Accounting giant Ernst & Young admits its employees cheated on ethics exams; NPR, June 28, 2022

JACQUELINE GANUN , NPR; Accounting giant Ernst & Young admits its employees cheated on ethics exams

Ernst & Young, one of the top accounting firms in the world, is being fined $100 million by federal regulators after admitting its employees cheated on their ethics exams. 

For years, the firm's auditors had cheated to pass key exams that are needed for certified public accountant licenses, the Securities and Exchange Commission found. Ernst & Young also had internal reports about the cheating but didn't disclose the wrongdoing to regulators during the investigation.

"It's simply outrageous that the very professionals responsible for catching cheating by clients cheated on ethics exams of all things," Gurbir S. Grewal, director of the SEC's Enforcement Division, said in a release. 

The fine is the largest penalty ever imposed by the SEC on an audit firm. 

The CPA, or certified public accountant, licenses are needed by auditors to evaluate the financial statements of companies and ensure they are complying with laws.

However, the SEC says that a "significant number" of Ernst & Young audit professionals specifically cheated on the ethics component of the CPA exams that were required for their accounting jobs."

Anatomy of a Book Banning; The Washington Post, June 24, 2022

Dave Eggers, The Washington Post; Anatomy of a Book Banning

A South Dakota school district planned to destroy Dave Eggers’s novel. He went to investigate.

[Kip Currier: The 6/24/22 Washington Post article, Anatomy of a Book Banning, is an extraordinarily thought-provoking, illluminating "call-to-action" perspective by noted author Dave Eggers (The Circle, 2013). This article -- a proverbial "canary in the coal mine" on censorship realities and exigencies in present-day American school districts -- is relevant to all information professionals. This first-hand account also sheds light on a variety of stakeholders and communities, with particular pertinence to school libraries, teachers, students, parents, and all societal members concerned about informed citizenries and civil liberties.

Although information professionals are increasingly being asked to do more with less resources, less time, less compensation, less acknowledgement -- experiencing burgeoning compassion fatigue and the trauma of library work -- I would suggest we need to think even more strategically, both short-term and longitudinally, about what we can do to add our voices, ideas, passions, stories, and expertise to these bedrock issues of intellectual freedom, access to information, and the right to self-determination and pursuit of each person's happiness. To that end, more of us may need to consider running for and serving on school boards and other boards that make consequential decisions about many information-related matters that are within the wheelhouses and bailiwicks of librarians, archivists, data/information/computing/museum professionals. Or getting more involved in getting behind candidates and already-serving members of boards who support and lead on the kinds of issues that are integral to us and implicated by stories like this one by Dave Eggers.]

"South Dakota’s Codified Law 22-24-27 prevents the distribution to minors of sexually explicit material that is “without serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.” Given that all five books are literary works that have only a few pages (or just a few paragraphs) of sexual content, the law does not apply in this case. Court rulings, including Island Trees School District v. Pico (1982), have further found that books cannot be removed from school libraries simply because certain individuals think they’re offensive.

Unspoken in much of the debate is that the vast majority of books assigned to high-schoolers also contain material that would probably be deemed objectionable under the same standards. The students of Rapid City are still allowed to read “Oedipus Rex,” in which the protagonist kills his father and then sleeps with his mother. They are still allowed to read “The Great Gatsby,” which contains alcoholism, adultery and murder. “Romeo and Juliet,” which remains on reading lists and on the shelves of all three Rapid City public high school libraries, centers on a torrid love affair between teenagers, both of whom kill themselves."

Parts of John Hughes’ novel The Dogs copied from The Great Gatsby and Anna Karenina; The Guardian, June 15, 2022

 Anna Verney, The Guardian; Parts of John Hughes’ novel The Dogs copied from The Great Gatsby and Anna Karenina

"The Australian novelist John Hughes, who last week admitted to “unintentionally” plagiarising parts of a Nobel laureate’s novel, appears to have also copied without acknowledgment parts of The Great Gatsby, Anna Karenina and other classic texts in his new book The Dogs.

The revelation of new similarities follows an investigation by Guardian Australia which resulted in Hughes’ 2021 novel being withdrawn from the longlist of the $60,000 Miles Franklin literary award.

That investigation uncovered 58 similarities and identical instances of text between parts of The Dogs and the 2017 English translation of Belarusian Nobel prize laureate Svetlana Alexievich’s nonfiction work The Unwomanly Face of War."

