Meeting of the ALA focused on a Presidential candidate forum. It is noted that the "candidates spoke with the customary accord on the matter of access to government information."

In business meetings held January 9, 10, and 11, ALA's policy -making council voted in favor that ALA lead in establishing a coalition on Information Literacy.

The Council also voted to accept recommendations of the committee on Organization on the functions and membership of a Coordinating Committee on Access to Information. The functions of the committee are to develope and maintain a comprehensive set of information access policies for ALA in cooperation with Association units. (CD 26)

The legislation group passed the recommendation that ALA urge Congress to hold hearings on possibly restrictive OMB Circulars A-3 and A-130 to assure government-wide electronic information policy guarnteeing dessemination through the Depository Library Program for equal and ready access to federal government electronic information
Products. (CD 42)

ALA to urge Environmental Protection Agency Toxic Release Inventory be made available to citizens through The Depository Library Program (CD 43)

Intellectual Freedom Commitee is working on a Library Bill of Rights on access to videotapes by minors.

The Executive Board developed a White Paper proposing an International Relations Office at ALA whose involvement encompasses one of ALA's highest priorities:
information access.