See August 11th posting for instructions. Assignment Due October 8th.
Also look for celebrations in your local area.
Friday, September 08, 2006
645-- Why is Intellectual Freedom so important today?
645: Reading Reflection 1
Why is Intellectual Freedom so important today?
This is the topic for our first reading reflection. If you don't have access to the Intellectual Freedom Manual yet, please feel free to use the resources on the ALA, OIF site. http://www.ala.org Also, look at the news, at newspapers, and magazines. What are the intellectual freedom topics in the news? What values are at stake? As people devoted to encouraging free and wide access to information, what are the possible roles for us to take in public discourse as well as in our professional work? Think also of other historical periods and the many conflicts about who owns and who may have access to information, to books, to movies, to health information. When in Western history did ordinary people start learning to read? Needing to read? What about women? Slaves? What about the use of Latin in the Catholic Church until recently? Other examples? What about other countries today? Think, for example, of China and Internet access. This week we will be doing a lot of brainstorming about the scope and shape of the subject of our concern this semester. Think about the issues that interest you most. Throughout the term we will use small discussion group in our discussion forum area to share ideas. With five or six people in your groups, you will be able to share in a more meaningful way. Take a look at the Discussion Forums for additional instructions.
Why is Intellectual Freedom so important today?
This is the topic for our first reading reflection. If you don't have access to the Intellectual Freedom Manual yet, please feel free to use the resources on the ALA, OIF site. http://www.ala.org Also, look at the news, at newspapers, and magazines. What are the intellectual freedom topics in the news? What values are at stake? As people devoted to encouraging free and wide access to information, what are the possible roles for us to take in public discourse as well as in our professional work? Think also of other historical periods and the many conflicts about who owns and who may have access to information, to books, to movies, to health information. When in Western history did ordinary people start learning to read? Needing to read? What about women? Slaves? What about the use of Latin in the Catholic Church until recently? Other examples? What about other countries today? Think, for example, of China and Internet access. This week we will be doing a lot of brainstorming about the scope and shape of the subject of our concern this semester. Think about the issues that interest you most. Throughout the term we will use small discussion group in our discussion forum area to share ideas. With five or six people in your groups, you will be able to share in a more meaningful way. Take a look at the Discussion Forums for additional instructions.
645: Due Dates
Just in case you are looking here for Due Dates. Due Dates will be at the end of the weeks.
Reading Reflection 1- Due 9/17 (midnight)
Reading Reflection 2- Due 9/24
Reading Reflection 3- Due 10/1
Banned Book Assignment- Due 10/8
etc.
Reading Reflection 1- Due 9/17 (midnight)
Reading Reflection 2- Due 9/24
Reading Reflection 3- Due 10/1
Banned Book Assignment- Due 10/8
etc.
Monday, September 04, 2006
645--Let's Go Live!
Time for the Fall Semester to begin. I look forward to seeing you all on the course site. For anyone not in the class, please continue to hang out on the blog. I welcome comments and will enable comments for the next few weeks. If there are commercial or inappropriate comments, I will disable comments.
645: Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: I'm learning how to use the course site, so please feel free to email me if you are having trouble finding what you need. I prefer to be called Dr. Marti or Dean Smith (depending upon the setting). I'll comment more on forms of address soon. MMS
645: Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: I'm learning how to use the course site, so please feel free to email me if you are having trouble finding what you need. I prefer to be called Dr. Marti or Dean Smith (depending upon the setting). I'll comment more on forms of address soon. MMS
Saturday, September 02, 2006
645: Lecture Notes-- Week 1: Intellectual Freedom Today
Week 1-- Lecture Notes: Intellectual Freedom Today
- Why Intellectual Freedom and Librarians/Libraries?
- Why is this course of interest to you?
- Hot topics in the news: Look anywhere and you will find these issues.
Welcome to the fall semester and our work together. I'm delighted to be teaching this course. Let me suggest that you take a look at my vita for something on my background and experience. Of most importance for this class is my continuing interest and commitment to the principles of intellectual freedom and the role of librarians in their local settings and in professional leadership. Intellectual freedom is often misunderstood and sometimes underestimated in importance. Why do librarians make such a big deal, actually offer a class on the subject? Is intellectual freedom so important? What about intellectual property rights and national security? Why don't we put intellectual freedom on the back burner in order to protect valid intellectual property rights and to assure national security? Why should we not curtail our speech and expression in a time of terrorism?
The way I see it, librarians have a special angle on these issues. We have a point of view that comes from seeing from inside the power of information, knowledge, learning, and understanding. We know the power of words and the importance of protecting personal expression and public speech. Think about your own unique experiences that have brought you to this class. Why do you care about intellectual freedom? In this class you will be able to learn some of the basics of the traditions and current controversies. You will be able to put your learning together in your own personal way to guide your professional practice. This course is for you and your professional development as well as for all of you as a group. We learn by being willing to share our understanding and perspectives and sometimes to disagree with each other. Let's try to learn ways to discuss controversial issues in a respective manner. As professionals in the field, we will be called upon to offer calm, informed leadership to staff, within professional associations, and to the public. In this class we will help each other with preparations for these challenging opportunities.
What are the key issues for you?
645: Intellectual Freedom and Libraries
645: Intellectual Freedom and Libraries
Welcome to the Fall semester and Intellectual Freedom and Libraries. Please use the blog to get started with the course. I have just gotten access to the course shell and will be learning how to use it in the next few days. If you all have used the course ware before, I'll appreciate your suggestions on organizing our work together. Looking forward to working with you all. Dr. Marti Smith
Final Syllabus: September 5, 2006
September 5, 2006
SYLLABUS: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND LIBRARIES
Fall, 2006
University of Wisconsin—Madison
SLIS
Dr. Martha M. Smith (Dr. Marti)
Dean of Library and Educational Services
Alvernia College
Reading, PA, 19607
610-796-8395
Email: marti.smith@alvernia.edu
Or msmith@infoethics.org
Blog: http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
Course Learning Objectives:
(Adapted from the syllabus of Dr. Rebecca Knuth, University of Hawaii)
1. To understand the First Amendment as it pertains to censorship of information in general and libraries in particular with particular attention to current issues in the profession and in society.
2. To understand the conceptual and practical bases of intellectual freedom and the core
philosophical principles of anti-censorship adhered to within librarianship.
3. To understand and be able to apply intellectual freedom policies (particularly those of the American Library Association) to daily life and professional practices including collection development, reference and technical services, and leadership in the community and beyond.
4. To understand the history of contemporary censorship in American libraries in relation to other challenges to inclusive service and social responsibility.
5. To become familiar with the positions of pro-and anti-censorship coalitions and with current controversies including the “family-friendly” library movement.
6. To be familiar with cases of censorship, controversies that have received media attention (art and censorship, censorship of violent music lyrics and children’s TV, hate speech, flag burning), patterns of book banning.
7. To be familiar with the issues of access to government information and copyright and alternatives including the Open Source movement and the Creative Commons.
8. To be familiar with censorship issues concerning sexual materials and pornography (including pornography on the internet).
9. To be familiar with internet filtering initiatives and laws, particularly as pertaining to libraries.
10. To be able to articulate professional positions for oneself and to plan constructive action and provide leadership in professional settings.
Texts and Suggestion Readings:
Office for Intellectual Freedom. American Library Association. Intellectual Freedom Manual. 6th ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 2002.
(Optional) Karolides, Nicholas J., Margaret Bald and Dawn B. Sova. 100 Banned Books: Censorship Histories of World Literature. New York: Checkmark Books, 1999.
(Optional) Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. The book and the movie. Note that they are different.
University Policies, Academic Integrity, and Students with Special Needs:
Please refer to stated university policies and consult the instructor if you have any concerns. In this class, we will follow all university policies.
Assignments and Grade Percentages:
¨ 10 Reading Reflections and Responses—5% each (50%)
¨ Banned Book Assignment and Engagement in Discussion (10%)
¨ Editorial Assignment/Short Story Assignment and Critiques (10%)
¨ Electronic Pathfinder or Blog and Critiques (30%)
¨ Optional: Wikipedia contributions (personal and professional pride)
Class Schedule:
(Detailed readings and assignment instructions will be provided separately.)
9/ 5: Week 1: No assignment due.
9/11: Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due.
9/18: Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
9/25: Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
10/2: Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
10/9: Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
10/16: Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
10/23: Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
10/30: Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
11/6: Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
11/13: Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
11/20: Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due.
11/27: Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due.
12/4: Week 14: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
12/11: Week 15: Final Reflections and Action Planning.
Weekly Readings and Assignments:
Week 1: Preview the Intellectual Freedom Manual, 6th edition; ALA, Office of Intellectual Freedom, http://www.ala.org ; American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org ; The Creative Commons and other sites and sources related to intellectual freedom.
Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due. Why is Intellectual Freedom So Important Today?
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 1:
Fahrenheit 451 (optional)
Reading Reflection 1: How does the history of the struggle to defend intellectual freedom inform our learning for today? Use specific examples from the readings. What are the issues of most interest to you?
Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2.1-17
Fahrenheit 451—The book and/or the movie (Optional)
Reading Reflection 2: Select two or three of the readings on interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights and explain the real life situations where these interpretations would apply. Also suggest why some people would have objections to these interpretations and how you might find a practical solution in real life. Remember that the Library Bill of Rights describes the ideal. In everyday life, we all make decisions about how to apply these ideals to our own situations.
Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2 and the USA Patriot Act
Reading Reflection 3: Consider the Library Bill of Rights in light of the USA Patriot Act. How do librarians make the case for patriotism by defending the open and private access to a wide variety of information in our collections? Note the specific content in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on information rights and freedom of expression. . Should these documents be displayed in libraries? How?
Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.1-6
See also The American Civil Liberties Union; the Electronic Frontier Foundation; and other key web sites.
Reading Reflection 4: The Freedom to Read documents like the Library Bill of Rights are challenged by the USA Patriot Act and by the various bills and laws that seek to address patron privacy, children’s use of the Internet, and intellectual property right, particularly copyright. Based on your reading and thinking, create a list of five to eight answers to frequently asked questions that could be used by a public library staff. For example, “Why don’t we give parents a list of books read by their children?” Another example: “Can the homeless sleep in the library? Take a bath? Cook?” (See also IFM, Part 4.5)
Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.7-11
Search for relevant articles in the library and information science databases.
Reading Reflection 5: In addition to the readings from the Intellectual Freedom Manual, look for Internet Use Policies in your area or in another familiar setting. Identify the common features and the find out what problems are faced in real life practice? Use documentation from three to five professional articles illustrating problems and practices.
Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 4
See also the Social Responsibility Round Table and the Progressive Librarians Guild.
Reading Reflection 6: The Office of Intellectual Freedom has been involved in many legal cases over the years. Look at the OIF website and note the scope of the current cases. To what extent should local librarians (including yourself) become involved in the legal and political issues before us today? Should librarians run for office? Write letters to the editor? Participate in protests?
Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 5
Family Friendly Libraries
Focus on the Family
Lester Asheim, “Selection not censorship.” Various versions.
Reading Reflection 7: Using the principle of selection not censorship, of inclusiveness not exclusiveness, consider how to present the case against censorship to library boards, city/county government, religious groups, and other community groups. Find two or three specific cases in the professional literature to consider.
Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 6: Working for Intellectual Freedom
Reading Reflection 8: Using the LIS literature, find three examples from the last twenty years that describe successful campaigns against censorship. Look specifically for the roles of the library staff members. Did anyone lose a job? Almost? Why is preparation for challenges to intellectual freedom so important?
Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due. Intellectual Property Rights vs. Intellectual Freedom; The Creative Commons and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Reading Reflection 9: Consider alternative approaches to protecting intellectual property rights. How are digital content resources on the web changing the stakes for publishers and other content providers? What new business models are being tried?
Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due. The Digital Divide and Intellectual Freedom.
Reading Reflection 10: Consider groups in society who are traditionally disadvantaged by lacking access to or interest in/motivation to use technology. You may want to revisit the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and global institutions such as IFLA and UNESCO. What can a local library, a for-profit organization, or a professional association do to address the digital divide, locally or globally?
Week 14: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
Week 15: Final Reflections and Action Planning
SYLLABUS: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND LIBRARIES
Fall, 2006
University of Wisconsin—Madison
SLIS
Dr. Martha M. Smith (Dr. Marti)
Dean of Library and Educational Services
Alvernia College
Reading, PA, 19607
610-796-8395
Email: marti.smith@alvernia.edu
Or msmith@infoethics.org
Blog: http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
Course Learning Objectives:
(Adapted from the syllabus of Dr. Rebecca Knuth, University of Hawaii)
1. To understand the First Amendment as it pertains to censorship of information in general and libraries in particular with particular attention to current issues in the profession and in society.
2. To understand the conceptual and practical bases of intellectual freedom and the core
philosophical principles of anti-censorship adhered to within librarianship.
3. To understand and be able to apply intellectual freedom policies (particularly those of the American Library Association) to daily life and professional practices including collection development, reference and technical services, and leadership in the community and beyond.
4. To understand the history of contemporary censorship in American libraries in relation to other challenges to inclusive service and social responsibility.
5. To become familiar with the positions of pro-and anti-censorship coalitions and with current controversies including the “family-friendly” library movement.
6. To be familiar with cases of censorship, controversies that have received media attention (art and censorship, censorship of violent music lyrics and children’s TV, hate speech, flag burning), patterns of book banning.
7. To be familiar with the issues of access to government information and copyright and alternatives including the Open Source movement and the Creative Commons.
8. To be familiar with censorship issues concerning sexual materials and pornography (including pornography on the internet).
9. To be familiar with internet filtering initiatives and laws, particularly as pertaining to libraries.
10. To be able to articulate professional positions for oneself and to plan constructive action and provide leadership in professional settings.
Texts and Suggestion Readings:
Office for Intellectual Freedom. American Library Association. Intellectual Freedom Manual. 6th ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 2002.
(Optional) Karolides, Nicholas J., Margaret Bald and Dawn B. Sova. 100 Banned Books: Censorship Histories of World Literature. New York: Checkmark Books, 1999.
(Optional) Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. The book and the movie. Note that they are different.
University Policies, Academic Integrity, and Students with Special Needs:
Please refer to stated university policies and consult the instructor if you have any concerns. In this class, we will follow all university policies.
Assignments and Grade Percentages:
¨ 10 Reading Reflections and Responses—5% each (50%)
¨ Banned Book Assignment and Engagement in Discussion (10%)
¨ Editorial Assignment/Short Story Assignment and Critiques (10%)
¨ Electronic Pathfinder or Blog and Critiques (30%)
¨ Optional: Wikipedia contributions (personal and professional pride)
Class Schedule:
(Detailed readings and assignment instructions will be provided separately.)
9/ 5: Week 1: No assignment due.
9/11: Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due.
9/18: Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
9/25: Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
10/2: Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
10/9: Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
10/16: Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
10/23: Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
10/30: Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
11/6: Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
11/13: Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
11/20: Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due.
11/27: Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due.
12/4: Week 14: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
12/11: Week 15: Final Reflections and Action Planning.
Weekly Readings and Assignments:
Week 1: Preview the Intellectual Freedom Manual, 6th edition; ALA, Office of Intellectual Freedom, http://www.ala.org ; American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org ; The Creative Commons and other sites and sources related to intellectual freedom.
Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due. Why is Intellectual Freedom So Important Today?
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 1:
Fahrenheit 451 (optional)
Reading Reflection 1: How does the history of the struggle to defend intellectual freedom inform our learning for today? Use specific examples from the readings. What are the issues of most interest to you?
Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2.1-17
Fahrenheit 451—The book and/or the movie (Optional)
Reading Reflection 2: Select two or three of the readings on interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights and explain the real life situations where these interpretations would apply. Also suggest why some people would have objections to these interpretations and how you might find a practical solution in real life. Remember that the Library Bill of Rights describes the ideal. In everyday life, we all make decisions about how to apply these ideals to our own situations.
Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2 and the USA Patriot Act
Reading Reflection 3: Consider the Library Bill of Rights in light of the USA Patriot Act. How do librarians make the case for patriotism by defending the open and private access to a wide variety of information in our collections? Note the specific content in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on information rights and freedom of expression. . Should these documents be displayed in libraries? How?
Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.1-6
See also The American Civil Liberties Union; the Electronic Frontier Foundation; and other key web sites.
Reading Reflection 4: The Freedom to Read documents like the Library Bill of Rights are challenged by the USA Patriot Act and by the various bills and laws that seek to address patron privacy, children’s use of the Internet, and intellectual property right, particularly copyright. Based on your reading and thinking, create a list of five to eight answers to frequently asked questions that could be used by a public library staff. For example, “Why don’t we give parents a list of books read by their children?” Another example: “Can the homeless sleep in the library? Take a bath? Cook?” (See also IFM, Part 4.5)
Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.7-11
Search for relevant articles in the library and information science databases.
Reading Reflection 5: In addition to the readings from the Intellectual Freedom Manual, look for Internet Use Policies in your area or in another familiar setting. Identify the common features and the find out what problems are faced in real life practice? Use documentation from three to five professional articles illustrating problems and practices.
Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 4
See also the Social Responsibility Round Table and the Progressive Librarians Guild.
Reading Reflection 6: The Office of Intellectual Freedom has been involved in many legal cases over the years. Look at the OIF website and note the scope of the current cases. To what extent should local librarians (including yourself) become involved in the legal and political issues before us today? Should librarians run for office? Write letters to the editor? Participate in protests?
Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 5
Family Friendly Libraries
Focus on the Family
Lester Asheim, “Selection not censorship.” Various versions.
Reading Reflection 7: Using the principle of selection not censorship, of inclusiveness not exclusiveness, consider how to present the case against censorship to library boards, city/county government, religious groups, and other community groups. Find two or three specific cases in the professional literature to consider.
Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 6: Working for Intellectual Freedom
Reading Reflection 8: Using the LIS literature, find three examples from the last twenty years that describe successful campaigns against censorship. Look specifically for the roles of the library staff members. Did anyone lose a job? Almost? Why is preparation for challenges to intellectual freedom so important?
Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due. Intellectual Property Rights vs. Intellectual Freedom; The Creative Commons and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Reading Reflection 9: Consider alternative approaches to protecting intellectual property rights. How are digital content resources on the web changing the stakes for publishers and other content providers? What new business models are being tried?
Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due. The Digital Divide and Intellectual Freedom.
Reading Reflection 10: Consider groups in society who are traditionally disadvantaged by lacking access to or interest in/motivation to use technology. You may want to revisit the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and global institutions such as IFLA and UNESCO. What can a local library, a for-profit organization, or a professional association do to address the digital divide, locally or globally?
Week 14: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
Week 15: Final Reflections and Action Planning
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Draft Syllabus, August 20, 2006
DRAFT, August 20, 2006
SYLLABUS: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND LIBRARIES
Fall, 2006
University of Wisconsin—Madison
SLIS
Dr. Martha M. Smith (Dr. Marti)
Dean of Library and Educational Services
Alvernia College
Reading, PA
19607
610-796-8395
Email: marti.smith@alvernia.edu
Or msmith@infoethics.org
Blog: http://infoethicist.blogspot.com/
Course Learning Objectives
1. To understand the First Amendment as it pertains to censorship of information in general and
libraries in particular.
2. To understand the conceptual and practical bases of intellectual freedom and the core
philosophical principles of anti-censorship adhered to within librarianship.
3. To understand and be able to apply intellectual freedom policies (particularly those of the
American Library Association) to daily life and professional practices.
4. To understand the history of contemporary censorship in American libraries.
5. To become familiar with the positions of pro-and anti-censorship coalitions.
6. To be familiar with cases of censorship, controversies that have received media attention (art and
censorship, censorship of violent music lyrics and children’s TV, hate speech, flag burning), and
patterns of bookbanning.
7. To be familiar with the issues of access to government information and copyright.
8. To be familiar with censorship issues concerning sexual materials and pornography (including pornography on the internet).
9. To be familiar with internet filtering initiatives and laws, particularly as pertaining to libraries.
Texts:
Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association. Intellectual Freedom Manual. 6th ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 2002.
(Optional) Karolides, Nicholas J., Margaret Bald and Dawn B. Sova. 100 Banned Books: Censorship Histories of World Literature. New York: Checkmark Books, 1999.
(Optional) Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. The book and the movie. Note that they are different.
Assignments and Grade Percentages:
10 Reading Reflections and Responses—5% each (50%)
Banned Book Assignment and Engagement in Discussion (10%)
Editorial Assignment/Short Story Assignment and Critiques (10%)
Electronic Pathfinder or Blog and Critiques (30%)
Optional: Wikipedia contributions
Class Schedule (Detailed readings and assignment instructions will be provided soon.)
9/ 5: Week 1: No assignment due.
9/11: Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due.
9/18: Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
9/25: Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
10/2: Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
10/9: Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
10/16: Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
10/23: Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
10/30: Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
11/6: Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
11/13: Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
11/20: Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due.
