Librarians Emerging From Book Stacks, Increasing Activism
WASHINGTON — Former congresswoman and one-time presidential candidate Pat Schroeder is hardly a Washington novice, but she took a political drubbing recently from the unlikeliest of foes: a bunch of librarians.
Schroeder, who now heads the Assn. of American Publishers, had the temerity to publicly criticize libraries for their stance on copyright laws and for distributing free copies of electronic books and articles that publishers are trying to sell. Schroeder's spokeswoman made matters worse by complaining about the libraries' "radical factions."
Librarians pounced.
They roasted Schroeder for "library-bashing." They confronted Schroeder at public appearances, demanding an apology. They wrote to lawmakers en masse to complain.
Eventually, Schroeder raised a white flag and backed away from her comments.
The lesson? Don't mess with librarians these days.
They were supposed to quietly fade away with the advent of the Internet, but libraries -- and librarians -- are enjoying a higher profile than ever before. They've mobilized in Washington, beefing up their lobbying presence and inserting themselves into far more controversial subjects than their usual bread-and-butter issues, such as literacy.
The 65,000-member American Library Assn., the chief trade group for librarians, has:
* Led opposition to tougher copyright laws, putting it at odds with major entertainment and publishing conglomerates.
* Lobbied against the Bush administration's anti-terrorism Patriot Act because it gave law enforcement easier access to library records.
* Successfully sued the government to block an anti-pornography law that required libraries to install Internet filters on library computers or risk losing federal funds.
"We aren't your grandmother's library," said Emily Sheketoff, head of the American Library Assn.'s Washington office. "We're getting into some odd things."
But that higher profile may carry political costs. Librarians have long enjoyed an all-American reputation, and that innocent image is now taking a hit as opponents label them everything from pornographers to pirates.
Some thought it was no coincidence that a bill to double federal funding for libraries stalled in Congress this year.
