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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Volume 14, No. 28 A Weekly Newspaper for the Library Staff August 1, 2003 Maps Chart Dreams Maps tell stories, and the Library’s major new exhibition featur- ing the oldest map of America and maps that inspired and charted Lewis and Clark’s exploration of new lands west of the Missouri tells the nation’s story of “what we were, what we are, and what we might yet be.” With these words from scholar James P. Ronda, Library guests on July 23 were invited to preview the exhibition, “Rivers, Edens, Empires: Lewis & Clark and the Revealing of America,” which opened to the public the next day in the Northwest Gallery and Pavilion of the Thomas Jefferson Building. In his welcoming remarks, Librarian James H. Billington thanked Congress for its $5 million appropriation and Madison Council John Nelson members John Hendricks, Gerry Lenfest, and David Koch for their Prince Johannes Waldburg-Wolfegg explicates the 1507 map his family preserved for more than 350 years before he sold it matching gifts that made possible the recent purchase of the 1507 to the Library. The map is in pristine condition. MAP, Continues on page 8 Alden Almquist Selected New Kluge Staff Fellow By PEGGY PEARLSTEIN the Library’s rich corpus of collections of French- and English-language works about Alden Almquist, a literary examiner in Africa by scholars, missionary ethnogra- the Copyright Offi ce—and an anthropolo- phers, travelers, professional hunters, and gist by education and former resident of colonial diplomats and offi cers. He will Africa—has been selected as the Library’s KLUGE, ContinuesContinues onon pagepage 4 next Kluge Staff Fellow. On Oct. 1, Almquist will begin his residency at the Library’s Kluge Center for a period of up to 12 months. The title of Almquist’s project is “Indigenous Knowledge and Practices as Resources in the Preservation of Wildlife and Biodiversity in Africa.” Alden Almquist The outcome of his research will be Interested in becoming a map of African localities showing the ing to Almquist, western conservation inhabitants’ knowledge of wildlife and agents often ignore customary conser- a Kluge Staff Fellow? customary conservation practices that vation practices and fail to integrate the Staff are invited to the Kluge Center for an informal tour and to ask could be useful to biologists and ecolo- knowledge and experience of indigenous questions of staff fellows Eniko Basa gists in creating sustainable wildlife con- peoples into national conservation proj- and Brian Taves. servation programs in Africa. ects and planning. Staff may call 7-3302 to set up a Almquist will focus his study on the Almquist will survey recent scholarly meeting Sylvia Albro (Conservation understanding that Africans have of their work on the topic in the Library’s serial Division), the fi rst Kluge Staff Fellow, natural environment and the symbiotic holdings of wildlife conservation jour- is also available to meet or talk with relationships between people, land, nals, religious studies publications, and prospective applicants. water, plants, and animals. Accord- social science journals. He will explore 2 THE GAZETTE AUGUST 1, 2003 The Gazette A weekly newspaper for the Library of Congress staff OGC Decides LC Unaffected by Internet Filter Case GAIL FINEBERG Editor court noted that, in the interest of allow- MICHAELA McNICHOL BY AARON GREGORY ing adult patrons to freely access all the Visual Information Specialist information that the Internet has to offer, Contributing Editors: Deborah Durham-Vichr, Calendar; and The Supreme Court’s June 23 deci- Carla V. Bussey, Moving On and Length of Service. librarians could turn off the fi lters. The Proofreaders: Sally CraigCraig and Suzy Platt sion upholding the constitutionality of court found that “the interest in protecting Internet fi lters in public libraries does young library users from material inappro- PETER BRAESTRUP JAMES W. McCLUNG not affect the policies and procedures of priate for minors is legitimate. Given the Library of Congress, according to the Founder Founding Publisher this interest, and the failure to show that (1990 – 1997) (1990 – 1994) Library’s Offi ce of General Counsel. adult library users’ access to the material In considering the case of United is burdened in any signifi cant degree, the States v. American Library Association, statute is not unconstitutional.” the Supreme Court dealt with the issue The Gazette encourages LC staff to submit articles or photographs The General Counsel’s Offi ce has con- of general interest. Submissions will be edited to convey the most necessary information. of whether the federal government could cluded that, because of the specifi cs of this make certain types of funding and assis- Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Wednesday, one week prior particular case and the unique nature of