11/27: Week 13: Reading Reflection 19 due.
12/4 and 12/11: Week 14 and 15: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brief Draft--Weekly Reading Assignments
Week 1: Preview the Intellectual Freedom Manual, 6th edition; ALA, Office of Intellectual Freedom, http://www.ala.org ; American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org ; Creative Commons
Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due. Why is Intellectual Freedom So Important Today?
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 1:
Fahrenheit 451 (optional)
Reading Reflection 1: How does the history of the struggle to defend intellectual freedom inform our learning for today? Use specific examples from the readings. What are the issues of most interest to you?
Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2.1-17
Fahrenheit 451
Reading Reflection 2: Select two or three of the readings on interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights and explain the real life situations where these interpretations would apply. Also suggest why some people would have objections to these interpretations and how you might find a practical solution in real life. Remember that the Library Bill of Rights describes the ideal. In everyday life, we all make decisions about how to apply these ideals to our own situations.
Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2 and the USA Patriot Act
Reading Reflection 3: Consider the Library Bill of Rights in light of the USA Patriot Act. How do librarians make the case for patriotism by defending the open and private access to a wide variety of information in our collections? Note the specific content in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Should these documents be displayed in libraries?
Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.1-6
See also The American Civil Liberties Union; the Electronic Frontier Foundation; and other key web sites.
Reading Reflection 4: The Freedom to Read documents like the Library Bill of Rights are challenged by the USA Patriot Act and by the various bills and laws that seek to address patron privacy, children’s use of the Internet, and intellectual property right, particularly copyright. Based on your reading and thinking, create a list of five to eight answers to frequently asked questions that could be used by a public library staff. For example, “Why don’t we give parents a list of books read by their children?” Anther example: “Can the homeless sleep in the library? Take a bath? Cook?” (See also IFM, Part 4.5)
Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.7-11
Search for relevant articles in the library and information science databases.
Reading Reflection 5: In addition to the readings from the Intellectual Freedom Manual, look for Internet Use Policies in your area or in another familiar setting. Identify the common features and the find out what problems are faced in real life practice?
Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 4
See also the Social Responsibility Round Table and the Progressive Librarians Guild.
Reading Reflection 6: The Office of Intellectual Freedom has been involved in many legal cases over the years. Look at the OIF website and note the scope of the current cases. To what extent should local librarians (including yourself) become involved in the legal and political issues before us today? Should librarians run for office? Write letters to the editor? Participate in protests?
Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 5
Family Friendly Libraries
Focus on the Family
Lester Asheim, “Selection not censorship.”
Reading Reflection 7: Using the principle of selection not censorship, of inclusiveness not exclusiveness, consider how to present the case against censorship to library boards, city/county government, religious groups, and other community groups. What have you learned from the readings.
Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 6: Working for Intellectual Freedom
Reading Reflection 8: Using the LIS literature, find three articles from the last fifteen years that describe successful campaigns against censorship.
Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due. Intellectual Property Rights vs. Intellectual Freedom
Creative Commons
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due. The Digital Divide and Intellectual Freedom.
Reading Reflection 10:
Week 14 and 15: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
SYLLABUS: INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND LIBRARIES
Fall, 2006
University of Wisconsin—Madison
SLIS
Dr. Martha M. Smith (Dr. Marti)
Dean of Library and Educational Services
Alvernia College
Reading, PA
19607
610-796-8395
Email: marti.smith@alvernia.edu
Or msmith@infoethics.org
Blog: http://infoethicist.blogspot.com/
Course Learning Objectives
1. To understand the First Amendment as it pertains to censorship of information in general and
libraries in particular.
2. To understand the conceptual and practical bases of intellectual freedom and the core
philosophical principles of anti-censorship adhered to within librarianship.
3. To understand and be able to apply intellectual freedom policies (particularly those of the
American Library Association) to daily life and professional practices.
4. To understand the history of contemporary censorship in American libraries.
5. To become familiar with the positions of pro-and anti-censorship coalitions.
6. To be familiar with cases of censorship, controversies that have received media attention (art and
censorship, censorship of violent music lyrics and children’s TV, hate speech, flag burning), and
patterns of bookbanning.
7. To be familiar with the issues of access to government information and copyright.
8. To be familiar with censorship issues concerning sexual materials and pornography (including pornography on the internet).
9. To be familiar with internet filtering initiatives and laws, particularly as pertaining to libraries.
Texts:
Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association. Intellectual Freedom Manual. 6th ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 2002.
(Optional) Karolides, Nicholas J., Margaret Bald and Dawn B. Sova. 100 Banned Books: Censorship Histories of World Literature. New York: Checkmark Books, 1999.
(Optional) Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. The book and the movie. Note that they are different.
Assignments and Grade Percentages:
10 Reading Reflections and Responses—5% each (50%)
Banned Book Assignment and Engagement in Discussion (10%)
Editorial Assignment/Short Story Assignment and Critiques (10%)
Electronic Pathfinder or Blog and Critiques (30%)
Optional: Wikipedia contributions
Class Schedule (Detailed readings and assignment instructions will be provided soon.)
9/ 5: Week 1: No assignment due.
9/11: Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due.
9/18: Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
9/25: Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
10/2: Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
10/9: Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
10/16: Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
10/23: Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
10/30: Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
11/6: Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
11/13: Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
11/20: Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due.
11/27: Week 13: Reading Reflection 19 due.
12/4 and 12/11: Week 14 and 15: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brief Draft--Weekly Reading Assignments
Week 1: Preview the Intellectual Freedom Manual, 6th edition; ALA, Office of Intellectual Freedom, http://www.ala.org ; American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org ; Creative Commons
Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due. Why is Intellectual Freedom So Important Today?
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 1:
Fahrenheit 451 (optional)
Reading Reflection 1: How does the history of the struggle to defend intellectual freedom inform our learning for today? Use specific examples from the readings. What are the issues of most interest to you?
Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2.1-17
Fahrenheit 451
Reading Reflection 2: Select two or three of the readings on interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights and explain the real life situations where these interpretations would apply. Also suggest why some people would have objections to these interpretations and how you might find a practical solution in real life. Remember that the Library Bill of Rights describes the ideal. In everyday life, we all make decisions about how to apply these ideals to our own situations.
Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2 and the USA Patriot Act
Reading Reflection 3: Consider the Library Bill of Rights in light of the USA Patriot Act. How do librarians make the case for patriotism by defending the open and private access to a wide variety of information in our collections? Note the specific content in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Should these documents be displayed in libraries?
Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.1-6
See also The American Civil Liberties Union; the Electronic Frontier Foundation; and other key web sites.
Reading Reflection 4: The Freedom to Read documents like the Library Bill of Rights are challenged by the USA Patriot Act and by the various bills and laws that seek to address patron privacy, children’s use of the Internet, and intellectual property right, particularly copyright. Based on your reading and thinking, create a list of five to eight answers to frequently asked questions that could be used by a public library staff. For example, “Why don’t we give parents a list of books read by their children?” Anther example: “Can the homeless sleep in the library? Take a bath? Cook?” (See also IFM, Part 4.5)
Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.7-11
Search for relevant articles in the library and information science databases.
Reading Reflection 5: In addition to the readings from the Intellectual Freedom Manual, look for Internet Use Policies in your area or in another familiar setting. Identify the common features and the find out what problems are faced in real life practice?
Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 4
See also the Social Responsibility Round Table and the Progressive Librarians Guild.
Reading Reflection 6: The Office of Intellectual Freedom has been involved in many legal cases over the years. Look at the OIF website and note the scope of the current cases. To what extent should local librarians (including yourself) become involved in the legal and political issues before us today? Should librarians run for office? Write letters to the editor? Participate in protests?
Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 5
Family Friendly Libraries
Focus on the Family
Lester Asheim, “Selection not censorship.”
Reading Reflection 7: Using the principle of selection not censorship, of inclusiveness not exclusiveness, consider how to present the case against censorship to library boards, city/county government, religious groups, and other community groups. What have you learned from the readings.
Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 6: Working for Intellectual Freedom
Reading Reflection 8: Using the LIS literature, find three articles from the last fifteen years that describe successful campaigns against censorship.
Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due. Intellectual Property Rights vs. Intellectual Freedom
Creative Commons
Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due. The Digital Divide and Intellectual Freedom.
Reading Reflection 10:
Week 14 and 15: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Blogs for Intellectual Freedom and Libraries
Blogs
Lawrence Lessig
http://www.lessig.org/blog/
Rory Litwin
http://libraryjuicepress.com/blog
Look for others and add them in the comments.
Lawrence Lessig
http://www.lessig.org/blog/
Rory Litwin
http://libraryjuicepress.com/blog
Look for others and add them in the comments.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, 7th ed. 2005
Compare the Table of Contents with the 6th edition.