Most judges in survey support U.S. Supreme Court having ethics code; Reuters, June 22, 2022

Reuters; Most judges in survey support U.S. Supreme Court having ethics code

"Hundreds of judges nationwide believe that U.S. Supreme Court justices should be subject to an ethics code, according to a poll released Wednesday, with one saying they should set a "very high bar for the rest of us to emulate."

The National Judicial College, which provides training to judges nationally, said that in a survey of more than 12,000 of its alumni, 97% of the 859 judges who responded agreed Supreme Court justices should be bound by an ethics code."

REVIEW: Image Comics' Public Domain #1; CBR, June 20, 2022

 SERGIO PEREIRA, CBR; REVIEW: Image Comics' Public Domain #1

"The prolific creator continues to blend humor and drama in Public Domain #1, the first installment of a new series from Image Comics, where he works to take on creators' rights.

The first issue introduces Syd Dallas, a comic book artist responsible for The Domain, the biggest superhero around. Sadly, no one knows that Syd created the character because Singular Comics owns the publishing rights. And his former collaborator, Jerry Jasper, is more than happy to take the credit for it. Syd's children, Miles and David, struggle to understand why their father hasn't fought harder to gain what is rightfully his. However, a chance encounter at the premiere of Eminent Domain, the latest film in the franchise, may change everything for Syd."

The Unburnable Book: Margaret Atwood’s THE HANDMAID'S TALE; May 23, 2022

The Unburnable Book: Margaret Atwood’s THE HANDMAID'S TALE

"To benefit PEN America’s work defending freedom of expression, Penguin Random House is proud to partner with Margaret Atwood and Sotheby’s to offer an unburnable edition of the classic, and often banned, novel The Handmaid’s Tale."

Smithsonian Adopts Policy on Ethical Returns; Smithsonian, May 3, 2022

Smithsonian; Smithsonian Adopts Policy on Ethical Returns

"“There is a growing understanding at the Smithsonian and in the world of museums generally that our possession of these collections carries with it certain ethical obligations to the places and people where the collections originated,” said Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch. “Among these obligations is to consider, using our contemporary moral norms, what should be in our collections and what should not. This new policy on ethical returns is an expression of our commitment to meet these obligations.”

“When we talk about the shared stewardship of collections, what we are really talking about is a change of both scholarly practice and philosophy,” said Kevin Gover, the Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for Museums and Culture. “We seek to share what we know of our collections and to learn from the communities of origin in a collaborative exchange of knowledge.”

Smithsonian museums will each establish criteria and procedures for deaccessioning and returning collections for ethical reasons based on this new policy. In certain cases, the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents may be required to approve the deaccession and return when objects are of significant monetary value, research or historical value, or when the deaccession might create significant public interest.

The Values and Principles Statement below is also part of the Smithsonian’s Collections Management policy:"

Why the Smithsonian Adopted a New Policy on Ethical Collecting; Smithsonian Magazine, June 2022

Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary, Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian Magazine; Why the Smithsonian Adopted a New Policy on Ethical Collecting

For more than a century, museum artifacts were acquired in ways we no longer find acceptable. How can we repair the damage?

"In 2021, the Smithsonian asked a group of collections specialists and curators to examine how to make ethical concerns central to our ongoing stewardship of Smithsonian collections. The group’s recommendations, with overwhelming support from the collections community, went into effect at the end of April. The new policy authorizes our museums to enter arrangements to share authority, expertise and responsibility for objects’ care and return certain objects based on how and under what circumstances they were acquired. Unethical acquisition could include an object having been stolen, taken under duress or removed without the owner’s consent.

The first return under consideration is a set of objects dating from the 13th century removed by the British during an 1897 raid of Benin City in what is now the nation of Nigeria. These artifacts, known as the Benin bronzes, were donated to or acquired by numerous museums over the years, including the National Museum of African Art. Of the 39 pieces in its collection, 29 have been confirmed or determined likely to have been looted, and pending approval by the Smithsonian Board of Regents, will be returned to the Nigerian government."

