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This article looks at the recall of government papers from libraries and how the protest of librarians reversed the government's position. The controversy began after the DOJ requested through the GPO's Superintendent of Documents that five documents distributed on civil and criminal asset forfeiture procedures were to be withdrawn and destroyed immediately, as they are intended for internal use only. The documents were Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedure, Select Criminal Forfeiture Forms, Select Federal Asset Forfeiture Statutes, Asset forfeiture and Money Laundering Resource Directory, and Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA). Librarians, however, launched a campaign to reverse the order and the American Library Association (ALA) submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, asking why DOJ requested that documents that have been available for as long as four years be removed. Boston Public Library president Bernie Margolis, in a statement on the ALA Council electronic list, said he had asked that the decision be reconsidered and noted that he had copied the documents for cataloging as part of BPL's collection. Though DOJ officials said that the materials were inappropriately distributed to depository libraries through an error, Superintendent of Documents Judith Russell noted that the agency determined that these materials are "not sufficiently sensitive to require removal from the depository library system."

Reports on a lawsuit filed by Coretta Scott King against Boston University for the return of the papers of the late Martin Luther King Jr. King's deposit of his papers at the university in 1968; Claim that the papers belong to King's estate, not the university; Proposal that the papers be kept at the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia.

Reports that the New England Document Conservation Center in Andover, Massachusetts has received a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support its advanced apprenticeship program in paper conservation.

Focuses on the seasonal employment seminars offered by branches of the Springfield Public Library in Massachusetts.

Reports that the Schlesinger Library of Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts completed a three-year project called 'Career and Family Patterns of American Women.' Aim of making available the papers of individual women or families that document women's work and family life since 19th century.

Reports on how Haverhill Public Library in Boston, Massachusetts lessened its energy use and stretched its staff by utilizing flextime. Change in the schedule of library operations during the summer months; Elimination of electric doors to save energy; Implications of proper scheduling on the achievement of flexibility, maintenance of service, added savings and increase in productivity.

States that a $64,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities will permit Harvard University's College Library for Public Services to open two individual collections of African American materials for scholarly research. The Roscoe Conkling Simmons Papers; The Caroline Bond Day Collection; When the collections will open to the public; Details.

Reveals that the North Andover, Massachusetts-based Northeast Document Conservation Center has received financing from the J. Paul Getty Trust to support three internships in paper conservation.

The article reports on the announcement of faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to cancel access to the Society of Automotive Engineering database due to conflicts regarding digital copyright management practices. MIT faculty opted to cancel access to the database rather than download required software which they claimed was a hindrance.

Notes that Boston College's (BC) John J. Burns Library of Rare Books and Special Collections has purchased the personal library and papers of author Graham Greene. Number of volumes and documents included; BC's already extensive collection of Greene materials.

This article discusses the problem of preservation of library assets and how the Wellesley Free Library, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, has addressed such problems. Apparently, as of February 1989, the U.S. is facing a crisis in its libraries and archives. Substantial portions of collections in the country allegedly deteriorate because of inherent acidity of paper used and poor quality of bindings, accelerated by heavy use, mishandling, poor storage, and polluted urban environment. The magnitude of the problem has allegedly been recognized by academic and research libraries with responsibilities for the ling-term retention of materials with permanent value. Their response has been to add preservation administrators to their staff, develop in-house treatment facilities, and participate in cooperative microfilming programs. Except for some major urban libraries such as New York Public, the response from public libraries has allegedly been less dramatic. The major surveys of collection condition have been done for large academic libraries, such as Yale, Stanford, and the University of Syracuse, New York. Their findings, that substantial portions of their holdings are deteriorating, seem to have little relevance to public libraries.

This article provides information on the second national conference of the Library and Information Technology Association which was held in Boston, Massachusetts in October 1988. Sessions focused primarily on practical library applications of the full array of new information technologies, with programs also dealing with information policy issues and the economic, social, and political impact of technological change. Beginning with six technology seminars on the opening day, the conference featured about 40 hour-and-a-half technical sessions, papers accepted from the conference call for papers, and showcases of 90 minutes each at which librarians gathered to discuss technology-based new library services. In addition, two days of the conference featured 90-minute new product reviews from vendors.

