Three graduate students at Princeton University are hoping to light a fire under their classmates by warning that campus network users might be unwittingly leaking personal information on the Web. The students—including John Alex Halderman, who has received national attention for exposing security flaws in digital-management software—are publicizing a loophole in Princeton’s dorm-room network that allows Web-site operators, both on and off the campus, to view users’ e-mail addresses and telephone numbers.

Already more than 160 students have signed a petition, asking Princeton to close the loophole, that the privacy advocates have posted on their Web site. (The Daily Princetonian)

The Michigan State Board of Education is set to approve a new graduation requirement today that would make every high-school student in the state take at least one online course before receiving a diploma. (The Chronicle, free link)

Online music gets a lot of attention these days, but online education is a far bigger business, and it will be a key factor driving the growth of for-profit higher education in the years to come, analysts said at a conference on Monday. (The Chronicle, subscription required)

With Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Amazon racing to bolster their online databases of literature, at least one publishing house is taking steps to keep control of its books as it enters the digital realm.

HarperCollins Inc., one of the nation’s most prolific publishers, has announced a plan to digitize its catalog of some 20,000 books, and to scan about 3,500 new titles every year. The company will make its scanned books available to the online databases but will hang on to the digital files themselves, in an effort to maintain control over its intellectual property. (The Wall Street Journal)

Since its introduction in 2001, the USA Patriot Act has managed to alienate plenty of American librarians, professors, and privacy advocates. And now it’s time for Canadian lawmakers to take their own swipes at the controversial legislation.

Canadian officials have proposed a law that would let government departments cancel contracts with American companies if those firms gave personal information about Canadians to U.S. investigators. The lawmakers say the bill is motivated by concerns that the Patriot Act could allow the Federal Bureau of Investigation to view sensitive data even beyond U.S. borders. (Canadian Press)

As college professors debate the merits of bringing handheld computers, clickers, and other technological toys into the classroom, they may want to consider one key point: A good number of students have already used the devices in elementary school and high school. More than one in four school districts keeps PDA’s on hand for students and teachers, according to one survey, and the machines are finding a surprisingly wide range of academic uses. (Wired News)

Colleges and other employers that advertise job openings online may be violating federal antidiscrimination laws, according to an “informal discussion” in a letter issued recently by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (The Chronicle, subscription required)

"Free Delwin." That’s the message of a Web site about a Princeton University student, Delwin Olivan, who is one of the many college students to be sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for allegedly pirating music online. The recording industry has demanded that he pay $5,000 within the next 60 days to settle the case or else face larger damages at trial, according to the site, which was organized by some of his classmates. It asks visitors to contribute to help Mr. Olivan pay the settlement, and to buy T-shirts with the supportive message.

"Delwin is no different than you or I," the site says. "He’s a college kid who enjoys listening to some good tunes here and there. He’s shared music with friends. He’s burned cds…. He is a symbol of our generation and the struggle we undergo each day. Please, help FREE DELWIN." (The Daily Princetonian)

A report from OCLC Online Computer Library Center says libraries need a makeover. The report, "Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources" (all 200-plus pages of which are available for download), indicates that library patrons see libraries as a resource for books but not necessarily other media; that 50 to 60 percent of patrons are satisfied with libraries’ various services; and that libraries could do better in marketing their services to the public. Teenage and college-age respondents from the United States were generally neutral about whether their libraries were making information freely available and promoting literacy. And while 94 percent of American respondents over 65 saw the library as a "place to learn," only 69 percent of teenagers shared that perception. Talking With Talis, a Web site that features conversations with luminaries in information science,...

The Dallas County Community College District acted lawfully when it raised students’ technology and activity fees nearly a decade ago, the Texas Supreme Court ruled last week, in a decision that overturned a huge judgment against the district. (The Chronicle, subscription required)