[Libs-Or] Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – May 2025

[Jennifer Keyser]

Dear Oregon Library Community,

The May edition of Multnomah County Library's IFC Newsletter is now
available (PDF version attached). This month dives into the impact of
changes on the federal level on libraries, including firings, loss of
funding, censorship, removal of information and more. The newsletter also
covers other intellectual freedom issues popping up in the news from
disinformation to privacy. AI Spotlight gets into the myriad of issues with
AI along with some positives, a few general assessments of the use of AI in
schools and work and the latest report from the U.S. Copyright Office on AI
and copyright.

Thanks for all your work to support intellectual freedom!


Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – May 2025

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


The Librarian of Congress was dismissed by the current administration
<https://www.npr.org/2025/05/09/nx-s1-5393737/carla-hayden-fired-library-of-congress-trump>
(NPR, 4 min), which was followed by the firing of the director of the
Copyright Office
<https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/05/11/white-house-copyright-office-director-fired/>
(Washington Post, 5 min). These dismissals along with the cuts to library
funding
<https://www.ala.org/news/2025/04/imls-cuts-put-americas-public-libraries-risk>,
removal of information
<https://www.npr.org/2025/03/19/nx-s1-5317567/federal-websites-lgbtq-diversity-erased>
from government websites, censorship
<https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-hegseth-dei-library-books-770364ab99591402ddffe8758432ff26>
of federal libraries and other steps to curb access to information prompted
the International Federation of Library Associations to release a statement
<https://www.ifla.org/news/ifla-faife-message-on-the-threats-to-information-freedom-in-the-united-states/>(3
min). Read about the legal fight
<https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/28/fired-copyright-chief-first-round-lawsuit-trump-00373611>
against these dismissals (Politico, 3 min).

In related news, the dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library
Services (IMLS) was paused by a court order
<https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/politics/federal-fallout/judge-inclined-to-block-doge-takeover-of-institute-of-museum-and-library-services-imls-trump-musk/65-135b74bb-4ef7-4679-b42f-f728f6a36744>
(WUSA9, 4 min). The Pentagon reversed the removal
<https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/navy-reverses-dei-book-ban-after-pentagon-review/story?id=122081512>
of books in the Naval Academy libraries (ABC News, 3 min).  American
Libraries Magazine provides an overview of actions taken against
<https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2025/04/30/100-days-into-the-trump-administration/>
and by libraries (11 min). BookRiot explains the purpose
<https://bookriot.com/what-is-the-library-of-congress/> of the Library of
Congress and why the institute is being targeted (20 min).

The Guardian highlights the impact of the current administration on library
workers
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/07/libraries-trump-administration>
in the U.S. (5 min) as well as the spread of censorship in the U.K.
<https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/apr/14/librarians-in-uk-increasingly-asked-to-remove-books-as-influence-of-us-pressure-groups-spreads>
(5 min). The Chicago Tribune reports how cuts to IMLS impact interlibrary
loans
<https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/28/illinois-interlibrary-loan/>
across the country (8 min). (censorship, access)

Read about efforts from different groups to save data, history and
more: digital
archivists working to save Black history
<https://www.wired.com/story/trump-wants-to-erase-black-history-these-digital-archivists-are-racing-to-save-it/>
(Wired, 10 min) and Indigenous scientists protecting their data and culture
<https://www.theverge.com/features/664282/indigenous-data-sovereignty-native-trump-musk-dei>
(Verge, 11 min). Changes at the federal level are being echoed by states,
see the banning of gender and race databases
<https://mississippitoday.org/2025/04/08/mississippi-libraries-ordered-to-delete-academic-research-in-response-to-state-laws/>
in Mississippi libraries (Mississippi Today, 5 min). Also, Latin American
publishing is experiencing issues due to politics and censorship
<https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/international/international-book-news/article/97669-politics-and-censorship-continue-to-impact-latin-american-publishing.html>
(Publishers Weekly, 10 min). Related, Gizmodo reports on Wikipedia being
threatened
<https://gizmodo.com/trump-doj-threatens-wikipedias-nonprofit-status-over-alleged-propaganda-2000594928>
by the Department of Justice (4 min). For tips on preserving community
memories, see Collective memory is a political project
<https://freedomlifted.substack.com/p/collective-memory-is-a-political>
(Mia Henry, 7 min) (diversity, censorship, access)

Salon walks through the Library Bill of Rights: "Reading builds empathy":
The case for saving America's libraries
<https://www.salon.com/2025/03/30/reading-builds-empathy-the-case-for-saving-americas-libraries/>
(16 min). Building on that idea, Dr. Carla Hayden explains how libraries
are the cornerstone of democracy
<https://www.wgbh.org/culture/books/2025-05-16/why-libraries-are-the-cornerstone-of-democracy-in-the-words-of-just-fired-librarian-of-congress>
(GBH Media, 32 min). Check out the new documentary
<https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/free-for-all/> from PBS
on public libraries (1 hr 45min). Related, Princeton University Press
highlights the important role for booksellers
<https://press.princeton.edu/ideas/bookstores-are-arsenals-of-democracy> in
supporting democracy (14 min). (access, censorship)

