Libraries, WWW, Porn.

[Nick Arnett]

At 10:11 AM 3/27/97 -0800, Wilfred Drew wrote:
>I subscribe to the electronic version of Wired.  This link was in it
>today:
>
>http://www.netizen.com/netizen/97/12/index3a.html
>
>Take a look at it.  It is a very well written article.  Also look at the
>discussion thread.

Well written, yes, but what's new there?  It asks the same questions that
have come up over and over, without any new point of view, it appears.  I'm
increasingly bugged by the attitude that repeatedly surfaces, that libraries
are just repositories of information, rather than institutions that
collectively and individually add value to information beyond storage.
Would a room full of disorganized documents be considered a library
resource?  If not, why do we regard the Web as a library resource?  Just
because a small part of it is somewhat organized?

>>"Public" Libraries have a resonsibility to the public in general. That
overrides the individual's freedom of
>>     choice while on the librarie's premises.
>
>     Exactly wrong. Public libraries' responsibilities include keeping all
information available, and not imposing government
>     standards on the individual's freedom of choice.

Since when is a public library's responsibility to keep *all* information
available?  That's ridiculous.  It reduces the idea of a library to nothing
more than a dumping ground for data.

What will politicians do if the Supreme Court rules that libraries cannot
legally stop kids from accessing material that they believe is harmful?
Stand back and say, "Ah, well, freedom of speech is more important."  Not
likely.

If librarians and the public don't begin to recognize their own power and
articulate the library's value beyond "access to information," then U.S.
politicians, one way or another, will surely begin to erode that very
access, even if it means shutting down Internet access in libraries,
altering or re-interpreting the First Amendment.

Nick

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