This timely special report from ALA Editions provides a succinct but comprehensive overview of the "privatization" of public libraries. It provides a history of the trend of local and state governments privatizing public services and assets, and then examines the history of public library privatization right up to the California…

Public educators must exercise reasonable care in screening prospective employees. The best way to avoid harm to students (and negligent lawsuits) is to check references carefully to determine a candidate's fitness. This means verifying basic data and scrutinizing past job performance by contacting references familiar with the candidate's work…

A law school term paper project for a course in preventative law is described which requires students to gather information concerning a client and use it to judge legal health. The project requirements, a list of the contents of the "Manual for Periodic Checkup," and a copy of the form used to obtain legal documents are appended. (JMD)

A detailed checklist and timeline for ensuring due process are provided for adverse personnel actions, and the need to supplement this with expert, same-jurisdiction legal advice is stressed. This approach emphasizes the importance of treating due process as an ethical as well as a legal requirement. (SLD)

Addressed to citizen groups, local government officials, and others concerned with the development of cable television in their communities, this report summarizes briefly some of the major issues surrounding local decisionmaking for cable television. This summary presents some of the more detailed information found in the companion publication,…

Readings are presented for people who want to consider various aspects of retirement. Part 1 contains chapters on such themes as financial planning, living arrangements, the satisfactory use of leisure time, good health, and legal affairs; the objective is to suggest the dimensions of typical retirement situations and to supply a frame of…

A checklist for museum compliance with federal, state, and local laws covers administrative organization, general endowment and restricted funds, trustees, staffing and employment practices, volunteers, acquisition and disposition, exhibition programs, visitors and membership, auxiliary activities, building, and miscellaneous regulations. (MSE)

When a college/university employee feels that his/her rights have been abrogated, the human resource department and in-house legal staff should be prepared to conduct a comprehensive, objective, and professional investigation. Such issues as proof of misconduct, "reasonable grounds," negligent investigation claims, and defamation claims are…

The concept of intellectual property rights (defined as the creative work of some unknown dimension) is put into the perspectives in this speech of the individual involved, the educational institution, and the general public. Such concerns are ethical implications, incentives, costs, quality, change and innovation, impact on lifelong learning…

The rights of victims of crime or violence in school settings are analyzed in this book. The first chapter looks at the scope of the problem and outlines the rights already established for those accused of crimes. The second chapter focuses on efforts to make educational environments safe, including a 1982 amendment to the California Constitution.…

Successful interviewers ask job-related, open-ended, and thought-provoking questions on important topics; plan questions logically; avoid making stressful, probing queries and interpreting questions for candidates; ask each candidate the same questions; and make each candidate feel comfortable. A checklist of 25 illegal questions is included. (MLH)

A booklet for limited English speakers on dealing with consumer problems provides information on talking to businesses, getting someone on your side, going to the law, and stopping problems before they start. Cartoons, questions about the message in cartoons and narrative passages, checklists on things to consider, and the phonetic pronunciation…

This book offers educators guidelines for appropriately dealing with aggression in the schools and ways to increase school safety for all students. The 13 chapters address the following topics: (1) evaluating a school for safety, which includes a checklist to use in reviewing policies, facilities, students, and staff; (2) principles of peaceful…

The purpose of this document is to provide operators with implementation and operational technical assistance related to special education in charter schools. Special education is a very complicated component of public education and providing operators with technical assistance regarding special education is particularly challenging. This primer…