[Libs-Or] Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – February 2024

[Jennifer Keyser]

Hello Oregon Library Community,

Please find below the February edition of Multnomah County Library's
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter. A PDF version of the newsletter is
attached. The newsletter highlights recent bills passed in Oregon and
Washington that limit the banning of books as well as articles covering the
different aspects of book bans and related censorship. Plus we note a few
new resources for fighting against censorship. Disinformation is covered in
several articles relating to elections, social media and artificial
intelligence (AI). AI Corner is now AI Spotlight and continues to aim to
shed light on aspects of AI that are relevant to library work and
intellectual freedom.

Thanks for reading and all your work around intellectual freedom.

-Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom Committee

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – February 2024

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

In local news, OPB’s Think Out Loud discusses an Oregon bill that aims to
ban school book bans
<https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/14/oregon-bill-aims-to-ban-school-book-bans/>
(9 min), which the Oregon Senate approved
<https://www.opb.org/article/2024/02/27/oregon-senate-approves-bill-to-ban-book-bans/>
(OPB, 7 min). Read what Oregonians had to say about the bill
<https://www.kgw.com/article/news/politics/oregon-bill-book-banning/283-79c5d259-c3a8-42cd-b78c-f76c4438920c>
(KGW8, 4 min). A similar bill was also passed in Washington
<https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/02/22/wa-senate-passes-legislation-pushing-back-on-book-bans/>
(Washington State Standard, 6 min). In contrast, NBC highlights legislation
focused on limiting access to books, targeting librarians and drag queen
storytime
<https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/new-wave-bills-targeting-libraries-threat-democracy-american-library-a-rcna138558>
(6 min). (censorship, diversity, access)

Librarians and libraries continue to take a stand against censorship: Fighting
Book Bans, Librarians Rally to Their Own Defense
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/03/us/book-bans-librarians.html> (New York
Times, 19 min). Libraries in Wyoming remain committed to safe spaces for
kids and adult alike
<https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2024-01-12/garfield-county-libraries-remain-committed-to-safe-spaces-for-kids-and-adult-patrons-alike>
(Wyoming Public Radio, 8 min). Queer Louisianans Are Fighting Book Bans—And
Winning
<https://inthesetimes.com/article/st-tammany-parish-library-louisiana-book-bans-queer-organizers-challenge-censorship>
(In These Times, 8 min). Meet The Superhero Librarians Fighting For Their
Queer Communities
<https://www.huffpost.com/entry/book-bans-librarians-supporting-queer-kids_n_65c4f1bfe4b0fb721d6014ac>
(HuffPost, 12 min). In Massachusetts, lawmakers seek to guard access to
library books
<https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/lawmakers-weigh-standard-to-guard-access-to-library-books/3244709/>
(NBC Boston, 9 min). Related, PEN America called out the discriminatory
impact of book bans and school policies on LGBTQ+ expression
<https://pen.org/the-discriminatory-impact-of-book-bans-and-educational-gag-orders-on-lgbtq-expression/>
in a United Nations submission (9 min). And of course, LeVar Burton
continues his activism with Banned Book Rainbow
<https://www.slj.com/story/censorship/LeVar-Burton-Sends-Up-Book-Banning-in-Reading-Rainbow-Segment>
(School Library Journal, 5 min). (censorship, diversity, inclusion)

A look at what happens when a library loses funding: Conservatives Defunded
An Arkansas Library
<https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jonesboro-arkansas-public-library-defunded_n_65a6f352e4b04d756af0f442>
(Huff Post, 10 min). A controversy in a small liberal town
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/03/us/libraries-book-bans.html> highlights
when values clash and a book is considered harmful to the trans community
(New York Times, 6 min). (censorship)

The current censorship allows for learning from the past: Black archives
look to preservation amid growing US history bans
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/15/it-could-foster-empathy-black-archives-look-to-preservation-amid-growing-us-history-bans>
(The Guardian, 7 min). The instructive history of book bans
<https://thehill.com/opinion/education/4419652-the-instructive-history-of-book-bans/>
(The Hill, 8 min). A Brief History of the Grand Old American Tradition of
Banning Books
<https://lithub.com/a-brief-history-of-the-grand-old-american-tradition-of-banning-books/>
(Literary Hub, 20 min). (censorship)

A Florida school district adds clothing to illustrations in classic
children's books
<https://popular.info/p/pressed-by-moms-for-liberty-florida> due to
pressure from Moms for Liberty (Popular Information, 9 min). The New
Republic reports that support for Moms for Liberty is waning in places it
initially thrived
<https://newrepublic.com/post/178879/moms-liberty-chapters-collapse-strongholds-pennsylvania-florida>
(4 min). (censorship)

