[Libs-Or] Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – May 2023

[Jennifer Keyser]

Hello Oregon Library Community,

The May edition of the Multnomah County Library's IF Newsletter is now
available. Once again it is heavy with book banning and related challenges
to libraries, however we are now seeing more visible efforts to fight
censorship. The newsletter also includes articles on digital access,
privacy and AI.

By request, a PDF version of the newsletter is attached.

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – May 2023
------------------------------

Recent Intellectual Freedom Articles

Library Journal provides an overview of how censorship has shifted from
book challenges to legislation: Beyond Book Bans | Censorship
<https://www.libraryjournal.com/story/beyond-book-bans-censorship> (11
min).  In particular, school librarians are being targeted by state
laws: School
librarians face a new penalty in the banned-book wars: Prison
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/05/18/school-librarians-jailed-banned-books/>
(Washington Post, 9 min). The bans are resulting in the conflation of
nudity with sexual activity
<https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/books/2023/05/16/mem-fox-guess-what-book-ban-florida/>,
empty shelves in school libraries
<https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/hamilton-county/education/2023/04/28/book-banning-policy-leads-to-bare-teen-shelves-at-hamilton-east-library/70154413007/>,
a financial cost for the removal
<https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/education/2023-05-15/parent-groups-removed-school-library-lawsuit-focus-cost>
and calls to defund libraries
<https://www.vox.com/politics/2023/5/5/23711417/republicans-want-to-defund-public-libraries-book-bans>.
  (censorship)

Resistance to book bans are becoming more visible –from organized groups to
lawsuits and state legislation, and with fights at the local level all the
way to the White House: The Book-Banning Debate Has Reached a Turning Point
<https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2023/05/gop-book-bans-democrats-state-legislation/674003/>
(Atlantic, 14 min). Bloomberg CityLab’s offers a visual history of book
censorship, including current challenges against libraries and the rise of
anti-censorship groups:  The Fight for the American Public Library
<https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-04-26/how-to-protect-your-local-library-from-book-ban-campaigns>
(15 min, includes resources). Book publishers and writers groups are
fighting against book bans: PEN America, Penguin Random House Sue Florida
School District Over 'Unconstitutional' Book Bans
<https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/92322-pen-america-penguin-random-house-sue-florida-school-district-over-unconstitutional-book-bans.html>
(related to the lawsuit, authors are taking to social media to speak out
about the book bans, see poet Amanda Gorman’s tweet
<https://twitter.com/TheAmandaGorman/status/1661131819717390336>)
(Publishers Weekly, 11 min). California seeks to address possible changes
impacting schools from a textbook audit in Florida
<https://www.businessinsider.com/newsom-wants-to-know-textbook-companies-are-caving-to-florida-2023-5>
(Business Insider, 3 min). The federal government has begun to weigh in on
book bans in schools, arguing that book removals in Georgia may have
violated student civil rights
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/05/22/book-bans-georgia-hostile-environment/>
(Washington
Post, 8 min). (censorship, first amendment)

Other responses to book banning include the creation of a book sanctuary in
Florida
<https://www.tapinto.net/towns/coconut-creek/sections/government/articles/book-sanctuary-opens-in-all-branches-of-broward-county-library-system-including-north-regional-broward-college-in-coconut-creek>
and  ”parental rights” groups losing bids for school boards
<https://www.vox.com/politics/2023/5/17/23727262/republican-book-bans-school-boards>
(including  two school boards in Oregon). For more on book sanctuaries see
this article in TeenVogue
<https://www.teenvogue.com/story/book-sanctuaries-chicago-toronto-libraries>
and the Chicago Public Library’s Sanctuary page
<https://www.chipublib.org/news/book-sanctuaries-committed-to-protecting-banned-and-challenge-books/>.
For a deeper look at the citizens engaged in the fight against censorship
see this Los Angeles Times article: Two Florida moms fight back against
banned books
<https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2023-05-15/florida-book-banning>
(17 min). (censorship)