Three Libraries Work with Teens to Pilot VR Program for Mental Health; Library Journal, May 26, 2022

Matt Enis , Library Journal ; Three Libraries Work with Teens to Pilot VR Program for Mental Health

"The Seattle Public Library (SPL); District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL); and Fayette Public Library, Museum & Archives (FPLMA), La Grange, TX, in partnership with the University of Washington (UW), have launched VRtality.org, a website that provides libraries and other institutions with a roadmap for co-designing virtual reality (VR) apps to support the mental health of teens. The roadmap and website were informed by three separate VR pilot programs developed by the three libraries. Librarians worked directly with teen patrons to create the VR programs, treating them as equal partners in the projects...

Harris noted that “co-design really allowed them to feel comfortable sharing their ideas with us, as opposed to ‘we’re instructing, and there’s a right answer.’ The fact that we’re all learning together and building this together, I think that A: It helps us establish relationships with them. And B: It allows them…to suggest some crazy stuff and see where it goes.”"

Nature addresses helicopter research and ethics dumping; Nature, June 2, 2022

Nature; Nature addresses helicopter research and ethics dumping

"Exploitative research practices, sadly, come in all shapes and sizes. ‘Helicopter research’ occurs when researchers from high-income settings, or who are otherwise privileged, conduct studies in lower-income settings or with groups who are historically marginalized, with little or no involvement from those communities or local researchers in the con- ceptualization, design, conduct or publication of the research. ‘Ethics dumping’ occurs when similarly privileged researchers export unethical or unpalatable experiments and studies to lower-income or less-privileged settings with different ethical standards or less oversight."

The Owner Of Seth Green's Stolen Bored Ape Said They Have No Plans To Return It; BuzzFeedNews, May 25, 2022

Sarah Emerson, BuzzFeedNews; The Owner Of Seth Green's Stolen Bored Ape Said They Have No Plans To Return It

"BuzzFeed News reported on Tuesday that the theft of Green’s NFTs could present complications for his forthcoming series, White Horse Tavern, which incorporates characters from the actor’s extensive NFT collection. It’s possible that after losing his Bored Ape to a phishing scam this month, Green also lost his license to commercially adapt the monkey. In what has become something of a hostage scenario, Green has since tried to negotiate the return of what he has called his “kidnapped” ape."

Federal judge takes rare step of backing U.S. Supreme Court ethics code; Reuters, May 26, 2022

Nate Raymond, Reuters; Federal judge takes rare step of backing U.S. Supreme Court ethics code

"Senior U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton told attendees of a conference in Chicago focused on threats to the independence of the courts that it was "unimaginable that we have a segment of our federal judiciary that's not subject to an ethics code.""

Accused of Cheating by an Algorithm, and a Professor She Had Never Met; The New York Times, May 27, 2022

Kashmir Hill, The New York Times; Accused of Cheating by an Algorithm, and a Professor She Had Never Met

An unsettling glimpse at the digitization of education.

"The most serious flaw with these systems may be a human one: educators who overreact when artificially intelligent software raises an alert.

“Schools seem to be treating it as the word of God,” Mr. Quintin said. “If the computer says you’re cheating, you must be cheating.”"

AI Ethics And The Quagmire Of Whether You Have A Legal Right To Know Of AI Inferences About You, Including Those Via AI-Based Self-Driving Cars; Forbes, May 25, 2022

Lance Eliot, Forbes; AI Ethics And The Quagmire Of Whether You Have A Legal Right To Know Of AI Inferences About You, Including Those Via AI-Based Self-Driving Cars

"Speaking of sitting, please sit down for the next eye-opening statement about this. You might be unpleasantly surprised to know that those AI inferences are not readily or customarily a core part of your legal rights per se, at least not as you might have naturally presumed that they were. An ongoing legal and ethical debate is still underway about the nature of AI-based inferences, including some experts that insist AI inferences are emphatically a central aspect of your personal data and other experts strenuously counterargue that AI inferences are assuredly not at all in the realm of so-called personal data (the catchphrase of “personal data” is usually the cornerstone around which data-related legal rights are shaped).

All of this raises a lot of societal challenges. AI is becoming more and more pervasive throughout society. The odds are that AI is making lots and lots of inferences about us all. Are we allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and at the mercy of these AI-based inferences? Should we be clamoring to make sure that AI inferences are within our scope of data-related rights? These questions are being bandied around by experts in the law and likewise by expert ethicists. For my ongoing coverage of AI Ethics and Ethical AI topics, see the link here and the link here, just to name a few."

