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

Fri Sep 29 16:56:53 PDT 2023

 Hello Libs-OR Community,

Please find below the September edition of Multnomah County Library's
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter. A PDF version of the newsletter is
attached.

With Banned Books Week <https://bannedbooksweek.org/> happening next week
(October 1-7), the newsletter highlights the latest findings on book bans
from the American Library Association and Oregon Library Association
alongside a list of resources for learning more about censorship. You will
also find the usual links to recent and notable news stories and articles
on censorship, legislation, disinformation, copyright and AI.

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – September 2023

------------------------------

Upcoming Event for Banned Books Week

Why Your Voice Matters– Even, and Especially as Censorship Increases
<https://multcolib.org/events/why-your-voice-matters-even-and-especially-censorship-increases/128670>
October 5, 6-7:30 p.m.

An online talk with Kelly Jensen <https://kellybjensen.com/> of Book Riot
and John Chrastka <https://www.everylibrary.org/meet_our_staff> from
EveryLibrary. Read Kelly Jensen’s latest article on book bans in schools
<https://bookriot.com/schools-saw-a-33-increase-in-book-bans-2022-2023/>
(Book Riot, 7 min). Check out EveryLibrary’s Legislation of Concern page
<https://www.everylibrary.org/billtracking2023>. Also, see the reading list
<https://multcolib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/114633184_multcolib/2391811609_why_your_voice_matters,_even_as_censorship_continues,_from_multcolib>
created by the Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Banned Books & Censorship Resources

The American Library Association (ALA) reports that book challenges
continue to rise in 2023, notably becoming more concerted efforts and going
beyond targeting a single title. For more on the current wave of book
challenges see the ALA’s Preliminary Data on 2023 Book Challenges
<https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2023/09/american-library-association-releases-preliminary-data-2023-book-challenges>
(9 min). For a more dynamic take of the report with interactive visuals,
see Book Ban Data <https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks/book-ban-data> (ALA,
6 min).  Also, check out the annual report of book challenges
<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/ld.php?content_id=73171120> published by
the State Library of Oregon. For a summary of the report, see: Oregon
libraries receive record number of book complaints
<https://www.portlandtribune.com/news/regional/oregon-libraries-receive-record-number-of-book-complaints/article_d0b38c4c-4c25-11ee-9e6e-1be131b881e6.html>
(Portland Tribune, 7 min). The ALA Executive Director warns that Attacks on
Libraries Are Attacks on Democracy
<https://time.com/collection/time100-voices/6315724/banned-books-library-access/>
(Time, 7 min).

For more on book bans and censorship, check out these resources:

   -

   Oregon Library Associations's Intellectual Freedom resource page
   <http://www.olaweb.org/intellectual-freedom-student-resources>
   -

   ALA’s Freedom to Read Statement
   <https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/freedomreadstatement> and Banned
   & Challenged Books page <https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks>
   -

   Banned Books Week <https://bannedbooksweek.org/>
   -

   United Against Book Bans Toolkit
   <https://uniteagainstbookbans.org/toolkit/>
   -

   Comic Book Legal Defense Fund <http://cbldf.org/>
   -

   Banning of Native Voices/Books log
   <https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/p/banning-of-native-voicesbooks.html>
   from American Indians in Children’s Literature
   -

   For the People: a leftist library project
   <https://www.librariesforthepeople.org/learn-more>
   -

   Let Kids Read <https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/banned-books/> from
   Penguin Random House
   -

   Books Belong Everywhere
   <https://www.simonandschuster.com/p/bannedbooksweek> from Simon &
   Schuster
   -

   Digital Public Library of America’s Banned Book Club
   <https://www.thebannedbookclub.info/> -digital access to banned books
   -

   Banned Books Book Club <https://www.bannedbooksbookclub.com/> -offers
   ideas and reading guides

Intellectual Freedom News

The Washington Post reports on how libraries in conservative states are
parting ways with the American Library Association: Red states quit
nation's oldest library group amid culture war over books
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/09/15/american-library-association-book-bans/>
(Washington Post, 14 min).  Similarly, the Department of Education in South
Carolina is cutting ties with the school library association
<https://www.wltx.com/article/news/education/sc-superintendent-school-librarian/101-814dfbcb-211e-4a2a-9cb5-987b68996bdf>
(WLTX, 3 min). Florida is noted as the epicenter of book bans: ‘There won’t
be libraries left’: how a Florida county became the book ban heartland of
the US
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/19/clay-county-florida-book-bans-moms-for-liberty>
(Guardian, 19 min). (censorship)

Meanwhile, California enacted a bill that will fine schools that ban books: New
California law bars school book bans based on racial and LGBTQ topics
<https://www.npr.org/2023/09/26/1201804972/california-gov-newsom-barring-book-bans-race-lgbtq>
(NPR, 3 min) and the White House has appointed a Book Ban Czar
<https://www.the74million.org/article/education-department-book-bans-matt-nosanchuk-deputy-assistant-secretary/>
to the Department of Education to address the rise in censorship (The 74, 4
min). (censorship, legislation)