A few resources for fighting against censorship: Unite Against Book Bans
has created a database that summarizes a book’s educational value, awards,
reviews and more: Book Résumés
<https://bookresumes.uniteagainstbookbans.org/>. See also, the book resumes
<https://www.pdsal.org/book_resumes> assembled by Parents Defending Schools
and Libraries, which inspired the Unite Against Book Bans database.
Publishers Weekly highlights recent books for young readers on censorship
<https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/94030-books-for-young-readers-addressing-book-banning.html>
(4 min) and School Library Journal provides a review of the Penguin Random
House Banned Books Database
<https://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/story/slj-reviews-penguin-random-house:-banned-books-database>
(6 min). Out magazine, which has encountered censorship in libraries,
offers How to fight LGBTQ+ book bans
<https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/fighting-lgbtq-book-bans> (10 min). (
censorship, inclusion, diversity)

Libraries continue to serve as an essential community hub, especially for
Gen-Z, see Millennials, Gen Z flock to Sonoma County libraries as preferred
‘third place’
<https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/millennials-gen-z-flock-to-sonoma-county-libraries-as-preferred-third-pla/>
(Press Democrat, 11 min) and Books and looks: gen Z is ‘rediscovering’ the
public library
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/jan/26/books-and-looks-gen-z-is-rediscovering-the-public-library>
(Guardian, 11 min). (access)

Columbia Journalism Review highlights concerns around the proposed online
safety bill for kids
<https://www.cjr.org/the_media_today/kosa_child_safety_online_zuckerberg_criticism.php>
(11 min). (privacy, first amendment)

The Athletic dives into how sports fans create and profit off fake news
<https://theathletic.com/5243354/2024/02/07/fake-man-united-news-social-media/>
and ways to combat the misinformation through a code of conduct (17 min). (
disinformation)

The Conversation highlights different aspects of election disinformation: Are
you seeing news reports of voting problems? 4 essential reads on election
disinformation
<https://theconversation.com/are-you-seeing-news-reports-of-voting-problems-4-essential-reads-on-election-disinformation-222558>
(7 min). (disinformation)

In the UK, the British Board of Film Classification assigned Mary Poppins a
new rating
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/27/arts/mary-poppins-age-rating-uk.html>
to note the use of offensive language (New York Times, 7 min). (censorship,
equity)

AI Spotlight
An AI-Generated Content Empire Is Spreading Fake Celebrity Images on Google
<https://www.vice.com/en/article/k7z5gw/an-ai-generated-content-empire-is-spreading-fake-celebrity-images-on-google>
(Vice Magazine, 10 min). The New York Times offers a look behind the creation
of fake pornographic images
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/05/business/media/taylor-swift-ai-fake-images.html>
(7 min). Related, A.I. Fuels a New Era of Product Placement
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/business/media/artificial-intelligence-product-placement.html>
(New York Times, 8 min) and Meta will start labeling AI-generated images on
Instagram and Facebook
<https://www.npr.org/2024/02/06/1229317971/meta-labeling-ai-generated-images-instagram-facebook-artificial-intelligence>
(NPR, 5 min). (disinformation, information literacy )

FCC bans AI-generated voices in robocalls
<https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fcc-bans-ai-generated-voices-in-robocalls-that-can-deceive-voters>
(PBS News, 6 min). The FCC provides a tip sheet on identifying AI-generated
audio, video and text content and avoiding scams
<https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/deep-fake-audio-and-video-links-make-robocalls-and-scam-texts-harder-spot>.
(disinformation, information literacy)

New AI-driven tools continue to be developed: The tech columnist at the New
York Times tries out Perplexity, an AI-driven search engine
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/01/technology/perplexity-search-ai-google.html>
(14 min). The Washington Post dives into the possibilities and  limits of
Sora, a video generating tool from Open AI (12 min). (information literacy)

Popular Science reports on how an inaccurate AI-generated image made it
through peer review to publication
<https://www.popsci.com/technology/ai-rat-journal/>, highlighting the
problems with use of AI in academia (7 min). (information literacy)

Different perspectives on AI: a spiritual look at AI: The Friar Who Became
the Vatican’s Go-To Guy on A.I.
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/09/world/europe/italy-artificial-intelligence-ethics.html>
(New York Times, 12 min) and musings on the potential of AI to uplift soft
skills: The A.I. Economy Will Make Jobs More Human
<https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/14/opinion/ai-economy-jobs-colleges.html>
(opinion, New York Times, 9 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

[image: Copy of MultCoLib_2LineLogo_252px_RGB.jpg]
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