Editorial: A code of ethics could help the Supreme Court maintain integrity; Chicago Tribune, May 23, 2022

The Editorial Board , Chicago Tribune; Editorial: A code of ethics could help the Supreme Court maintain integrity

"That integrity can be strengthened if the Supreme Court adopted a code of ethics that would help justices navigate potential instances of undue influence and other judicial tripwires.

Like umpires, the Supreme Court may not be infallible in our democracy but its judgments are final. If justices cannot display independence from outside influences, then perhaps a code of ethics can restore the confidence and trust in the body that as begun to wane among an increasing number of Americans."

Her tribal regalia was banned at graduation. So she worked to change the law.; The Washington Post, May 23, 2022

 Cathy Free, The Washington Post; Her tribal regalia was banned at graduation. So she worked to change the law.

"Last month, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed HB30 into law, making it illegal to prevent Indigenous students from wearing cultural regalia at school ceremonies.

Utah now joins states such as Arizona, Oklahoma, Oregon, Minnesota, Washington, South Dakota and North Dakota in legalizing the practice...

“For Native communities, it’s not just about the regalia — this has a symbolic and spiritual element as well,” said Romero of Salt Lake City.

It’s about their families and it’s about honor and respect,” she said. “No Native student should have to face barriers in honoring their culture and their spirituality.”

Book Battle in Tennessee; American Libraries, May 11, 2022

Lindsey Kimery , American Libraries; Book Battle in Tennessee

Librarians fight back against state’s “obscenity” bill

"So how would HB 1944/SB 1944 work? First, it would create a process for a parent or guardian to submit to a district’s superintendent a concern about a book they deem “obscene.” Upon receipt of the complaint, a district must remove the book from all library shelves for no less than 30 days. The school board then reviews the book, applying the Miller test, the primary legal test for determining whether expression constitutes obscenity. They examine if the work:

(a) would be found by the average person applying contemporary community standards to appeal predominantly to the prurient, shameful, or morbid interests of minors

(b) whether the work displays sexual conduct is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable for minors

(c) taken as whole lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors

If the book is deemed obscene or harmful to minors, it must be permanently removed. A librarian who disregards the directive can be charged with a misdemeanor and subject to a $50,000 fine. A subsequent offense is a Class E felony, which could mean prison time of one to six years in Tennessee, in addition to a fine of up to $3,000...

We can’t help but see school libraries and school librarians as collateral damage in the wake of midterm elections and extremism against public education. Being a school librarian is an honorable profession, but some have attempted to align it with criminality. We know we are trained professionals, and we work tirelessly to tailor our collections to our students’ needs and the needs of our school communities."

Are Robots The Solution To Understaffed Nursing Homes?; NPR, 1A, May 24, 2022

NPR, 1A; Are Robots The Solution To Understaffed Nursing Homes?

"The notion of using robots in nursing homes also raises ethical issues data privacy and the importance of human-to-human contact."

Republicans took away Disney’s special status in Florida. Now they’re gunning for Mickey himself; Los Angeles Times, May 11, 2022

 HUGO MARTÍN, Los Angeles Times; Republicans took away Disney’s special status in Florida. Now they’re gunning for Mickey himself

"No legislation has been proposed to extend the copyright a third time, and copyright experts and lawmakers say it’s not likely that any legislators will want to lead that battle, given the opposition and fury it generated in the 1990s. Other companies’ copyrighted characters would also expire, sending more notable characters into the public domain. 

Disney critics say the company continues to have influence over copyright law, pointing to the recent naming of Suzanne Wilson as the general counsel and associate register of copyrights for the United States Copyright Office. She formerly oversaw intellectual property and interactive and media legal functions for Walt Disney Co.

Legal experts say the debate over copyright protection is moot because the only version of Mickey Mouse that is expiring is the 1928 black-and-white one depicted in “Steamboat Willie.” Copyright protections remain in place for later versions of Mickey Mouse, the more commercially recognized one that wears white gloves, has bigger ears, distinctive eyes and a pet dog named Pluto, according to experts.

Crucially, Disney also still holds trademark protection on Mickey Mouse, which does not expire. While a copyright keeps other companies from replicating the Mickey Mouse image, a trademark ensures that other companies can’t use the Mickey Mouse image in a way that might suggest their products are made by Disney."

