[OPLINLIST] FW: [alacoun] Network Neutrality Update

Fri May 2 08:56:59 EDT 2014

News from the American Library Association.

Pamela J. Hickson-Stevenson, Ohio Chapter Councilor to ALA and
Deputy Director
Akron-Summit County Public Library
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From: Vivian Wynn [mailto:vwynn91 at bellsouth.net]
Sent: Thursday, May 01, 2014 10:05 PM
To: alacoun at ala.org
Cc: Christopher Harris (infomancy at gmail.com); Emily Sheketoff; Jeffrey P. Kratz; Larra Clark; Alan S. Inouye; Lynne E. Bradley; alacol2 at ala.org
Subject: [alacoun] Network Neutrality Update

From: Vivian Wynn
Posting as Chair of the ALA Committee on Legislation

We both want to thank you for your continued interest in the network neutrality issues.  First, please note the COL program on NN scheduled for Saturday June 28, at 10:30 am.  Speakers will include Gigi Sohn, Special Counsel for External Affairs, Federal Communications Commission, Vivian Wynn, Chair of the Committee on Legislation and President of Wynn Library Consulting, Aaron Dobbs, former members of the OITP Advisory Committee, past chair of the ALA Web Advisory Committee and Systems and Electronic resources Librarian, Shippensburg University, and Emily Sheketoff, Direct of the ALA Washington Office.  [LVCC Rm. N259/261]

You have probably all seen the news reports recently about an announcement from FCC Chairman Wheeler concerning an anticipated NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) on network neutrality. There are various, and sometimes contradicting, reports about the Chairman's intentions and preferences and how the proceeding will be crafted. Because of your interest and responsibility on this policy issue, we wanted you to know that ALA is watching this issue very closely and will be reviewing whatever announcement is made. Obviously, ALA will be participating in any rulemaking or other proceeding on NN as the opportunities arise.

In response to the post from Councilor Downing, we could not agree more.  The immediate action the FCC is looking at for May is to vote on the issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which likely will include draft rules for public review and comment.  The NPRM will mark the next step in our advocacy for the strongest possible protections for network neutrality, rather than any binding decision by the FCC.
Now is the time to express our personal thoughts and concerns on NN and the current situation as the NPRM proceeding moves forward.  Another article to look at on this issue that considers the policy and politics is at http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/the-fcc-caved-on-net-neutrality-but-it-didn-t-really-have-a-choice-20140424.
The ALA  remains strongly committed to the Open Internet and was one of the first organizations to file in the recently opened FCC docket on the issue. The joint letter with the Association of Research Libraries and EDUCAUSE, as well as additional information, is available at http://www.ala.org/advocacy/telecom/netneutrality.

We believe preserving an open Internet is essential to our nation's freedom of speech, educational achievement, and economic growth. As the ALA has previously stated, the FCC should prohibit blocking access to legal web sites, applications and internet-based services; provide transparency around network management; and ensure all content is treated equally over the internet. We need enforceable rules that protect equitable access to electronic resources and the ability for library users—and all Internet users—to create and disseminate their own content and applications without paying a toll to do so.
We must ensure the same quality access to online educational and digitized content as to entertainment and other commercial offerings. Libraries and higher-education institutions have a significant stake in ensuring our patrons, students and educators are able to access all the content we generate, as well as the wider internet services, and can disseminate their own content with high-quality internet access.

We are urging the FCC to fill the void created by the appeals court’s decision and develop open Internet principles and enforceable policies, whether that entails reclassifying Internet access as a “telecommunications service” or adopting new rules protecting consumer rights.

Network neutrality will certainly be on our agendas for meetings at Annual 2014 and WO staff will be keeping us updated.  We encourage your questions and comments and will be posting more information as the issue moves forward.

Vivian Wynn, Chair – Committee on Legislation
Christopher Harris, Chair – OITP Advisory Committee

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