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

[Jennifer Keyser]

Hello Libs-OR Community,

The August edition of Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom
Newsletter is now available.

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

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – August 2023

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 As the Freedom to Read Statement
<https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement> turns 70
this year, the American Library Association (ALA) emphasizes the relevance
of the statement to the current wave of censorship. The ALA invites
individuals, authors and organizations to support the freedom to read.
Summer Lopez of PEN America expands on the freedom to read
<https://www.concordmonitor.com/My-Turn-We-Are-All-Invested-in-the-Freedom-to-Read-51919777>
(Concord Monitor, 7 min). (first amendment)

Whether to keep a community library will be on the ballot
<https://www.waitsburgtimes.com/story/2023/07/27/news/petition-to-dissolve-rural-library-district-has-been-certified-by-auditor/20236.html>
in Dayton, WA this fall (The Times, 2 min). The resolution comes from a few
not satisfied with the library’s collection development policy
<https://www.union-bulletin.com/news/local/governments/some-columbia-county-residents-want-to-dissolve-the-county-s-rural-library-district/article_2dc1c182-c90a-11ed-9ab5-0ba8d14ef336.html>
(Walla Walla Union-Bulletin, 8 min). For a deeper dive, see: Forget banning
books — a rural WA county may close its library
<https://www.columbian.com/news/2023/aug/21/forget-banning-books-a-rural-wa-county-may-close-its-library/>
(The Columbian, 15 min) and The Small-Town Library That Became a Culture
War Battleground
<https://www.thenation.com/article/society/libraries-book-banning/> (The
Nation, 41 min).  (access, censorship)

Some conservative libraries are seeking alternatives to the American
Library Association, see Montana State Library withdraws from national
library group
<https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-news/montana-state-library-withdraws-national-library-group-presidents-marx-rcna94130>
(NBC News, 6 min) and Wyoming library board members  join new library
association
<https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/news/state/two-members-of-campbell-county-library-board-join-new-library-association/article_57d99fa4-361e-11ee-85a7-e7e3ab75dc2c.html>
(Wyoming News, 6 min). In Texas schools are converting libraries into
disciplinary spaces
<https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/houston-school-libraries-will-become-disciplinary-spaces-rcna97394>
(NBC News, 3 min). For a more in-depth take, see Texas Revamps Houston
Schools, Closing Libraries and Angering Parents
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/13/us/texas-houston-schools-libraries-takeover.html>
(New York Times, 13 min). (access, censorship)

While other libraries, publishers and organizations are fighting book
challenges and related legislation through lawsuits: Fed Up and Filing Suit
for Intellectual Freedom
<https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/story/Fed-Up-and-Filing-Suit-for-Intellectual-Freedom>
(School Library Journal, 19 min) and Stakes Are High as Judge Hears Motion
to Block Texas Book Rating Law
<https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/93001-stakes-are-high-as-judge-hears-motion-to-block-texas-book-rating-law.html>
(Publishers Weekly, 11 min).  Some fighting censorship are bringing joy and
celebration to protests and communities: Dance Dance Revolution
<https://www.34st.com/article/2023/07/philly-dance-protests-book-bans-moms-for-liberty-queer-joy-youth>
(34th Street Magazine, 13 min) and Banned Bookmobile Recap on the Road
<https://front.moveon.org/recap-of-banned-bookmobile-tour/> (MoveOn, 11
min). In Vermont, the Lt. Governor is doing a reading tour of banned books
<https://apnews.com/article/banned-books-tour-vermont-zuckerman-1c116df096f1909da2ed8408adf8e4d0>
(AP News, 6min). Penguin Random House has launched a series of banned book
resource pages
<https://publishingperspectives.com/2023/08/prh-rolls-out-banned-books-resources-let-kids-read/>
for consumers; check it out at Let Kids Read
<https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/banned-books/> (Publishing
Perspectives, 8 min). (censorship, first amendment)

