ALA offers

Contact: Jonathan Kelley
Office For Intellectual Freedom
312-280-4226
jokelley@ala.org
For Immediate Release
July 31, 2007

ALA offers “Lawyers for Libraries” Training Institute in conjunction

with the Colorado Association of Libraries Annual Conference

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) will present the Rocky Mountain Regional “Lawyers for Libraries” Training Institute in Denver November 8, 2007. This program will double as a preconference to the Colorado Association of Libraries’ (CAL) Annual Conference. It is the eleventh in a series of regional institutes following two national institutes in 1997 and 1998.

The Lawyers for Libraries institute is primarily intended to equip attorneys with tools they need to effectively defend the First Amendment in libraries. Participants will be instructed by practicing attorneys specializing in First Amendment law and will be eligible for continuing legal education (CLE) credits for their participation.

Among the topics to be covered during the institute are:

  • Privacy, law enforcement requests for records and the USA PATRIOT Act
  • Public forum analysis and libraries, including developing meeting room and display case policies
  • Internet filtering and the ongoing repercussions of the Supreme Court’s CIPA decision
  • How to respond to attempts to censor books and other library materials

In addition, a panel of librarians will discuss their real-world experiences with creating and enforcing library policies.

“We’re excited to work with the Colorado Association of Libraries to bring “Lawyers for Libraries” to the Rocky Mountain region for the first time,” said ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) Director, Judith F. Krug. “‘Lawyers for Libraries’ has helped hundreds of attorneys, trustees and librarians better understand the case law and legislation related to their work on behalf of libraries. These participants have gone on to improve libraries across the country by drafting strong policies, providing advice to those facing difficult questions, conducting trainings and being advocates for intellectual freedom in their communities.”

Lawyers for Libraries workshops are open to licensed, practicing attorneys retained to represent or advise libraries on legal issues. Library trustees or board members who are responsible for establishing library policy may also attend. Librarians may attend if they are accompanied by a library attorney.

The training is from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the John Q. Hammons Convention Center/Holiday Inn DIA, on 15500 E. 40th Ave. in Denver. Lodging is available at the newly renovated conference hotel at a cost of $84 per night.

  • To reserve online, go to www.holidayinndia.com, click on "Reservations," complete your arrival information and use the group code: LIB.
  • To reserve by phone, call (303) 371-9494 and reserve using group code: LIB.

To register for the “Lawyers for Libraries” Institute, contact Jonathan Kelley at (800) 545-2433 x4226, or e-mail jkelley@ala.org. Online registration and additional information are available at www.ala.org/lawyers. The cost to attend an institute is $395.00 per person and $745.00 for two registrants.

For more information about the CAL conference, visit http://cal-webs.org/conference.html. Registration for the CAL conference opens in early August.

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