Woman’s Day magazine along with the American Library Association is running the contest, “Has the library positively impacted your health?” If the library’s resources have helped you find a diagnosis for yourself or a loved one, or improved your physical, mental or emotional well-being, enter the contest in an essay of 700 words or less. You may be one of the four women featured in an upcoming issue of Woman’s Day. You may enter by e-mailing the essay to womansday@ala.org between Feb. 12 and May 11, 2008, noon ET. Click here to see the contest rules.
The March 4, 2008 issue featured the four winners of “The library helped me start my business”.
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Here's the letter I sent to Woman's Day and to the ALA:
Dear Woman's Day Magazine,
Regarding the WD/ALA Essay Contest 2008, I wish to bring to your attention that the latest generation of Internet filters used in public libraries does not block health-related information including breast cancer. Even the ACLU's own expert testified to this and that the filters are 95% effective or more. See ACLU v. Gonzales, E.D. Pa., March 2007, finding COPA (Children's Online Protection Act) unconstitutional precisely because filters work so well. http://www.paed.uscourts.gov/documents/opinions/07D0346P.pdf
Know this because the ALA's position is that filters block out breast cancer and the like. For example: http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/woissues/civilliberties/cipaweb/legalhistory/remarkskrug.cfm The ALA may attempt to use the contest results to promote false or out-of-date information.
As you judge the contest and produce the ultimate report to be published, you will do a disservice to your readers and women generally if you allow the perpetuation of the ALA's view that public library filters block too much. Rather, consider the ACLU expert's view, the court's ruling, and the truth that modern filters properly administered allow access to health-related web sites while legally denying access to material that does not raise censorship concerns according to the US Supreme Court in US v. ALA: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/02pdf/02-361.pdf
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I have including the links so you can determine for yourselves the truth of issues I bring to your attention.
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