to publication date. Please submit text in digital form and if pos- tance available to public libraries con- the Library of Congress, the court’s ruling silble include hard copy with your submission. tingent upon the installation of Internet An offi cial publication of the Library of Congress, The Gazette will not affect the policies of the Library is largely staffed by Library employees who have volunteered fi lters in computer terminals accessible to of Congress. Because the Library grants for part-time details. Persons interested in serving a detail as a minors. In a 6-3 decision, the court con- page editor, writer, proofreader, photographer, reporter, or artist research access only to those over the age may submit applications to the editor, LM 105, mail code 1620. cluded that the government could require Those persons interested in contributing to The Gazette as partpart that the court sought to protect, there is of a Library-wide network should fi rst check with their supervi- certain federally funded public libraries to sors. Back issues of The Gazette are availableavailable in the newspapernewspaper no compelling interest in filtering the offi ce, LM 105. install fi ltering programs in their computer Internet terminals of Library researchers terminals without violating the principles James Madison Memorial Building, LM 105 and patrons. Furthermore, the Library Library of Congress of the First Amendment. receives no funding from programs that Washington, DC 20540-1620 The court weighed the constitution- Editor 707-9194, gfi [email protected] would require the installation of Internet Calendar Editor 707-1639, [email protected] ality of Internet fi lters “overblocking” fi lters in reading rooms. Production 707-0970, [email protected] harmless and possibly useful infor- Therefore, the Library’s policies will ISSN 1049-8184 mation in order to obstruct access of remain unaffected by the court’s decision, minors to “inappropriate” materials. The even if the age of access to the Library’s Printed on paper that contains recycled paper by the reading rooms is lowered. The Library’s Printing Management Section, Offi ce Systems Services LC Toastmasters policies prohibiting the use of the Internet Improve your speaking, communication, for unlawful or disruptive purposes and Gazette Welcomes Letters from Staff and leadership skills, meet new people, other abuses of the Internet will remain and have fun! Come to an LC Toastmas- The staff is invited to use the Forum pages for lively and in effect. thoughtful debate relevant to Library issues. However, just ters Meeting! as other newspaper editors exercise discretion over which —Aaron Gregory is a junior at Amherst letters to publish and how to edit them, so do we. In decid- Wednesday, Aug. 6 ing whether or how much to publish, we consider content Noon - 1 p.m., Pickford Theater, LM 301 College and an intern in the offi ces of Gen- (including misstatements of fact, libel, innuendo, ridicule of individuals or the institution, personal attacks, and redun- Tuesday, Aug. 19 eral Counsel and Development. dancy) and length (the limit is 600 words). Noon - 1 p.m., Dining Room A, LM 620 Letters must be signed by the author, whose place of work and telephone extension should be included so we can Thursday, Sept. 4 OIG Hot Lines verify authorship. Letter writers should understand that Noon - 1 p.m., Pickford Theater, LM 301 Reports of offenses against the Library may be made when they sign their letters and release them to us for For more information, contact in confi dence to the Offi ce of the Inspector General, publication they are relinquishing privacy. If a letter calls 7-6306, by fax at 7-6032, or by sending an e-mail to for management response, for example an explanation of a SaundraSaundra SmithSmith at 7-8166. OIG Hotline, [email protected]. policy or actions or clarifi cation of fact, we will ask for man- agement response.—Ed. Goin’ Fishin’ Gazette at a glance . The Gazette will be published Aug. 1 and 8 but will take its annual breather People 3 Aug. 15-29 so the editor can catch up and take a vacation. Publication will Notable Events 9 resume on Sept. 5. The Sept. 5 issue deadline will be Aug. 25. Moving On 11 Calendar items should be sent by e-mail to [email protected], and articles should be sent to the editor by e-mail at gfi [email protected]. Calendar 12 www.loc.gov/staff/gazette AUGUST 1, 2003 THE GAZETTE 3 PEOPLE LC Shows Ancient Manuscripts of Timbuktu By MARY-JANE DEEB hen LC’s Marieta Harper fi rst saw the ancient manuscripts This astronomy text showing the of Mali in Northwest Africa in rotation of the heavens, titled “The W Important Stars Among the Multi- 2002, she had one thought—that others tude of the Heavens,” was copied should have the opportunity to view this in 1733. The item may be seen in evidence of a literary tradition in West the exhibition, “Ancient Manuscripts from the Desert Libraries of Tim- Africa.