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The author explores various ethical issues related to the use of electronic books (ebooks) in libraries. Several key user values in which ebooks present challenges are highlighted, including privacy rights, the ability to share content, and cultural preservation. It is noted that the ebook licensing system both expands and limits access to content. The author argues that libraries need to advocate for an ebook access system that accommodates their values.

The article presents the decision of the United States Senate to pass legislation renewing the United States PATRIOT Act. American Library Association president Michael Gorman disapproves the bill because it allows the government to secretly search records of library patrons without proof of suspected terrorism links.

The article focuses on the role of librarians in preventing the spread of infection with the onset of flu season and heightened awareness of the H1N1 virus. Attorney Grayson Barber mentioned on the LibraryLawBlog that a librarian who asks a customer with suspected H1N1 virus to leave could be at risk if mistaken. Rather, customers should be encouraged to comply with posted health guidelines.

The author emphasizes the importance of the role of the librarian in protecting civil liberties in the U.S. He discusses several situations in which librarians have jeopardized their jobs to defend such values as freedom of expression and freedom of information. He includes information on the American Library Association's (ALA) official policy on public computer use.

Focuses on the role of the American Library Association in the revision of the Patriot Act on issues of library and reader privacy. Report that the revised bill includes tougher requirements for searching library records; Statement that the bill requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to give facts showing reason to believe that the records sought are relevant to terrorism prevention or intelligence investigation.

News briefs on Canada and world news briefs are presented. The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario dismissed a complaint by a library user over a nude painting of Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Organized crime leader Vito Rizzuto returned to his native Canada after release from a U.S. prison. Boxer Orlando Cruz came out as a gay man.

The article announces the 45th anniversary of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), which was founded in 1969 to protect the First Amendment rights of library users to read and exchange ideas and to assist librarians whose jobs were endangered because of their defense of free speech.

Discusses the impact on Canada's librarians of legislation designed to increase powers given to the police and other security agencies, in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. Concern over potential abuse to civil rights; Stand of the American Library Association on how librarians should respond to issues concerning library users' right to privacy and confidentiality.

The article discusses the author's experiences as the executive director of the American Library Association (ALA), and it mentions leadership, teamwork, and his work in helping to establish the ALA's Office for Library Advocacy. The dues associated with an ALA membership are examined, along with information about conference registration, professional advancement, and the ALA's efforts to protect the privacy rights of library patrons.

Reports that Bruce Babbit, governor of Arizona, has signed into law legislation that protects the confidentiality of users of publicly supported libraries. Contents of the Privacy of User Records House Bill 2317; Procedures for handling cases in which user information may be released; Similarity of the legislation with the American Library Association's 'Confidentiality of Library Patron Records.'

The article emphasizes the reader's right to privacy. It explains the role of the American Library Association (ALA) and the library profession in protecting reader privacy and confidentiality. It urges librarians to engage their own communities in the struggle to preserve privacy rights. It discusses the initiative of ALA, called Privacy for All: Rallying Americans to Defend Our Freedoms.

Some six months after a Fairfax, Virginia, couple challenged the presence of 18 books in the libraries of the Fairfax County Public Schools, the school board affirmed in a 7-1 vote on March 10 that one of the contested titles, 'Witch Baby,' by Francesca Lia Block, is suitable for elementary and middle-school collections. The action supported Superintendent Daniel Domenech's recommendation to retain the book, as well as the placement of a young-adult sticker on its spine. Richard and Alice Ess had contested that the book because it contains a gay-positive subplot. Even as the United States Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the Children's Internet Protection Act, legislators in five states were introducing bills that offered new variations on a years-long quest in some circles to mandate filtered Internet access in libraries. The Freedom to Read Foundation joined frequently challenged author Judy Blume and 13 national free-speech organizations in an amicus brief March 3 that called for the Harry Potter series to move back to the unrestricted shelves of the Cedarville, Arkansas, school system.

Legislation introduced in the United States House of Representatives March 6 aims to rescind the provisions of the USA Patriot Act that allow the government to secretly view library and bookstore records without obtaining a probable-cause search warrant. Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced the Freedom to Read Protection Act (H.R. 1157) at a Washington press conference attended by members of the American Library Association and representatives from the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. The bill, which Sanders proposed late last year after being contacted by the Vermont Library Association, would restore the previous standards for investigations. Three of the bill's cosponsors--Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-Tex.), and Raul M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.)--spoke about civil liberties issues and privacy problems caused by the Patriot Act.