Imagine an Electronic World with Room for ALL the People . . . during the

1998 INFORMATION RIGHTS WEEK

March 30th to April 3rd

Opening of INFORMATION RIGHTS WEEK:

Robson Square Conference Centre. Monday, March 30th, 9-10:30. Call the FIPA office at 739-9788 to register.

Speakers:

Colin Gabelman, former Attorney-General, who is considered the Father of the Freedom of Information Act in British Columbia

Margaret Birrell, Executive Director of the B.C. Coalition of People with Disabilities will give a public interest advocate's view of the act

Also, the Presentation of Freedom of Information and Privacy Awards for the year 1997:

Freedom of Information Award for the year's most outstanding and benefi cial use of an FOI Act in Canada

Privacy Advocate Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Advancement of Privacy Protection in Canada

Information Rights Advocate Award in recognition of a major contribution to FOI and Privacy Rights in B.C.

Whistle-Blower Award for the most courageous act of disclosure in the public interest

Wednesday, April 1st, Vancouver Public Library, Alice McKay Room, 1-4:30 p.m.

For Better or Worse: Government Publishing Online and Otherwise An Open Meeting of the BCLA Government Publications Committee. Anyone interested in government information is invited to attend.

Convenor: Nancy Hannum, Chief Librarian, Legal Resource Centre, Legal Services Society Sponsored by the Information Policy Committee, BC Library Assocation

Thursday, April 2nd, Vancouver Public Library, Alice McKay Room, 12 noon

Public Access to the Internet in Libraries: Principles and Practices

The media has focussed on another "p" word -pornography- in discussing libraries and the Internet. Yet librarians understand this is a distorted view, when one looks at the many kinds of information patrons are finding via the Internet. Only 9% of Canadian households have Internet access. How do the other 91% get on the much-ballyhooed "Information Highway"? Why is it important for libraries to provide access? What kind of "access" should libraries provide? Is this a new role for libraries or complexities for libraries and librarians in introducing a new technology to the public?

Speakers: John Westwood (Executive Director, B.C. Civil Liberties Association) Dr. Ann Curry (Associate Professor, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, UBC)

Sponsored by: Information Policy Committee, B.C. Library Association

Thursday, April 2nd, SFU Harbour Centre, Joseph and Rosalie Segel Centre, 7p.m.

The question of Universal Access: Who has it, who doesn't?

Information Rights Week is a time to reflect on the progress, or lack of it, on making the benefits of the wired world available to everyone. A panel of Information Rights advocates will inspire us to . . . Imagine an Electronic World with Room for ALL the People. . . . and to make it happen.

Speakers: Dr. Ellen Balka, Associate Professor, School of Communication, Simon Fraser University Sid Shniad, Research Director, Telecommunication Workers Union Penny Goldsmith, President, Vancouver Community Network and Coordinator, PovNet Brian Campbell, CLA Joint Task Force on Information Policy

Sponsored by: Information Policy Committee, B.C. Library Association

Call the BCLA Office at 430-9633 for further information on events sponsored by the BCLA Information Policy Committee.

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