Vote! AALL Electronic Election Underway

I'm pleased to report that as of this writing we have received 1636 votes in our electronic election. This figure tracks closely with votes received the old-fashioned paper ballot way in prior years. All AALL members may vote for Vice President, Secretary, and Executive Board candidates. The
polls will be open until 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, December 14. You can access the online voting booth here. It's quick, it's easy, it's convenient, it's important. Please vote today.

AALL Conduct of Election Policy

Now is also a good time to remind you of AALL's Conduct of Election Policy:

1. Candidates may not campaign for elected office by engaging in such activities as distributing flyers, buttons or other promotional items that are intended to persuade members to vote for them.
   
   
2. Candidates may express their opinions or ideas about professional issues dealing with librarianship at any time and in any format.
   
   
3. Candidates may express their opinions or ideas about AALL policies or issues only under circumstances that assure fairness to the other candidates for the same position on the Executive Board. All candidates for the same position on the Executive Board must participate in the event or activity, such as the published candidates' statements that appear on AALLNET and in Law Library Journal each year. Candidates may not make promises about future actions that will be taken by the Executive Board. Candidates may not respond or comment on another candidate's views or positions.
   
   
4. Candidates may participate at meetings, on listservs, or at other events sponsored by AALL entities, such as SISs and Chapters, as long as they conform to all aspects of this policy.
   
   

Candidates may not seek nor should they receive endorsements from AALL entities such as SISs and Chapters or individuals.

AALL Member Appointed to National Museum and Library Services Board

Last month the U.S. Senate unanimously confirmed seven Bush nominees, including AALL member Gail M. Daly, to serve as members of the National Museum and Library Services Board. The 20-member board advises the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and makes recommendations for the National Award for Museum and Library Service, the nation's highest honor for extraordinary public service provided by these institutions.

Daly is Associate Dean for Library and Technology and Associate Professor of Law at Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law. Professor Daly was formerly the Associate Director of the University of Minnesota Law School Library, and served as Visiting Associate for Law with the Research Libraries Group in Mountain View, California. She has been active in the American Bar Association, the Association of American Law Schools, and the American Association of Law Libraries, and has held various committee appointments with those organizations, as well as serving on a number of law school accreditation teams. She has taught in the areas of intellectual property, legal research and writing, and law library management. Professor Daly received a bachelor's degree in education and a master of library science degree from the University of Michigan, and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Board members are selected for their broad knowledge of, expertise in, or commitment to museums and libraries. For a list of current board members, please see the IMLS Web site.

Cautionary Tales

We have recently learned that in a few weeks cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you could start to receive sales calls. If you would like to place your cell phone on the national "Do Not Call Registry" you should call the following number: 888-382-1222. Please note that you must call this number using the cell phone with the number you'd like to place on the "Do Not Call" list.

Upon following the prompts and completing the process, telemarketing calls to that number should be prohibited for 5 years.

Also, the phenomenon of "phishing" is on the increase and deserves another precaution. Phishing attacks use phony or 'spoofed' e-mails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. By hijacking or impersonating the trusted brands of well-known banks, on-line retailers and credit card companies, phishers are able to convince up to 5% of recipients to respond to them.

Here is a link to the Phishing Archive showing approximately 200 phishing scams. The Anti-Phishing Working Group is a good web site for current information on this popular internet threat. The Recent Phishing Attacks listed on their home page will show you what the phony e-mail looks like as well as the phony web site and how to identify and avoid it. We hope none of you have fallen prey to the scam. If you have, here is what you can do to protect yourself.

From the Desk Of Wins Association Trends Award

I'm pleased to announce that AALL's From the Desk Of received a Bronze Award in the Weekly/ Daily Member Communication Category in Association Trends All-Media Contest. Production of From the Desk Of is a group effort among all of us here at AALL Headquarters, and we are very flattered to receive this recognition.

Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays!

Sincerely,

Susan E. Fox, CAE
Executive Director
American Association of Law Libraries
53 West Jackson Blvd., Suite 940
Chicago, IL  60604
312-939-4764, ext. 11
Fax 312-431-1097

AALL:  Maximizing the Power of the Law Library Community Since 1906.