On the local front: More book banning cases emerge in Oregon this year
<https://oregoncapitalchronicle.com/2023/05/17/more-book-banning-cases-emerge-in-oregon-this-year/>
(Oregon Capital Chronicle, 6 min). Oregon school library org 'concerned'
amid growing book ban push
<https://www.koin.com/news/education/oregon-school-library-org-concerned-amid-growing-book-ban-push/>
(Koin, 5 min).  Book bans rejected by Corvallis-Benton County Library
<https://gazettetimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/book-bans-rejected-by-corvallis-benton-county-library/article_dfa47cca-eebf-11ed-85f1-932c8c38ec9b.html>
(Corvallis Gazette-Times, 5 min). Seattle Public Library launches program
to allow teens to access banned books
<https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-public-library-books-unbanned-program/281-664b8fe8-2233-475a-b31b-fd5d034a9c4c>
( King 5 TV, 3 min). (censorship, access)

These two opinion pieces underscore what is at stake with book bans: Opinion:
Books are not land mines
<https://www.npr.org/2023/05/13/1175964336/opinion-books-are-not-landmines>
(NPR, 3 min) and Book banners beware. In the end, either your efforts fail
or democracy disappears
<https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2023/05/book-banners-beware-in-the-end-either-your-efforts-fail-or-democracy-disappears-brent-larkin.html>
(Clevland.com, 6 min). The National Education Association highlights all
that school librarians do: In Appreciation of School Librarians
<https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/appreciation-school-librarians>
(10 min). (censorship, access, first amendment, information literacy)

Drag queen story hour returns to Washoe County libraries
<https://www.rgj.com/story/news/local/2023/05/16/drag-queen-story-hour-washoe-county-libraries-2023/70220212007/>
in Reno, Nevada, despite past protests by armed Proud Boys
<https://www.advocate.com/news/2022/6/30/proud-boys-terrorize-drag-queen-story-hour-nevada>
(Advocate, 5 min) and demands to the Washoe County Commission to stop it
<https://www.rgj.com/story/news/2023/03/01/drag-queen-story-hour-dominates-washoe-county-commission-meeting/69955945007/>
(Reno Gazette Journal, 7 min). Check out the Washoe County Library
Director's Statement on Drag Queen Story Time
<https://www.washoecountylibrary.us/about/directorstatement-dragqueenstorytime.php>
(includes link to a presentation with history and why of story time). (
inclusion, diversity)

The recent ruling against the Internet Archive’s lending of ebooks, brings
to light the complexity of copyright and how technology impacts it: When
You Buy a Book, You Can Loan It to Anyone. This Judge Says Libraries Can’t.
Why Not?
<https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/libraries-copyright-internet-archive-lawsuit/>
(The Nation, 8 min). (access, copyright)

The Verge provides a deeper look at new internet safety laws for children
and how they may impact privacy and access for everyone: Online age
verification is coming, and privacy is on the chopping block
<https://www.theverge.com/23721306/online-age-verification-privacy-laws-child-safety>
(17 min). (privacy)

More on AI: The Washington Post provides a brief explainer of AI: What is
artificial intelligence? AI glossary of terms to know
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/05/07/ai-beginners-guide/>
(10 min). (information literacy)

Forbes provides a brief overview of how AI amplifies bias and has a
significant impact on certain fields, including healthcare, law enforcement
and big tech : Racism and AI
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/05/25/racism-and-ai-heres-how-its-been-criticized-for-amplifying-bias/?sh=113643fc269d>
(8 min). An AI researcher reflects on how it is important to continue to be
aware of the bias
<https://theconversation.com/i-unintentionally-created-a-biased-ai-algorithm-25-years-ago-tech-companies-are-still-making-the-same-mistake-203734>
of those building AI systems and that those companies should be accountable
for those oversights: (The Conversation, 11 min). (diversity,
inclusion, information
literacy)

 Additional Intellectual Freedom Resources

ALA Intellectual Freedom Blog: https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/ A blog
dedicated to intellectual freedom issues, and includes the Intellectual
Freedom News
<https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/category/intellectual-freedom-news/> –a weekly
roundup of IF related articles that are divided into key IF topics.

Oregon Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Toolkit
<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/iftoolkit/home> (published February 8,
2022). A range of tools and resources relating to IF challenges and
policies created by the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee.
------------------------------
Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions is a monthly roundup of Intellectual
Freedom News compiled by the Multnomah County Library Intellectual Freedom
Committee. We welcome suggestions of articles to include at
lib.ifc at multco.us.

Thanks for reading!

*Jennifer Keyser *(she/her)
*Policy Coordinator Librarian*
Monday - Friday
971-429-4699
Multnomah County Library
multcolib.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20230526/2d2c9c9f/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: MCL_IntellectualFreedomNews_May2023.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 177002 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20230526/2d2c9c9f/attachment.pdf>