Table of Contents of the 7th Edition
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
iINTRODUCTION CONTRIBUTORS
PART I
Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: An Overview
1. Intellectual Freedom: An Enduring and All-EmbracingConcept CANDACE D. MORGAN
2. ALA and Intellectual Freedom: A Historical Overview JUDITH F. KRUG 3. Challenges and Issues Today EVELYN SHAEVEL, BEVERLEY BECKER, and CANDACE D. MORGAN
PART II
Library Bill of Rights
1. Library Bill of Rights: The Policy History 2. Library Bill of Rights: Interpretations
2.1 Access for Children and Young People to Nonprint Formats Interpretation History
2.2 Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks Interpretation History
2.3 Access to Library Resources and Services regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, or Sexual OrientationInterpretation History
2.4 Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media ProgramInterpretation History
2.5 Challenged Materials Interpretation History
2.6 Diversity in Collection DevelopmentInterpretation History
2.7 Economic Barriers to Information AccessInterpretation History
2.8 Evaluating Library CollectionsInterpretation History
2.9 Exhibit Spaces and Bulletin BoardsInterpretation History
2.10 Expurgation of Library MaterialsInterpretation History
2.11 Free Access to Libraries for Minors Interpretation History
2.12 Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic LibrariesInterpretation History
2.13 Labels and Rating Systems Interpretation History 2.14 Library-Initiated Programs as a ResourceInterpretation History 2.15 Meeting RoomsInterpretation History 2.16 Privacy Interpretation History 2.17 Restricted Access to Library MaterialsInterpretation History 2.18 The Universal Right to Free ExpressionInterpretation History
PART III
Protecting the Freedom to Read
1. The Freedom to Read Policy Statement History 2. Code of Ethics of the American Library AssociationPolicy Statement History 3. Libraries: An American Value Policy Statement History 4. Policies and Statements Related to Access to Information and Library Services
4.1 Guidelines for the Development and Implemen-tation of Policies, Regulations and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials, Services and FacilitiesGuidelines History 4.2 Guidelines for the Development of Policies and Procedures regarding User Behavior and Library UsageGuidelines History 4.3 Resolution on Access to the Use of Libraries and Information by Individuals with Physicalor Mental ImpairmentResolution History 4.4 Related Policies and Statements
5. Policies and Statements Related to Confidentiality, Privacy, and Governmental Intimidation5.1 Policy on Confidentiality of Library RecordsPolicy Statement History 5.2 Suggested Procedures for Implementing “Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records”Procedures History 5.3 Confidentiality and Coping with Law Enforcement Inquiries: Guidelines for the Library and Its Staff 5.4 Policy concerning Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information about Library UsersPolicy Statement History 5.5 Guidelines for Developing a Library Privacy PolicyGuidelines History 5.6 Policy on Governmental IntimidationPolicy Statement History 5.7 Other Policies Related to Confidentiality and Privacy
6. Guidelines, Resolutions, and Statements Related to the Internet 6.1 Guidelines and Considerations for Developing a Public Library Internet Use PolicyGuidelines History 6.2 Other Policies and Statements Related to the Internet
7. Statements and Documents Related to Library Resources7.1 Dealing with Concerns about Library ResourcesProcedural Statement History 7.2 Other Documents Related to Library Resources
PART IV
Intellectual Freedom and the Law
1. Public Libraries and the Public Forum Doctrine THERESA CHMARA2. Minors’ First Amendment Rights to Access Information THERESA CHMARA3. Libraries and the Internet JUDITH F. KRUG4. Privacy and Confidentiality in Libraries CANDACE D. MORGAN, DEBORAH CALDWELL-STONE, AND DANIEL MACH
PART V
Preparing to Preserve and Protect Intellectual Freedom
1. Essential Preparation BEVERLEY BECKER2. Communicating the Intellectual Freedom Message LINDA K. WALLACE AND LARRA CLARK3. Responding to Organized Challenges BEVERLEY BECKER
PART VI
Working for Intellectual Freedom
1. Free People Read Freely: Knowing Where to Go for Help DON WOOD2. Lobbying for Intellectual Freedom ALA WASHINGTON OFFICE
APPENDIXNavigating the OIF Website
GLOSSARY
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
Table of Contents of the 7th Edition
PREFACE
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
iINTRODUCTION CONTRIBUTORS
PART I
Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: An Overview
1. Intellectual Freedom: An Enduring and All-EmbracingConcept CANDACE D. MORGAN
2. ALA and Intellectual Freedom: A Historical Overview JUDITH F. KRUG 3. Challenges and Issues Today EVELYN SHAEVEL, BEVERLEY BECKER, and CANDACE D. MORGAN
PART II
Library Bill of Rights
1. Library Bill of Rights: The Policy History 2. Library Bill of Rights: Interpretations
2.1 Access for Children and Young People to Nonprint Formats Interpretation History
2.2 Access to Electronic Information, Services, and Networks Interpretation History
2.3 Access to Library Resources and Services regardless of Sex, Gender Identity, or Sexual OrientationInterpretation History
2.4 Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media ProgramInterpretation History
2.5 Challenged Materials Interpretation History
2.6 Diversity in Collection DevelopmentInterpretation History
2.7 Economic Barriers to Information AccessInterpretation History
2.8 Evaluating Library CollectionsInterpretation History
2.9 Exhibit Spaces and Bulletin BoardsInterpretation History
2.10 Expurgation of Library MaterialsInterpretation History
2.11 Free Access to Libraries for Minors Interpretation History
2.12 Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic LibrariesInterpretation History
2.13 Labels and Rating Systems Interpretation History 2.14 Library-Initiated Programs as a ResourceInterpretation History 2.15 Meeting RoomsInterpretation History 2.16 Privacy Interpretation History 2.17 Restricted Access to Library MaterialsInterpretation History 2.18 The Universal Right to Free ExpressionInterpretation History
PART III
Protecting the Freedom to Read
1. The Freedom to Read Policy Statement History 2. Code of Ethics of the American Library AssociationPolicy Statement History 3. Libraries: An American Value Policy Statement History 4. Policies and Statements Related to Access to Information and Library Services
4.1 Guidelines for the Development and Implemen-tation of Policies, Regulations and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials, Services and FacilitiesGuidelines History 4.2 Guidelines for the Development of Policies and Procedures regarding User Behavior and Library UsageGuidelines History 4.3 Resolution on Access to the Use of Libraries and Information by Individuals with Physicalor Mental ImpairmentResolution History 4.4 Related Policies and Statements
5. Policies and Statements Related to Confidentiality, Privacy, and Governmental Intimidation5.1 Policy on Confidentiality of Library RecordsPolicy Statement History 5.2 Suggested Procedures for Implementing “Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records”Procedures History 5.3 Confidentiality and Coping with Law Enforcement Inquiries: Guidelines for the Library and Its Staff 5.4 Policy concerning Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information about Library UsersPolicy Statement History 5.5 Guidelines for Developing a Library Privacy PolicyGuidelines History 5.6 Policy on Governmental IntimidationPolicy Statement History 5.7 Other Policies Related to Confidentiality and Privacy
6. Guidelines, Resolutions, and Statements Related to the Internet 6.1 Guidelines and Considerations for Developing a Public Library Internet Use PolicyGuidelines History 6.2 Other Policies and Statements Related to the Internet
7. Statements and Documents Related to Library Resources7.1 Dealing with Concerns about Library ResourcesProcedural Statement History 7.2 Other Documents Related to Library Resources
PART IV
Intellectual Freedom and the Law
1. Public Libraries and the Public Forum Doctrine THERESA CHMARA2. Minors’ First Amendment Rights to Access Information THERESA CHMARA3. Libraries and the Internet JUDITH F. KRUG4. Privacy and Confidentiality in Libraries CANDACE D. MORGAN, DEBORAH CALDWELL-STONE, AND DANIEL MACH
PART V
Preparing to Preserve and Protect Intellectual Freedom
1. Essential Preparation BEVERLEY BECKER2. Communicating the Intellectual Freedom Message LINDA K. WALLACE AND LARRA CLARK3. Responding to Organized Challenges BEVERLEY BECKER
PART VI
Working for Intellectual Freedom
1. Free People Read Freely: Knowing Where to Go for Help DON WOOD2. Lobbying for Intellectual Freedom ALA WASHINGTON OFFICE
APPENDIXNavigating the OIF Website
GLOSSARY
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
Banned Books Week: September, 2006
See the ALA site on Banned Books Week
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm
For Intellectual Freedom and Libraries Course, Fall, 2006:
Banned Books Week Assignment:
1. Review the list of challenged books and find two to five that you have read. Explore the circumstances surrounding the challenges to these books and in light of those challenges reflect on your reading of the book. How would you explain to a censor why the books should be in a library collection? You may write up your assignment as a letter to the censor with copies to the library board or as a speech to a community group. Think about making your presentation professional yet personal. You may want to refer to standard library policies about challenging materials. The letter/speech should be from 2-4 pages and may include PowerPoint slides or other graphics. However, focus on the content not on the tools. Include a final page or two reflecting upon your learning and the role of the professional in defending the right to read. We will share these online.
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bannedbooksweek.htm
For Intellectual Freedom and Libraries Course, Fall, 2006:
Banned Books Week Assignment:
1. Review the list of challenged books and find two to five that you have read. Explore the circumstances surrounding the challenges to these books and in light of those challenges reflect on your reading of the book. How would you explain to a censor why the books should be in a library collection? You may write up your assignment as a letter to the censor with copies to the library board or as a speech to a community group. Think about making your presentation professional yet personal. You may want to refer to standard library policies about challenging materials. The letter/speech should be from 2-4 pages and may include PowerPoint slides or other graphics. However, focus on the content not on the tools. Include a final page or two reflecting upon your learning and the role of the professional in defending the right to read. We will share these online.
Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: Text
ALA. Intellectual Freedom Manual. 6th edition. 2002. The 7th edition was just published, but we will use the 6th edition for the course and supplement with more recent material from the web and from electronic databases. You should be able to find the 6th ed. for a reasonable price. Also, check your local libraries for various editions of the manual. Remind your favorite librarians to order the 7th edition. We will read and discuss most of the materials in the 6th edition.
Intellectual Freedom Manual
Part 1: Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: An Overview
Part 2: The Library Bill of Rights
Part 3: The Freedom to Read
Part 4: Intellectual Freedom and the Law
Part 5: Before the Censor Comes: Essential Preparations
Part 6: Working for Intellectual Freedom
Intellectual Freedom Manual
Part 1: Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: An Overview
Part 2: The Library Bill of Rights
Part 3: The Freedom to Read
Part 4: Intellectual Freedom and the Law
Part 5: Before the Censor Comes: Essential Preparations
Part 6: Working for Intellectual Freedom
Key Links for Intellectual Freedom and Libraries
Key Links for Intellectual Freedom and Libraries
American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/
Office of Intellectual Freedom
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/Default622.htm
American Civil Liberties Union
http://www.aclu.org/
Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org/
Progressive Librarians Guild
http://libr.org/plg/
Banned Books Online
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/banned-books.html
American Booksellers Associations
http://www.bookweb.org/
Electronic Privacy Information Center
http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html
EFF: The Electronic Frontier Foundation
https://www.eff.org/
USA Patriot Act from the Library of Congress--Thomas
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR03162:%5D
American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/
Office of Intellectual Freedom
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/Default622.htm
American Civil Liberties Union
http://www.aclu.org/
Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org/
Progressive Librarians Guild
http://libr.org/plg/
Banned Books Online
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/banned-books.html
American Booksellers Associations
http://www.bookweb.org/
Electronic Privacy Information Center
http://www.epic.org/privacy/terrorism/hr3162.html
EFF: The Electronic Frontier Foundation
https://www.eff.org/
USA Patriot Act from the Library of Congress--Thomas
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR03162:%5D
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Assignments: Semester Project--E-Pathfinder; Website; Wikipedia Entry: Intellectual Freedom Display or Program
Semester Project:
e-Pathfinder; Website; Wikipedia Entry; Intellectual Freedom Display or Program
e-Pathfinder; Website; Wikipedia Entry; Intellectual Freedom Display or Program
Assignments: Banned Book Week
Banned Book Week Assignment
Select two books from the list of challenged books. Fill out a challenge form in the voice of a concerned patron and then write a response from the point of view of "selection not censorship."
