Boston situation

[Christopher Jackson]

On Tue, 25 Feb 1997, Millard Johnson wrote:

> If a truck pulled up to the back of your library and offered to give you
> tons of books free but some of them were ads, some self promotion
> and fabrications, and others pornography, would you take them in?
> Why would we fight for acceptance on the Internet of what we would
> not accept in print?

If I had unlimited funds, unlimited shelving, and unlimited staff: Sure. 
I'd take them all in.  Why not?  Ads, self promotion, fabrication, and
pornography are all of potential interest, for a whole host of reasons
other than what their creator intended. 
 
> The solution is for librarians to review net resources for the same 
> kind of quality control that they exercise for over print material.  If we
> choose not to accept a professional responsibility for selecting net
> materials, why are we surprised when someone imposes some
> external standard on us?

I'm sorry, I don't see how you can apply "professional selecting" to this
process.  Let me back up first: I think we most certainly have a
responsibility to select Net materials that are of particular value to our
patrons.  We need to create pages that highlight the best and most useful
sites the Internet has to offer.  But it sounds like you're talking about
actively deselecting materials that you think have little value.  Do you
really think spending staff time to deny access to certain materials is
appropriate?  (Please let me know if I've misinterpreted your position.)

When we spend taxpayer funds to purchase items, we have a profound
responsibility to select the best materials available.  This does not, of
course, mean we shy away from controversial content.  But I think we would
be remiss if we subscribed to "Screw" magazine and not the "New York
Review of Books."  At least in my community.

But when you get it in a "one price buys all" fashion, which is the case
with the Internet, I think we're obligated to provide it all to our
patrons.  Yes, we feature what we think they'll find most useful.  But I
don't feel we have the right to deny them access to anything we can
access, at no additional cost, using their tax dollars.  That would be
censorship.

The political implications of such a stance are profound, and certainly
worth examining.  I hope we'll all agree that we need to take steps to
prevent the repeat of the Boston scenario.  But from a "Professional
Responsibility" standpoint, I find this issue clear cut.

Chris

    Christopher Jackson                      cjackson at monroe.lib.in.us	
    Reference Librarian                      voice: (812) 876-1272
    Monroe County Public Library             fax: (812) 876-2515
    Ellettsville, IN  47429                  http://www.monroe.lib.in.us/