Overheard
At my university, there is a group of student tour guides who give tours of the campus to prospective students and their families. The library is included in their tour, … Read more Overheard
Category: Intellectual Freedom
Political art censored in Gainesville, GA
Noted as an example of what I think can be called political censorship in the American South: “GSC professor teaches the importance of art as his own work comes under … Read more Political art censored in Gainesville, GA
Nadia Plesner free speech case
Librarians interested in intellectual freedom should take note of a case of censorship by copyright lawsuit. Danish artist Nadia Plesner has used an image of a Louis Vuitton handbag in … Read more Nadia Plesner free speech case
Updated: Alternative Press Bibliography
Byron Anderson has updated his “Bibliographic and Web Tools for Alternative Media,” which is published regularly in Counterpoise. Sections include Reference Books/Online Databases; Web Sources; Distributors; Organizations; Small Press/Alternative Media: … Read more Updated: Alternative Press Bibliography
Google’s new “reading level” filtering
Google has added a feature to its advanced search form that allows you to filter results by reading level or add information about a page’s reading level to the information … Read more Google’s new “reading level” filtering
NYRB blog: WikiLeaks in the Moral Void
Christian Caryl has an insightful post on the NYRB blog, “WikiLeaks in the Moral Void.” As he astutely says about Julian Assange and WikiLeaks, In practical terms it seems to … Read more NYRB blog: WikiLeaks in the Moral Void
Ai Weiwei
A conflict over intellectual freedom of potential historical import may be taking shape in China surrounding China’s most famous (globally famous) artist, Ai Weiwei. Ai Weiwei is politically active as … Read more Ai Weiwei
Modern art was CIA ‘weapon’
This article feels like another nail in the coffin of what we thought we knew of the past: Modern art was CIA ‘weapon’. Or a ramping-ing up of the general … Read more Modern art was CIA ‘weapon’
Props to ALA on 9/11
Leonard Kniffel, editor of American Libraries, the American Library Association’s house publication, write in his blog: Book burning is the most insidious form of book banning, and just as the … Read more Props to ALA on 9/11
Brief note on libraries and elitism
The 1980s began the “give ’em what they want” era of library collection development, when it became irredeemably elitist for librarians to think they occupy some kind of teaching role … Read more Brief note on libraries and elitism
New Yorker article on WikiLeaks
There was a good article about WikiLeaks and its founder, Julian Paul Assange, by Raffi Khatchadourian, in the June 7 issue of the New Yorker.
Facebook Intellectual Freedom Issue (Political Repression)
Just a quick link without comment to an IF issue that I think deserves the ALA establishment’s attention. Rowland Keshena of the Speed of Dreams blog has posted an item … Read more Facebook Intellectual Freedom Issue (Political Repression)
New book: A Space for Hate: The White Power Movement’s Adaptation into Cyberspace
A Space for Hate: The White Power Movement’s Adaptation into Cyberspace Author: Adam Klein Price: $25.00 Published: June 2010 ISBN: 978-1-936117-07-9 A Space for Hate speaks to the media and … Read more New book: A Space for Hate: The White Power Movement’s Adaptation into Cyberspace
Wayne Bivens-Tatum on Librarians and “Traditional Cultural Expressions”
There is a hot issue in librarianship that I think has great significance in terms of how society and the institution of libraries is changing. The issue is how the … Read more Wayne Bivens-Tatum on Librarians and “Traditional Cultural Expressions”
Goodman vs. St. Paul
Lawsuit Challenges Police and Secret Service Crackdown on Journalists Covering Protests at Republican National Convention CONTACT: press@ccrjustice.org May 5, 2010, Minnesota and St. Paul, MN —Today, the Center for Constitutional … Read more Goodman vs. St. Paul
The Market Colonization of Intellectuals
A very intelligent op-ed on Truthout about the present situation for public intellectuals: Lewis R. Gordon, “The Market Colonization of Intellectuals.” I’m not a regular reader of Truthout, but maybe … Read more The Market Colonization of Intellectuals
ACLU sues Library of Congress in workplace speech case
Colonel Morris Davis was fired from his job at the Congressional Research Service for opinion pieces he wrote about the military commissions system (he is the former chief prosecutor for … Read more ACLU sues Library of Congress in workplace speech case
Bibliographic and Web Tools for Alternative Media – December 2009 update
Byron Anderson’s Bibliographic and Web Tools for Alternative Media has just been updated. This is a good collection development resource for librarians and others who want tools for going beyond … Read more Bibliographic and Web Tools for Alternative Media – December 2009 update
Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer will not be in attendance
Something is happening in Minnesota that is worth noting if you’re interested in the public sphere. There is a mining project in the Iron Range that is awaiting state approval. … Read more Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer will not be in attendance