Saturday, June 20, 2009
Post 5 Facebook in libraries
We were talking about Facebook and privacy concerns in our forum this week and I wanted to read more about it. I found this article by Lynn Blumenstein on Library Journal. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6664520.html This article the Highlands Public Library System in Florida choosing to allow access to Facebook in the library. I guess the county commissioner, Jeff Carlson voiced his opinion and said the library should bot be an entertainment center and should focus on education and research. I guess this man has had arguements with the library before and librarians are annoyed. Carlson also complained about library budget and said the library should not be buying best sellers because they are too expensive. The library blog discuss what librarians and users thought of the comments made by Carlson. One post stated, "Media, no matter the kind, stretches the mind, builds vocabulary and most certainly has its place, uncensored, in a public library". I agree with this statement. There are not just book anymore. The web is used for research and education all the time. I am not sure why Facebook is the issue. This man is obviously out of date and out of tune with the library world. He can do his research and someone else can read the best seller. This article feels about 70 years old. It seems this guy also thinks he has a say in what is allowed at the library, I wonder why? Does county commissioner create collection development plans??? Why would he think public libraries would only focus on research and education? Public libraries are access centers, not just places to do research?
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Post 4 I'm embarrassed for these people!
OMG! Really sums this article up. This article by Alison Flood http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/jun/12/christian-group-sues-burn-gay-teen-novel discusses a Christian group that is sueing the city library because the "sexually explicit" teen book "Baby Be-Bop" by Francesca Lia Block. The claim states the Christians were emotional tramatized by this book and has asked the judge to grant them permission the publicly BURN the book along with 120, 000 dollars for emotional damages, of course. Can you believe this? They said the book makes fun of Christians and being exposed can damage you and "put one's life in possible jeopardy, adults and children alike." They actually said this. You would think this book is SATAN'S Bible or something. The city is willing to fight it, of course, but how troubling. There really is an entire group of people challanging this book saying their lives are at stake if it remians avaliable. This really embarrasses me as a Christian. There is nothing Christ like about thier behaivor and they are really making a mockery of all Christians. They are making Christians look ignorant and full of hate. I completely disagree with thier actions an believe in intellectual freedom for everyone. I think this case really challanges our freedom. Why do they want to burn it? What will that do? Burning one book will not rid the nation of this book. What are they thinking? I think it is a bit theatrical and just way too much. I would bann these people from the library, what a joke. They are really getting people to read the book though, so I guess that is positive.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Post #3
I stumbled on this article while browsing one day. I thought it was interesting because the author, Stephen Lendman, discusses the issues we are covering in class. He approaches online censorship by addressing the COPA and then continues to discuss other areas online that are now being censored including craig's list, social networking in general, and general conversation. He said the Communications Decency Act has limited what is allowed online use in school and libraries and explains how it violates freedom of speech. The author compares the internet to a "soon to be" cable like company where big companies will provide access like tv station and will also limit access. He explains the internet is the last hope for democracy to protect the first amendment.
This author really discusses a lot of issues. It is a great reference article to issues facing online censorship. He uses describes the several attempts made by the federal government to gain control over waht is on the internet and what we able to view. It seems to me the government is using controls to censor children, in the name of protection. Call me paranoid but I think it is censorship in general and we call it child protection. I think parents should protect their children and censor information they see on the internet, not the government. I feel like our society has taken the role of parenting from parents and expects schools, libraries, and cable companies to protect the minds of our children. It is the role of the government to make these rules to protect children, it should be on the parents.
URL: http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2009/052209Lendman.shtml
Emily
This author really discusses a lot of issues. It is a great reference article to issues facing online censorship. He uses describes the several attempts made by the federal government to gain control over waht is on the internet and what we able to view. It seems to me the government is using controls to censor children, in the name of protection. Call me paranoid but I think it is censorship in general and we call it child protection. I think parents should protect their children and censor information they see on the internet, not the government. I feel like our society has taken the role of parenting from parents and expects schools, libraries, and cable companies to protect the minds of our children. It is the role of the government to make these rules to protect children, it should be on the parents.
