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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Creating Space At The Table: Intellectual Freedom Can Bolster Diverse Voices, Shannon M. Oltmann Oct 2017

Creating Space At The Table: Intellectual Freedom Can Bolster Diverse Voices, Shannon M. Oltmann

Information Science Faculty Publications

Many of the most challenged books, year after year, feature voices from diverse communities (including those of women, racial or ethnic minorities, and LGBT people). Intellectual freedom protects these voices and protects our right to hear these voices. This essay discusses the definition of intellectual freedom, why diverse perspectives are important, and how intellectual freedom can bolster diverse voices. In turn, this can improve our relationships with one another, increasing empathy and respect, which can be reflected in numerous ways and is particularly important in a divisive political climate.


Intellectual Freedom In Academic Libraries: Surveying Deans About Its Significance, Shannon M. Oltmann Sep 2017

Intellectual Freedom In Academic Libraries: Surveying Deans About Its Significance, Shannon M. Oltmann

Information Science Faculty Publications

In this study, deans and directors of academic libraries were surveyed about intellectual freedom. The survey found that most respondents said they rarely think about intellectual freedom yet said it was “somewhat” or “very” important in their libraries. Most did not have formal intellectual freedom policies; they often relied on statements from the American Library Association or other library organizations. Copyright/intellectual property, privacy, plagiarism, and academic freedom were the most important concerns related to intellectual freedom. Although this study shed some light on intellectual freedom in academic libraries, further work remains to be done.


When It Is Troublesome To Do Right: A Narrative Analysis Of The Continual Censorship And “Sivilizing” Of Huckleberry Finn, Angela P. Branyon Jul 2017

When It Is Troublesome To Do Right: A Narrative Analysis Of The Continual Censorship And “Sivilizing” Of Huckleberry Finn, Angela P. Branyon

Teaching & Learning Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative dissertation is a part of a broader program of research that investigates intellectual freedom. The study focuses on developing understanding in three distinct, but related, research areas – the American historical and cultural narrative of race, the historical discourse of intellectual freedom, and the role The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn can play in adding to and perhaps changing these historic stories. By using historical narrative inquiry, data was examined from each story to find correlations among the discourses Where previous research centers on and develops the reasons why Huck Finn has been challenged, this research focuses on how …


Protecting Patron Privacy: Vendors, Libraries, And Patrons Each Have A Role To Play, Lori Bowen Ayre Mar 2017

Protecting Patron Privacy: Vendors, Libraries, And Patrons Each Have A Role To Play, Lori Bowen Ayre

Collaborative Librarianship

Abstract: Protecting patron privacy involves several activities including responsibly managing the data we store about patrons and their use of the library as well as working with our vendors which also access and make use of that data. It also involves educating our patrons so they can better control what happens with their personal information.


All In For Privacy: Cultivating A Community Of Information Privacy Awareness, Lindsay Taylor, Marni R. Harrington, Matt Ward Feb 2017

All In For Privacy: Cultivating A Community Of Information Privacy Awareness, Lindsay Taylor, Marni R. Harrington, Matt Ward

FIMS Presentations

The Library Freedom Project supports librarianship’s values of freedom of information and privacy by providing relevant tools and education to LIS professionals. A group from the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at Western aligned with the project to encourage student participation in local and global privacy issues. Our programming encourages hands-on use of open source and anti-surveillance software, such as Tor Browser for anonymous web browsing. In addition, we detail how we configured our Tor relay to route anonymous encrypted global traffic, so that other libraries can join the 280 relays currently running in Canada and 7000 worldwide.