EveryLibrary, Library Futures, Internet Archive, and Public Knowledge are hosting a series of virtual Congressional briefings about the future of digital rights in libraries during March 2023. We are inviting US-based library workers and allied stakeholders to be a part of our meetings with Members and staff. We are asking people who care about library digital rights, including access to e-books and other digital resources, to join us. Our hope is to connect people with compelling knowledge of and stories around these issues to their elected officials.
General Qualifications: Must be passionate about libraries, information access, and digital rights.
Specific Areas of Experience:
- Does your library lend e-books?
- Have you or your library faced challenges in purchasing or making digital collections available for your patrons?
- Does your library participate in Controlled Digital Lending?
- Are you an author for whom robust digital library access to your works or for your research is important?
- Do you have a story about digital barriers to access for you or your patrons? Have you had to limit your offerings for journals or other databases?
- Have you lost access to materials due to a licensing agreement?
Because of the difficulty in scheduling Congressional visits (even virtual ones), event organizers require participants to be available during a "block" of time on certain days instead of at a specific hour. If you believe that you would be able to help motivate Congress to better engage these issues, we invite you to volunteer for this advocacy event. While we do ask for a block of available time, we expect that this opportunity will take no more than two hours of your time on one day! It’s an easy and meaningful way to effect change.
An event organizer will contact you by email within one week to schedule an orientation session. You must attend an orientation session in order to participate in this event.
Please direct any other questions about this project to EveryLibrary's executive director John Chrastka.