NORTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF LAW LIBRARIES  & SLA SAN FRANCISCO BAY REGION CHAPTER PROGRAM EVENT

Sunshine Week Webcast!

Monday, March 12, 2007

Sunshine Week is almost here.  Sunshine Week is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. 

NOCALL will once again be co-sponsoring the second annual Sunshine Week National Webcast, a dialogue on open government and secrecy, called "Closed Doors, Open Democracy?" with the SLA San Francisco Bay Region Chapter.

We’re in good company. American Association of Law Libraries, American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, League of Women Voters, National Coalition Against Censorship, National Freedom of Information Coalition, OpenTheGovernment.org, Special Libraries Association, Sunshine Week, and Union of Concerned Scientists are all sponsors of the event.

The program will look at access to government information, including the impact of suppression and manipulation of scientific information on public health and safety.

The NOCALL/SLA sponsored event will conclude with a lunchtime program on open meeting laws and freedom of information requests. Speaker to be announced.

Date: Monday, March 12, 2007

Location:
County of Alameda Training Center
125 - 12th Street
Suite 400
Oakland, CA

Please note that the Training Center is easily reached from the Lake Merritt BART station.  Additional directions and a map are available at: http://www.acgov.org/conference/location.htm 

Agenda:

• 9:00-10:00 a.m.            Continental Breakfast
• 10:00-11:30 a.m.           National Webcast
• 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.    Break
• 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.          Lunchtime program
• 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.            Questions and Discussion
   

REGISTRATION INFORMATION BELOW.  REGISTRATION DEADLINE:  Thursday, March 8, 2007

The webcast will be held at the National Press Club from 1-2:30 p.m. EST, and we will see it live. Audience members at all sites will have an opportunity to call in and e-mail questions to the program. There are two panels.

Panel 1 will focus on national issues. Speakers include:

• Susan Wood, former assistant FDA commissioner for women's health and director of the Office of Women's Health who resigned in August 2005 over the delay on making Plan B accessible
• Rick Piltz, former Senior Associate with the U.S. Climate Change Science Program who blew the whistle on the Bush administration's manipulation of scientific reporting related to global warming
• A representative from the Union of Concerned Scientists to give an overview of how "Secrecy Can Make You Sick" - how secrecy of and manipulation of science can hurt you and your community
• A representative from the National Coalition Against Censorship to discuss first amendment free speech issues and describe what you can do

Panel 2 will focus on state and local issues. Speakers include:

• Bill Wolfe, Director of the New Jersey chapter of Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER)
• Mark Tapscott, Editorial Page editor of the Washington Examiner
• A former EPA librarian to be announced

The discussion will be moderated by Ira Flatow of NPR's Science Friday.

LUNCH Menu:  Platters of sandwiches, bowls of salad, drinks including water, tea & coffee, and cookies.   

COST: No charge for National Webcast; $10 for lunch program ($12.50 at the door with no advance registration)

Although there is no charge for attending the webcast, advance registration is strongly encouraged to assure that space is available.  People who do not register in advance will be admitted on a space available basis.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:  Thursday, March 8, 2007

Send registration to:

Anne Barker
Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP
379 Lytton Ave.
Palo Alto, CA 94301
650-324-6347
abarker@townsend.com

 Click here for the registration form.