LIS 600: Foundations of Library and Information Studies

Week Six

Kevin Rioux, PhD

Information Policy

• Laws, ordinances, guidelines, rules, customs, traditions, etc.

• Policies affect *EVERYTHING* a librarian does (for better or for worse)

– Protects materials, us and the people we serve

– Can be onerous

• Policies reflect: stakeholders, processes, needs, politics, organizational structures, social mores, culture, commerce, etc.

“Information wants to be free.” ….or does it?

• Two major stakeholder camps:

– Those who want low cost or free information (e.g., librarians, educators,

– Those who want huge variety for a fee (e.g., publishing companies <many of which are foreign-owned>, record companies, databases vendors)

• Public is often in the middle.

Patents

• Patent policies are designed to protect inventions, including certain information technologies (e.g., Apple OS)

• Eventually they do run out

– Extentions are often requested (e.g., certain medications)

Content providers and disseminators

• Cable, TV networks, ISPs, publishers all follow information policies.

– Can vary according to state, although they all are subject to federal law.

• Libraries, as non-profits, are in strange company in this group.

Major Government Information Policies

• National Security Act

– Necessary, but needs to be vigilantly monitored by librarians

• USA Patriot Act

– Currently controversial

• Freedom of Information Act

• Sunshine laws

Information and democracy

• We have a tradition of positioning information as a necessity to make inform decisions about all aspects of our lives.

• This public interest is protected by ALA, ACLU, Consumer’s Union, and others.

Commodification of Information

• Commercial control of information is now more prevalent than ever before.

– Emergence of huge media companies via mergers

• Extremely powerful and are very well connected politically.

– Information technology that makes control easier

• Major issue: what does this mean for free or low cost information outlets?

Privacy

• Affected by

– Information technology

– Political climate

• Jury is still out as to how this will look in the next decade or so.

Government generated information

• Since the Reagan administration, the USGPO has reduced its output and services.

• Trend toward privatization, with the idea that privatization is cheaper. Somewhat of a political stance.

• Problems: citizen cost, privately printed information is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act

A UN-sanctioned human right

• Access to information and freedom of speech is included in the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• Mixed results

Cultural issues

• The importation of certain technologies and ideas that could be disruptive to certain cultures

• Political dissent

• Artistic freedom

• Porn

Copyright

• Basic idea is to promote creative projects

• Covers:

– Literature

– Music and lyrics

– Plays, TV shows, screenplays

– Graphic arts

– Movies

– Sound recordings

– Architectural works

Right of First Sale and Fair Use

• Allows the lending of materials and copying for educational use.

– There are guidelines on how many copies can be made and who can make the copies

• These two doctrines are constantly under pressure from powerful media companies. Much effort on the part of librarians counters this pressure. Make your voice heard!

Telecomm Policies

• Emerging and changing

– CIPA still holds for school libraries, currently in court for other library facilities. District court nullified it based on technology failure, not First Amendment.

• Cyberspace communities such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation argues that the new medium nullifies most current policy, since the Internet doesn’t belong to any one entity or country.

Other library policy issues

• Relationship to education policy

• Depository program

• Intellectual property

• Universal access via the NII

• Rural access

• Americans with Disabilities Act

• Interoperability of technology

• Any others?