************************************Sample form.************
Title of item: ___________________________________________
Author:_______________________________________________________
Format: (e.g. book, video, CD, etc.) ____________________________________
Did you read, view, or listen to the entire work? __________________________
What concerns you about this material?
Have you received and read the libraries policies about materials selection?
Do you represent an association or group? Please explain.
Would you like to talk with a library staff member?
How would you like to be contacted? Phone; Email; Regular mail?
Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: Assignments
Intellectual Freedom and Libraries:
Assignments Overview
September 5, 2006 (taken from final syllabus)
Assignments and Grade Percentages:
¨ 10 Reading Reflections and Responses—5% each (50%)
¨ Banned Book Assignment and Engagement in Discussion (10%)
¨ Editorial Assignment/Short Story Assignment and Critiques (10%)
¨ Electronic Pathfinder or Blog and Critiques (30%)
¨ Optional: Wikipedia contributions (personal and professional pride)
Class Schedule:
(Detailed readings and assignment instructions will be provided separately.)
9/ 5: Week 1: No assignment due.
9/11: Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due.
9/18: Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
9/25: Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
10/2: Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
10/9: Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
10/16: Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
10/23: Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
10/30: Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
11/6: Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
11/13: Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
11/20: Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due.
11/27: Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due.
12/4: Week 14: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
12/11: Week 15: Final Reflections and Action Planning.
From the syllabus:
Week 1: Preview the Intellectual Freedom Manual, 6th edition; ALA, Office of Intellectual Freedom, http://www.ala.org ; American Civil Liberties Union http://www.aclu.org ; The Creative Commons and other sites and sources related to intellectual freedom.
Week 2: Reading Reflection 1 due. Why is Intellectual Freedom So Important Today?
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 1:
Fahrenheit 451 (optional)
Reading Reflection 1: How does the history of the struggle to defend intellectual freedom inform our learning for today? Use specific examples from the readings. What are the issues of most interest to you?
Week 3: Reading Reflection 2 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2.1-17
Fahrenheit 451—The book and/or the movie (Optional)
Reading Reflection 2: Select two or three of the readings on interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights and explain the real life situations where these interpretations would apply. Also suggest why some people would have objections to these interpretations and how you might find a practical solution in real life. Remember that the Library Bill of Rights describes the ideal. In everyday life, we all make decisions about how to apply these ideals to our own situations.
Week 4: Reading Reflection 3 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 2 and the USA Patriot Act
Reading Reflection 3: Consider the Library Bill of Rights in light of the USA Patriot Act. How do librarians make the case for patriotism by defending the open and private access to a wide variety of information in our collections? Note the specific content in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on information rights and freedom of expression. . Should these documents be displayed in libraries? How?
Week 5: Banned Book Assignment due.
Week 6: Reading Reflection 4 due. E-pathfinder/Blog topic due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.1-6
See also The American Civil Liberties Union; the Electronic Frontier Foundation; and other key web sites.
Reading Reflection 4: The Freedom to Read documents like the Library Bill of Rights are challenged by the USA Patriot Act and by the various bills and laws that seek to address patron privacy, children’s use of the Internet, and intellectual property right, particularly copyright. Based on your reading and thinking, create a list of five to eight answers to frequently asked questions that could be used by a public library staff. For example, “Why don’t we give parents a list of books read by their children?” Another example: “Can the homeless sleep in the library? Take a bath? Cook?” (See also IFM, Part 4.5)
Week 7: Reading Reflection 5 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 3.7-11
Search for relevant articles in the library and information science databases.
Reading Reflection 5: In addition to the readings from the Intellectual Freedom Manual, look for Internet Use Policies in your area or in another familiar setting. Identify the common features and the find out what problems are faced in real life practice? Use documentation from three to five professional articles illustrating problems and practices.
Week 8: Reading Reflection 6 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 4
See also the Social Responsibility Round Table and the Progressive Librarians Guild.
Reading Reflection 6: The Office of Intellectual Freedom has been involved in many legal cases over the years. Look at the OIF website and note the scope of the current cases. To what extent should local librarians (including yourself) become involved in the legal and political issues before us today? Should librarians run for office? Write letters to the editor? Participate in protests?
Week 9: Reading Reflection 7 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 5
Family Friendly Libraries
Focus on the Family
Lester Asheim, “Selection not censorship.” Various versions.
Reading Reflection 7: Using the principle of selection not censorship, of inclusiveness not exclusiveness, consider how to present the case against censorship to library boards, city/county government, religious groups, and other community groups. Find two or three specific cases in the professional literature to consider.
Week 10: Editorial/Short Story due.
Week 11: Reading Reflection 8 due.
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Part 6: Working for Intellectual Freedom
Reading Reflection 8: Using the LIS literature, find three examples from the last twenty years that describe successful campaigns against censorship. Look specifically for the roles of the library staff members. Did anyone lose a job? Almost? Why is preparation for challenges to intellectual freedom so important?
Week 12: Reading Reflection 9 due. Intellectual Property Rights vs. Intellectual Freedom; The Creative Commons and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Reading Reflection 9: Consider alternative approaches to protecting intellectual property rights. How are digital content resources on the web changing the stakes for publishers and other content providers? What new business models are being tried?
Week 13: Reading Reflection 10 due. The Digital Divide and Intellectual Freedom.
Reading Reflection 10: Consider groups in society who are traditionally disadvantaged by lacking access to or interest in/motivation to use technology. You may want to revisit the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and global institutions such as IFLA and UNESCO. What can a local library, a for-profit organization, or a professional association do to address the digital divide, locally or globally?
Week 14: E-pathfinder/Blog due.
Week 15: Final Reflections and Action Planning
Social Responsibilities Round Table and the Progressive Librarians
Social Responsibilities Round Table and the Progressive Librarians:
The Hot Issues for Today
What are the hot topics you find in the news? Take a look at activities and concerns of the Social Responsibilities Round Table and the Progressive Librarians Group. Check out the blog Library Juice by Rory Litwin. We'll discuss there issues in the discussion area.
Intellectual Freedom: Syllabi, Resources, and Assignments
Intellectual Freedom: Syllabi, Resources, and Assignments
In the next few weeks I'll be posting materials for the fall course, Intellectual Freedom and Libraries, University of Wisconsin--Madison
If you are going to be taking the class, please send me an email at marti.smith@alvernia.edu I've just taken a new job as the Dean of Library and Educational Services at Alvernia College in Reading, PA.
For Intellectual Freedom and Libraries: Some Beginnings
- Required Readings: ALA. The Intellectual Freedom Manual, 6th edition. The 7th edition is just out, but it is very expensive. Most of the readings for the class will be from the Manual and from databases in the library and from websites.
- Fiction and Movies: Sensitize yourselves to the issues with some of these novels, stories and films:
- Fahrenheit 451, novel and film. This is one of the most important books and films on the subject of restricted access to information. Focused on book burning in an authoritarian society, the book and the film are slightly different.
- The Handmaid's Tale: novel by Margaret Atwood and film. More chilling today than when the movie was made. This was filmed in North Carolina at Duke and at St. Mary's where I was the library director. Main character is a librarian. Very profound experience.
- 1984: novel by George Orwell and film. Repression and censorship.
- More to come.
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Medical Leave-- Surgery
Since April 18th, I've been away from my regular life due to surgery. I'm healing well and expect to be back actively blogging soon. In the meantime, please visit my daughter April's blog http://www.mprize.org/blogs April's CR Diary It's about eating healthy, the light side of life-extension research, and her love, Michael Rae. The two of them will be on CNN in mid-May--See Paula Zahn Now.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
End of the Class: Info679: Information Ethics
Wonderful class this term. Take a look at some of the terrific projects. New to the blog? This term I've been teaching a course in Drexel University's graduate program in Library and Information Science. You'll find lots of our resources on this blog. Now that we're finishing the quarter, we have a lot to show. The major assignment for the course was a blog or website on a topic in the field of Information Ethics. Below you'll find the URL's from class members. A small group of volunteers prepared an entry on Information Ethics and posted it on Wikipedia. Take a look. Pardon the message list. Wanted to get it out asap.
http://infolich.blogspot.com/ Sex, Lies, and Library Stacks
http://librarygradstudent.blogspot.com/ Meet me on the ‘Net-Teens and e-comm….
http://conspiracylibrarian.blogspot.com/ “They” Are Watching You
http://tanjalina.bravehost.com/index.html “Well, hello Dolly!!”
http://infoethicsandlit.blogspot.com/ Information Ethics and Literacy
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jls94/ Privacy and Libraries
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~paw28/webpage The fork in the road-genetics & ethics
http://ethicsportfolio.blogspot.com/ Internet Research Ethics
http://infoliteracist.blogspot.com/ Information Literacy and the Digital Divide
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~lj442/ Bioethics
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jmg67 Technology & Privacy
http://info679student.blogspot.com/ Ethics in the information age
http://infoethicstoday.blogspot.com/ Information ethics in Healthcare
http://wheelerinfoethics.blogspot.com/ Copyright & Intellectual Property
http://kylesinfoethicsblog.blogspot.com/ Infoethics for teachers and librarians
http://patriotactinfo.blogspot.com/ Patriot Act Blog
http://themedicallibrarian.blogspot.com/ The ethics of electronic medical records
http://meganinfo679.blogspot.com/ Scholarly communication in information…
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~smi25/index679.html Immigration processes and ethics and blogs
http://nhslibrary.org/nucleus/InfoEthics.php Issues in Journalism, Media, and info…
http://heidiblogspot.blogspot.com/ Teaching information ethics through fiction…
http://amos679.blogspot.com/ Intellectual freedom and libraries
http://carolanninfo679.blogspot.com/ Technology and information ethics for…
http://infoethicstomar.blogspot.com/ Protecting elementary school students…
http://debsinfoethics679.blogspot.com/ Copyright and CopyLeft
http://www.xanga.com/mnp32 Global Digital Divide
http://infolich.blogspot.com/ Sex, Lies, and Library Stacks
http://librarygradstudent.blogspot.com/ Meet me on the ‘Net-Teens and e-comm….
http://conspiracylibrarian.blogspot.com/ “They” Are Watching You
http://tanjalina.bravehost.com/index.html “Well, hello Dolly!!”
http://infoethicsandlit.blogspot.com/ Information Ethics and Literacy
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jls94/ Privacy and Libraries
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~paw28/webpage The fork in the road-genetics & ethics
http://ethicsportfolio.blogspot.com/ Internet Research Ethics
http://infoliteracist.blogspot.com/ Information Literacy and the Digital Divide
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~lj442/ Bioethics
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jmg67 Technology & Privacy
http://info679student.blogspot.com/ Ethics in the information age
http://infoethicstoday.blogspot.com/ Information ethics in Healthcare
http://wheelerinfoethics.blogspot.com/ Copyright & Intellectual Property
http://kylesinfoethicsblog.blogspot.com/ Infoethics for teachers and librarians
http://patriotactinfo.blogspot.com/ Patriot Act Blog
http://themedicallibrarian.blogspot.com/ The ethics of electronic medical records
http://meganinfo679.blogspot.com/ Scholarly communication in information…
http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~smi25/index679.html Immigration processes and ethics and blogs
http://nhslibrary.org/nucleus/InfoEthics.php Issues in Journalism, Media, and info…
http://heidiblogspot.blogspot.com/ Teaching information ethics through fiction…
http://amos679.blogspot.com/ Intellectual freedom and libraries
http://carolanninfo679.blogspot.com/ Technology and information ethics for…
http://infoethicstomar.blogspot.com/ Protecting elementary school students…
http://debsinfoethics679.blogspot.com/ Copyright and CopyLeft
http://www.xanga.com/mnp32 Global Digital Divide
Monday, February 20, 2006
Wikipedia-- Making the Case for Information Ethics
Wikipedia--Making the Case for Information Ethics
One of the greatest thrills of teaching is when students go far beyond what you have imagined. Fortunately, those of us who teach adult students enjoy the creativity and initiative of our students very often.