One of the most banned authors
<https://www.advocate.com/arts-entertainment/most-banned-book-lgbtq-black>
explains why they continue to fight censorship (Advocate, 7 min). In Texas,
censorship is being upheld as government speech
<https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/97858-appeals-court-reverses-ruling-in-texas-book-banning-case.html>
(Publishers Weekly, 9 min). NPR provides a deep dive into the current state
of free speech
<https://www.npr.org/2025/04/13/1244593145/free-speech-first-amendment-trump-america>
(36 min). (censorship, first amendment)

The New York Times reports on how the new media landscape
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/03/technology/news-misinformation-facebook-oakdale.html>
helps spread misleading information and create partisan divides (14 min).
From Time a look at how to address misinformation
<https://time.com/7282640/how-to-address-misinformation/> without
censorship (7 min). From Canada, an argument that misinformation is
disinformation
<https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/05/05/opinion/climate-disinformation-misinformation>
through the lens of climate change and elections (National Observer, 6
min). (disinformation)

Electronic Frontier Foundation provides overview of location data
<https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2025/04/privacy-map-how-states-are-fighting-location-surveillance>
in light of surveillance and state legislation protecting privacy of users
(12 min). Margaret Killjoy offers an array of tips on reducing your digital
footprint
<https://margaretkilljoy.substack.com/p/your-threat-model-has-changed> (15
min). (privacy)

Libraries will be impacted by the end of the Digital Equity Act
<https://apnews.com/article/digital-equity-act-trump-broadband-rural-diversity-90d1c8a618d289ecb16e1667194e37d7>,
with many no longer able to lend out hot spots and laptops to help people (AP
News, 7 min). In a win for libraries and with the hope of inspiring a
national movement, Connecticut passed a landmark eBook Bill
<https://www.ebookstudygroup.org/connecticut_house_passes_landmark_ebook_bill>
(eBook Study Group, 4 min). (access, equity)

For deeper dives and more complex takes on intellectual freedom, check out
these articles:

   -

   A look at privacy of thought
   <https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/26764/34689> in
   relation to DEI training (Association of College & Research Libraries, 58
   min).
   -

   A brief argument for zines as means for epistemic justice
   <https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2025/05/zines-as-a-means-for-epistemic-justice/>
   (Association for Library Service for Children, 4 min).
   -

   Criminalizing Librarians
   <https://www.interruptingcriminalization.com/resources-all/criminalizing-librarians>
   from Mariame Kaba
   -

   A collection of essays on Governing Misinformation in Everyday Knowledge
   Commons
   <https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/governing-misinformation-in-everyday-knowledge-commons/2BB6609089878128A21E85B37452735B>
   (open access book from Oxford University).


The Internet Archive launched a livestream of microfiche digitization
<https://blog.archive.org/2025/05/21/new-livestream-brings-microfiche-digitization-to-life-for-democracys-library/>
to provide a glimpse into the process of making information accessible
online (4 min). See also this interview looking at the work of the Internet
Archive to document the internet
<https://www.wnyc.org/story/preserving-the-internet/> (WNYC, 27 min). (
access)

In local news, there is a play about book banning
<https://www.hand2mouththeatre.org/banned> put on by local high schoolers
(Hand2Mouth workshopped the play at Holgate Library) and an interview
<https://www.klcc.org/podcast/oregon-on-the-record/2025-05-12/shhhhsh-trying-to-quiet-the-tone-toward-the-eugene-library>
with the director of the Eugene Public Library that touches on the current
challenges that libraries face (KLCC, 23 min). (censorship, access)

AI Spotlight

The need to check the work of AI made headlines after a summer reading list
of fake titles
<https://www.npr.org/2025/05/20/nx-s1-5405022/fake-summer-reading-list-ai>
was published and distributed by some newspapers (NPR, 3 min). MIT Media
Lab shared the results of a recent study that indicated that AI increases
cognitive load: Your Brain on ChatGPT
<https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/your-brain-on-chatgpt/overview/> (1
min). Ars Tecnica reports on how AI creates more work
<https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/05/time-saved-by-ai-offset-by-new-work-created-study-suggests/>,
offsetting the time saved (3 min).  (information literacy)

