At the core of the dissemination of information is access to that information. Realistically, it would be impossible to spread something that was not portable in some sense. Although information is not tied down in one place, there are restrictions to access in some countries due to governmental policies, in some places dues to community standards or other social limiters, and for children as a result of both age and parental permission. This is not to say that all restriction is harmful or destructive, but simply to illustrate some reasons information is limited.
However, there are some abuses of information restriction. As a result of this, several library professional organizations have published documents that declare their support for the free access to information. The American Library Association's (ALA) Library Bill of Rights declares ALA's commitment to promoting universal access to information, through all points of view, without discriminating against materials, users, or groups based on their origin, background, or affiliation. In addition, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institution's (IFLA) Core Values discuss the importance of not only freedom to access information but equitable access without regard to who they are, where they live, or the circumstances of their life. Implicit in these documents is the understanding that library professionals not only provide this access to patrons but also purposefully assist in the dissemination of these materials.
Without these core beliefs and purposes, librarians would have little information to disseminate. Even in the age of information ubiquitousness, we must work toward closing the gap for patrons who are limited in access- whether because they lack technical expertise, have not developed the skill of reading, or who simply lack the access to information devices such as books, computers, magazines, or movies.
American Library Association. (1996). Library Bill of Rights. Retrieved May 20, 2008 from http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/statementspols/statementsif/librarybillrights.cfm
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. (1999). IFLA statement on libraries and intellectual freedom. Retrieved May 20, 2008 from http://www.ifla.org/faife/policy/iflastat/iflastat.htm
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2 comments:
The Children's Internet Protection Act is a good example of your topic in action. The funding that the U.S. government provides to public libraries that place filters on their computers allows for financial security, (to some degree), but does limit the amount of material that can be accessed on-site. The filters often block material protected by free speech and let some of the most controversial websites slip through the system undetected. There is a balance that must be weighed between the intrinsic value of librarianship, with its desire to allow a population unbiased access to information, and the financial obligations that must be satisfied to allow that access to exist.
There are a number of factors that influence access these days, especially considering recent rulings in favor of the RIAA and the multitudinous changes to copyright laws. It is difficult to imagine that there will ever be a time when information is freely disseminated without these kinds of restraints, but it is good to know that organizations of information professionals are working to counter these restriction on the flow of information.
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