Issue

01
March 2013

IFTimes
ThisIssue
IntellectualFreedomUnderFire P.1 Librarians:IntellectualFreedomFighters P.2 OPEditorials:AvailabilityofResources P.34

MONTHLYJOURNALOFINTELLECTUALFREEDOMANDINFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY

AvailabilityofResourcesOPEDsCon nued...
Hiccup in the System We must ensure that any transition of In my capacity as Disability Services Coorditechnology is made within a framework nator, it is my duty to ensure that patrons of inclusion, preventing further marginwith disabilities are able to enjoy the same alization of those who most need the right to access as is guaranteed to all patrons practical maintenance of library values. of the library. Those who provide public serLinda, Library Disability Services vices must work to create an environment of Coordinator, Agthoven College (KH) welcoming and accessibility for everyone. When the difficulty which this woman Technological Divide Grows faced at her community library was brought to my attention, it raised some important is- For many people, the sudden increase in techsues which must continuously be addressed nology has created new problems. As the diin discussions and decisions due to the rector of a library, I have always tried to adchanging nature of library service. Under the dress these problems as they occur in such a Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), way that leaves everyone happy and satisfied. which has full support in the American Li- Many older patrons become frustrated with brary Association (ALA) Library Bill of the newer technology and have had trouble Rights, all library patrons are promised equal adapting. This is understandable. As a library, it is our duty to acaccess to library resources, a right which libraries must make Those who provide public commodate both new and old needs as they certain they honor by furnishing services must work to become available. such resources as will grant them create an environment of the same opportunities as every welcoming and accessibility However, it is also important to realize other patron. Because the goal of for everyone. what direction the the library is to provide equal service to everyone who comes to us for an world is heading in and adapt. As media forinformation need, the discourse concerning mats change, the library must change the sercontinued guarantees of intellectual freedom vices offered. When videotapes were replaced often focuses on the content provided or on by DVDs, we slowly replaced videotapes with the restrictive policies of outside influences. DVDs until video cassettes were no longer The rights of the disabled are fully acknowl- offered. Currently both DVDs and blu-rays edged, but occasionally practical application are available to the public. Electronic books of our ideals may encounter a hiccup in the and E-readers have changed the face of books and once again, libraries have been forced to system. This patron exemplifies not one but two adapt. Most libraries, ours included, have issues that prevent patrons from making use worked diligently with publishers in order to of their community's services by way of com- obtain the rights to popular books so that this mon means provided for in conventional li- service is available to everyone. I do not see a brary design: the digital divide and a medical time in the near future when print books will condition. The patrons who can access mate- no longer be available, but as e-books become rials in the usual ways are readily served; it is more and more popular we will certainly conthe group of patrons who are in some way tinue to adapt. Libraries have to change in vulnerable who need our attention all the order to grow and thrive. As institutions of more for our pledge as the beacon of infor- information and knowledge, we must understand that if we do not change, if we do mation provision. not grow. Before when video cassettes were no longer offered, many patrons complained that they couldnt afford DVD players we were forced to explain that the technology was changing and certain services were no longer available. acting as a handicap. This frustrated some patrons, but it was a necessary change. These changes do not happen seamlessly. In concern to the patron in question, there was the concern of her arthritis acting as a handicap. Her disability was very real and was definitely affecting her use of the information available to her. In order to make her access to the information as easy as possible, we would try our best to accommodate her needs. A librarian could instruct her on the navigation of the site so that the information could be accessed from the comfort of her home. That way she wouldnt have to sit for long periods in an uncomfortable chair. If the information was only available on cd, then we would be willing to check the cd out to her for short periods of time in order to meet her needs. If she needed to use the librarys public computers because she did not have access to her own, she could make an appointment for an hour-long session with a disabilitys librarian who would be willing to walk-through the site with her.Rocking John, Library Director and awesome person (MB)

INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM UPDATES

@OIFIFAc onRoundUp,Feb. 25March10,2013oif.ala.org/ oif/?p=4631 @alanewsCoryDoctorowto presentLITAPresidents Program#ala2013ow.ly/iLisu @privacyalaRecommended: WhyDoesPrivacyMa er?One ScholarsAnswerbit.ly/YVYNat; also,thescholarspaper: bit.ly/13IK3Yo @privacyintOnInterna onal Data#PrivacyDay,whoisread ingyouremails? nyurl.com/ a7yr9z3

