From: lynda@freenet.unbc.edu (Lynda Williams) Date: Thu, 11 Aug In keeping with earlier guideline to post topics for the T.C. agenda to this forum, I submit that we consider endorsement of the Canadian Library Association's Access Principles, included below. Detailed questions about the principles should be fired at Brian Campbell (e-mail address below). I'd be happy to respond to any general discussion about the reason for putting such an item on the agenda, and the value of cooperative support between stake holders in the public information business. ---- Lynda Williams (lynda@freenet.unbc.edu) ****************** from BC NET Traffic *********************** Subject: Access Principles On Mon, 8 Aug 1994, brian campbell wrote: > Here are the access principles. I think they are a good start. I hope > that you can get Telecommunities Canada to endorse them and Informatin > Rights Week (April 3 - 10) 1995. > > Thanks. Let me know if there are any quesitons> > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > Brian Campbell > > Systems & Planning Director President > Vancouver Public Library Vancouver Regional FreeNet Association > 750 Burrard Street c/o 750 Burrard Street > Vancouver, BC V6Z 1X5 Vancouver, BC V6Z 1X5 > CANADA CANADA > voice: (604) 665-3579 voice-mail: (604) 665-3944 > fax: (604) 665-3312 > email: campbell@vpl.vancouver.bc.ca email: campbell@freenet.vancouver.bc.ca > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > Date: Sat, 6 Aug 1994 12:57:38 -0400 > From: Karen Adams > To: briancam@vplmkii.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca > Subject: Re: Access Principles > > SUBJECT: Information and Telecommunication Access > Principles > > APPROVED BY: Executive Council, Canadian Library > Association > > DATE APPROVED: June 18, 1994 > > > PREAMBLE > > The convergence of computers and high-speed > telecommunication networks provides increased > opportunity for public access to information and > participation in the democratic processes of > society. Conversely, access and participation > could be reduced through the imposition of user > fees and centralized control. > > Librarians, libraries, and library organizations > will work to assure the 'public good' is > represented in all government and corporate > initiatives for information dissemination and > telecommunications policy. Co-operation with > other organizations and public interest groups to > protect social interests will strengthen the > efforts of the library community. > > All people have the right to: > > 1. Literacy > > The opportunity to learn to read and write > is fundamental for all people. Basic > literacy includes numeracy and information > literacy. Literacy is an important > requirement for participating in the > economic, social, cultural, and political > life of the country. > > Everyone should have the opportunity to > acquire the necessary skills to find and use > information. > > 2. Universal, Equitable, and Affordable > Access > > Access to information and telecommunication > network services should be available and > affordable to all regardless of factors such > as age, religion, ability, gender, sexual > orientation, social and political views, > national origin, economic status, location, > and information literacy. > > Diverse sources of information should be > developed through encouraging non-profit > organizations and community groups to > provide information and opinions and by > preventing information monopolies. > > Opportunities should be created for broad > public participation in the determination of > information and telecommunication policy. > > 3. Communicate > > Individuals have the right to create, > exchange, access, and receive the widest > range of ideas, information, and images. > > Individuals should have the right to choose > what information to receive and what not to > receive and what information to give and not > give including that which > others may find objectionable. > > 4. Public Space on the Telecommunications > Networks > > Government information is fundamental to > participation in the democratic process and > should therefore be accessible in a current, > timely, accurate, and comprehensive manner. > > Access to government information should be > guaranteed > through active programs of > dissemination. > > Opportunities to communicate electronically > with elected and appointed government > representatives is a vital extension of > democracy. > > Government policy should encourage and > support archiving of information in support > of the collective human memory. > > Government policies should encourage and > suport the development of community > information networks, such as Freenets. > > Government should provide resources for > libraries and other community organizations > to make electronic access to information > available and to provide training to the > public in the use of such technology. > > Individuals have the right to know the > positive and negative personal and social > consequences of the introduction of > information technology. > > Individuals have the right to a safe > ergonomicallysound environment and > appropriate training or retraining when new > technologies are introduced. > > Social policies accompanying the > introduction of new and more efficient > information technologies must emphasize > benefits to the whole population, such as > greater leisure time and shorter work weeks > rather than narrow economic interests. > > 5. Privacy > > Privacy of personal information should be > carefully > protected and extended. > > Personal data collected should be limited to > the minimum necessary and only after the > prior written approval of the individual > affected. > > Personal information collected for one > purpose cannot be traded or sold without the > express written permission of the individual > affected. > Individuals should have the right to examine > personal information collected by government > and corporations and have mistakes corrected > at no charge. > > > > -- > Karen Adams - Executive Director > Canadian Library Association Voice: (613)232-9625 ext. 306 > 200 Elgin Street, Suite 602 Fax: (613)563-9895 > Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1L5 Internet: ai077@freenet.carleton.ca > > > The above message forwarded to you, with initial intro, by ... --------------------------------------------------- Lynda Williams, M.L.S., M.Sc. President, P.G. Free-Net / Prince George, B.C. CANADA "Yes, that's beyond Hope." / lynda@freenet.unbc.edu -- Garth Graham aa127@freenet.carleton.ca Coordinator, Canadian Community Networks Conference, and founding meeting, Telecommunities Canada, Aug. 15-17, 1994 Box 86, Ashton, Ont., K0A 1B0, 613-253-3497