More on book bans and censorship: CNN visualizes the data to show the recent
increase and spread of book banning
<https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/27/us/school-library-book-ban-increase-dg/index.html>
(7 min). This opinion piece highlights the importance of access to
information: The Book Banners and I Have One Thing in Common
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/opinion/book-bans-censorship-reading.html>
(New York Times, 9 min). NPR dives into the impact of book bans: The plot
thickens: The battle over books comes at a cost
<https://www.npr.org/2023/08/11/1192034923/the-plot-thickens-the-battle-over-books-comes-at-a-cost>
(12 min). Popular Science reports that ChatGPT is being used by a school
district in Iowa to evaluate the content of books
<https://www.popsci.com/technology/iowa-chatgpt-book-ban/> in order to
adhere to state laws (for more context, see this brief from Axios: censorship
in Iowa
<https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2023/08/16/iowa-library-uptick-banned-books-senate-file-496>)
6 min). In Virginia, a school board included the Moms for Liberty’s book
censorship list to evaluate books
<https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/08/school-board-orders-librarians-to-use-moms-for-libertys-book-censorship-list-to-evaluate-books/>
(LGBTQ Nation, 4 min). In Georgia, an author was asked not to say gay
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/29/us/batman-book-nobleman-georgia-school-gay.html>
(New York Times, 8 min)  In Hong Kong, the government seeks assistance from
the public in banning library books
<https://www.voanews.com/a/hong-kong-seeks-public-help-in-purging-library-books-/7228785.html>.
(VOA, 9 min). (censorship)

Book Riot looks at how right-wing media spins information around banned
books: How To Own A News Cycle
<https://bookriot.com/how-to-own-a-news-cycle/> (8 min). (information
literacy, disinformation)

Disinformation may become more prevalent: Following Elon Musk's lead, Big
Tech is surrendering to disinformation
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/08/25/political-conspiracies-facebook-youtube-elon-musk/>
(Washington Post, 14 min). Weather and natural disasters are becoming
quickly caught up in conspiracy theories: Falsehoods Follow Close Behind
This Summer’s Natural Disasters
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/business/media/maui-idalia-disinformation-climate-change.html>
(New York TImes, 11 min). (disinformation)

The cost of access to information is examined through the lawsuit between
publishers and the Internet Archive: The Dream Was Universal Access to
Knowledge. The Result Was a Fiasco.
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/13/business/media/internet-archive-emergency-lending-library.html>
(New York Times, 22 min). (access, copyright)

As mobile payment apps become more commonly used, it is important to check
the privacy settings: You’re Probably Oversharing on Venmo
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/09/technology/personaltech/venmo-privacy-oversharing.html>
(New York Times, 9 min). A new report indicates that YouTube may have
violated the privacy rights of children
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/17/technology/youtube-google-children-privacy.html>
(New York Times, 11 min). (privacy)

A look at how libraries in Oregon continue to evolve to connect with their
communities and provide access to information and more: For the People
<https://www.oregonhumanities.org/rll/magazine/shelter-summer-2023/for-the-people/>
(Oregon Humanities, 21 min) (access)

AI Corner:
AI is finding ways to infiltrate the publishing industry: A New Frontier
for Travel Scammers: A.I.-Generated Guidebooks
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/05/travel/amazon-guidebooks-artificial-intelligence.html>
(New
York Times, 16 min) and AI is coming for your audiobooks. You're right to
be worried.
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/08/17/audiobooks-artificial-intelligence/>
(Washington Post, 9 min). (disinformation, access)

Schools and teachers see the need to quickly get ahead of AI and the use of
it in education, see Computer Science Class Now Includes Critiquing Chatbots
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/06/technology/chatgpt-schools-teachers-ai-ethics.html?te=1&nl=on-tech%3A-a.i.&emc=edit_ot_20230826>
and Despite Cheating Fears, Schools Repeal ChatGPT Bans
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/24/business/schools-chatgpt-chatbot-bans.html>
(New York Times, 14 min and 12 min). (information literacy)

The Conversation highlights the human element behind AI: ChatGPT and other
language AIs are nothing without humans
<https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-and-other-language-ais-are-nothing-without-humans-a-sociologist-explains-how-countless-hidden-people-make-the-magic-211658>,
including a video explaining technical aspects of ChatGPT (8 min). (information
literacy)

Additional Resources

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

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 at lib.ifc at multco.us.


*Jennifer Keyser *(she/her)
*Policy Coordinator Librarian*
Monday - Friday
971-429-4699
Multnomah County Library
multcolib.org
[This email was encrypted for your privacy and security]
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