How to use this Page

For those of you not on the CLA listserv, there was an announcement of the publication of “The Community-Led Libraries Toolkit” (pdf), put together through a project called the “Working Together Project” led by four public libraries (Vancouver, Regina, Toronto, and Halifax). The toolkit:

offers eight Tools for use by library staff as they work out in community spaces with socially excluded individuals. The Toolkit is based in the Project’s real-life experiences and the lessons shared are based on some of our challenges and successes.

Also published recently are two new reports (here and here) by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives on the growing economic inequalities in Canada.

Kudos to the CLA for their continued work to support librarians in advocating for copyright reform in Canada. The CLA’s Copyright Information Centre has put together a grassroots toolkit and draft letter to send to your local media and MP — let’s get it out there!

Courtesy of the CLA digest:

The Canadian Library Association/Association canadienne des bibliothèques has launched a new tool to help librarians increase public awareness of copyright reform.

A draft article suitable for a community newspaper’s letter to the editor or opinion page is available from CLA’s copyright webpage, www.cla.ca/copyright.

Alana Fontaine of CLA’s government relations firm Impact Public Affairs is available by e-mail or telephone to provide advice on how to use the article. It is part of CLA’s extensive advocacy effort leading up to the introduction of new copyright legislation, which is expected at any time.

For further information on this draft article, please contact Ms. Fontaine at [email protected] or 613-233-8906. For more information on CLA’s copyright advocacy plan, contact CLA Executive Director Don Butcher at [email protected] or 613-232-9625; or the chair of CLA’s Copyright Working Group, Rob Tiessen, University of Calgary, [email protected].

In addition to the immediate action support, the Copyright Information Centre is a Canadian librarian’s best friend for resources on copyright in Canada. Do check it out.

This is one of those moments when librarians can rock it out and make an impact.

-PC-

(from avaaz.org via Siue Moffat)

Right now, a major UN summit in Bali has just a few days left to hammer out an agreement on stopping catastrophic climate change. But instead of helping out, Canada is actually sabotaging the talks! On Saturday, experts gave us the global “fossil” award for being the worst country in the world on climate change.

There’s still a few days left to save Canada’s reputation — and the climate — but we need a massive democratic roar to remind our Prime Minister what Canada is all about, and stop him from blocking the world at Bali. Click below to sign the petition, which will be advertized with the number of signatures in an ad campaign across Canada this week. The goal is to get 25,000 people to sign in the next 3 days — before the ads run. After you sign, forward this email to all your friends and family right away: Link

Prime Minister Harper’s short-sighted, undemocratic and big oil-driven policy on climate change is damaging the world and destroying our image as a good country. We’re supposed to be the nice guys, who try to do the right thing in the world.

The vast majority of Canadians are hopping mad on this issue — we can win this. We just need to show Harper how serious we are that he change course. Sign up now and forward this email to everyone you know - we’ve got just 3 days to hit 25,000 signatures!

Thanks for you help!

PS - Here are links to some more info on this:

David Suzuki (the Nature of Things) calls the government’s spin on climate change “humiliating” and “ludicrous”:
Toronto Star article

The former editor-in-chief of CBC news discusses the damage done by Canada’s climate policy to our international reputation: CBC article

-PC-

The Toronto Star finishes up their story on medical secrecy with this wrap up article.

I am writing on behalf of Amnesty International Canada to invite the
you to promote and join “Write for Rights” - Amnesty International’s exciting global write-a-thon on Human Rights Day on December 10. During “Write for Rights” participants write short letters to bring attention to human rights violations or to offer support to human rights leaders at risk of harm in other countries. Of particular interest this year, one of the actions will address the harassment and arrest of union leaders in Viet Nam.

In 2006, 150,000 letters were written by “Write for Rights” participants in 40 countries to address a variety of local and international human rights concerns. This year we are asking supporters throughout Canada to promote “Write for Rights” to others who may be interested.

It’s free, easy and fun to host a “Write for Rights” event and the letters generated can make a profound difference in someone’s life. To register your event or find additional information
about “Write for Rights,” please visit http://www.amnesty.ca/writeathon/.

If you require further information please feel free to contact Amnesty Canada at [email protected] or 1-800-AMNESTY.