The fate of the library in Dayton, WA will no longer be on the ballot:
Embattled
WA library wins lawsuit, won’t shut down after book-ban fight
<https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/embattled-wa-library-wins-lawsuit-wont-shut-down-after-fight-over-books/>
(Seattle Times, 10 min).  In Kansas, librarians were fired for rainbow
autism symbols and accused of LGBTQ agenda
<https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2023/09/2-librarians-were-fired-after-the-board-mistook-an-autism-symbol-for-a-pride-display-theyre-suing/>
(LGBTQ Nation, 4 min). Libraries in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois
have received
bomb threats
<https://www.wbez.org/stories/chicago-area-libraries-continue-to-face-threats/ed297c11-2218-47ce-b427-20cf4badaf7a>
(WBEZ, 5 min), while the U.S. Senate held a hearing on book bans
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/12/senate-book-bans-hearing-lgbtq>
(Guardian, 7 min). Penguin Random House has launched the “Banned Wagon” tour
<https://roughdraftatlanta.com/2023/09/26/banned-wagon-stops-in-decatur-on-oct-1-to-raise-awareness-about-book-censorship/>
to create awareness around censorship (Rough Draft, 3 min). In Canada, 'Empty
shelves with absolutely no books': Students, parents question school
board's library weeding process
<https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/peel-school-board-library-book-weeding-1.6964332>
(CBC News, 15 min). In Russia, Textbooks for Russian High Schoolers Try to
Justify Ukraine War
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/01/world/europe/russia-textbooks-ukraine-war.html>
(New York TImes, 3 min). (censorship, disinformation)

A personal investigation that looks for a deeper understanding of the book
banning movement: Book bans: I thought the challenges were hysterical. Then
I opened one of the books.
<https://slate.com/human-interest/2023/09/banned-books-list-its-perfectly-normal-facebook.html>
(Slate, 22 min). (censorship, access, information literacy)

The president of the ALA Emily Drabinski talks with Tressie McMillan Cottom
about censorship
<https://the-ezra-klein-show.simplecast.com/episodes/emily-drabinski> and
how she and the ALA have become a target by conservative groups (The Ezra
Klein Show, 47min, read the transcript
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/podcasts/transcript-tressie-mcmillan-cottom-interviews-emily-drabinski.html>).
For an in-depth look at how libraries and library workers are countering
book bans and other challenges, see How We Fight Back
<https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2023/09/01/how-we-fight-back/>
(American Libraries Magazine, 22 min). (censorship)

Misleading and unvetted information can be disguised as scholarship: Rising
number of 'predatory' academic journals undermines research and public
trust in scholarship
<https://theconversation.com/rising-number-of-predatory-academic-journals-undermines-research-and-public-trust-in-scholarship-213107>
(The Conversation, 9 min). This article explains how social media metrics
are becoming meaningless, while being leveraged to support
misinformation: Lies,
Damned Lies, and Social-Media Metrics
<https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/09/those-view-counts-on-x-tiktok-and-netflix-be-skeptical.html>
(New York Magazine, 18 min). The European Union continues to put pressure
on social media companies to address the spread of misinformation
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/technology/disinformation-law-european-union.html>
(New York Times, 12 min). (disinformation)

The Nation looks at digital lending of ebooks in light of the lawsuit
between the Internet Archives and publishers: A Book Is a Book Is a
Book—Except When It’s an e-Book
<https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/internet-archive-lawsuit-libraries-books/>
(13 min) (copyright, access)

AI Corner:
The Authors Guild has filed a class action lawsuit against Open AI for
copyright infringement
<https://www.reuters.com/legal/john-grisham-other-top-us-authors-sue-openai-over-copyrights-2023-09-20/>
(Reuters, 3 min). The Atlantic recruited Margaret Atwood and Stephen King
to weigh in on the use of their works to train AI, see Murdered by My
Replica?
<https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2023/08/ai-chatbot-training-books-margaret-atwood/675151/>
(5 min) and My Books Were Used to Train AI
<https://www.theatlantic.com/books/archive/2023/08/stephen-king-books-ai-writing/675088/>
(4 min). On social media, the New York Mycological Society warned how
A.I.-generated guides could be deadly
<https://twitter.com/newyorkmyc/status/1695689778224594959> (Twitter, 1
min). Related, The Washington Post examines the proliferation of AI art for
sale in online marketplaces
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/09/14/ai-books-product-amazon-etsy/>,
plus provides tips on how to detect AI-generated goods (Washington Post, 12
min). (copyright, disinformation)

Khan Academy leverages AI to add playfulness to the online learning
experience
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/business/khanmigo-tutor-chat.html> (New
York Times, 10 min). The use of AI in higher education brings up questions
around equity and academic integrity, see  Ban or Embrace? Colleges Wrestle
With A.I.-Generated Admissions Essays
<https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/01/business/college-admissions-essay-ai-chatbots.html>
(New York Times, 12 min) and Should AI be permitted in college classrooms?
4 scholars weigh in
<https://theconversation.com/should-ai-be-permitted-in-college-classrooms-4-scholars-weigh-in-212176>
(The Conversation, 8 min). (information literacy,equity, access)

The Washington Post offers an interactive  guide on how to engage with AI
to get better results
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/interactive/2023/how-to-talk-ai-chatbot-chatgpt/>
(9 min). Slate looks out how established information resources will not
become obsolete, but will adapt to leverage AI: Wikipedia will survive A.I.
<https://slate.com/technology/2023/08/wikipedia-artificial-intelligence-threat.html>
(13 min). Wire delves into the lure of and creative side of AI: What
AI-Generated Art Really Means for Human Creativity
<https://www.wired.com/story/picture-limitless-creativity-ai-image-generators/>
(41 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
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