Miller, 'From the LITA President', LITA Newsletter v15n01
URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/lita/lita-v15n01-miller-from

V15N1.LITAPRES LITANEWS
--------------
>From the LITA President
Tamara Miller


National Information Infrastructure: Building a Policy

THE UNITED STATES IS embarked on the remarkable process of developing
a public policy on information and network access. The Clinton
administration released National Information Infrastructure: An Agenda
for Action (NII) in September. NII is formulated as the broadest,
over-arching network structure for the delivery of information,
education, entertainment and electronic services.

   The plans for developing the NII have been the subject of both
praise and criticism. It is seen as concrete government commitment to
building an infrastructure that reaches beyond the existing
interconnection of networks. The Agenda for Action postulates a
network that will reach into every home, school and business with
significant private sector investment. At the same time, critics see
dangers in the increasing commercialization of a network that has been
largely built with public funds.

   ALA's Legislative Committee and the ALA Washington Office, with
LITA serving as project coordinator, convened a Telecommunication and
Information Infrastructure Policy Forum in Washington on September
8-10, 1993. Invited participants from ALA, ALA divisions and other
library organizations explored public information policy questions.
Their aim was to explore a complex set of issues prior to developing
policy statements and positions. The proceedings of the forum will be
published by LITA.

   One of the chief criticisms of the NII is that it lacks the grand
vision of the NREN in promoting the public interest. Participants in
the policy forum considered issues ranging from affordable access to
the role of the government in regulation and funding. Indeed, there
was strong consensus among the participants that libraries must play a
strong role in promoting a policy that protects the public interest.
Elaine Albright, chair of the Policy Forum, points out that libraries
play a key role as "unique access points to the information
infrastructure serving the public and in their unique role in
protecting public interests in access to information."

   LITA was represented by Patrick Flannery, Chairman of the LITA
Legislative Committee. A policy position paper articulating LITA's
concern with major infrastructure issues will be developed by the
Legislative Committee. None of the issues are simple. Desire to
control the network has already sparked fierce competition to install
and operate the infrastructure. Telephone companies, cable companies
and telecommunication companies all see themselves as the natural
providers of the network to the mass market. In his paper NREN and the
National Infrastructure: Policy Decisions for Libraries, Fred
Weingarten of Computing Research Association said, "Barring the
unlikely event that government finds extra money lying around, the
private sector will make the investment (in the infrastructure)."

   Weingarten rightly points out that the current rash of mergers
among telecommunication and broadcast companies is evidence of a
changing private sector. The realignment of former competitors,
resulting in a new mix of telephony, broadcast and entertainment
providers, is likely to create larger pools of investment capital
while posing new regulatory and legal questions.

   True to the rich tradition of American libraries, the Policy Forum
identified First Amendment rights, privacy, equitable access and
ubiquity as issues of primary concern. LITA can be a strong voice
promoting an information policy that recognizes the relationship
between democracy and public information. LITA's examination of the
NII presents an opportunity to carefully define what is meant by
equitable access.

   It is important for LITA to develop a position paper that
recognizes the contribution of the private sector, the role of
government and the rights of citizens. I encourage each LITA member to
become knowledgeable about the issues under discussion. We invite your
thoughtful comments on these critical issues. The public policy
developed will shape the libraries and information services of the
future.--Tamara Miller, LITA President; Internet:
miller@utklib.lib.utk.edu.

 The NII document is available through many gophers and may be
 requested from nii@ntia.doc.gov.