Thanks,

Mandy Ashton
Amnesty International Canada

[via my mom ]

- JH

Here’s an immediate action opportunity, and no you don’t have to be a Calgary resident to take part:

Cory Doctorow points to an event being organized on Facebook to meet with Industry Minister Jim Prentice at his open house in Calgary on Saturday. If you are in Calgary, the open house runs from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Saturday, December 8th at 1318 Centre Street NE, Suite 105. If you can’t attend, Cory has a great idea:

Not in Calgary? NO PROBLEM! Plan on calling the Minister tomorrow or on dropping him an email, expressing your regrets that you can’t attend the open house, but letting him know how you feel. Here are the numbers:

Ottawa office - (613) 992-4275
Calgary office - (403) 216-7777
Minister office - (613) 995-9001

His email address is: [email protected]. Once you send an email, print it out and mail it (no stamp needed!) to:

Jim Prentice
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6

After you send Jim a note, there’s also these sources from Geist’s blog:

Geist’s 30 things you can do blog post.

Geist’s 30 things you can do wiki.

and what would a social activism push be without a corresponding Facebook group?
Facebookers can look for the Fair Copyright for Canada group.

-PC-

There is a big (and first ever) electoral reform referendum coming up in Ontario on October 10th.

When voters go to the polls for the next provincial election, they’ll also be voting on whether to implement a Mixed Member Proportional electoral system. Public polls being take of most Ontarians are revealing that approximately half of the population don’t know what MMP is about, where it came from, and how it differs from the current first past the post system.

There’s no clearer job for a public librarian in Ontario right now that to be make information accessible and as visible as possible so that voters can make an informed choice at the polling station.

Here’s are a few resources to pass on. The video is getting nice reviews for bringing some clarity to the midst of confusion.

Vote for MMP
MMP Guide - Toronto Star
Articles and Related Links - Globe and Mail

-PC-

With Toronto’s financial woes are continuing on unabated, and the provincial government merely using the opportunity for some pre-election politicking, Torontonians are taking matters into their own hands at a local level.

While citizen and lobby groups in Toronto are

A website has been launched by the city to provide more information on the proposed tax. Here are a few highlights from the fairtaxes.ca.

Every major city in the world has fair taxes that grow with the economy — except Toronto

For every dollar of taxes Torontonians pay (income, sales, property taxes and other taxes), only 6 cents goes to your municipal government

Toronto recently ranked fifth as the world’s most livable city (1)

The average Toronto household buys and sells a home once every 15 to 20 years (or five to seven per cent of the population at any given time) (2)

Toronto’s housing market is at an all time high, with record sales and homes selling in record time (3)

The City of Toronto has the lowest municipal property tax rates in the Greater Toronto Area (2)

Municipal property taxes provide 24-hour, 7-day services like police, fire, ambulance, road repair and parks as well as libraries, recreation programs, and community centres, at a cost of about $180 a month for the average Toronto household. (2) That same household may spend $200 a month for car insurance and $150 a month for phone, Internet and television services

Sources:
1. The Economist Magazine (August, 2007)
2. City of Toronto
3. Toronto Real Estate Board press release (August 17, 2007)

Just to recap, after Mayor Miller’s proposed land transfer and vehicle registration taxes were deferred for further consideration at the first vote, libraries were the first to be hit up for service cuts which went into effect this month. TPL has posted this on their website regarding the services cuts. The ‘high priority’ neighbourhoods will continue to open on Sundays .

These TPL cuts are just the tip of the iceberg compared to what may be coming, as community centres closed on Monday earlier this week. And let’s not forget about the smaller, less-likely-to-grab-a-headline players in the arts and culture communities. The Toronto Arts Coalition - a new organization whose mission is to raise the profile of the role and importance of the arts in Toronto - while not explicitly supporting the new taxes, is providing some advocacy tools to lobby the various levels of government to support the arts. Is it just me, or does is not make your life a bit easier when folks like this give you a helping hand with your advocacy tasks?