See the posting in Wikipedia on Information Ethics written by a volunteer student group in my Information Ethics Class. Check it out.
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Info679: Wonderful Student Blogs and Websites
The major project for the Information Ethics class is a web presence and an electronic pathfinder on a topic of interest to each student. I've been so very impressed with the first efforts. I'm going to ask the students to post their blogs/websites in the comments section. Prepare to be impressed.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
The Information Ethics SIG Lives!
Let me accept the challenge of posting a picture of our happy group here. Our first
official sessions were a great success. Our fearless leader, Toni Samek, was marvelous.
Bringing us all together in discussion and resolve, she set the tone for many years
of collaboration and making the world a better place. Stay tuned for more details.
official sessions were a great success. Our fearless leader, Toni Samek, was marvelous.
Bringing us all together in discussion and resolve, she set the tone for many years
of collaboration and making the world a better place. Stay tuned for more details.
Monday, January 16, 2006
ALISE-- Information Ethics SIG (Special Interest Group)
ALISE http://www.alise.org This week at the ALISE meeting we will have the first meeting of the official SIG on Information Ethics. This is an exciting happening and represents years of effort in promoting information ethics as an important domain of study within the field of library and information science. For more on the first formal meeting see: http://globalinfoethics.blogspot.com You will find the discussion statement on the mission and purpose of the SIG there. This has truly been a group effort, and it is a true joy for me to be associated with this group. I'll post updates as the week goes on.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Faculty Support in the Commercial University Environment
Is that a pedantic sounding subject line or what? Well, I'm trying to be tactful as well as serious and thoughtful. Let me start now where my heart is:
Back in the days of my childhood, I remember being puzzled by a saying I heard. Now I understand it and here want to apply this saying to the problem of faculty support in today's universities. "The best gift a father can give his children is to love their mother." While this
saying applies to the more traditional family where the mother is home with the children while
the father goes off to work, it speaks volumes about human relationships and the importance
of support for those entrusted with the cultivation of happy, good humans. I think of another
saying of more recent origin that applies here too. When my daughter first found her
cat, she spoiled him obsessively. In fact she still does. We've always said, however, that
the cat will never have to go out to work. Of course a spoiled cat can be a pain in the ..., particularly if he has lapses in his toileting habits. But he won't have to make a living or
maintain a household. The point is that humans and cats are different in their requirements for survival and flourishing. Those of us involved in the care and education of humans know that people will have to manage on their own, unlke pet cats (companion animals) who depend upon responsible people to care for them-- people who won't spend the cat food money on a big screen TV. Where am I going here? What does all this have to do with faculty? The commercialized university in a business-oriented society?
Like mothers home with children day after day, faculty members must have a support network, if not love and appreciation, to do a good job as teachers and researchers. Like children, students won't be able to grow up intellectually and to master their intended fields of learning and practice if they are treated like a cat, like a pet. Structure and challenge rather than indulgance is needed. It's so much easier to let cats, children, or students set the rules and never restrain or criticize them. It takes energy to maintain standards. A bunch of children, even one, can wear down the at-home parent(s)--mothers, fathers, grandparents, or others. The grownup needs support and affirmation to hold the line with the children. Faculty need structures and support to do the work of educational transformation. Faculty wear down just like parents. So what has happened in higher education where the customer service mentality reigns and faculty are told to "please" students? What are the results when parents see their roles as to "please" their children? Think about that. I'll post more of my ideas soon.
Back in the days of my childhood, I remember being puzzled by a saying I heard. Now I understand it and here want to apply this saying to the problem of faculty support in today's universities. "The best gift a father can give his children is to love their mother." While this
saying applies to the more traditional family where the mother is home with the children while
the father goes off to work, it speaks volumes about human relationships and the importance
of support for those entrusted with the cultivation of happy, good humans. I think of another
saying of more recent origin that applies here too. When my daughter first found her
cat, she spoiled him obsessively. In fact she still does. We've always said, however, that
the cat will never have to go out to work. Of course a spoiled cat can be a pain in the ..., particularly if he has lapses in his toileting habits. But he won't have to make a living or
maintain a household. The point is that humans and cats are different in their requirements for survival and flourishing. Those of us involved in the care and education of humans know that people will have to manage on their own, unlke pet cats (companion animals) who depend upon responsible people to care for them-- people who won't spend the cat food money on a big screen TV. Where am I going here? What does all this have to do with faculty? The commercialized university in a business-oriented society?
Like mothers home with children day after day, faculty members must have a support network, if not love and appreciation, to do a good job as teachers and researchers. Like children, students won't be able to grow up intellectually and to master their intended fields of learning and practice if they are treated like a cat, like a pet. Structure and challenge rather than indulgance is needed. It's so much easier to let cats, children, or students set the rules and never restrain or criticize them. It takes energy to maintain standards. A bunch of children, even one, can wear down the at-home parent(s)--mothers, fathers, grandparents, or others. The grownup needs support and affirmation to hold the line with the children. Faculty need structures and support to do the work of educational transformation. Faculty wear down just like parents. So what has happened in higher education where the customer service mentality reigns and faculty are told to "please" students? What are the results when parents see their roles as to "please" their children? Think about that. I'll post more of my ideas soon.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Syllabus for INFO679: The Basics
Here is the rest of the syllabus for INFO679.
College of Information Science and Technology
Drexel University Winter, 2005-2006
INFO679 Online
Information Ethics
Martha M. Smith, Ph. D.
marti.smith@ischool.drexel.edu
215-895-1532
msmith@infoethics.org
http://www.ischool.drexel.edu/faculty/
January 5, 2006
Course Description:
This course presents the philosophical foundations of applied ethics and technology with primary focus on (1.) the uses and abuses of information, (2.) human moral agency in relation to new information and communication technologies (ICTs), and (3.) the meaning of social responsibility in the global information society, including the concepts of global information justice and human rights.
Specifically this course will consider ethical dilemmas, decision-making strategies, and public policy issues around the broad themes of Access, Ownership, Privacy, Security, and Community including headline topics such as intellectual property rights vs. intellectual freedom; the USA Patriot Act vs. civil liberties; the uses of genetic information for health care vs. for discrimination in insurance. The course will build understanding of major and alternative ethical traditions to inform personal moral agency, professional conduct, and civic participation.
Overview of Topics:
Week 1: Introduction to information ethics in relation to other areas of applied ethics, including computer ethics, cyberethics, bioethics, engineering ethics, media ethics, and related areas in research and public policy;
Week 2: Philosophy of information and philosophy of technology as applied in contemporary life—family, work, entertainment, sports, national and global security;
Weeks 3 and 4: Various models of decision making in professional practice and civic participation;
Weeks 5 and 6: The application of information ethics to professional practice and participation in public policy, including the relationship between ethics and law;
Weeks 7 to 10: Current ethical dilemmas under the broad categories of:
Ø Access,
Ø Ownership,
Ø Privacy,
Ø Security, and
Ø Community such as intellectual property rights, copyright, and copyleft; the USA Patriot Act and civil rights; the digital divide and information democracy; and global information justice.
Assignments and Grading:
Electronic Portfolio: The major assignment for this course will be the building of an electronic portfolio including required blog postings, any other course work, and an electronic pathfinder focused on current topics such as (1.) the protection of personal information, (2.) information ethics in healthcare, (3.) the global digital divide, (4.) national security and civil liberties, (5.) intellectual property rights vs. the right to know, (6.) DNA information and cloning, (7.) nanotechnology, and (8.) the information industry. More topics will be suggested.
Blog Postings: Five blog postings (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7) will be due on Mondays by noon of each week. These postings should be between 500-700 words and should reflect the readings with engagement with the assignment question or topic. You may use charts, tables, and hotlinks in your text and may attach small audio and video files. You will post your reflections to your own blog forum on the course site and interact with others in your small, blog ring group.
Grades will be based upon the following:
(50%) Major Term Project: The Completed Electronic Portfolio containing an E-Pathfinder (Progress report—Draft of E-Pathfinder-- due before Wednesday in Week 5— 5%; Website operative before Wednesday in Week 8—5%; Final due at the Friday of Week 10—40%)
(40%) 5 Blog Postings and Interaction with Other Students in a Blog Ring and Other Discussion Forums or Group Areas (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7)
(10%) Additional Collaboration and Cooperative Learning (Class Participation, Initiative, Creativity, and Enthusiasm)
Grading Scale
A= 90-100
B= 80-89
C= Below 79
An A student will complete all required assignments with excellence and on time and also model above average communication and collaborative skills.
A B student will complete all required assignments adequately and on time and participate actively in interactive communication and collaboration.
A C student will be unable to meet minimum requirements and may be on probation.
To be eligible for an Incomplete, you must have completed more than half of the work.
Students can withdraw from the class until Week 9.
Special Needs and Accommodations: If you have a disability and need special help, you must identify yourself to the Drexel Disability Office in time for your needs to be reviewed and appropriate plans made for help.