Provides an update of the results of how runners Michael Olson of Harvard University Library and Jose Aponte of West Palm Beach Public Library, Florida fared at the 100th Boston Marathon. Their goal of raising money for their respective causes; Their finish times.

This article reports on the grant given by the Office of Preservation of the National Endowment for the Humanities to the Northeast Document Conservation Center (NEDCC) in Andover, Massachusetts. The money will be used to continue the field service program of NEDCC which endeavors to educate institutions on the need for the preservation of research collections. The field service programs include on-site surveys of preservation needs, workshops and seminars, courses and lectures at library schools, informal consultation, distribution of technical information and disaster assistance. NEDCC is a nonprofit regional conservation center specializing in the treatment of paper and related materials.

Studies the survey conducted at the John Curtis Library in Hanover, Massachusetts on the lack of concern of people about drugs and their effects upon society. Basis of the survey on the circulation of the 'Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs'; Views of the director of the library Fred Friedman on the requirement of books on drugs.

Reports on the preservation problems of Harvard University research libraries in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Decrease budget allocated for libraries; Foundations' support for book conservation; Collection and preservation of ephemera.

Reports on the restoration of the fines policy at Goodnow Public Library in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in 1981. Return rates of books after the reinstatement of fines; Reasons of the library for previously shelving the policy.

The article focuses on progress in a discrimination lawsuit filed against the Loeb Library of Harvard University's Design School by Desiree Goodwin. A jury ruled in early April that Harvard University did not discriminate against Desiree Goodwin, billing supervisor and reference assistant at the Loeb Library of Harvard's Design School, who charged that she was repeatedly passed over for promotion because of race and gender issues. Harvard attorneys countered that Goodwin's supervisors encouraged her but that the highly competitive jobs she sought simply went to more qualified candidates. In closing arguments, Harvard attorneys noted that five of the seven jobs for which Goodwin applied since 1999 have gone to women. That left only the racial component, which Harvard lawyers also dismissed, according to press reports, claiming that Goodwin's race was unknown to those doing the hiring.

Provides quotations for librarians regarding the disadvantages of electronic reference sources. Comments of Jim Rettig, of the University of Richmond Library in Virginia, on the negative elements of electronic reference books; Views of Carrie Kent, of Harvard University's Widener Library in Massachusetts, on the design and development of reference databases.

Presents updates on library technology in the U.S. as of November 15, 2003. Preservation of microfilm records owned by the City of Boston, Massachusetts; Partnership of Books24x7 with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and the Gov Online Learning Center.

Reports on the intention of Harvard University Library (HUL) to partner with three major publishers of scholarly journals to develop an experimental archive for electronic journals. Involvement of Blackwell Publishing, John Wiley & Sons, and the University of Chicago Press; Focus on providing a long-term solution for electronic scholarly resources; Funding for the program.

Reports that a valuable stained-glass window was stolen from the Thomas Crane Public Library in Quincy, Massachusetts. Recovery thanks to an anonymous tip shortly after the theft was publicized; Comments by library director Ann McLaughlin.

Discusses a survey of local support for libraries in the United States and the results of library building referenda in 2002. Topics of ballot measures for operating funds for the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana and for libraries in Illinois, Michigan, Washington State, California and other states; Mention of tax campaigns in Massachusetts and Oregon.

Reports on the loss of rare books at Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, discovered following an investigation which began in 1979. Speculations on how the books were lost; Tactics of the museum to recover stolen books.

Reports on the formation of a subcommittee of the Readers' Service Committee, University Library Council of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts whose job is Instruction in Library Use. Responsibilities of the subcommittee head Sheila K. Hart.

Remarks upon the excitement that quickly fizzled about the discovery by two scholars of an alleged unknown first novel by author Louisa May Alcott. The revelation that the manuscript had actually been at Harvard University's Houghton Library catalog for nearly 22 years; Details about the manuscript which is believed to have been written in 1849; Information about the Houghton Library.

Reports that Radcliffe College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, is the happy recipient of a $2 million gift from the Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Foundation, Inc. Gift will endow the directorship of the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America; Description of the library's collection.

Reports that the Boston Library Consortium has received a grant of $99,519 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners for a collection analysis project. Usage of collected data to develop public access tools.