URL: http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2009/052209Lendman.shtml
Emily
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Montana supports gay literature!!
I found this article from a Montana news station. The article describes a library that has been faced with a book challenge. The book, “The Joy of Sex” was recommended for removal due to the “The Joy of Gay Sex” chapter. The challenge was handled by the board and they actually addressed the public to explain intellectual freedom and both party’s opinion. The library, “Lewis and Clark Library” in Montana was granted an award for their excellent solution to the challenge. They were awarded the “Montana Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Award”. The article link is: http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=10383612&nav=menu227_5
I thought this was a great report. My last blog was a negative report about the government and I wanted to do something different thing time. This article is a good representation of how the system can work. I am sure the anti-gay book challenger was disappointed, but it is good for anyone to be reminded that everyone has intellectual freedom rights.
I strongly support his library and will I thought the board’s decision to address the public was a good one. I think it take a little reminder to tell everyone, “Hey, we’re a public library and we serve the public, not just the heterosexual public”. Some people forget what a library is all about and they also forget that they take part in the public library that respects intellectual freedom.
I thought this was a great report. My last blog was a negative report about the government and I wanted to do something different thing time. This article is a good representation of how the system can work. I am sure the anti-gay book challenger was disappointed, but it is good for anyone to be reminded that everyone has intellectual freedom rights.
I strongly support his library and will I thought the board’s decision to address the public was a good one. I think it take a little reminder to tell everyone, “Hey, we’re a public library and we serve the public, not just the heterosexual public”. Some people forget what a library is all about and they also forget that they take part in the public library that respects intellectual freedom.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
I read an article written in “The Australian” online newspaper. This article titled, “No Middle Road for Barack Obama in Banning Torture Photos” by Geoff Elliot discussed Obama’s decision to ban the release of torture photos to the U.S. public press. These photos are allegedly photos of U.S. troops abusing detainees in the Iraq war. Obama stated he thought the photos would endanger the U.S. position and would endanger U.S. troops overseas. The author of this article compared the photos to the 2004 detainee abuse photos from “Abu Ghraib” the Iraqi prison. The author reports the photos inflamed anti-American Sentiment amongst Muslims.
I am not sure how I feel about this issue. I support intellectual freedom and feel we are entitled to access to these photos. However, should we endanger the troops in Iraq just to publish these pictures? Can we wait until the war is over? I honestly do not think it will matter. The anti-American sentiment will continue regardless of a few photos. I think we should be able to view photos from the war and be well aware of troop behavior. I feel information should be available regardless of how I feel about the situation. I may support or disagree with the troop’s behavior but I still think the information should be available. I went to Ireland in 2005 and saw images on television I had no idea existed. The images I viewed of Iraqi families running for their life with their children made me understand the situation in Iraq a little better. I do not understand why Americans are not given the same images on our news. All I had even seen in American was pictures of the bad guys and the American troops saving little Iraqi kids and women. What is going on here? I disagree with Obama’s decision to ban the release of these photos and think he is exercising a right he should not have.
URL: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25482297-2703,00.html
I am not sure how I feel about this issue. I support intellectual freedom and feel we are entitled to access to these photos. However, should we endanger the troops in Iraq just to publish these pictures? Can we wait until the war is over? I honestly do not think it will matter. The anti-American sentiment will continue regardless of a few photos. I think we should be able to view photos from the war and be well aware of troop behavior. I feel information should be available regardless of how I feel about the situation. I may support or disagree with the troop’s behavior but I still think the information should be available. I went to Ireland in 2005 and saw images on television I had no idea existed. The images I viewed of Iraqi families running for their life with their children made me understand the situation in Iraq a little better. I do not understand why Americans are not given the same images on our news. All I had even seen in American was pictures of the bad guys and the American troops saving little Iraqi kids and women. What is going on here? I disagree with Obama’s decision to ban the release of these photos and think he is exercising a right he should not have.
URL: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25482297-2703,00.html
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