New Bill to Limit Copyright to 56 Years, Would be Retroactive; PetaPixel, May 13, 2022

 JAMES DERUVO, PetaPixel; New Bill to Limit Copyright to 56 Years, Would be Retroactive

"Senator Josh Hawley has introduced a bill that would cap copyright on intellectual property to a maximum of 56 years, with no extensions. If passed, the bill would also retroactively apply to existing copyrights.

f the bill passes it would impact hundreds if not thousands of intellectual works currently enjoying the protection nearly 100 years after the death of the original copyright holder.

Though the bill doesn’t mention Disney specifically by name, the Copyright Clause Restoration Act of 2022, which has been submitted by Republican Senator Josh Hawley (MS), is believed to be a punishment against Disney’s resistance to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law."

One Bar Admission To Rule Them All?; Above The Law, May 6, 2022

JAMES GOODNOW, Above The Law; One Bar Admission To Rule Them All?

"After several years of research, discussion, and drafting, the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers (APRL) published an open letter to the ABA late last month proposing significant changes to Model Rule 5.5, governing the unauthorized practice of law. If adopted, the new Rule 5.5 would permit a lawyer admitted anywhere in the United States to provide legal services in any jurisdiction that has adopted the new rule, without regard to physical presence, state licensure, or any other geographic factor. One of the longest-lived protective guardrails in the history of American law would be largely dismantled...

The original rules against UPL had two practical purposes: protecting the public from bad lawyering and protecting lawyers from out-of-state competition...

Let’s face it, this collapsing of borders is already happening. Consider the Uniform Bar Examination, which is currently adopted in 37 states. The law we have to study to actually get admitted to any individual jurisdiction is increasingly the same. What’s more, many states have, for years, allowed established attorneys the ability to waive into other state bars on motion alone, without taking the bar exam again. And this model isn’t without precedent. CPAs take a single national exam for their certification that’s been administered for over 100 years, and APRL specifically cited the national driver’s license model in their arguments supporting the new proposed Rule 5.5.

If protecting the public from bad lawyering is no longer a strong rationale for our existing UPL framework, the only justification we’re left with is protecting attorneys from competition. Given the access to justice problems we’re already trying to deal with, this seems to be prioritizing lawyers’ interests ahead of those of the public. Wealthy clients want the best counsel for their needs, no matter where that counsel happens to live and practice. Working-class clients just want an attorney they can afford to see them through the biggest challenges in their life. In both instances, expanding the pool of attorneys is a positive.

Every step our industry takes toward the modern world is a step in the right direction. The proposal makes sense conceptually and from a business standpoint. Reducing artificial barriers to practicing law may invite competition to come into our home states, but it also allows each of us to go out and offer our services to compete on a national scale. For the sake of our clients, and the sake of ourselves, let’s move forward and stop pretending the world ends at the state line."

Va. Republicans try to restrict minors’ access to two books after judge’s obscenity finding; Virginia Mercury, May 19, 2022

GRAHAM MOOMAW, Virginia Mercury; Va. Republicans try to restrict minors’ access to two books after judge’s obscenity finding

‘They’re basically treated like adult magazines now’

"Anderson said he’s only trying to restrict the books’ availability to minors, not to censor or ban them entirely."

“It’s just, they’re basically treated like adult magazines now,” Anderson said. “You can’t go watch an R-rated movie without your parents there. Same concept.”

The legal maneuver was already drawing backlash Thursday.

“Virginia Republicans want to ban books. Everywhere — they aren’t stopping at schools & libraries,” Del. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, said on Twitter. “They are authoritarian bullies who want to control what you see, hear, learn and read. Everything they baselessly accuse the left of doing, they do.”

A little-utilized state law allows “any citizen” to ask a court to weigh in on books alleged to be obscene.

After reviewing the two contested books, retired Petersburg-area Judge Pamela Baskervill issued two orders on May 18 finding probable cause the books could qualify as obscene, an initial step that allows the books’ authors and publishers to respond in defense of their work within 21 days of being notified of the court proceedings. Baskervill is handling the case because all other judges in Virginia Beach recused themselves, according to Anderson.

Once a probable cause finding is made, the law also allows the court to grant a temporary restraining order “against the sale or distribution of the book alleged to be obscene.”"

Central Bucks is proposing a library policy that targets ‘sexualized content.’ Here’s why people are concerned.; The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 21, 2022

 Maddie Hanna, The Philadelphia Inquirer; Central Bucks is proposing a library policy that targets ‘sexualized content.’ Here’s why people are concerned.

