ALCTS Network News v4n14 (December 1, 1992) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/ann/ann-v4n14 ISSN: 1056-6694 ALCTS NETWORK NEWS An electronic publication of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services Volume 4, Number 14 December 1, 1992 In this issue NEW LISTSERV DEDICATED TO SUPPORT STAFF ISSUES EDITOR'S NOTE TEXT OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OFFICIAL ALA STATEMENT RELEVANT ALA POLICIES ACTION TAKEN BY AALL PUBLISHED NEWS REPORTS ************************************************************************** NEW LISTSERV DEDICATED TO SUPPORT STAFF ISSUES Support staff have taken on an increasingly important role in library collections and technical services areas, and therefore these staff are of increasing importance to the work of ALCTS. Library managers and support staff may want to subscribe to a new listserv that is concerned with library support staff matters. The new list, LIBSUP-L, comes from the University of Washington Cataloging Department. To subscribe to the list, send a message to LISTSERV@UWAVM.BITNET or LISTSERV@UWAVM.U.WASHINGTON.EDU The text of the message should be Subscribe LIBSUP-L [Your Name] Please note that this command must NOT be sent to the list address (LIBSUP-L@UWAVM) but to one of the listserv addresses above. ************************************************************************* EDITOR'S NOTE With this issue AN2 begins its coverage on the controversy arising from the adoption of an amendment to the Colorado state constitution on November 3. AN2 will publish additional information as it becomes available, including the plans by the Social Responsibilities Round Table to protest the amendment. AN2 will also publish e-mail messages addressed to u34261@uicvm.uic.edu on this issue. ************************************************************************* TEXT OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Colorado: Article 2, of the Colorado Constitution is amended by the addition of Section 30, which shall state as follows: NO PROTECTION STATUS BASED ON HOMOSEXUAL, LESBIAN, OR BISEXUAL ORIENTATION. Neither the State of Colorado, through any of its branches or departments, nor any of its agencies, political subdivisions, municipalities or school districts, shall enact, adopt or enforce any statute, regulation, ordinance or policy whereby homosexual, lesbian or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the basis of, or entitle any person or class of persons to have or claim of discrimination. This Section of the Constitituion shall be in all respects self-executing. ************************************************************************* OFFICIAL ALA STATEMENT The American Library Association scheduled its 1993 Midwinter Meeting in Denver, Colorado, almost three years ago. The dates are January 22 through 29. Members have reserved rooms and made travel arrangements for this meeting, at which much of the Association's work is conducted. Amendment 2 of Article II of the Colordo Consitution was passed by the Colorado electorate on November 3, 1992. This amendment provides for "No protected status based on homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation." It voids ordinances in Denver, Boulder, and Aspen that include sexual orientation in the list of groups protected from discrimination. Some ALA members have expressed their anger and dismay about this new amendment and some have indicated they will not attend any meeting in Colorado. Calls to ALA Headquarters about this issue are being referred to the Headquarters Library and Information Center (800-545-2433, Ext. 2153). With less than three months before the Meeting, the ALA cannot offer options, e.g., another site. However, members are planning to focus public scrutiny on the new amendment. The Social Responsibilities Round Table's forthcoming newsletter features suggestions for a menu of choices for protest activities. It also suggests that people who decide not to attend should do so formally, stating their reasons. More than 5,000 people are expected to attend. They will be able to register their objections to the new amendment as a respected, cohesive group representing an Association with a long and proud tradition of support for the rights of all. --Prepared by Peggy Sullivan Executive Director, ALA November 10, 1992. ************************************************************************* RELEVANT ALA POLICIES The Council of the American Library Association has adopted the following policies: 54. Library Personnel Practices 54.3 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY The American Library Association is committed to equality of opportunity for all library employees or applicants for employment, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, age, physical or mental handicap, individual life-style, or national origin; and believes that hiring disabled individuals in all types of libraries is consistent with good personnel and managment practices. Key factors in the selection of library personnel are training, knowledge, job interest, and the particular physical or mental abilities to do a specific job. Modification of the work environment should be considered if necessary to assist an individual in performing the job. (Full text available in "Current Reference File": ALA Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: A Public Policy Statement.) 54.17 GAY RIGHTS The American Library Association Council reaffirms its support for equal employment opportunity for gay librarians and library workers. The Council recommends that libraries reaffirm their obligation under the Library Bill of Rights to disseminate information representing all points of view on this topic. ************************************************************************* ACTION TAKEN BY AALL On Saturday, November 21, the Executive Board of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) adopted the following statement: "In light of the recent adoption of Colorado's Amendment Two, American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Executive Board voted unanimounsly not to hold its 1998 annual meeting in Denver. The Board reached this decision for two major reasons: First, AALL is inclusionary in its membership and seeks to broaden access to legal information. Amendment Two is, by its nature, exclusionary and its policy of exclusion could be extended to restrict access to legal information. Second, Article 9 of AALL's Bylaws states that 'participation in any activity of the Association ... shall not be denied to any individual, or abridged on account of ... sexual orientation.' Holding the AALL annual meeting in a state which constitutionally permits a policy of discrimination would deny some members full participation in the Association's premier educational activity." ************************************************************************* PUBLISHED NEWS REPORTS The ALA Headquarters Library and Information Center has provided the following short list of some of the news coverage in major urban dailies. This is not intended to be either exhaustive nor representative. "Travel Insider; Trends: A Proposed Gay Boycott of Colorado Shows how Tourism Dollars can be Cast Like Ballots" by Christopher Reynolds. LOS ANGELES TIMES (Sun., Nov. 22, 1992): Home Edition. "Colorado paying for anti-gay stance" by James Coates (staff writer), CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Sat., Nov. 21, 1992): p. A1 "Boycott Colorado" editorial by Armistead Maupin, NEW YORK TIMES (Sat., Nov. 21, 1992): p. 15. "Experts assess the issues in Amend. 2 court fight" by Michael Booth (Staff writer), DENVER POST (Thu., Nov. 12, 1992): p. 1A "Gay man's suicide note cites passage of Amendment 2" (AP news story), DENVER POST (Thu., Nov. 12, 1992): p. 13A "Coalition files suit against Amendment 2" by Michael Booth (staff writer), DENVER POST (Fri., Nov. 13, 1992): p. 1A ************************************************************************* ************************************************************************* ALCTS NETWORK NEWS (ISSN 1056-6694) is published irregularly by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, a division of the American Library Association. Editorial offices: ALCTS, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611; Liz Bishoff, President; Karen Muller, Executive Director. Editor: Karen Muller (u34261@uicvm); Editorial Advisory Board: Liz Bishoff, Jennifer Younger, Arnold Hirshon; Editorial Assistance: Arnold Hirshon, Alex Bloss. ALCTS NETWORK NEWS is available free of charge and is available only in electronic form. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the division. News items should be sent to the editor at Bitnet address u34261@uicvm. To subscribe, issue the network command "tell listserv@uicvm sub alcts [your name]." Back issues of AN2 are available through the listserver. To find out what's available, send the following command to LISTSERV@UICVM: send alcts filelist The ALCTS FILELIST contains the list of files with the EXACT filename and filetype. To get a particular file, issue this command to the LISTSERV@UICVM: send filename filetype. Send questions about membership in ALCTS to the ALCTS Office, u34261@uicvm. All materials in the newsletter subject to copyright by the American Library Association may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or education advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting or redistribution or translations, address requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions, 50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. *************************************************************************