June Issue of the Washington E-Bulletin

The June issue of the Washington E-Bulletin is now available on AALLNET. Here is the Table of Contents:

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

• See You in Philadelphia!
• 2011 Public Access to Government Information and Oakley Advocacy Award Winners

STAY INFORMED/GET INVOLVED: News and Action Alerts

• Five Years after Library Closures, EPA Releases Final Strategic Plan
• Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and GPO Launch New PACER Pilot Project
• House Appropriations Committee Approves E-Gov Funding
• House Oversight Committee Approves Bill to Increase Access to Congressional Reports
• National Archives Releases Guidance on “Controlled Unclassified Information”

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY: Chapter News

• AALL’s Working Groups Finalize State Inventories

FREE TIME WELL SPENT: Further Reading for the Information Policy Junkie

• GPO Publishes Congressional Pictorial Directory for the 112th Congress
• Pentagon Papers Released, Including Previously Redacted Eleven Words

AALL Releases Statement in Support of the EPA’s Library Network Strategic Plan

After more than five years since we first learned of the proposed closure of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) libraries, the EPA yesterday released its long-awaited final strategic plan for its National Library Network.

AALL, the Medical Library Association (MLA), and the Special Libraries Association (SLA) released a statement to commend the EPA on the release of the Library Network Strategic Plan. The statement highlights the years of advocacy by our three associations to keep the libraries open and encourage the Library Network to utilize emerging technologies to digitize, authenticate and circulate documents through electronic means. The release of the three-year plan follows a September 2010 Government Accountability Office report on the need for the agency to complete a strategy for its Library Network to meet user needs.

The release of the plan is a victory for members of the public, researchers, government officials, and businesses who will benefit from the Library Network’s plans to improve access to environmental information. We look forward to working with EPA on the plan’s implementation.

May Issue of the Washington E-Bulletin

The May issue of the Washington E-Bulletin is now available on AALLNET. Here is the Table of Contents:

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

• New Information Added: Register Now for AALL’s Legislative Advocacy and Policy Programs in Philadelphia

STAY INFORMED/GET INVOLVED: News and Action Alerts

• Congress Passes Four Year USA PATRIOT Act Extension Without Reform
• AALL Submits Testimony in Support of Funding for Library of Congress and GPO
• AALL Supports Bill to Increase Online Access to Congressional Reports
• Senate Judiciary Committee Reports Problematic Online Piracy Bill
• Senate Passes Bill to Establish Commission to Examine FOIA Delays

OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY: Chapter News

• State Law Library Funding Updates/Pro-Active Outreach in Support of Public Law Libraries
• Washington State Update, State Library will Remain Open
• SNELLA Update Regarding the Connecticut Paperless Task Force

FREE TIME WELL SPENT: Further Reading for the Information Policy Junkie

• Open Government Group Launches New Website on FOIA Court Decisions
• Public Interest Declassification Board Concludes Series on Recommendations