IntellectualFreedomUnderFire atUniversityLibrary
Intellectual freedom isnt a new concept, but it has recently been highlighted in the news due to increasing legislative abuse. Across the front page of many newspapers, headlines calling for the government to adhere to the constitutional rights and privacy of individuals rally the voices of concerned citizens, information technologists and librarians. So what exactly is intellectual freedom and why should you care about it? Intellectual freedom at the most basic level is the right to freedom of thought and of expression of thought (Article 19, UDHR, 1948). Intellectual freedom is what allows library users access to information on all subjects, from all points of view, to all people who live in the geographic area served by the library, regardless of race, nationality, ethic origin, religion, income, age, or any other arbitrary classification (ALA, 2010). Recently, a university library was catapulted into the spotlight over an incident with a patron regarding equal access to materials. The R.U. Kidding Library, located on the College of Newave Arts and Sciences campus has been a repository for government documents for the last decade. Access to these documents has been made publically available and public patrons may view library materials free of charge. Until recently, the majority of the Librarys collection has been maintained via a rather large monograph collection, but two years ago an initiative to digitize the collection changed the way patrons accessed materials. One patron, unable to view the digitized materials for prolonged periods of time due to arthritis, asked a library staff member if she could have the materials printed off for her. The response from the librarian has sent shockwaves throughout the community. She told me, We only make available the materials the government sends and we cannot print copies for you. The patron was obviously taken-aback by the denial of services, My tax dollars contribute to these materials and its not fair that they can only be viewed electronically. The library is going against the core beliefs of librarianship! Librarians from all around the country took to the Internet and the Library has been flooded with emails. I cant keep up with the email, said one librarian at R.U. Kidding, we have been overwhelmed with responding to many outraged librarians and citizens. The librarian who initially denied the request has maintained her stance on the issue. When IFTimes reached out to her she responded almost immediately with the following statement: (seeLIBRARYCon nuedonpage2)

TheManyFaces ofCensorship
IranBlocksVPNstoPrevent Circumven ngWeb Censorship(PCMagazine) RIACLUSaysInternet CensorshipinPublicSchools GoesTooFar(GoLocalProv) FromCensorshipto Openness(Dailyuw)

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IntellectualFreedomandInforma onTechnology IFTimesIssue01March2013

LIBRARY continued from page 1

Budget cuts have been killing libraries as of late and we are no exception. The documents the patron was requesting are lengthy and would have required the use of extensive library resources. The government provides us with materials in digital format and we pass what we are given along to the public. We function according to multiple federal laws and regulations, and we will continue to do so going into the future. We contacted the Librarys director, Georgia Leftist by email and received the following response: The Library stands behind the decision of our librarian and will continue to follow the regulations imposed by the government until policies can be updated. ThoughweatIFTimes understandhowdicultit canbetomaintainthesta tusquothroughtimesof economichardship,we maintainthatpublicser vicesshouldnotsuerdue tobudgetaryissues.Asfor theregulationsthelibrary follows,webelieveanygov ernmentregulationthat seekstohinderintellectual freedommustbeprotested andtheLibraryshouldlook intoupdatingitspoliciesin ordertobetterservetheir community. Asalways,wepulledin opinionsfromthelibrary community,whichcanbe readstartingonpage3. IFContributingEditor GeoMorovan(CM)
Sources: AmericanLibraryAssociation.Ocefor IntellectualFreedom.(2010).Intellectual freedommanual(8thed.).Chicago: AmericanLibraryAssociation UniversalDeclarationofHumanRights. (2005).Thecrystalreferenceencyclopedia.

Librarians:Intellectual FreedomFighters
OPEditorials:AvailabilityofResources
HowtheALAbelieveslibrariansarethekey tostoppingcensorshipandimprovingthe outlookofintellectualfreedom.
LIBRARIESSHOULDCHALLENGECENSORSHIPINTHEFULFILL MENTOFTHEIRRESPONSIBILITYTOPROVIDEINFORMATION ANDENLIGHTENMENTLIBRARYBILLOFRIGHTS
The ALA (American Library Associa on) believes that intellectual free dom is such an important human right, that in 1967 it established The Oce for Intellectual Freedom (ALA.org, 2013). The OIF is charged with implemen ng ALA policies con cerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights (ALA.org, 2013). The OIF has provided the groundwork for many important ini a ves and pro jects that promote intellectual free dom. With the support of librarians from around the globe, the OIF has been able to educate the public through Banned Book Week, Choose Privacy Week, the Intellectual Free dom Roundtable and the OIF Blog (ALA.org,2013).Asthedangerto patron privacy con nues to increase, mostly in part to the gross misuse of legisla vepower,librarianshavebeen forced to become intellectual free dom ghters. On any given day, on Twi er, Facebook and other social networks; you will nd the voice of librarians hash tagged with #intellectualfreedom. Outside of the library, you can iden fy a possible librarian because they could be carrying an Intellectual Freedom Fighter tote bag. All of these mediums create an increased public awareness of not only intellec tual freedom, but of the behind the scenesworkmanylibrariansaredoing tosaveit.Theimageofanintellectu al freedom ghter varies, buta librari anisdenitelyinanexcellentposi on to become a unied force against the onslaught of government legis la on against individual privacy. How does one become an intel lectual freedom ghter? It doesnt happen overnight, but by joining the voices of dissent that have been taking to the proverbial streets, you can help to increase awareness. So go forth and ght the good ght, knowing that you thebackingoftheAmericanLibrary Associa on and the Library Bill of Rights! Talia Vende a, M.L.I.S, Intellectual Freedom Fighter
Source: American Library Associa on. (2013). Oce for Intellectual Freedom. Retrieved from h p://www.ala.org/oces/oif Join in and write an editorial! Email us at i imesO PED@gmail.com

I dont want to be shut out from the truth. If they ban books, they might as well lock us away from the world.
- Rory Edwards, 12, Washington Post, Getting It Down at Writing Camp.