Reports that the Board of Trustees of the New Bedford Public Library in Massachusetts declined to accept one year subscription gift from 'Gay Community News.' Reasons.

Discusses an exhibit held by the Watertown Free Public Library in Massachusetts in 1982 to encourage library users to contribute their views about censorship. Goal of putting intellectual freedom into practice; Ways in which censorship has historically been taken for granted as a legitimate function of constituted political authority; Examples of famous books banned by libraries.

Offers details of the 67th International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) conference located in Boston, Massachusetts. Theme of the conference; Advantages of attending; Funding and organization sources for the conference; Program highlights.

Reports on plans for the August 2001 Council and General Conference of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), to be held in Boston, Massachusetts. Mention of author Jonathan Kozol, keynote speaker for the event; How, unlike other countries, the United States offers no federal funding for the conference; Raising of funds through donations and grants.

Reports on donations, gifts, and bequests given to libraries around the United States in early 1999. How Irwin Uran, a reclusive philanthorpist, donated $1 million to establish a Judaic Studies collection at the Loudoun County Library in Leesburg, Virginia; How a donation to the Tulsa City-County Library will lead to the opening of a Hispanic Resource Center; Amount of money the Harvard University Library received from the United States National Endowments for the Humanities.

Focuses on the losses in revenue incurred by the Boston Public Library (BPL) in Massachusetts. Reasons for the budget crisis; Proposal of the BPL to establish a Higher Education Excise Tax to generate revenue; Library's uncertainty about closing down its branches to reduce costs; Efforts made by the library to reduce energy cost.

Reports on the establishment of an experimental computer-based information and learning service for public use at the Cambridge Public Library through a grant from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in Massachusetts. Services offered to citizens; Access to a wide variety of basic information sources.

Reports on the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners' study of regional library systems in the state with the appointment of an ad hoc committee to advise the board on matters concerning the Regional Public Library System services. Library system structure of the state which is built on an alliance of the Boston Public Library, the Worcester Public Library and the Springfield Public Library.

Focuses on a roundup on job sharing that appeared in the 'News Bulletin' of the Boston, Massachusetts chapter of the Special Libraries Association. Library administrators' increasing acceptance of job sharing; Perceived advantages and disadvantages in shared job arrangements; Most suitable library jobs for sharing arrangements.

Announces that Bernard Margolis was appointed to the new position of president of the Boston Public Library. His plans for the Boston Public Library.

Reports on the Association of American University Presses' 51st annual meeting on June 26-29, 1988, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Issues on library science discussed at the conference; Theme of the event; Key speakers; Sessions topics; Event highlights.

The author reflects on cats in libraries. He mentions a website, http://ow.ly/kDCLw, which presents a list of 809 known library cats in the world, with 302 alive and residing in libraries. He comments on an incident in Massachusetts where a pan was fighting to evict Penny, the unofficial mascot of the Swansea Public Library, as he felt her presence was unfair to allergic patrons. He calls for pictures of library cats from readers and talks about a pre-Internet contest for fattest cat pictures.

Reports that the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Massachusetts has joined the Research Libraries Group Inc. (RLG) as a special member of the RLG Art and Architecture Program.

Reports on the passage of a legislation which aims to protect librarians in Massachusetts from dismissal if the book selection policy of a library is being criticized. Effect of the legislation on employment contracts between management and those library staffers who are not protected by union contracts; Information on the first and second sections of the law.

Reports on the implications of the citywide budget slashing in Boston, Massachusetts on the reduction of the budget for the Boston Public Library. Moratorium on the purchase of periodicals, cancellation of book orders and threatened staff cutbacks.

Announces the 20th Brandeis University booksale at the Edens Plaza in Wilmette, Illinois from May 26 to June 3, 1979. Sponsor of the booksale; Closed-bid auction for the sale of signed first editions, limited editions and other rare and variable items; Chairperson of the booksale.

Reports on the launch of the Countway Library Medical Bibliographic Service, a pilot, fee-based program of specialized in-depth information services launched by the Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Services offered.

Reports on the awarding of a challenge grant by the National Endowment for the Humanities to Radcliffe College in Cambridge, Massachusetts supporting the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library specializing in women's history. Period given to the college to match the challenge grant; Utility of the fund for library development.