"Facing a packed room of vocal community members Thursday night, the Central Bucks School Board sought to tamp down criticism of a proposed library policy that has spurred fears of censorship and attracted the attention of the American Civil Liberties Union.

The board’s policy committee did end up striking provisions that would have required all new books to gain its approval before they could be added to school libraries, a standard that some called burdensome and that would cede too much power to the board. And although critics said policy language targeting “sexualized content” would encompass too broad a swath of books, the board’s president promised the classics would remain, and there would still be “some discretion.”

But both the ACLU and Education Law Center, which are closely following the district’s actions, said Friday the policy advanced by the committee was still problematic.

“They’re playing with fire here,” said Vic Walczak, legal director for the ACLU of Pennsylvania."

Communities suffer when library budgets are cut​​​​​​​ - Sean McNamara; The Scotsman, May 22, 2022

Sean McNamara, The Scotsman; Communities suffer when library budgets are cut​​​​​​​ - Sean McNamara

How much value a nation or local authority attaches to its libraries can often be a good indication over how much it values its people.

[Kip Currier: Interesting 5/22/22 perspective on the vital role libraries/librarians fill for communities in Scotland, mirroring many of the challenges libraries/librarians are facing in the U.S. now too. The "culture of firefighting" metaphor (see excerpt below) perfectly captures the need for us to be proactive, rather than reactive.]

"In Scotland we have supportive politicians at all levels, a public that defends their libraries, a national strategy and strong collaboration between national bodies. And yet, the monetary support for libraries continues to fall often creating a culture of firefighting rather than the robust service building and forward planning we need in 2022.

Libraries in Scotland help meet some of our biggest financial and societal challenges. They do this by providing life changing and equitable access to books and computers, by improving health and wellbeing, by reducing social isolation and by being free at point of use, often one of the only places that is in many communities...

Libraries are backed by an excellent national plan and are hugely popular, recently gaining 45 million annual visits, up 40 per cent from 2010, yet spending has fallen by around 30 per cent in the same period. We have incredible libraries and skilled librarians, but they are dealing with year-on-year budget cuts and staff too often on low pay or insecure contracts. This cannot continue, Scotland’s communities and their librarians deserve better."

Some parents want action, but school guidance on Utah’s book ban law is still murky; KUER 90.1, May 20, 2022

Jon Reed, KUER 90.1; Some parents want action, but school guidance on Utah’s book ban law is still murky

"Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson sent a letter to the Utah State Board of Education Wednesday to urge education officials to “take initiative” against school districts refusing to comply with a new state law banning “sensitive materials” in schools.

While not naming specific districts, Wilson told KUER that he’s received reports of schools knowingly disregarding the law as well as input from parents on whether certain materials are inappropriate and should be removed.

“When we have clearly pornographic materials in our school libraries, it needs to come out and it needs to come out quickly,” he said. ”This is not an imaginary issue.”

School districts have long had policies for how to address requests to review and remove materials. But the law sets new standards about what material is considered pornographic or indecent, according to a memo from the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.

The memo contradicted previous guidance from the Utah Attorney General. OLRGC also noted the AG’s office overstated U.S. Supreme Court precedent on when the removal of a book from a school library violates a student’s First Amendment rights.

Norman Emerson, president of the Utah Library Media Supervisors, said districts are working to update their policies to be in compliance with state law. Some had waited until more guidance was issued, including direction from USBE that is still forthcoming. In a letter addressed to Speaker Wilson, the board noted districts are already required to have a reconsideration process for library materials but also said it is working toward creating a “model policy” that can be used as a template."

Texas librarians face harassment as they navigate book bans; The Texas Tribune, May 17, 2022

 BROOKE PARK, The Texas Tribune; Texas librarians face harassment as they navigate book bans

"Baker’s experience represents one of many new conflicts facing Texas librarians as book challenges continue to multiply. Many feel left out of decisions on banning books while also facing increased scrutiny from politicians, parents, and county and school district staff. Some have already quit, and others are considering it."

Federal officials caution employers on using AI in hiring; FCW, May 12, 2022

Natalie Alms, FCW; Federal officials caution employers on using AI in hiring

"The growing use of artificial intelligence and other software tools for hiring, performance monitoring and pay determination in the workplace is compounding discriminiation against people with disabilities, federal civil rights officials say.

