Dissemination of Info: ISER Talk; SD Library Shutting Down Depository; The Library Book And Libraries

Here are three connected short discussions.

1.  ISER Discussion on Red Dog Mine One Week From Tomorrow.

Long-Term Benefits to Communities of Extractive Industry Partnerships: Evaluating the Red Dog Mine

Matthew Berman, Bob Loeffler, and Jennifer Schmidt
Mining and oil and gas companies developing resources on land historically occupied and used by Indigenous peoples have faced criticism for offering few benefits to local communities while inflicting environmental damage. The Red Dog Mine -- a joint venture between Teck Resources, Inc. and the NANA Regional Corporation -- has often been cited as a counter-example for developing extractive industries in a way that benefits Indigenous communities. Although the mine has unquestionably brought significant financial benefits to the area, questions persist about its long-term benefits to local communities. We report on a study that assessed the long-term benefits of the Red Dog mine based on findings from a unique 14-year panel dataset. The analysis addressed the following set of questions: what percentage of the mine workers live within the region, and what percentage of the total payroll do local workers receive? How long do most local residents hired to work at the mine keep these jobs, and how does landing a job at Red Dog affect workers' mobility and long-run earnings? The findings illustrate the strengths and limitations of industry partnerships in rural Alaska, and offer insights relevant to communities across the arctic and around the world. When: Friday, March 6, 12pm - 1pm
Where: ISER Conference Room,
Third Floor, 1901 Bragaw Street, Suite 301
Note: This will not be streamed or recorded

2.  Online v Hardcopy Documents

Here's an LA Times headline today:

 "Library to end U.S. document duty
San Diego library says its depository role is unneeded when most docs are online."

I understand the librarian's concern for space.  I'm concerned though, that if these documents are only available online from the Government Printing Office, then documents can disappear.  Documents can be edited and even changed.

Given that Dr. Fauci was told he had to clear all his public announcements through the White House today, I think you get my drift.  Given all the documents the House subpoenaed but never got, you get my concern.

I first started thinking about this when I saw that the online Anchorage Daily News didn't match the print version.  That edits were made after publication and the reader couldn't tell what was changed. (It would just say, "Updated dd/mm/yy")


3.  Libraries As Depicted In Susan Orlean's A Library Book 

The genesis for this book was the 1986 fire that destroyed hundreds of thousands of books in the Los Fahrenheit 451 (which is the temperature when paper ignites).  She also discusses the wonderful memories she has of going to the library with her mother as a child, but that the internet cut her off from libraries until she rediscovered them with her son.  It's an important book.
Angeles Central Library.  But it is much, much more than that.  It's an homage to libraries and their role in maintaining culture.  It's a hands on look at what happens behind the scene at LA's central library.  It's a look at the burning of books (she even forces herself to burn one to experience it herself.)  There are details of the heat of the fire.  But also the tradition of book burning and library fires around the world - some accidental, many intentional.  She looks at how many and which libraries were burned by the Nazis in WW II and how many by Allied bombing.  She talks about people for whom the LA library was important, like Ray Bradbury, who read books there voraciously in lieu of going to college, and eventually wrote

So, given all the fires, libraries alone can't protect the government archives, but especially now, we should be preserving government reports in hard copy all around the country so that online versions can be checked for omissions and changes.


All three posts are about information dissemination about important topics.  Whether a University's research unit, a library's holdings of government documents, and the cultural and historical significance of libraries.