In Other Schools
November 21, 2006
Fear of U.S. anti-terrorism laws spur changes at Atlantic libraries
ST. JOHN’S, Nfld. (CUP) — Libraries at Canadian universities are switching to a Canadian server for access to the American web-based research tool RefWorks.
The school libraries are acting out of fear of users being subjected to the U.S. Patriot Act, passed in response to the Sept. 11 attacks. The act greatly expands the United States government’s surveillance power as a security measure against terrorism.
The Queen Elizabeth II library at the Memorial University of Newfoundland bought into RefWorks in April, but has held off on promoting it until they can be sure it was secure. While operating RefWorks out of a server in the United States, the American government would be allowed to monitor research, which might impede academic freedom.
“With the U.S. Patriot Act, [the United States] can have access to this without even having to notify the person whose files are being looked at,” said Karen Lippold, a librarian at Memorial. “Obviously, if they decide for some reason that you are looking suspicious, then you are on some sort of watch list.”
The University of Toronto offered to host the server in October and 16 Atlantic university libraries have made the switch together. Other Canadian post-secondary libraries, including the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta, and Malaspina University-College in Nanaimo, B.C., also made the switch at that time.
Libraries at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University continue to use the United States server, but they’ve posted disclaimers on their website warning that information uploaded is not protected by Canadian privacy laws.
U of M AIDS project in India gets $22-million boost
WINNIPEG (CUP) – An HIV/AIDS prevention program in India, operated by the University of Manitoba, recently received a $22 million grant from the United States Agency for International Development.
The funding, to be provided over a five-year period, was officially announced Nov. 6 and will provide the “Enhance Karnataka” program with resources for AIDS prevention, treatment services and support.
According to John O’Neil, U of M’s head of community health sciences, the new grant will allow an expansion of HIV prevention programs in southern India that have been running for more than five years.
James Blanchard, a U of M associate professor in the departments of community health sciences and medical microbiology, and the senior technical adviser for the current project in India, hopes that the five-year program will aid in the construction of “longer-term institutional capacities” in southern India that will continue to build on the foundation provided by the U of M’s program.
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