Artificial intelligence can be deployed to target job ads to certain potential applicants, hold online job interviews, assess the skills of job applicants and even decide if an applicant meets job requirements. But the technology can discriminate against applicants and employees with disabilities.

On Thursday, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice put employers on alert that they're responsible for not using AI tools in ways that discriminate and inform employees of their rights, agency officials told reporters."

How to best accommodate neurodiverse lawyers and neurodivergent clients; ABA Journal, May 19, 2022

Haley Moss, ABA Journal; How to best accommodate neurodiverse lawyers and neurodivergent clients

"Supporting and accommodating neurodivergent clients

Something that always is brought up to me when neurodivergent clients come up are ethical considerations—what to do with interpreters, diminished capacity concerns or competence. But a lot of those concerns are also our own biases showing with regard what we think neurodiversity is (or is not). Instead, as lawyers, it’s up to us to practice a little bit of empathy. People seek out lawyers for all sorts of reasons: Maybe they’re starting a business, or they were fired or getting divorced, or getting sued. There’s already a natural fear or surprise element to that initial interaction for clients, without our judgments based on a person’s cognitive abilities.

To lead with empathy, think about how to make those first interactions less terrifying in order to build trust. There’s a knowledge gap lawyers have about disability culture. Presume competence by treating us like any other client; it’s one of the easiest ways to show respect. It’s frustrating even to me when I get talked down to like a little kid because I’m autistic, and your adult neurodivergent clients probably have had similar experiences. To that effect, something we all can do better is clean up legal jargon and use plain language, explaining concepts in an easy-to-understand format.

I also like trying to meet folks where they are." 

The Supreme Court Needs an Ethics Code; The Atlantic, May 18, 2022

 Bob Bauer, The Atlantic; The Supreme Court Needs an Ethics Code

"What the leak episode showed, however, is that, without formal, published ethical rules and standards, the very nature of a problem such as the Roe leak will elude clear public explanation. The chief justice faltered in explaining the seriousness of this incident; so did a number of commentators. Justice Thomas’s public comments merely served to further muddy the picture of the state of ethics at the Court.

This has all served to illustrate the importance of an ethics code for the Court—and to underscore the urgent need for the justices to adopt one."

An Uphill Battle; American Libraries, May 2, 2022

Austin Persinger , American Libraries; An Uphill Battle

"The complaint bothered me, so I entered the conversation to talk about the concept of the Library of Things—that our institutions can loan so much more than books—and how Summers County Public Library could help. I began soliciting donations on various Facebook pages and through the local newspaper for a fleet of lightweight, collapsible utility wagons that cost about $100 each. Project Buggy Buddy had a fundraising goal of $1,200; community response to the idea was enthusiastic, and we raised $2,000. We began checking out six wagons within a month and have six more on order.

The wagons in our fleet are designed to go over rough surfaces, and a five-day checkout period removes pressure to return them immediately after a trip. We don’t charge fines if wagons are returned late—though, in the first four months of lending, all of them have been returned on time—and we allow renewals if needed. The program has been successful: It is popular among users, is eliminating the guilt and fear of harassment for taking buggies, and has engendered goodwill and renewed interest in the library.

People tell us they are grateful we are assisting them in a real way. One patron said that using the wagon allows them to buy items in bulk, which has helped them save money on groceries.

We have myriad needs and problems here in Appalachia. Lack of transportation may not be the biggest, flashiest, or first problem one thinks of, but it causes an undue burden in our communities. Our crowdsourced fleet is a Band-Aid on the issue—our way of alleviating the problem in a small but helpful way. Solving the rural infrastructure problem may be too big and complex for me and my library, but I am happy to get the wagon rolling."

Ukraine’s information war is winning hearts and minds in the West; The Conversation, May 12, 2022

 Michael Butler,Associate Professor of Political Science, Clark University, The Conversation; ; Ukraine’s information war is winning hearts and minds in the West

"Weaponizing information

Russia’s use of propaganda and symbols during the conflict, most recently in the “Victory Day” celebrations attempting to draw its own distorted parallels to World War II, has gotten a lot of attention. In the process, Ukraine’s skillful use of information warfare should not be overlooked. 

Information warfare entails one party denying, exploiting or corrupting the delivery and function of an enemy’s information. It is used both to protect oneself against the enemy’s information and to create a favorable environment for one’s own information.

