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Reflective Essay: Libraries = Freeeee-dommmmm?

Angelo M. Roselle

Library 200-14 Spring 2008

Dr. Kevin Bontenbal

February 19, 2008

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Libraries = FREEEEE-DOMMMMM?

I have been told that libraries allow freedom to exist in society -- freedom to

access information, freedom to read, freedom to educate and be educated, and

freedom to preserve and pass on knowledge. Over the past four weeks I have read the

Rubin textbook, engaged in discussions on the message board, and delved into the

various articles and lectures. Although libraries are great advocates of individual

freedom and open access to information, a topic that is often posed throughout the

readings and discussed on messages boards is if libraries are really providing this

freedom. As I pause to reflect on the topics we have discussed about libraries and the

information service industry, I cannot help but reflect on how libraries have affected my

own life and my freedom.

For the first seventeenth years of my life I did not understand what freedom was.

I was raised in a religious cult that forbade its members to read books, articles, and

literature that were not written by the cult leaders. There was blatant censorship and

restricting of material. The internet was off limits as it was believed to be a place that

would pollute our minds. After I moved away and began attending school for the first

time, books and the search for information became an important part of my life as I was

constantly trying to catch up on what I had been missing. The ability to just pick up a

book and read or search the web was like a revelation. This freedom is an important

part of our society and I believe that libraries have a fundamental purpose allowing this

freedom to exist. Seven years later I am sitting at my desk with access to the Internet, a

library two blocks away that I can access at my leisure, and there is no one telling me
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what I can and cannot read. As I sit here at my computer remembering the freedom that

I have found in libraries, I wonder if libraries are truly places that provide freedom and

open access to all individuals regardless of race, age, sex, religion, residence,

economic standing, or educational background.

Ancient libraries mainly served royal or religious purposes, and as such there

was never access to all members of society. Even in the 16th and 17th centuries, the

vast majority of people did not have access to books, as books were reserved for the

wealthy members of society. It was not until the 19th century that common people would

have more freedom to access books as part of their rights as members of society

(Bontenbal, 2008).

Today there are various types of libraries: public libraries, academic libraries,

school libraries, law libraries, special libraries, archives, and even digital libraries. These

libraries represent an enormous step forward from ancient libraries which served

primarily royal and religious functions. They are even a step forward from private

member only libraries during the 18th and 19th century . Libraries are not only places to

store records or form reading clubs, but libraries are places where information is

processed and accessed by many individuals. Although some libraries, such as law

libraries or academic libraries, serve a particular demographic of society, there are

many public libraries, which are meant to serve all members of society.

Even with all the progress and advancement toward equality, a concern seems to

be that libraries are not providing all the freedoms they should. Books were banned and

burned in centuries past, but does this still happen with censorship in 21st century? With
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Internet access available from home and libraries, it has become controversial and even

difficult to censor information, but are there still individuals or groups that want to deny

access to information or ban books and movies that have violence or sex? Rubin (2007,

p. 46-47) notes, “There are now many social pressures placed on libraries to restrict

access to some of the information within them. Organized groups, especially those with

a religious agenda, have attempted to influence not only the availability of specific

materials, but also library policies.” It seems that censorship may be alive and well in

the 21st century. If it is reality that some people or groups are trying to suppress

information that would otherwise be accessible to all, then there certainly is suppression

of knowledge and information; therefore, not all libraries are proponents of freedom.

Many of our readings examine new technology and efforts by various companies

to digitalize books, journals, articles and even whole libraries. As I read these articles I

began to wonder if the numerous efforts to digitalize books by companies, such as

Amazon, Google, and Yahoo, will allow absolute freedom and access to information. Or

as we move from print to digital sources, will freedom be denied to those who are

unfamiliar or incapable of using new technology? Will the costly nature of new

technologies and inadequate funding of some libraries create an avenue, although

unintentional, for the continuation of unequal access to knowledge and thus the

suppression of freedom?

As I look back over our readings and try to understand how libraries have

changed and adapted throughout history, I realize that there is not a simple answer to

the question of whether libraries provide all the freedoms they are said to. Freedom is a
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subjective word and it would take additional research to really examine this issue of

freedom. I started this program last month with the notion, however naïve it may seem,

that libraries are places of freedom and that librarians are meant to assist in providing

and granting this freedom. Although I now realize that there are many gray areas in

librarianship, libraries seem to be attempting to provide the freedom to access

information, freedom to read, freedom to educate and be educated, and freedom to

preserve and pass on knowledge even though it is often difficult and controversial.
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References

Bontenbal, K. (January 2008). History of Libraries. Online Blackboard Lecture retrieved

January 23, 2008 from http://tigris.sjsu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?

tab_id=_2_1&url=%2Fwebapps%2Fblackboard%2Fexecute%2Flauncher%3Ftyp

e%3DCourse%26id%3D_4709_1%26url%3D

Rubin, R. E. (2007). Foundations of Library and Information Science (Ed. 2). New York:

Neal-Schuman.
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Dear Angelo,

Nice essay about the concept of freedom as it pertains to libraries. Overall it was well written.
You presented your statements and points well and provided the reader with an interesting and
thought provoking essay. Issues of freedom of information, access, preservation, education, etc.
are timely and very real. Your essay reflects some of the issues surrounding these topics well.

Good job! You receive 25/25 for this assignment. Keep up the good work!

Kevin Bontenbal