I am with Vicki on this one. Although I fully support the right of gays and
lesbians to marry (as does Kimberli Morris, the selected presenter, who is a
close friend of mine), I don't really see how the presentation of that topic
would be beneficial to reference librarians on the reference desk. Anyone
interested in Ms. Morris's rather complex and well-informed (she's there,
for God's sake!) views on the U.S. occupation of Iraq and how her
presentation might be beneficial to practicing librarians would do well to
read her blog, especially the entry entitled "Security Issues, or 'Why on
Earth am I Doing This?"
http://mysite.teknoids.net/BaghdadBiblioFiles/2004/04/03#a15.
Sara Kelley
Research Librarian
University of Maryland School of Law
-----Original Message-----
From: victoria.szymczak@brooklaw.edu [mailto:victoria.szymczak@brooklaw.edu]
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 2:29 PM
To: law-lib@ucdavis.edu
Subject: RE: AALL 2004 Hot Topic -- not same-sex marriage
Please note that I fully and actively support equal rights for everyone
and I am a member of the SR-SIS.
I am glad that the hot topic concerns someone, and an issue, that is
directly related to our profession. Even though it does not always
happen, I always think of that spot at our convention as one where "hot
topics" that concern librarianship should take center stage (which, sadly,
are not the same as hot topics that concern the public-at-large).
Same-sex marriage is a huge issue that certainly deserves debate and
attention in our country as well as throughout the world. Yet, I am not
sure how the same sex marriage issue is of any more "real benefit to the
librarian at the reference desk" than Ms. Morris' first-hand experiences
setting up law libraries in Iraq. Maybe this session will give us ideas
on how to help our struggling colleagues in Iraq or other parts of the
world. Or make someone realize how fortunate we are to be where we are.
Or make another feel incredibly proud to be a law librarian. Or make
people in general think long and hard about the war in Iraq if they
haven't already.
I think Kim Morris' address will be fascinating and provide insight into
what is really going down in Iraq with a special focus on libraries and
information in a violent 21st century. Knowing our group I am sure that
there will be debate taking place on the floor. Though, I do not think of
the Hot Topic slot as one that absolutely requires debate. For me, it is
more important that the selected topic be related to our profession. I
think Gail Warren made an excellent choice.
I will attend MANY SR programs too!
Respectfully,
Vicki Szymczak
Brooklyn Law School
> Thanks for your insights, Brian, and unfortunately you are soooooooooooo
> right! Given the flurry of commentary about the hiring policies of
> Liberty
> University recently on this listserv, one would have thought that was a
> good
> indicator of interest in the broad topic of gay rights, especially in the
> United States. Here too in Canada we are now facing a federal election in
> a
> matter of weeks and the issue of same-sex marriage is certainly one which
> is
> being asked of each and every candidate by the gay community across the
> country. The recent backpedalling in Massachusetts in terms of issuing
> licenses again is but another example of how important this issue really
> is.
> Good luck to AALL with its Baghdad session which will undoubtedly be
> interesting in itself but of no real benefit to the librarian on the
> reference desk!
>
> Wray Roulston
> Librarian
> Gardiner Roberts LLP
> 3100 - Scotia Plaza
> 40 King Street West
> Toronto, Ontario Canada
> M5H 3Y2
> Tel: 416 865-6728
> Fax: 416 865-6636
> Eml: wroulston@gardiner-roberts.com
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Baker, Brian L. [mailto:bbaker@udc.edu]
> Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 9:56 AM
> To: law-lib@ucdavis.edu
> Subject: RE: AALL 2004 Hot Topic -- not same-sex marriage
>
>
> Well, it is an interesting topic - one that I'd like to hear, and I
> commend
> Ms. Morris in her important work, but it hardly seems like a "Hot Topic"
> to
> me.
>
> Here AALL has a chance to discuss the first important Civil Rights issue
> of
> the 21st Century - how much more "Hot Topic" can you get, at one of the
> most
> crucial times and places, and they turn their back.
>
> No matter what side you come down on in the debate, it is hard to imagine
> a
> "Hotter" topic.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Brian
>
> Brian L. Baker, JD, MLS
> Director of the Law Library
> & Assistant Professor of Law
> UDC David A. Clarke School of Law
> 4200 Connecticut Avenue, NW
> Washington, DC 20008
> Voice: 202-274-7354 Fax: 202-274-7311
> bbaker@udc.edu
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu]On
> Behalf Of Stanley R. Conrad
> Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2004 9:35 PM
> To: law-lib@ucdavis.edu
> Subject: AALL 2004 Hot Topic -- not same-sex marriage
>
>
> Since there was some discussion earlier this year about whether AALL might
> agree to have a discussion of the legal aspects of the politically
> volatile
> (and possibly election swinging) issue of same-sex marriage in the open
> "hot
> topic" slot at the Boston annual meeting, I'm forwarding part of the
> following note received today from AALL's Social Responsibility SIS (some
> of
> whose members submitted the same-sex marriage proposal).
>
> I may be out of the office for the next several days, so I'll leave any
> initial commentary to others for the moment.
>
> =================================<
> Stanley R. Conrad, JD/MLS
> Reference / Special Collections Librarian
> Rittenberg Law Library
> St. John's University School of Law
> 8000 Utopia Parkway
> Jamaica, NY 11439
> conrads@stjohns.edu
> 718-990-2012 (voice)
> 718-990-6649 (fax)
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bounce-sr-sis-20315@aallnet.org on behalf of Ann Hemmens
> Sent: Wed 5/26/2004 5:45 PM
> To: AALL Social Responsibilities SIS
> Subject: [sr-sis] AALL 2004 Hot Topic
>
>
>
> Earlier today Gail Warren, Chair of the Annual Meeting Program
> Committee,
> informed the SR-SIS that our Hot Topic proposal for the 2004 AALL
> Annual
> Meeting in Boston, "Same-Sex Marriage: the Legal Issues" was not
> selected.
> The AMPC committee, which had five proposals to consider, selected
> the
> program "The Baghdad Biblio-Files: Tales from a Librarian at Large."
>
> The AALL Annual Meeting and Conference Update email (sent this
> afternoon
> from AALL) includes a description of the selected program. The text
> is
> copied below:
>
> "Formerly the Head of Electronic Services at George Washington
> University
> Law School, Kim Morris currently is Program Manager for Library and
> Information - Baghdad of the International Human Rights Law
> Institute at
> the College of Law, DePaul University. From her residence/office in
> Baghdad, Kim has been traveling to three law schools in Iraq and
> meeting
> with the deans and staff to assess their respective collections and
> begin
> the process of rebuilding their law libraries. This July, the Annual
> Meeting Program Committee brings you a snapshot of the challenges
> facing
> law librarians in Iraq by way of this year's Hot Topic program "The
> Baghdad Biblio-Files: Tales from a Librarian at Large"."
>
> [snip]
>
>
> This communication may be solicitor/client privileged and contains
> confidential information intended only for the persons to whom it
> is addressed. Any other distribution, copying or disclosure is
> strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error,
> please notify us immediately and delete this message from your mail
> box without reading or copying it.
>
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