The Internet Exchange looks at the inequities being created by AI
<https://internet.exchangepoint.tech/shaping-ai-how-data-redefines-the-obligations-and-responsibilities-to-our-future/>
and identifies the need for technological governance to safeguard the
future (10 min). Tech Policy argues for the need for human expertise
alongside AI
<https://www.techpolicy.press/ais-next-chapter-requires-human-expertise/>
to ensure accurate data and other outputs (6 min). The New York Times
reports AI is improving
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/technology/ai-hallucinations-chatgpt-google.html>,
but still very flawed (7 mins) Related, AI is  spreading old stereotypes
<https://www.wired.com/story/ai-bias-spreading-stereotypes-across-languages-and-cultures-margaret-mitchell/?ref=internet.exchangepoint.tech>
to new languages and cultures (Wired, 5 min). Also, Google aims to release AI
designed for kids
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/technology/google-gemini-ai-chatbot-kids.html>
(4 min). (diversity,  information literacy, disinformation)

The New York Times exposes a paradox unfolding around the use of AI in
schools
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/14/us/schools-ai-teachers-writing.html>:
(8 min).  A professor argues that AI is a useful tool that reshapes the
writing process
<https://theconversation.com/ai-isnt-replacing-student-writing-but-it-is-reshaping-it-254878>,
but doesn’t replace it (Conversation, 6 min). 404 Media looks back at how
AI made its way into the classroom
<https://www.404media.co/american-schools-were-deeply-unprepared-for-chatgpt-public-records-show/>
(10 min). Related, Forbes reports on how AI tutors provided illicit
and dangerous
info to kids
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2025/05/12/these-ai-tutors-for-kids-gave-fentanyl-recipes-and-dangerous-diet-advice/>
(11 min).  (information literacy)

The Conversation highlights a new study that finds people trust
AI-generated legal advice
<https://theconversation.com/people-trust-legal-advice-generated-by-chatgpt-more-than-a-lawyer-new-study-252217>
(4 min) and why people fall for and spread fake health information
<https://theconversation.com/why-we-fall-for-fake-health-information-and-how-it-spreads-faster-than-facts-250718>
(7 min). 404 Media reports on how Instagram's AI Chatbots lie about being
licensed therapists
<https://www.404media.co/instagram-ai-studio-therapy-chatbots-lie-about-being-licensed-therapists/>
(5 min), while Verge reports on surveillance concerns
<https://www.theverge.com/policy/665685/ai-therapy-meta-chatbot-surveillance-risks-trump>
with AI therapists (11 min).Reddit users were subjected to an AI-powered
experiment
<https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478336-reddit-users-were-subjected-to-ai-powered-experiment-without-consent/>
without consent (New Scientist, 4 min). Platformer unpacks how AI
tries to befriend
and overwhelm
<https://www.platformer.news/meta-ai-chatgpt-glazing-sycophancy/> users (15
min). In contrast, Conversation reports how AI can be used to detect
disinformation
<https://theconversation.com/weaponized-storytelling-how-ai-is-helping-researchers-sniff-out-disinformation-campaigns-251349>
(7 min). (disinformation, information literacy, privacy)

Harvard Business Review details how people use Gen AI
<https://hbr.org/2025/04/how-people-are-really-using-gen-ai-in-2025> (18
min). While Tech Policy highlights DOGE’s use of data and AI
<https://www.techpolicy.press/100-days-of-doge-assessing-its-use-of-data-and-ai-to-reshape-government/>
which brings up privacy and security risks (10 min). Related, TechCrunch
highlights the latest viral ChatGPT: 'reverse location search' from photos
<https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/17/the-latest-viral-chatgpt-trend-is-doing-reverse-location-search-from-photos/>
(4 min). (information literacy, privacy)

New changes in WhatsApp demonstrates how tech companies may make privacy
improvements for users
<https://blog.whatsapp.com/introducing-advanced-chat-privacy> (1 min),
while at the same time incorporating AI compromises the privacy of users
<https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7vzw78gz9o> (BBC, 5 min -includes
explainer of encryption). (privacy)

The Copyright Office released part 3
<https://www.copyright.gov/ai/Copyright-and-Artificial-Intelligence-Part-3-Generative-AI-Training-Report-Pre-Publication-Version.pdf>
of their reports on AI and copyright <https://www.copyright.gov/ai/>. Part
3 focuses on Generative AI training and was quickly released before the firing
of the director of the Copyright Office
<https://www.infodocket.com/2025/05/11/trump-fires-shira-perlmutter-register-of-copyrights-and-director-u-s-copyright-office/>
(Library Journal, 4 min). The AI School Librarian provides a summary of the
reports
<https://aischoollibrarian.substack.com/p/special-edition-what-the-us-copyright>
(4 min).Related, staff from the U.S. Copyright Office explore the
relationship between A.I., human creators and copyright
<https://blogs.loc.gov/copyright/2025/05/a-i-art-and-copyright-the-human-element-that-makes-all-the-difference/>
(Library of Congress Blogs, 8 min). (copyright)

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

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.

*Jennifer Keyser *(she/her)
*Policy Coordinator Librarian*
Monday - Friday
971-429-4699
Multnomah County Library
multcolib.org

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