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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
“For All The People”: Public Library Directors Interpret Intellectual Freedom, Shannon M. Oltmann
“For All The People”: Public Library Directors Interpret Intellectual Freedom, Shannon M. Oltmann
Information Science Faculty Publications
Intellectual freedom is frequently seen as a core value of librarianship, especially by the American Library Association, which has issued extensive guidance to libraries about implementing intellectual freedom. Some scholars criticize these documents, arguing that they are unrealistic and do not offer meaningful support to libraries. While scholars question the value of ALA policies, it is unclear whether practicing librarians have similar concerns about the Library Bill of Rights (LBR) and related guidelines. This article describes a study of public libraries and their interpretation of the LBR in their daily practice. To investigate the role played by ALA documents, 15 …
Intellectual Freedom And Freedom Of Speech: Three Theoretical Perspectives, Shannon M. Oltmann
Intellectual Freedom And Freedom Of Speech: Three Theoretical Perspectives, Shannon M. Oltmann
Information Science Faculty Publications
Freedom of speech encompasses not only a right to express oneself but also a right to access information. This right is particularly pertinent to libraries, whose mission is often focused on enabling and expanding access to information. Libraries can support this activity with a theoretical background that draws upon the three predominant jurisprudential theories of freedom of speech: the marketplace of ideas, democratic ideals, and individual autonomy. In this article, each of these theories is explained and then applied to the library context, creating a starting place for further investigation and application of these judicial theories to information access.