So what you can do:

If you’re in favour of supporting the new taxes at the October 22nd council vote, here’s who you want to drop an email to:

clerk AT toronto DOT ca

In the subject line write:
“Yes to land transfer tax. Please copy to Mayor and City Councillors (arts and libraries)”

cc’d to:
dmcguinty.mpp.co AT liberal.ola.org
hhampton-qp AT ndp.on.ca
john.tory AT pc.ola.org

Include a paragraph (such as this one) into the body of the email (or make up your own):

“Dear Mayor Miller and City Councillors:

My Toronto includes:

the arts
libraries
community centres
recreation programs
public health services
museums
and the TTC

To protect my city, I support the land transfer tax as an immediate solution to Toronto’s financial crisis.

your name
address
postal code

Even MORE quick and dirty is the email form provided through Miller’s recently launched website, fairtaxes.ca. There is still room for your comments, like how community services are the bread and butter of social inclusion and a liveable, vibrant, cosmopolitan city. The form is nothing to sneeze at - I received an email (albeit a form email) in response to my submission from Toronto City Councillor Joe Mihevc.

thanks, Siue Moffat for forwarding the draft email and arts links

-PC-

The Center for Human Rights Documentation and Research is holding a free conference this October 4-6, 2007 on the subject of Human Rights Archives and Documentation.

Link to the conference.

-PC-

Thanks to the PLG listserv for this bit of news about library innovation in Venezuela.

Here’s an excerpt:

Diving for books

A break came when it was my turn to ride a mule. I enjoyed a great view of the valley but held on tight as Chiquito veered close to the edge.

Hot and slightly bothered after two hours, we reached Calembe, the first village on this path.

Anyone who was not out working the fields - tending the celery that is the main crop here - was waiting for our arrival. The 23 children at the little school were very excited.

“Bibilomu-u-u-u-las,” they shouted as the bags of books were unstrapped. They dived in eagerly, keen to grab the best titles and within minutes were being read to by Christina and Juana, two of the project leaders.

“Spreading the joy of reading is our main aim,” Christina Vieras told me.

“But it’s more than that. We’re helping educate people about other important things like the environment. All the children are planting trees. Anything to improve the quality of life and connect these communities.”

And the full story through BBC News.

-PC-

From the PLG listserv.

The Progressive Librarians Guild stands in solidarity with the striking Vancouver Public Library workers of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 391 as they fight for a fair and equitable contract that addresses pay equity, improvements to employee benefits, access to training, fair treatment of part-time and auxiliary library workers, protection against contracting-out and technological change.

Approved August 1, 2007 by the Progressive Librarians Guild, Coordinating Committee.

PLG website

-PC-

Mayor Miller’s recently defeated proposal for two new municiple taxes didn’t take long to fall onto Toronto Public Library.

Spacing Wire reposts a piece from Eye Magazine on the issue.

The cuts are deep. If this is on some level a device to call attention to a crisis in funding for public libraries (and Toronto in general), it’s a good one. First came a threat to close the most recently built TTC subway line. Now the library and the police have been ordered by the city trim the ‘fat’ (as in, essential services).

To be expected, there are a few comments in response to the Eye article that suggest that the library needs to generate its own revenue. Fortunately user fees got shouted down - Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler quickly pointed out that they are “forbidden under section 23(1) of Ontario’s Public Libraries Act, 1990.” He also posted the reference to the Act.

Highlights as reported by Eye Weekly:

• a hiring freeze, which will affect staffing of service desks, program delivery, training sessions and branch closures. For example, the planned re-opening of the Jane-Dundas branch (which received 11,500 visitors a month) won’t happen until 2008 now.

• the elimination of Sunday service in all libraries, excluding those in priority neighbourhoods.

• a $330,000 cut to the library materials budget (which is equivalent to the entire adult book budget for 12 branches, or the entire children’s book budget for 25 branches).

TPL is the second most used public library system in the world, second only to Hong Kong. One of the Eye comments pointed out that TPL is one of Toronto’s unadulterated successes. In the midst of T.O.’s ongoing fumbling of such issues as waterfront development and unabashed condo development in the absence of affordable housing, the library deserves to shine as a pillar of this community.

If the province doesn’t pony up with some funding, this will mark a major blow to community services for the entire GTA.

****** Addendum. July 26.07

Now magazine reacts to the public service cuts in this column, comments on politicking with the province. All complete with Shakespearean references and a nod to Oscar Wilde.

At Quillblog, it’s mentioned that the municipality of Ottawa is also having budget problems.

-PC-

Here’s a trackback to a great post from Anthony Pash, Acadian University librarian at the Critical Librarian blog.

Asking questions about power.

Title of the post speaks for itself … check it out.

-PC-

The worldwide series of concerts known as Live Earth have started today in Australia and Japan and will be moving around the world for the next 24 hours.

