Join the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) in protest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA). 

The week of events is jointly organized by a huge coalition of diverse organizations and individuals concerned about how these undemocratic, corporate-captured trade deals lead to terrible policies for the public interest. 

For more on how to participate see: https://www.eff.org/event/global-week-actions-against-tpp-ttip-tisa

Also check out the full schedule of events.

SAA Opposes Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement Provisions

Issue Brief: Archivists and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement

This issue brief was drafted by the Society of American Archivists’ Intellectual Property Working Group, was reviewed by the SAA Committee on Advocacy and Public Policy, and was approved by the SAA Council on September 28, 2015.

SAA POSITION

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) opposes secret negotiations conducted without public consultation or debate that affect access to information. SAA opposes the following provisions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement:

• Any further extension of copyright terms.
• Lack of recognition of the importance of the public domain.
• Imposition of statutory damages.
• Extension of anti-circumvention rules without exceptions for fair use and non-infringing uses.
• Lack of penalty for the misuse of copyright enforcement powers.

SAA Will:

• To the extent possible, monitor the progress of TPP negotiations;
• Work with other organizations concerned about the negative impact of the TPP; and
• Advocate against TPP provisions that impede or undermine the archival mission.

For the full brief, including background on the issues, see:

http://www2.archivists.org/statements/saa-opposes-trans-pacific-partnership-agreement-provisions

Join us at this year's Archives Education Institute!

Application forms may be found HERE-- application deadline has been extended to Thursday, October 8, 2015.

SAA Comments on Copyright Office’s Mass Digitization Pilot Program

In a September 23 letter to the Register of Copyrights (drafted by the Intellectual Property Working Group), SAA President Dennis Meissner notes that, “For the vast bulk of what is in archives, mostly unpublished or rare materials where copyright claimants do not exist, ECL [extended collective licensing] would be unhelpful, irrelevant, unduly burdensome, and a disservice to the communities that archives serve.” 

For the full letter, see: http://www2.archivists.org/news/2015/saa-comments-on-copyright-office’s-mass-digitization-pilot-program? 

Stop the TPP's Copyright Trap

Stop the TPP's Copyright Trap

Officials are now working overtime to finalize the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a secret controversial trade agreement that would trap the U.S. and its partners into excessive copyright term lengths. Speak out now and help us fight back against backroom deals that keep culture and knowledge locked up for decades.

For an update on the closed-door negotiations, see the Electronic Frontier Foundation: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/09/whats-going-tpp-more-closed-door-meetings-new-chief-transparency-officer

To sign a an EFF petition, see: https://act.eff.org/action/stop-the-tpp-s-copyright-trap

The Council on State Archivists is promoting the 3rd annual Electronic Records Day on October 10th as an opportunity to share information about what you are doing to manage your digital resources and to enlist help in preserving electronic records. This day is designed to raise awareness among state government agencies, the general public, related professional organizations, and other stakeholders about the crucial role electronic records play in their world.

For more check out the CoSA website: http://www.statearchivists.org/seri/ElectronicRecordsDay.htm

What Is #AskAnArchivist Day?

It’s an opportunity to:

• Break down the barriers that make archivists seem inaccessible.
• Talk directly to the public—via Twitter—about what you do, why it’s important and, of course, the interesting records with which you work.
• Join with archivists around the country and the world to make an impact on the public’s understanding of archives while celebrating American Archives Month!
• Interact with users, supporters, and prospective supporters about the value of archives.
• Hear directly from the public about what they’re most interested in learning about from archives and archivists. 

For more on participating in this event see: http://www2.archivists.org/initiatives/askanarchivist-day-october-1

Archives Change Lives!

Watch SAA’s new video, which debuted during Plenary 1 of ARCHIVES 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXI5G9ptXxo

The Society of American Archivists, through its Council or Executive Committee, periodically is asked to take a position, make a statement, or take action on an issue that arises within the larger context of American society. Very recent examples include [the heinous murders of members of the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 2015 or the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in support of gay marriage and certain provisions of the Affordable Care Act].

Some SAA members believe that SAA should speak for all archivists on these types of broader social issues. SAA has been compared with the American Library Association and other organizations that choose to issue statements on social issues, whether or not related directly to the missions of those organizations.

Although some – or even most – of SAA’s leaders, members, and staff may hold similar views on social issues and matters of social justice, the organization as a whole does not have the resources or knowledge of a consensus to comment or act on every social issue that emerges. To choose to comment or act on one issue to the exclusion of others would raise concerns about how SAA reaches a decision about when to become involved and when and how the broader membership is consulted (or even polled) about their individual positions on a given social issue.

SAA will take a position, make a statement, or take other action only on issues that are related directly to archives and archival functions. SAA recognizes that social issues and archival concerns may overlap (e.g., in matters of personal privacy, access to public information, or misuse of records for political purposes). In these cases, the SAA Council or Executive Committee will consider the prudence and potential impact of becoming involved in the issue.

Members may recommend that SAA take action on an issue by following Procedures for Suggesting SAA Advocacy Action.

As an organization that values social responsibility, the public good, and the completeness of the public record and that understands the importance of advocacy, SAA encourages its members to engage with social issues to the extent that they, as individuals, are able.

Adopted by the SAA Council, August 2015.

http://archivists.org/statements/saa%E2%80%99s-criteria-for-advocacy-statements

A Transparency Milestone

The CATO Institute announces the completion of their “Deepbills” project which finished adding computer-readable code to every version of every bill in the 113th Congress.

For more on this project, see the following article: http://www.cato.org/blog/transparency-milestone