Friday, September 11, 1998

08:32:42 AM

For a bi-monthly wrap up of NOLA news and information, be sure to check out NOLA Notes!

Desktop Categories

Full Patent Database to Come

A news release came out last week from the US Patents office announcing that the full patent database will be available free online.

"PTO will make the full text of the 2 million patents dating back to 1976 and the text and images of 800,000 trademarks and 300,000 pending registrations from the late 1800s to the present available free to the public on the Internet. Patent images that correlate to the electronic text will be available on-line free by March of next year and users will be able to print the images at screen resolution at no cost using a normal browser print function, PTO said. Users will also be able to order on-line high quality copies for electronic delivery."

Dig This!

It seems everyone is getting into the portal business, so its no surprise that Disney is joining the fray. Promoting the DIG (Disney Interactive Guide) site as "The Web Site for Families", Disney aims to hit the market for safe content. The site offers a neat feature where kids can enter an age and an interest and be transported to an activities page based on the criteria. Oh yeah, you will have to put up with Sunny Delight ads, somebody has to pay the freight.

Items submitted by:
Kenneth S. Bell - Email
NOLA Regional Library System

Your Help is Needed Now

I just attended the Legislation & Policy Update meeting at the American Library Association's http://www.ala.org Annual Conference here in Washington. Speakers were encouraging everyone to send an e-mail message to members of Congress who must take three critical actions soon to avoid major harm to libraries and educational institutions. The key messages to Congress are:

1. Protect the E-Rate. Don't further cut or delay the telecommunications discounts for schools and libraries.

2. Protect Fair Use. Don't update copyright owners' rights for cyberspace without also updating information user privileges.

3. Respect Local Decision-Making on Internet Access Policies. Don't hold federal funds for libraries and schools hostage to federal filtering requirements.

Here is what you, your Trustees, and your Friends can do. Go to http://congress.nw.dc.us/ala/elecmail.html   and follow the directions to send your representative a message about one of these important issues. You simply enter your zip code and you will receive the name/address of your congressperson and senators. Then compose your e-mail message or customize a sample message and send it. Contact Congress today and encourage others to do so too.

ALA Develops Issue Briefs on Topics of Vital Importance for Library Supporters

The ALA Washington Office is charged with following and influencing policy issues, legislation, and regulations of importance to the library field and its publics. The Washington Office helps ensure that libraries are consistently involved in the policy decision-making process by: Informing government of the needs of the library community; Building coalitions with Washington-based representatives of other groups with similar interests; Providing library supporters with up-to-date information on government actions and proposals.

To ensure that library supporters are well informed, the ALA Washington Office has developed over 20 Issue Briefs about such vital topics as:

• Key Issues and Messages for Congress
• Children and Youth
• Federal Library Programs
• Government Information
• Intellectual Property
• Telecommunications

To view these Issue Briefs, simply click on http://www.ala.org/washoff/wonow.html. Share them with Trustees at your next Board meeting or with your Friends.

Items submitted by:
Millie Fry - Email
NOLA Regional Library System

To Unsubscribe, send email to [email protected]