February 22, 2012

Legislation

Appeals Court Finds Library Sex Offender Ban Unconstitutional

By Michelle Lee Libraries that ban all sex offenders from using their facilities should take note: it could be overturned in court. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver last month affirmed an earlier ruling by New Mexico federal district court that found the city of Albuquerque’s 2008 law, which banned all sex offenders [...]

President Obama’s 2013 Budget Keeps Library Funding at Current Level

President Obama requested $231,953,777 for fiscal year 2013 for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as part of his budget for 2013. The amount is equal to the agency’s current funding.

No Increase in GPO 2013 Budget Proposal

The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) is requesting no increase in FY 2013 appropriations from the level of funding the agency is receiving for FY 2012, due to savings from its cost-cutting activities.

Brown Proposes Zero State Funding for California Public Libraries for Second Year in a Row

California Governor Jerry Brown’s 2012-13 budget includes zero state help for libraries for the second year in a row. And California is not alone: a recent IMLS study shows a decade-long drop in state library funding.

Weathering the IP Storms | Peer to Peer Review

Barbara Fister thinks libraries are designed to withstand heavy weather.

Supreme Court Upholds Law Restoring Copyright to Some Public-Domain Works

In a 6-2 ruling handed down yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively asserted that works that fall into the public domain may be pulled back under copyright protection by an act of Congress.

GPO Names Acting Public Printer, Issues Assurances About FDLP, FDsys Despite Budget Cuts

The Government Printing Office today named Davita Vance-Cooks as the acting public printer. Vance-Cooks will be the first woman to hold the post, and she is taking office as the GPO prepares to deal with a reduced budget as well as complex issues affecting the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). “I have great confidence and [...]