Although not directly related to Live Earth, there are a couple relevant sites you might want to check out:

• Earth Charter is “a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society for the 21st century. Created by the largest global consultation process ever associated with an international declaration, endorsed by thousands of organizations representing millions of individuals, the Earth Charter seeks to inspire in all peoples a sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the human family and the larger living world. The Earth Charter is an expression of hope and a call to help create a global partnership at a critical juncture in history. ”
• The Earth Portal which is “The Earth Portal is a comprehensive resource for timely, objective, science-based information about the environment. It is a means for the global scientific community to come together to produce the first free, expert-driven, massively scaleable information resource on the environment, and to engage civil society in a public dialogue on the role of environmental issues in human affairs. It contains no commercial advertising and reaches a large global audience.”
• And as always, there are pledges to be found - the good folks at Avaaz have one which they’re trying to get 50 000 signatures on (27 055 at this point).

- JH

The Torontoist has more great commentary on what’s wrong with the sponsorship deal that set up the MAPs program at the Toronto Public Library.

Jonathan Goldsbie notes this quote from Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler who voted against the deal.

“Corporate sponsorship might be nice in theory to some people, but in practice it’s anything but nice,” commented Library Board member Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler— who voted against the deal—on our post about the renaming of the Hummingbird Centre. “When an issue arises where it’s public interest versus private (sponsor) interest, it isn’t the public interest that takes priority.”

Thanks to Jonathan for the great piece as it also points out that some rad library initiatives have come out of TPL that didn’t rely on corporate funds.

-PC-

As Mr. Kleinman noted in this comment to the LAblog, spirited debate is a good thing. Agreed.

Misrepresenting information, however, does not in the least contribute to spirited debate.

The discussion and information posted to this blog concerning Internet filtering at the London Public Library has been in reference to Internet filtering at adult terminals only.

Mr. Kleinman makes reference to a recent ACLU case, ACLU vs. Gonzales. This case refers to the ACLU’s fight to replace a draconian censorship law with Internet Filtering as a means to protect children from inappropriate online content. The purpose of this lawsuit was to protect content producers (such as artists, online dating websites, etc.) from unfair criminal prosecution.

If this blog’s readers are interested in the ACLU’s position on Internet filtering in public libraries for adults, this would be the case that is actually relevant to the issue. As you can see, the ACLU supports the right of the (adult) public to access information freely through the internet in a public library setting, as do we (in case you didn’t already catch that … ).

-PC-

Here’s a quick redirect to a Library Juice post with a couple of nice resources.

First is this guide for collecting from diverse sources (or: outsourcing, how not to).
Fostering Media Diversity in Libraries: Strategies and Actions.

Second there’s a link to a note on the ALA’s opposition to media concentration in the US since June 2003.

Relevant Canadian stuff from libraryland (found by searching the CLA website) is largely falling under the information literacy umbrella:

School Libraries in Canada link.
Information Literacy in Canada blog post.

-PC-

In my daily dose of Spacing Wire this morning, Matthew Blackett articulated similar thoughts I was having yesterday about corporate sponsorship, however his post was in response to a new sponsorship program to add art onto Toronto garbage bins.

Matthew Blackett, Spacing Wire | June 27.07

I believe small projects like the Street Art™ Sponsorship Program only further legitimize ad-funded street furniture because the supplier (in this case Ecomedia) is “giving back” to the community.

Blackett also notes that there are positive aspects to sponsoring the arts (as any starving artist would tell you) but he is right to point out that it’s a complicated situation that companies can use for PR purposes. Even if the benevolence is sincere (for the sake of argument), the company’s priority will always be to protect its bottom line.

In my view, the tension that arises within this program are echoed in libraries considering sponsorship deals. While libraries deal with a host of complicated issues with their vendor relationships as well, sponsorship opens the library door to the wider corporate community. This May 14, 2007 TPL staff report notes the library’s criteria for accepting sponsorship funds. Funding for libraries being the ongoing challenge that it is, deciding to accept sponsorship funds is a complicated issue that is best done with lots o’ public debate. Let’s start now. Question: Are libraries upholding their role as social institutions and civic spaces when their policies expose citizens to a marketing campaign in order to enjoy access to public services?

Here are links to the May 14, 2007 TPL board meeting where the museums pass sponsorship proposal was discussed (in a closed meeting…). The board meeting minutes may not be an exciting read, but there they are. Torontonians, check them out. Whether you agree or disagree with library board decisions, no matter what community you call home, being a participant is key. Dr. Sam Trosow’s reflections from the recent LPL board meeting is a testament that.

