Thursday, December 21, 2017

International Federation of Library Associations Publishes 2017 Trend Report

The International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) has published its 2017 Trend Report:
"In the global information environment, time moves quickly and there's an abundance of commentators trying to keep up. With each new technological development, a new report emerges assessing its impact on different sectors of society. The IFLA Trend Report takes a broader approach and identifies five high level trends shaping the information society, spanning access to education, privacy, civic engagement and transformation. Its findings reflect a year’s consultation with a range of experts and stakeholders from different disciplines to map broader societal changes occurring, or likely to occur in the information environment."

Labels:

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 6:02 pm 0 comments

Canadian Federation of Library Associations Fall Update

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations Executive Director Katherine McColgan has provided an update of the organization's many activities since September 2017.

Labels:

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 5:59 pm 0 comments

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Victoria Law Reform Commission Consultation Paper on Neighbourhood Tree Disputes

The Victoria Law Reform Commission (based in Melbourne, Australia) has published a consultation paper on Neighbourhood Tree Disputes:
"[...] neighbour proximity and trees are not always a happy meld. In an increasingly urbanised environment, people’s decisions about their land and the trees on it can have significant effects on their neighbours’ homes and lives. Neighbour tree disputes are the third largest category of dispute that comes before the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria."

"Many people are involved in disputes about trees each year, including disputes about encroaching roots and branches and about trees which cause damage or harm. The methods for resolving such disputes— ranging from informal negotiation to litigation—can be unclear and unnecessarily confusing. A number of Australian states have recently enacted specific legislation to provide processes for resolution, and to identify more clearly parties’ rights and responsibilities."

"The Victorian Law Reform Commission is examining the current operation of the relevant laws and processes in Victoria governing neighbourhood tree disputes. The inquiry forms part of the Commission’s community law reform program, which enables members of the community to contribute their ideas on how to improve Victorian law, and which is a valuable and important part of the Commission’s functions. In order to contain the size of the inquiry as required by the Victorian Law Reform Commission Act 2000 section 5(1)(b), the inquiry does not consider disputes about light or views, important though they are to those affected, nor does it consider disputes concerning trees situated on public land. The Commission’s priority is upon effective and efficient resolution of disputes between neighbours about trees on neighbouring private land that cause interference, damage or harm."

"The Commission has undertaken this inquiry following suggestions from community members, a number of which were based on their own experience of trying to resolve a neighbourhood tree dispute."

Labels: , ,

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 7:26 pm 0 comments

Scottish Law Commission Report on Defamation

The Scottish Law Commission recently published its final report on defamation.

From the press release:
"The Report includes draft legislation designed to modernise the law for the age of the internet and social media. The draft Bill is the most substantial proposed reform of defamation law in Scottish legal history (...)"

"The Report recommends that some old legal rules around defamation should be swept away; for example, it recommends that it should no longer be possible to sue where a defamatory statement is made only to the person who is the subject of it and no-one else – in that case there cannot realistically be any damage to reputation."

"The Report also proposes that where a statement has not caused serious harm to reputation there should be no right to sue. This is to prevent defamation actions being used as a weapon by the rich and powerful to try to silence unwelcome criticism."

"The Report recommends that Scots law should explicitly recognise a defence of publication on a matter of public interest. This is important for investigative journalism."

"Under the present law a person can allow three years to go by before suing for defamation. The Report concludes this is too long. Where there has been genuine damage to reputation this should become clear quickly. So the Report recommends that the three year time limit should be reduced to one year. This would be in line with best international practice."

Labels: , ,

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 7:17 pm 0 comments

Charterpedia - Canadian Government Makes Relevant Case Law on Charter of Rights Available

Justice Canada recently launched Charterpedia.

The website:
"provides legal information about the Charter and contains information about the purpose of each section of the Charter, the analysis or test developed through case law in respect of the section, and any particular considerations related to it. Each Charterpedia entry cites relevant case law, and citations to Supreme Court of Canada decisions are hyperlinked whenever possible."
 Cool.

Labels: ,

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 7:12 pm 0 comments

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Archived Video of Gala Honouring Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin

The Right Honourable Beverley McLachlin was honoured at an Ottawa gala on the eve of her retirement, December 14, 2017.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, former prime minister Brian Mulroney and former governors general David Johnston and Adrienne Clarkson paid tribute to Canada’s longest-serving chief justice. The event was organized by the National Judicial Institute.

The archived video is available on CPAC’s website.

Labels:

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 3:43 pm 0 comments

Canadian Federation of Library Associations Statement on US Net Neutrality Protection Elimination

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA) issued a statement a few days ago criticizing the decision by the American Federal Communications Commission to end what is known as "net neutrality":
"The Order named 'Restoring internet freedom' aims to remove the 2015 Open Internet Order clause that requires: transparency (network management practices, performance characteristics, and terms and conditions of services must be made available); and, no unreasonable discrimination (providers cannot discriminate the transmission of lawful network traffic)."

" 'Net neutrality is required to ensure there is equitable access for all, to all types of information on the internet. The removal of Net Neutrality Protection would allow corporations to provide priority services for those willing to pay more, and disenfranchise those without the ability to pay'," stated Peter Bailey, CFLA-FCAB Chair. 'CFLA-FCAB fully supports the statements put forward by the American Library Association and the Association of Research Libraries in encouraging the United States Congress to vote against this Order'."


Labels: , ,

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 3:32 pm 0 comments

Supreme Court of Canada: New Library Titles

The list of new library titles added to the Supreme Court of Canada collection from December 1 to 15, 2017 is now available on the Court website.

It is possible to subscribe via e-mail to receive the list.

Labels:

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 3:26 pm 0 comments

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Law Library Benchmarks 2018-19

New York-based Primary Research Group has released Law Library Benchmarks 2018-19 Edition:
"The report looks closely at the current policies and plans of North American law libraries in many areas, focusing especially on plans for information spending, with specific data on databases, books, reporters, eBooks, directories, magazines, newspapers, and other information vehicles. It also gives detailed information on how a sampling of law librarians view the information use training and other policies of major vendors of legal information.  They also discuss their plans for information purchases in the future.  The report includes a highly detailed segment on what librarians are doing in the area of artificial intelligence, including data on use of products from many specific AI vendors, and librarians’ perceptions about how they view AI and how it is viewed by top non-library management in their organizations.  The report also gives trend data on overall library budgets."

"This biennial study of law firms presents data from 42 law libraries in the USA and Canada.  Data is broken out by type of law library (corporate, university, courthouse, other) and by number of librarians employed, and for US and Canadian law libraries."
Print and PDF versions are available for $139.00 (US). Site licenses are also available.

Labels: , , , ,

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 8:26 pm 0 comments

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

December 2017 Issue of In Session - E-Newsletter of Canadian Association of Law Libraries

The December 2017 issue of In Session is available online.

It is the monthly e-newsletter of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) and contains news from CALL committees and special interest groups, member updates and events.

Labels: , ,

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 8:51 pm 0 comments

Canadian Government Response to Crown Copyright E-Petition

This is a follow-up to the October 18, 2017 Library Boy post entitled Crown Copyright E-Petition Update.

Earlier this year, University of Alberta Copyright Librarian Amanda Wakaruk circulated a petition asking the Government of Canada to make publicly available government works part of the public domain.

On December 4, 2017, the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) and Sean Casey, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (PCH), responded to the petition.

Wakaruk analyzed the government response on the Fix Crown Copyright website.

Labels: ,

Bookmark and Share Subscribe
posted by Michel-Adrien at 8:47 pm 0 comments