Status of The Internet Filter Assessment Project

[KAREN SCHNEIDER]

TIFAP, The Internet Filter Assessment Project, is moving along,
slowly but deliberately; project status is at:

http://www.bluehighways.com/tifap.htm

I'm keeping it largely separate from my "day job," so it is
developing in tidy 24-hour increments.  :-)

There are several dozen volunteers, some who will assess filters,
some who are generating questions (we aren't posting the
questions to the website), some who are helping me find
web-based solutions for gathering and presenting this 
information (I could use a little help in this area--no, that's wrong;
I could use a LOT of help in this area).  Most of the discussion of
this project is happening "off-list," as it should.  The test phase is
currently projected for May 18 - June 1; right now we're buffing
up the test questions, assessing the criteria, and ensuring folks
can get their hands on samples of the filters.  To answer a
question I received today, non-U.S. volunteers are not only
welcome but encouraged (my goodness, Australians have some
interesting words for you-know-what!). The volunteer pool is
eclectic, and includes people (primarily librarians) from all "sides"
of the filter issue.  

I'm also working on a book on this topic--a "quick-turn" book,
projected out mid-summer,  which will expand on the project
findings.  

Finally, the latest American Libraries has a column by me on
Internet filters.  

If you have pent-up energy about this issue, and need to Do
Something, this is a way to do it.  It's fun, it's useful, it's focused,
and it will help keep Web4Lib free for discussions of other
things.  Email me at my HOME address,
<kgs at bluehighways.com>, if you're interested.

Cheers,

Karen G. Schneider/schneider.karen at epamail.epa.gov
Contractor, GCI/Director, US EPA Region 2 Library
http://www.epa.gov/Region2/library/