Coincidentally there is a TPL library board meeting tonight!

Employee and Labour Relations Committee
Toronto Public Library Board - Meeting No. 1:
Thursday, June 28, 2007, 4:00 p.m.
Toronto Reference Library, Board Room, 789 Yonge Street, Toronto

Can’t go? Save the link to the TPL board and read about it.

-PC-

Not that I want to interrupt the letter you’re writing to the LPL board of directors, but as luck would have it, this would be the week that Canadian representatives decided to make life difficult at the World Intellectual Property Organization Development Agenda meetings in Geneva.

Fortunately, Michael Geist reports a positive update today on his blog.

Update: Reports this morning indicate progress with inclusion of the access to knowledge language. A welcome development, though Canada should be leading on these issues, not aligning itself against the developing world.

Apparently the Harper government needs a wake up call. If the Access to Knowledge issue is new to you, have a look at the Wikipedia community’s summary of A2K/Access to Knowledge. It also includes a long list of organizations active in the A2K movement.

The CIPO mission statement is also worth a look. I’m not seeing anything about Canada’s role internationally.

Keep up to date on IP news through IP Watch and Sarah Bannerman

via the CLA discussion list a la Heather Morrison

-PC-

Oy, librarians! No doubt you’ve already heard. But in case you haven’t, the push for direct-to-consumer advertising in Canada is marching on. However, if you like acronyms, it’s DCTA.

CanWest Global Communications Corporation stands to increase its profits should a lawsuit they are waging in the name of ‘freedom of expression’ succeed. While the public health system is strained under the weight of increasing costs that are largely the result of pharmaceutical expenses, CanWest seems to be thinking to themselves … why should Pfizer get all the cash? How can we get a piece of this action?

I say “they” because a corporation such as CanWest Global is not an individual. It is a group of individuals. If you’ve seen The Corporation, you will know the importance of this distinction. Despite this, under the law corporations are viewed as having the same rights as individuals. So does a ‘corporation’ as an individual have a moral responsibility to society? What about the people who run that corporation? This lawsuit is claiming that CanWest Global’s right to freedom of expression is being violated. Does a corporation have this ‘right’? Better yet, do they have the ‘right’ to ‘freely express’ an advertisement on behalf of another multi-million dollor corporation, especially when they stand to profit from airing that ad?

Still reading? Back to direct-to-consumer advertising. The basic skinny is that it is legal in the US and New Zealand, Canada not so much. It gets muddy. Canadians have been exposed to drug ads through the American media, and in Canada ads for over the counter medications are permitted as are ads that don’t recommend a drug for a specific condition. Americans and New Zealanders are exposed to the “feeling X? ask your doctor and buy Y” kind of marketing. According to the Toronto Star, US spending increased 10x over the course of 11 years, from 1994 -2005. Open Medicine, the British Medical Journal, Toronto Star, a recent CBC podcast, the Canadian Pharmacists Association and the CMAJ all have good information describing how direct-to-consumer advertising impacts health spending. No one seems to be a fan.

Direct-to-consumer advertising is not ‘free speech’. Advertising messages are carefully constructed bids to pitch products. They are created by talented, creative and well-compensated advertising teams. Legalizing direct-to-consumer advertising would permit profit-seeking corporations to compete with public health interests and public (as in your tax) dollars. As librarians, we can inform the public that for safe and effective medical and health information, ads are not credible sources given that they are rife with branding strategies and backed by well-funded market research. Even if some ads are deemed ‘legal’ and hit the airwaves, they are in fact not ‘health information’. Unfortunately, the research suggests their impact is still huge.

Your Media notes that it is not safe to assume that it will be easy to prove that CanWest Global does not have a case. So you may be thinking, what can a librarian do in a situation such as this. Let’s consider some options …

First, whether you are a health librarian, academic librarian, public librarian, or special librarian - make your patrons aware of this issue:
a) CanWest Global is attempting to encroach on the public’s rights and they have a right to be informed about it
b) from an media/information literacy standpoint, DCTA exemplifies what NOT to use for informative purposes.

While I’m all for seeking alternative sources to health information, DCTA stinks. Freedom of expression being the wonderful thing that it is, you can exercise yours by talking to your Member of Parliament, sending a dirty note to the CRTC, and ccing whatever you do to the CanWest Global turkeys.