UPCOMING 2013 IFTIMES EVENTS _____________________________________ March 15: Freedom of Information Day June 27-July 2: ALA Annual Conference Sept. 22-28: Banned Books Week Sept. 25: Banned Websites Awareness Day

Useful Intellectual Freedom Resources American Library Assoc. ala.org OIF Blog oif.ala.org Intellectual Freedom Manual ifmanual.org LISWiki liswiki.org/wiki/Intellectual_freedom

Image source: ALA.org

Government Gets Involved In regards to the patron who has experienced a problem with services, I certainly sympathize. However, the Records Office regretfully cannot offer print versions to be sent to various libraries and archives anymore. As time goes by and new technologies enable greater efficiency and many more wonderful changes, we understand that some individuals have difficulties with changes in format. The Records Office has reviewed its options and has found the electronic availability of the documents to be an excellent solution for delivery of much of our publicly accessible content. By streamlining the process of delivery via electronic access, we have reduced that portion of the budget considerably, and have extended easy availability to a broader audience of recipients. It would be a large expense to the taxpayers to continue to provide both formats. We appreciate those library employees from different regions who have expressed, in emails, willingness to aid people with similar issues with obtaining paper copies from the electronic records through their own library access point. The Records Office also offers the option of reproductions to be mailed directly to the requestor for a fee. As a representative for the federal side of public service, I personally take my duties to the public seriously and I enjoyed the reminder that we are all working together, whether local librarian staff, county official or federal archive manager. The end result must always be a benefit to the general public. Vincent, Assistant Director, Federal Records Office (KH)

Its All About Compromise I have been a librarian at the University of California for the past ten years. In my entire time there, a tradition of intellectual freedom has not merely been taught to me but has been ingrained in me. An individuals equal right to the information available is part of the Librarys Bill of Rights and should not be forgotten. A library should accommodate a patrons need as best possible despite any possible disabilities. This can mean making the building easily accessible to patrons with wheelchairs or accommodating Seeing Eye dogs. This can mean the use of the talking book program which has made books available to a wide range of users.

A good compromise would be to print off the resources at a fee (usually 10 cents a page). This would help the library make up for any monetary loss. I know legal government documents such as divorce papers and tax information can be printed off at a fee, so I dont see why the same cant be done for the woman. Bette Sue-Star, Librarian, University of California (MB) My Tax Dollars Too Though I understand where the patron is coming from and I sympathize with her, my tax dollars also pay for the materials the library has in their collection. When another patron is asking for materials the library doesnt have, my taxes increase to pay the cost of the resources used. Printing off a document that is hundreds of pages is not only costly, but wasteful. I think that this patron should help raise funds for the library to purchase tablets or eReaders, not just expect them to go above and beyond for her. There are plenty of other options she could look into, like talking books or look into buying a cheap eReader herself. I feel that it is unfair for the rest of the community to pay for a service that only one patron is using. I did a little research and found that the patron in question has to be certified disabled by a competent authority as unable to read in order for copies of a copyrighted work to be made (ARL.org, 2012, p. 2021). If this patron is certified disabled, then thats a different story! I know that libraries are always trying to save money, especially in these current times of economic hardship. Im all for them cutting costs where they

can. Also, if the work does not fall under copyright, I think the patron should have access. If it does, then the librarians need to make sure they follow Section 108e (Copyright Crashcourse, 2007) and that she is just using the material for personal use! -Alameda Jones, R.U. Kidding Patron (CM)
Source: Association of Research Libraries. (2012). Report of the ARL joint task force on services to patrons with print disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.arl.org/bm~doc/print-disabilitiestfreport02nov12.pdf University of Texas Libraries. (2007). Copyright Crashcourse: Copyright in the library. Retrieved from http://www.copyright.lib.utexas.edu/I-108de. Html. ___________________________________________

BannedBookMonthlyPick
BraveNewWorld byAldousHuxley BraveNewWorldissetpri marilyinLondonof2540AD, thoughapor onofthenovel transpiresintheNewMexico SavageReserva on.Theworld isnowgovernedasonestate. Thisfuturis cse ngishometo averytechnologicallyadvanced societyinwhichpeopleare engineeredtobebornasmem bersofoneofvedierent castes.Thetechnologyu lized inthissocietyplaysaverysig nicantroleinthenovel. LaurenMcLaren,About.com contributor __________________________

...a tradition of intellectual freedom has not merely been taught to me but has been ingrained in me.
Most academies are equipped with disabilities services which help to ensure that patrons needs are provided for. At the university library where I work, we are extremely accommodating to the different needs of the patrons who come in. A service which we offer for those who cannot use print materials due to a disability are offered the option of having those print materials scanned. Then the materials are available in a digital format that can be accessed from their home computer. It takes up more time and energy for the employees, but its a part of making the same information available in a format that is available to everyone. At the library in question, a similar method could be used in order to meet the womans information needs.