Affronts to Library Liberty

Jessamyn over at librarian.net has posted notes for a presentation she prepared for the Medical Library Association titled, Affronts to Library Liberty: Legal, Ethical and Practical Responses. In it, she covers CIPA, the USA Patriot Act and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). Good stuff. I’m also a big fan of Jessamyn’s non-PowerPoint presentation style. Should I ever have to do a presentation, I’ll be following her lead.

May 27, 2004 by Uncategorized 7

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7 Responses

  1. GregS* says:
    May 27, 2004 at 10:17 pm

    An Affront To Library Responsibility
    Not a lot new on the CIPA/Patriot Act front, I’m not familiar with HIPAA so that was interesting.

    Statements like this: “the conservatives’ cry that librarians are all pornmongers and pedophiles”, does not help a libararian’s credibility. There are legitimate concerns about what minors have access to. ALA and Jessamyn have both taken an extreme stance on the CIPA issue (Patriot Act as well but that’s another debate).

    And yeah I like her web presentation format too.

    Reply
  2. Anonymous Patron says:
    May 27, 2004 at 11:11 pm

    Principles. Practices.
    Another is library bureaucracy itself ! including library careerists who pronounce their principles but do not put library principles into practice. For example, while there are intellectual freedom advocate librarians, the very same IF advocate librarians censor in their very own libraries and restrict free speech of their colleagues.

    Reply
  3. Anonymous Patron says:
    May 27, 2004 at 11:27 pm

    Re:Principles. Practices.
    I smell a Saklading somewhere in the vicinity…

    Reply
  4. GregS* says:
    May 28, 2004 at 12:58 am

    Re:Principles. Practices.
    I’m ashamed to say how much time I just wasted tring to figure out what a ‘Saklading’ is.

    Busy guy though…

    http://guidetoproblematicallibraryuse.weblogs.com

    Reply
  5. Jessamyn says:
    May 28, 2004 at 7:51 am

    Re:An Affront To Library Responsibility
    the pornmonger thing harkens back more to Doctor Laura seriously trying to make a link between librarians trying to offer access to kids and adults alike and them being pedophiles. I think there’s a line to be drawn somewhere, but her crazy handwaving was what I primarily was trying to draw attention to. I don’t agree with her, but many people do and need to be dealt with appropriately and reaosnablely. You can also, I think, show that there is a clear line between being a pedophile and allowing Internet access [even unfiltered] to kids and this is what librarians need to do. Not say “hey, we’re not pedophiles” but explain “this is why we think doing this is okay and your allegations that this makes us sexually interested in children is ludicrous and seriously off-base”

    Also, feel free to grab the CSS from that presentation and use it [please change colors and whatnot, it’s easy] if you want. It’s a great way to show off material on the web.

    Reply
  6. GregS* says:
    May 28, 2004 at 6:34 pm

    Re:An Affront To Library Responsibility
    Oh come on, who are you kidding? There was no mention of Dr. Laura in that presentation, just photos making fun of Ashcroft, and I have yet to hear *anyone* accuse librarians of being or desiring to be pedophiles. There is, however, a legitmate concern about giving kids open access to the internet. Setting up strawmen to beat down isn’t going to convince the public that supports CIPA that they shouldn’t.

    Reply
  7. Bo says:
    June 2, 2004 at 5:25 pm

    Extremities

    The government FOR the people BY the people won’t tell the people (in writing) whether or not it’s spying on them (for their own good). EXTREME.

    No one knows the exact number, but there are and have been dozens or more Americans in federal jail FOR YEARS without representation. No convictions. EXTREME.

    These Acts fly in the face of the First Amendment of the Constitution (say it with me). Until we resolve, as a country, whether or not we’re ready for less-than-free speech, these kind of legislative forays will not be easily accepted.

    Unless Herr Goering was right…
    “…voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country.” –Hermann Goering, interview, April 18, 1946

    “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.

    –Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

    Reply

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