Oy, that was long. Thanks for hanging in there.
-PC-

Siobhan Stevenson, faculty at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information Studies, has published a paper in First Monday entitled “Public libraries, public access computing, FOSS and CI: There are alternatives to private philanthropy“. Great read!

I had the great fortune to read her University of Western Ontario PhD thesis (The post-Fordist public library : from Carnegie to Gates) in which she lays out her critique of Gates and Carnegie-style philanthropy. Great thesis — interlibrary loan that baby if you get a chance. It’s only 125 pages long, too: good and succinct. She also has an article in the Winter 06/07 issue of Progressive Librarian entitled “Philanthropies Unexpected Consequences: public libraries and the struggle over free v. proprietary software”. Do you see the theme in her research?

Here is the abstract from her First Monday paper:

In January 2007, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) announced its second multi–year technology grant program for America’s public libraries. The purpose of Phase II, Keeping communities connected: The next step is to help public libraries sustain the public access computing infrastructure laid down during Phase I. Now, as then, the goal of the program is to bridge the digital divide. But it is a digital divide as defined by Bill Gates and not the public library community. Situating Gates’ philanthropy within a critical policy frame, this paper considers two alternatives to Gates’ problem definition of the digital divide, and how knowledge of these might benefit those communities served by public access computing (PAC) services as found in public libraries. The two specific alternatives considered come from the Free Software Foundation (FSF), and Community Informatics (CI). Significantly, both social movements promote the potential of free and open software as an important part of any solution. Finally, the public library literature is reviewed for patterns in the community’s use of FOSS, and the argument is made for its use in the delivery of PAC services.

First Monday is just super.

-SIO

Check out the news through Library Juice, and thanks to those who signed the petition.

-PC-

The Toronto Star’s latest piece in its series on medical secrecy today brought with it some good news for Ontarians.

The word is … no more secrets, no more lies. The stage has been set for Ontario to be the leaders in medical transparency in Canada.

Not only will mortality and morbidity records of hospitals be made public, but the health professions colleges will be required to make public findings against nurses, occupational therapists, dentists, acupuncturists, and physicians and the like. That’s findings, not complaints. Due process is still at work here. To boot, the records of physicians will not be wiped clean after six years, as they were previously.

The latest high profile case of cronyism and cover ups within the medical establishment led to wrongful convictions against innocent people due to the incompetent practice of Ontario pathologist Dr. Charles Smith. The CBC reported that ten years ago, Ontario’s Chief Coroner Dr. James Young attempted to block complaints against him. Evidence that eventually led to the release of one of Smith’s victims was found on his desk.

Here are the people who want to help you stay safe in the hospital and the medical establishment at large:
Ontario Hospital Association
Ontario Medical Association
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
(and the colleges of nurses, dentists, acupuncturists, PTs, OTs, social workers, etc.)

Please drop them a line to say ‘well done!’ or ‘you’ll be hearing from us!’ or rather, ‘it’s about time.’

-PC

Mind Freedom asks the questions that don’t make it into the mainstream media about the potential link between violent behaviour and anti-depressants. Here’s their statement on the tragic event at Virgina Tech.

And more articles on this issue from The Public Library of Science and The Guardian.

Finally, info on how anti-depressant prescribing is being targeted at youth in The Peoples Voice.

Reed Elsevier isn’t just charging high prices for journals, no, they’ve also got some rather nasty side projects going on:

From the British Medical Journal: “While promoting world health through its publications, including The Lancet, Reed Elsevier also organises international trade fairs for the arms industry.”

From The Independent: “New allegations on Reed Elsevier’s links to the most controversial parts of the arms trade have emerged, as peace protesters descend today on the AGM in London of the conference and publishing company.”

And a Petition: “Please consider signing the petition below so that Reed Elsevier know that the academic & medical communities disapprove of their supporting the arms trade.”

Petition and boycott: “We consider Reed-Elsevier’s involvement in the global arms trade to be reckless and morally wrong, and we urge Reed-Elsevier to stop organising arms fairs. Until they do, we will not submit our papers to Reed-Elsevier journals.”

More general info from Wikipedia: “He suggested that if academics began to disengage with Reed Elsevier, the company would be likely to end their arms fairs, as arms fairs only comprise a small proportion of their business.”

With thanks to Paul.

-SIO