With the charismatic President Volodymyr Zelenskyy leading the way, Ukraine’s savvy use of traditional and social media as well as direct appeals to the U.S. Congress, European Parliament and the court of world opinion have provided a clear and compelling framing of the war. 

That frame is structured around five affecting themes: the inherently just cause of Ukrainian self-defense; the tenacity of Ukrainian resistance; the barbarity of Russian conduct; Russia’s flawed military strategy and general ineptitude; and Ukraine’s desperate need for more, and more sophisticated, military hardware. 

Ukraine’s successful strategy in the battle over information demonstrates the connection between armed conflict and information warfare. Ukraine has forged a stalemate with Russia by stressing these themes of a just war for national liberation using not only traditional tools of warfare – bullets, missiles, tanks – but also by shaping the Western public’s perceptions of the war."

Texas A&M Weighs Sweeping Changes to Library; Inside Higher Ed, May 16, 2022

Josh Moody, Inside Higher Ed; Texas A&M Weighs Sweeping Changes to Library

"The Texas A&M University system is working on a plan that would make sweeping changes across its 10 libraries. Those changes, still being discussed, would include asking librarians to relinquish tenure or transfer to another academic department to keep it.

The plan grew out of recommendations from MGT Consulting, which Texas A&M hired in June 2021 “to conduct a high-level, comprehensive review of major functional areas,” according to a company report. But as administrators have suggested additional changes, including to employee classification, faculty members have pushed back, arguing that proposed structural changes to the library system will do more harm than good.

They are especially concerned about a proposal that would end tenure for librarians. Experts note that tenure for librarians, which is somewhat common in academia, though not universal, can be crucial for academic freedom, especially in a political environment in which librarians are under fire."

Libraries are reimagining what public safety and access to resources look like; Prism, May 5, 2022

 Tamar Sarai, Prism ; Libraries are reimagining what public safety and access to resources look like

"“People think libraries have changed so much, but really, we’re still doing the same things,” Fewell said. “We are making sure people have access to information and resources… connecting people [with what] they need: food, wound care, connecting to the WiFi because the only device they have to access the internet is their phone… We’re providing resources to get people the next thing that they’re looking for, and I love it.”

As libraries and library staff begin embracing new ways to serve their patrons and in doing so, promote alternative conceptions of public safety, pushback has followed. Local police have decried the initiatives as eroding relationships with law enforcement, and other patrons have argued that their libraries are becoming less safe and that their own needs are being neglected as marginalized community members find themselves increasingly welcome into the library’s branches. However, while providing more social services and even connecting with currently incarcerated people might expand the work of libraries, staff engaging in these initiatives argue that the work is simply a fulfillment of the library’s long-standing purpose to provide information and foster community."

New Book Looks at Ethics Through the Television Screen; Meredith College, May 13, 2022

Meredith College ; New Book Looks at Ethics Through the Television Screen

"Professor of Religious and Ethical Studies Steven A. Benko is the editor of a recently published book that explores ethical concepts through popular television shows.

Better Living Through TV: Contemporary TV and Moral Identity Formation addresses the moral meanings that audiences might take from television shows of the last 20 years. The book contains essays on The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, Justified, Lucifer, Hannibal,and others. 

In his research and teaching, Benko is most interested in exploring moral identity formation, and he sees television storytelling as a site for identity formation."

The Information War in Ukraine Is Far From Over; The New York Times, May 5, 2022

 SERGE SCHMEMANN, The New York Times; The Information War in Ukraine Is Far From Over

"As a former K.G.B. agent, Mr. Putin sees the world as a battleground of conspiratorial maneuvers. In his speeches, the color revolutions in Ukraine and other former Soviet republics and the Arab Spring and other global upheavals are machinations to bolster American domination. As an heir to the Soviet worldview, he believes more than many Western leaders do in the importance of information warfare, both to give his regime a veneer of legitimacy and to challenge liberal democracy. On this battlefield, lies are ammunition in Mr. Putin’s long and increasingly personal struggle to stay in power.

As the war enters a new phase, as the images and horrors become familiar and the costs rise, it will become ever more difficult for the Biden administration and for Mr. Zelensky to sustain their early lead in the information war. That makes it all the more imperative for the West to press the message that this is not a war Ukraine chose and that the cost of allowing Mr. Putin to have his way in Ukraine would be far higher than the sacrifices required to block him."