Required Texts:
Herman Tavani. (2004) Ethics and technology: Ethical issues in an age of information and communication technology. John Wiley. See http://www.wiley.com/college/tavani
Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani (eds.) (2004). Readings in cyberethics. 2nd ed. Jones and Bartlett. Also see web resources at http://www.jbpub.com/cyberethics/toolsforlearning.cfm
Fiction, Movies, and Media for Enrichment (Optional)
Using selected short stories, novels, movies, radio, and audio resources may be of interest to you in this class. For examples, please refer to the Master Syllabus for Global Information Ethics. We will be adding more selections throughout the term; your suggestions are welcome. For this term, we’ll focus on fiction and nanotechnology.
Print and Electronic Resources
Examples of Optional Readings and Resources: You will want to take advantage of the excellent resources available through the Drexel libraries. See http://www.library.drexel.edu. Look for good resources in your local area as well.
The reading books below may be valuable in your professional library. Other readings and resource lists will be given throughout the term.
Richard Holeton (ed.) (1997). Composing cyberspace: Identity, community, and knowledge in the electronic age. WCB/McGraw Hill. Also see companion website at http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/holeton
Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani (eds.) (2001). Readings in cyberethics. Jones and Bartlett. Also see web resources at http://www.jbpub.com/cyberethics/toolsforlearning.cfm
Albert Teich (ed.), Technology and the future. Wadsworth. Most recent edition. Also see companion website, Albert Teich’s Technology and the Future Toolkit, at http://www.alteich.com/
College of Information Science and Technology
Drexel University Winter, 2005-2006
INFO679 Online
Information Ethics
Martha M. Smith, Ph. D.
marti.smith@ischool.drexel.edu
215-895-1532
msmith@infoethics.org
http://www.ischool.drexel.edu/faculty/
January 5, 2006
Course Description:
This course presents the philosophical foundations of applied ethics and technology with primary focus on (1.) the uses and abuses of information, (2.) human moral agency in relation to new information and communication technologies (ICTs), and (3.) the meaning of social responsibility in the global information society, including the concepts of global information justice and human rights.
Specifically this course will consider ethical dilemmas, decision-making strategies, and public policy issues around the broad themes of Access, Ownership, Privacy, Security, and Community including headline topics such as intellectual property rights vs. intellectual freedom; the USA Patriot Act vs. civil liberties; the uses of genetic information for health care vs. for discrimination in insurance. The course will build understanding of major and alternative ethical traditions to inform personal moral agency, professional conduct, and civic participation.
Overview of Topics:
Week 1: Introduction to information ethics in relation to other areas of applied ethics, including computer ethics, cyberethics, bioethics, engineering ethics, media ethics, and related areas in research and public policy;
Week 2: Philosophy of information and philosophy of technology as applied in contemporary life—family, work, entertainment, sports, national and global security;
Weeks 3 and 4: Various models of decision making in professional practice and civic participation;
Weeks 5 and 6: The application of information ethics to professional practice and participation in public policy, including the relationship between ethics and law;
Weeks 7 to 10: Current ethical dilemmas under the broad categories of:
Ø Access,
Ø Ownership,
Ø Privacy,
Ø Security, and
Ø Community such as intellectual property rights, copyright, and copyleft; the USA Patriot Act and civil rights; the digital divide and information democracy; and global information justice.
Assignments and Grading:
Electronic Portfolio: The major assignment for this course will be the building of an electronic portfolio including required blog postings, any other course work, and an electronic pathfinder focused on current topics such as (1.) the protection of personal information, (2.) information ethics in healthcare, (3.) the global digital divide, (4.) national security and civil liberties, (5.) intellectual property rights vs. the right to know, (6.) DNA information and cloning, (7.) nanotechnology, and (8.) the information industry. More topics will be suggested.
Blog Postings: Five blog postings (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7) will be due on Mondays by noon of each week. These postings should be between 500-700 words and should reflect the readings with engagement with the assignment question or topic. You may use charts, tables, and hotlinks in your text and may attach small audio and video files. You will post your reflections to your own blog forum on the course site and interact with others in your small, blog ring group.
Grades will be based upon the following:
(50%) Major Term Project: The Completed Electronic Portfolio containing an E-Pathfinder (Progress report—Draft of E-Pathfinder-- due before Wednesday in Week 5— 5%; Website operative before Wednesday in Week 8—5%; Final due at the Friday of Week 10—40%)
(40%) 5 Blog Postings and Interaction with Other Students in a Blog Ring and Other Discussion Forums or Group Areas (Weeks 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7)
(10%) Additional Collaboration and Cooperative Learning (Class Participation, Initiative, Creativity, and Enthusiasm)
Grading Scale
A= 90-100
B= 80-89
C= Below 79
An A student will complete all required assignments with excellence and on time and also model above average communication and collaborative skills.
A B student will complete all required assignments adequately and on time and participate actively in interactive communication and collaboration.
A C student will be unable to meet minimum requirements and may be on probation.
To be eligible for an Incomplete, you must have completed more than half of the work.
Students can withdraw from the class until Week 9.
Special Needs and Accommodations: If you have a disability and need special help, you must identify yourself to the Drexel Disability Office in time for your needs to be reviewed and appropriate plans made for help.
Required Texts:
Herman Tavani. (2004) Ethics and technology: Ethical issues in an age of information and communication technology. John Wiley. See http://www.wiley.com/college/tavani
Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani (eds.) (2004). Readings in cyberethics. 2nd ed. Jones and Bartlett. Also see web resources at http://www.jbpub.com/cyberethics/toolsforlearning.cfm
Fiction, Movies, and Media for Enrichment (Optional)
Using selected short stories, novels, movies, radio, and audio resources may be of interest to you in this class. For examples, please refer to the Master Syllabus for Global Information Ethics. We will be adding more selections throughout the term; your suggestions are welcome. For this term, we’ll focus on fiction and nanotechnology.
Print and Electronic Resources
Examples of Optional Readings and Resources: You will want to take advantage of the excellent resources available through the Drexel libraries. See http://www.library.drexel.edu. Look for good resources in your local area as well.
The reading books below may be valuable in your professional library. Other readings and resource lists will be given throughout the term.
Richard Holeton (ed.) (1997). Composing cyberspace: Identity, community, and knowledge in the electronic age. WCB/McGraw Hill. Also see companion website at http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/holeton
Richard A. Spinello and Herman T. Tavani (eds.) (2001). Readings in cyberethics. Jones and Bartlett. Also see web resources at http://www.jbpub.com/cyberethics/toolsforlearning.cfm
Albert Teich (ed.), Technology and the future. Wadsworth. Most recent edition. Also see companion website, Albert Teich’s Technology and the Future Toolkit, at http://www.alteich.com/
The Blog and the Syllabus-- Co-ordinating the Two
Here is the Weekly Schedule of Readings and Assignments for the
Information Ethics class starting on January 9th.
Each week, there will be relevant InfoEthicist postings as well
as ongoing comments. I will make a list indicating which older
postings go with each week. Co-ordinating these two web environments
will be a challenge and part of our learning for the term. Your
suggestions are welcome.
Weekly Schedule of Readings and Assignments
Assignments 1: Introduce yourselves and get busy with the readings and assignments.
January 9, 2009
Week 1: Information Ethics: Defining Information Ethics for Today
Introduction to information ethics in relation to other areas of applied ethics, including computer ethics, cyberethics, bioethics, engineering ethics, media ethics, and related areas in research and public policy; Hot topics for today.
Readings for Blog 1 (Week 2):
The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com (See key to the blog.)
International Center for Information Ethics http://icie.zkm.de
Elrod and Smith, Information ethics, in ESTE—The Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics (Hagerty Library E-Reference) http://www.library.drexel.edu
Froehlich, “A brief history of information ethics.” Look in ICIE
Tavani, Ethics and technology, Chapters 1 and 2
In Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 1-- Bynum, Johnson, Moor, Adam, Floridi & Sanders, and Gert
Assignments 2: Blog Posting 1: Defining Information Ethics for Today
January 16, 2006
Week 2: Information Ethics in History and Philosophy—The Past as Prologue; Philosophy of information and philosophy of technology as applied in contemporary life—family, work, entertainment, sports, national and global security
Readings for Blog 2 (Week 3):
L. Winner, “Do artifacts have politics?” See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
R. Capurro, “Information technologies and technologies of the self.”
J. Margolis, “The technological self.” This may not be available until later in the quarter.
Tavani, Ethics and technology, Chapter 3
Look for related articles in ESTE, http://www.library.drexel.edu
For Blog 5 (Week 7):
In Cyberethics Reader, Skim articles in Chapters 2 and 3 on Regulating the Net and Intellectual Property in Cyberspace
Assignments 3: Blog Posting 2: Artifacts and Politics; Technologies of the Self and Beginning of the Wikipedia Project
January 23, 2006
Week 3: Decision-Making 1
Various models of decision making in professional practice and civic participation
Readings for Blog 3 (Week 4):
In Cyberethics Reader J. Moor, “Just consequentialism and computing.”
Potter Box Resources (See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com )
For Blog 5 (Week 7):
In Cyberethics Reader, Skim articles in Chapter 4 on Privacy
Tavani, Chapter 5 on Privacy
Review Tavani, Chapters 1-3
Assignments 4: Blog Posting 3: Just Consequentialism and the Potter Box in Information Ethics and the Wikipedia Project
January 30, 2006
Week 4: Decision-Making 2
Readings for Blog 4 (Week 6)
Tavani, Chapter 4 and Appendices A, B, and C
Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 6 on Professional Ethics, Codes of Conduct, and Computer/Information Professionals
ALA http://www.ala.org ACM http://www.acm.org CPSR http://www.cpsr.org ASIST http://www.asis.org and many others See LII http://www.lii.org
See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com on professional issues
Assignments 5: Electronic Portfolio Progress Report (Draft of E-Pathfinder)
February 6, 2006
Week 5: Professional Practice, Ethics, and Law
Readings for Blog 5 (Week 7):
Cyberethics Reader, Skim Chapter 5 on Security and Crime in Cyberspace
Tavani, Chapter 7: Cybercrime
Tavani, Chapters 10-11: Social Issues
Use the resources on The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
Assignments 6: Blog Posting 4: Professional Codes: Traditions and the Future and Final Copy for the Wikipedia Project
February 13, 2006
Week 6: Public Policy, Professional Ethics, and Law
The application of information ethics to professional practice and participation in public policy, including the relationship between ethics and law.
