LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Volume 15, No. 30 A Weekly Newspaper for the Library Staff August 20, 2004 Devices Improve Communications Between LC Police, Capitol Police will notify the Library Police of various By GAIL FINEBERG emergency scenarios. Annunciators: In addition, a uni- ibrary Police say they have improved versal emergency warning system will emergency communications with sound simultaneously in the Capitol, Lthe Capitol Police, closing a com- Senate and House buildings and the munications gap that existed on June 9, Library. The Library has installed six when Capitol Hill buildings were evacu- of these annunciators, which will com- ated erratically—or not at all as in the municate Capitol Police orders instan- case of the Madison and Adams build- taneously in the Capitol, House, Senate ings—in response to an errant aircraft and Library buildings. Annunciators are that had entered restricted Capitol area located in the Police Communications airspace. Center and Police Operations offi ce in “I feel like we are light years ahead of the Jefferson Building and the LC Police where we were on June 9. We are right in captain’s office and the Security and the living room, so to speak, of everything Emergency Preparedness Offi ce in the Ted Kooser, Poet Laureate that’s occurring on Capitol Hill,” Library Madison Building. Police Capt. Melvin L. Dogan said after a These devices will be the primary Librarian of Congress monthly Town Hall Meeting on Aug. 10 means of emergency communications in the Mumford Room. between the Capitol Police and Library Appoints Ted Kooser Technology has made the differ- Police. 13th Poet Laureate ence. A new public-address system that Blackberry wireless: The Library will carry emergency messages to all A lifelong resident of the Midwest, the now possesses a wireless communica- corners of Library buildings is in the new poet laureate consultant in poetry to tion device called a “Blackberry,” which process of being designed, Dogan said. the Library enjoyed poetry so much that enables Library Police watch command- “This time next year, you should have a he wrote every morning before going to ers to monitor all Capitol Hill emergency new PA system,” he said. work. situations involving the Capitol Police. In response to a staffer’s question “For 35 years I worked behind a desk LC Police now have knowledge of police later about who decides the appropri- in the life insurance business, getting up activities on Capitol Hill, 24 hours a day, ate actions to take in an emergency, at 4:30 or 5 every day to write my poems. seven days a week. Dogan and emergency preparedness This gave me a couple of hours to write “Now we know if there is suspicious coordinator Gary “Buck” Buchanan before I had to put on my suit and tie and air traffi c, a suspicious vehicle or pack- explained that the emergency scenario set out for the offi ce,” said Ted Kooser, age, or a bomb threat,” Dogan said. “The will determine the decision-making pro- whose appointment by the Librarian of Blackberry wireless incorporates the cess. For example, a national or Capitol Congress was announced last week. Library into the decision-making process area emergency would drive the Capitol Kooser will take up his duties as the as soon as possible,” he told the staff. Police response, and the Library would 13th poet laureate in the fall, when he will Two-way radios: A second way that follow the Capitol Police lead but make open the Library’s annual literary series Library Police can communicate directly decisions appropriate to the concerns of on Oct. 7 with a reading of his work. He with the Capitol Police is by way of hand- the Library. For example, a fi re, bomb succeeds Louise Glück. held, two-way radios that are all linked to threat or some other “local” emergency “Ted Kooser is a major poetic voice the same Capitol Police radio channel. could require evacuation of a particular for rural and small town America and Also, the two agencies have agreed to House, Senate or Library building but not the fi rst poet laureate chosen from the protocols by which the Capitol Police DEVICES, Continues on page 8 LAUREATE, Continues on page 4 2 THE GAZETTE AUGUST 20, 2004 NOTICES The Gazette The 2004 National Book Festival needs your help! A weekly newspaper for the Library of Congress staff GAIL FINEBERG Volunteer to work at the National Book Festival Editor MICHAELA McNICHOL on Saturday, Oct. 9 Visual Information Specialist Volunteers must attend a briefi ng session in early October and work one four- Contributing Editors: Carlin “René” Sayles, Moving On and hour shift at the festival. Length of Service; Runako Balondemu, Donated Leave Library Services staff will be given compensatory time for volunteering. Proofreader: Suzy Platt To volunteer, please send an e-mail message to: [email protected] PETER BRAESTRUP JAMES W. McCLUNG If you need additional information, contact Kathy Woodrell, 2004 National Founder Founding Publisher Book Festival volunteer coordinator at [email protected], 7-0945 (phone) or (1990 – 1997) (1990 – 1994) 7-1957 (fax). The Gazette encourages LC staff to submit articles or photographs of general interest. Submissions will be edited to convey the most Emergency Preparedness Training necessary information. Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. Wednesday, one week prior to publication date. Please submit text in digital form and if pos- Offi ce of Security and Emergency Preparedness silble include hard copy with your submission. Training Dates in Coordination with the LCIU An offi cial publication of the Library of Congress, The Gazette is largely staffed by Library employees who have volunteered for part- Date Time Course Location time details. Persons interested in serving a detail as a page editor, writer, proofreader, photographer, reporter, or artist may submit Aug. 25 10 - 11:30 a.m. Assisting Persons with Disabilities LM-654a/b applications to the editor, LM 105, mail code 1620. Those persons interested in contributing to The Gazette as partpart of a LibrLibrary-wideary-wide Aug. 31 10 - 11:30 a.m. Stair Chair LM-654a/b network should fi rst check with their supervisors. Back issues of The Gazette are availableavailable in the newspapernewspaper offi ce,ce, LM 105. Sept. 1 10 - 11 a.m. Basic Emergency Evacuation LM-654a/b Sept. 7 10 - 11:30 a.m. Stair Chair LM-654a/b James Madison Memorial Building, LM 105 Sept. 14 10 - 11 a.m. Incident Command LM-654a/b Library of Congress Washington, DC 20540-1620 Sept. 22 10 - 11:30 a.m. Assisting Persons with Disabilities LM-654a/b Sept. 30 10 - 11 a.m. Quickmask LM-654a/b Editor 707-9194, gfi [email protected] Oct. 6 10 - 11 a.m. Basic Emergency Evacuation LM-654a/b Production 707-0970, [email protected] ISSN 1049-8184 Oct. 7 10 - 11 a.m. Quickmask LM-654a/b Register for classes on the LCIU website http://www.loc.gov/staff/lciu/. Printed on paper that contains recycled paper by the Printing Management Section, Offi ce Systems Services Health Forum “Interactions of Dietary Supplements, Herbals and Conventional Medications,” Gazette Welcomes Letters from Staff with Alan P. Agins, Ph.D., pharmacology. An adjunct professor at Brown University The staff is invited to use the Forum pages for lively and thoughtful debate relevant to Library issues. However, just Medical School, Agins has published “Teacher’s Drug Reference: A Guide to as other newspaper editors exercise discretion over which letters to publish and how to edit them, so do we. In decid- Medical Conditions and Drugs Commonly Used in School-Aged Children.” ing whether or how much to publish, we consider content (including misstatements of fact, libel, innuendo, ridicule of 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 26, individuals or the institution, personal attacks, and redun- West Dining Room, LM 621. dancy) and length (the limit is 600 words). Sponsored by Health Services Offi ce and Science, Technology and Business Division Letters must be signed by the author, whose place of work and telephone extension should be included so we can verify authorship. Letter writers should understand that when they sign their letters and release them to us for publication they are relinquishing privacy. If a letter calls for management response, for example, an explanation of CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield Service Days a policy or actions or clarification of fact, we will ask for management response.—Ed. CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield will hold a series of service days for Library staff on Sept. 8 and Oct. 13. DEADLINE A CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield representative will be available to respond to any health Copy for the Gazette must be submitted by benefi ts inquiries from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in LM 107. C.O.B. on Wednesday a week prior to the issue’s publication date. Individuals with unresolved claims, or questions about enrollment and benefi ts, are encour- Next Gazette deadline: aged to see the representative. No appointment is necessary. Staff members will be seen on August 25 for September 3 issue. a fi rst-come, fi rst-served basis. Staff with further questions about the service days may call Ellen Hunnicutt, personnel management specialist, at 7-1700. Gazette at a glance . Moving On 11 OIG Hot Lines Reports of offenses against the Library may be made in confi dence to the Offi ce of the Inspector Calendar 12 General, 7-6306, by fax at 7-6032, or by sending an e-mail to OIG Hotline, [email protected]. www.loc.gov/staff/gazette AUGUST 20, 2004 THE GAZETTE 3 Columnist Discusses Undoing of ‘Progressive’ Policies right-wing wave” in sympathy with the conservative ideas championed by Sen.