Readings for Blog 5 (Week 7)
Review Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 6
Use The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
Assignments 7: Blog Posting 5: Information Professionals and Public Policy
February 20, 2006
Week 7: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Access and Ownership
Readings:
Tavani, Chapter 8 and 9
Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org
Assignments 8: Website Operational
February 27, 2006
Week 8: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Privacy and Security
Readings:
Review Privacy Readings
The Electronic Privacy Information Center
http://www.epic.org
Assignments 9: Optional posting of electronic pathfinder
March 6, 2006
Week 9: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Community
Readings:
Review Tavani, Chapters 10 and 11
UNESCO http://www.unesco.org
Assignments 10: Electronic Portfolio Due
March 13, 2006
Week 10: The Future of Information Ethics
Information Ethics class starting on January 9th.
Each week, there will be relevant InfoEthicist postings as well
as ongoing comments. I will make a list indicating which older
postings go with each week. Co-ordinating these two web environments
will be a challenge and part of our learning for the term. Your
suggestions are welcome.
Weekly Schedule of Readings and Assignments
Assignments 1: Introduce yourselves and get busy with the readings and assignments.
January 9, 2009
Week 1: Information Ethics: Defining Information Ethics for Today
Introduction to information ethics in relation to other areas of applied ethics, including computer ethics, cyberethics, bioethics, engineering ethics, media ethics, and related areas in research and public policy; Hot topics for today.
Readings for Blog 1 (Week 2):
The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com (See key to the blog.)
International Center for Information Ethics http://icie.zkm.de
Elrod and Smith, Information ethics, in ESTE—The Encyclopedia of Science, Technology, and Ethics (Hagerty Library E-Reference) http://www.library.drexel.edu
Froehlich, “A brief history of information ethics.” Look in ICIE
Tavani, Ethics and technology, Chapters 1 and 2
In Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 1-- Bynum, Johnson, Moor, Adam, Floridi & Sanders, and Gert
Assignments 2: Blog Posting 1: Defining Information Ethics for Today
January 16, 2006
Week 2: Information Ethics in History and Philosophy—The Past as Prologue; Philosophy of information and philosophy of technology as applied in contemporary life—family, work, entertainment, sports, national and global security
Readings for Blog 2 (Week 3):
L. Winner, “Do artifacts have politics?” See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
R. Capurro, “Information technologies and technologies of the self.”
J. Margolis, “The technological self.” This may not be available until later in the quarter.
Tavani, Ethics and technology, Chapter 3
Look for related articles in ESTE, http://www.library.drexel.edu
For Blog 5 (Week 7):
In Cyberethics Reader, Skim articles in Chapters 2 and 3 on Regulating the Net and Intellectual Property in Cyberspace
Assignments 3: Blog Posting 2: Artifacts and Politics; Technologies of the Self and Beginning of the Wikipedia Project
January 23, 2006
Week 3: Decision-Making 1
Various models of decision making in professional practice and civic participation
Readings for Blog 3 (Week 4):
In Cyberethics Reader J. Moor, “Just consequentialism and computing.”
Potter Box Resources (See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com )
For Blog 5 (Week 7):
In Cyberethics Reader, Skim articles in Chapter 4 on Privacy
Tavani, Chapter 5 on Privacy
Review Tavani, Chapters 1-3
Assignments 4: Blog Posting 3: Just Consequentialism and the Potter Box in Information Ethics and the Wikipedia Project
January 30, 2006
Week 4: Decision-Making 2
Readings for Blog 4 (Week 6)
Tavani, Chapter 4 and Appendices A, B, and C
Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 6 on Professional Ethics, Codes of Conduct, and Computer/Information Professionals
ALA http://www.ala.org ACM http://www.acm.org CPSR http://www.cpsr.org ASIST http://www.asis.org and many others See LII http://www.lii.org
See The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com on professional issues
Assignments 5: Electronic Portfolio Progress Report (Draft of E-Pathfinder)
February 6, 2006
Week 5: Professional Practice, Ethics, and Law
Readings for Blog 5 (Week 7):
Cyberethics Reader, Skim Chapter 5 on Security and Crime in Cyberspace
Tavani, Chapter 7: Cybercrime
Tavani, Chapters 10-11: Social Issues
Use the resources on The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
Assignments 6: Blog Posting 4: Professional Codes: Traditions and the Future and Final Copy for the Wikipedia Project
February 13, 2006
Week 6: Public Policy, Professional Ethics, and Law
The application of information ethics to professional practice and participation in public policy, including the relationship between ethics and law.
Readings for Blog 5 (Week 7)
Review Cyberethics Reader, Chapter 6
Use The InfoEthicist http://infoethicist.blogspot.com
Assignments 7: Blog Posting 5: Information Professionals and Public Policy
February 20, 2006
Week 7: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Access and Ownership
Readings:
Tavani, Chapter 8 and 9
Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org
Assignments 8: Website Operational
February 27, 2006
Week 8: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Privacy and Security
Readings:
Review Privacy Readings
The Electronic Privacy Information Center
http://www.epic.org
Assignments 9: Optional posting of electronic pathfinder
March 6, 2006
Week 9: Current Ethical Dilemmas--- Community
Readings:
Review Tavani, Chapters 10 and 11
UNESCO http://www.unesco.org
Assignments 10: Electronic Portfolio Due
March 13, 2006
Week 10: The Future of Information Ethics
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Global Information Ethics and Policy
I've been asked to help some people who are working on a book in LIS
in Chinese and English. Here is a tentative outline. Someone else will
be doing the Chinese translation. Good think for me, not to mention
the readers. MMS
in Chinese and English. Here is a tentative outline. Someone else will
be doing the Chinese translation. Good think for me, not to mention
the readers. MMS
Global Information Ethics and Policy:
Challenges for Cyberspace Citizens
Chapter Outline for LIS Book
Martha M. Smith
Drexel University
Introduction: Global Information Challenges in Ethics and Policy
I. Historical and Philosophical Background
A. Ethics and Information Technology at the End of the 20th Century: The Bomb, Big Science, Big Medicine, and Big Business
B. Major Philosophical Traditions for Decision-Making: Duties, Consequences, and Virtue
C. The Global Context: Digital Divides and Universal Values
1. The Digital Divides: Money, Education, Communication, and Mobility
2. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1948 and 1998
3. Regulation of the Internet
4. Ubiquitous Computing
II. From Ethics to Policy: Access, Ownership, Privacy, Security, and Community
This section will present an overview of major ethical issues under the five categories noted above. The specific issues will be described in terms of the ethical principles and the conflicting interests of the various stake holders involved. The analysis will set the stage for the next section on the public policy aspects of each issue.
A. Access vs. Ownership
1. Intellectual Property: Copyright and Copyleft
2. The Right to Know and the Right to Information
3. Barriers to Information Access: Misinformation, Information Hiding, and Language Obstacles
4. The Open Source Movement and the Roles of Library and Information Professionals
5. The Public’s Right to Information vs. Personal and Corporate Privacy
B. Privacy vs. Security
1. Personal Privacy in Business and Healthcare
2. Secure Systems and the Hacker Ethos
3. Safety in Cyberspace
C. Community: Learning, Working, and the Joys of Life
1. Learning: Lifelong Pursuit
2. Working: The Private and Public Sectors
3. Family Life, Leisure, and the Arts
III. From Policy to Ethics: Custom, Law, and Building Global Consensus
This section will describe current public policy debates and how local as well as national and international practices and problems shaping law and custom. Complex interaction xxx and the winners and losers and the prospects from the future.
A. Current Winners: Literacy, Wealth, and Property
B. Current Losers: War, Disease, and Poverty
C. More Winners than Losers and the Problem of Unintended Consequences
IV. Global Information Justice and the Future
This section will present an approach to global information justice that considers the competing claims of humanity and nature with the potential of technologies. The goal of global information justice will be peace and its gifts to humanity and nature.
A. Humanity: Personal Identity and Social Responsibility
B. Nature: Preserving the Planet
C. Technology: Building the Instruments of Peace
Notes and Bibliography
Tables
Challenges for Cyberspace Citizens
Chapter Outline for LIS Book
Martha M. Smith
Drexel University
Introduction: Global Information Challenges in Ethics and Policy
I. Historical and Philosophical Background
A. Ethics and Information Technology at the End of the 20th Century: The Bomb, Big Science, Big Medicine, and Big Business
B. Major Philosophical Traditions for Decision-Making: Duties, Consequences, and Virtue
C. The Global Context: Digital Divides and Universal Values
1. The Digital Divides: Money, Education, Communication, and Mobility
2. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1948 and 1998
3. Regulation of the Internet
4. Ubiquitous Computing
II. From Ethics to Policy: Access, Ownership, Privacy, Security, and Community
This section will present an overview of major ethical issues under the five categories noted above. The specific issues will be described in terms of the ethical principles and the conflicting interests of the various stake holders involved. The analysis will set the stage for the next section on the public policy aspects of each issue.
A. Access vs. Ownership
1. Intellectual Property: Copyright and Copyleft
2. The Right to Know and the Right to Information
3. Barriers to Information Access: Misinformation, Information Hiding, and Language Obstacles
4. The Open Source Movement and the Roles of Library and Information Professionals
5. The Public’s Right to Information vs. Personal and Corporate Privacy
B. Privacy vs. Security
1. Personal Privacy in Business and Healthcare
2. Secure Systems and the Hacker Ethos
3. Safety in Cyberspace
C. Community: Learning, Working, and the Joys of Life
1. Learning: Lifelong Pursuit
2. Working: The Private and Public Sectors
3. Family Life, Leisure, and the Arts
III. From Policy to Ethics: Custom, Law, and Building Global Consensus
This section will describe current public policy debates and how local as well as national and international practices and problems shaping law and custom. Complex interaction xxx and the winners and losers and the prospects from the future.
A. Current Winners: Literacy, Wealth, and Property
B. Current Losers: War, Disease, and Poverty
C. More Winners than Losers and the Problem of Unintended Consequences
IV. Global Information Justice and the Future
This section will present an approach to global information justice that considers the competing claims of humanity and nature with the potential of technologies. The goal of global information justice will be peace and its gifts to humanity and nature.
A. Humanity: Personal Identity and Social Responsibility
B. Nature: Preserving the Planet
C. Technology: Building the Instruments of Peace
Notes and Bibliography
Tables
Monday, January 02, 2006
Info679: Publications on the ICIE
Take a look at this clever way of presenting scholarly publications to the Information Ethics community.
http://icie.zkm.de/publications/virtualLibraries
See Floridi, Ess, and others.
http://icie.zkm.de/publications/virtualLibraries
See Floridi, Ess, and others.
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