The information gulag: Rethinking openness in times of national danger

The founding fathers of the United States recognized that freely available information and an educated citizenry were essential to the functioning of a representative democracy. But almost as soon as the ink dried on the Constitution, political forces moved, and have continued to move, to restrict the flow of information from the government to the public, as well as among members of the public. This article examines whether information availability has become a victim of the war on terrorism – whether the nation has entered a time in which legal and policy initiatives are creating information gulags – secreting government information and restricting communications among members of the public, including the academic community. This article explores how policy is shaping the information relationship among the government, the public, academia, and the media and whether new models may be appropriate and more beneficial to society. In doing so, we examine in depth not only public access to government information but also the emerging and vital issue of government restrictions on scholarly exchange, as most recently presented by the legal dispute between the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), Department of Treasury, and subsequently the litigation brought by the Association of American University Presses (AAUP).     

Learning to Lead: Challenges and Resources for The New Public Library Director

Library directors are part of the infrastructure of information management, but how well do they manage their institutional knowledge for succession planning? Our study looked at strategies to ease managerial transitions between libraries, focusing on knowledge management, communities of practice, and mentorship. Our survey found that succession planning was dictated by local practice and size of library. The results of this paper inform knowledge of succession planning and reveal existing gaps between informal transfer of knowledge and structured knowledge management (KM), as well as librarians' resourcefulness. Library directors use KM strategies, mentoring, and involvement with communities of practice to foster innovation.     

Health Information and Health Literacy: Public Library Practices,Challenges, and Opportunities

This study investigated 18 libraries in two public library systems in Oklahoma to find out how they are addressing health literacy and facilitating access to consumer health information; how library staff members view their roles and responsibilities relative to health information and health literacy; what challenges libraries face; and what strategies are being used. Staff members recognized several challenges to providing health information and to developing programs, including staff and patron difficulties with reference interviews, and patron lack of awareness of library resources. Staff members often had only a partial understanding of health literacy, and were unaware of system strategies to address health literacy or provision of health information.     

Libraries in the Aftermath of 9/11

Abstract

Libraries are a symbol of a free, democratic society. Open access to information and patron privacy allow intellectual inquiry and the creation of new knowledge. Librarians have a long tradition of protecting these liberties. In the wake of the terrorist attacks of September 11, concerns have been raised that the passage of the USA Patriot Act and other anti-terrorism measures threaten these liberties. Librarians need to educate staff, users, and their communities as to the impact these measures have on libraries and access to information. Policies, procedures, and guidelines need to be developed that balance the traditions of intellectual freedom and issues of national security. This article examines access to government information issues and threats to     

《信息自由法》对"后保管模式"思想的影响

美国《信息自由法》是规定美国联邦政府各机构公开政府信息的法律，其地位近似于档案法，它不仅奠定了美国公民的档案意识。对其它国家的档案工作及档案理论的发展也产生了影响。“后保管模式”思想是在档案理论发展的过程中，随着电子件数量的增多与使用的普及而出现的，该思想对于电子时代的档案工作有着积极的启发意义。本具体介绍了《信息自由法》对“后保管模式”思想的影响。     

公共图书馆存在的理由:来自图书馆使命的注解

在世界范围内，几份重要的公共图书馆文献都将当代公共图书馆的使命界定为教育、信息服务、文化传播、促进社会和谐、培育信息素养、培养阅读兴趣、扫盲。文章首先考察了这些文献对公共图书馆使命的阐述，然后以经验研究（empmal research）发现为依据，考察了这些使命作为公共图书馆存在理由的有效性。研究发现，这些使命在当代政治和社会话语中经常出现，公众对它们也具有很高的需求，从这个意义上说，它们的确为公共图书馆的合理性提供着有效注解，但信息服务使命目前正受到互联网的挑战，扫盲及培养阅读兴趣的使命正在受到图书馆借阅量下滑趋势的挑战。     

From Cooperation to Collaboration: Toward a Framework for Deepening Library Partnerships

Abstract

Librarians are encouraged to collaborate in their work, but examples in LIS literature suggests the term “collaboration” is applied to a range of activities that vary widely in terms of interaction, resource-sharing, cooperative planning, and cooperative service delivery. Collaboration has been studied in other fields but remains largely unexplored beyond case studies in LIS. Through a series of focus groups with librarians and a range of potential community partners, this research identified barriers to collaboration and factors that enable successful partnerships, resulting in a general framework that could act as a guide to planning and developing deep collaborations.     

Manufacturing the (In)visible: Power to Communicate,Power to Silence

The paper develops the argument of two faces of censorship as a form of symbolic violence over individuals directed either inward or outward. In both instances, the resistance to disclosure and an effort to keep things hidden are normally complemented by strategic control over the process of making things visible. Silence is usually considered a sign of censorship, but in reality it can indicate not only the suppression of, but also a resistance to, communication. Despite the changes leading toward the “structural censorship” in modern complex societies, the essential questions remain: What are the strategies to confront the (hidden) forces of censorship, and how successful can they be?     

公共图书馆对公众图书馆意识的培养

阐述了我国公众图书馆意识现状,在分析公众图书馆意识淡薄原因的基础上,探讨了公共图书馆对公众图书馆意识培养的途径。     

信息获取权利：政府信息公开的法理基础

《世界人权宣言》第19条所确立的信息权利可以派生出信息获取权利,这是一种新的信息权利。信息获取权利是各国政府信息公开立法的基础。有两种不同的信息权利：信息生产者或拥有者的信息权利和信息使用者的信息权利,信息公开立法主要依据第二种。保障公民信息获取权利是公共图书馆制度和政府信息公开制度的共同基础。     

Extracting knowledge from U.S. department of defense freedom of information act requests with social media

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has facilitated the release of large amounts of government information that has been of great value to researchers, journalists, and other interested parties. The fraction of this information released in electronic format has been growing as has its volume. While offering great potential for research, large amounts of data disgorged from government information systems can pose challenges to human interpretation and knowledge extraction. Using the Office of the Secretary of Defense/Joint Staff Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Logs for 2007–2009, this research identifies (1) a process for finding relationships between the FOIA requests through keywords extracted from Wikipedia and (2) a technique for visualizing these relationships in order to provide context and improve understanding when working with born-digital government data.     

Career Path Movement: Perspectives About Transitioning Between Library Environments

An MLIS program prepares librarians to work in a variety of library environments since the foundations of librarianship offer universal application. Transitioning between different library environments may not be a career option for everyone; however, there are librarians who have worked in multiple library settings. Librarians who participated in a 2016 national survey were provided an opportunity to share their perspectives and experiences about career path mobility. These anonymous responses offer best practices and advice to help decide if a move is right for you and offer tips for a successful transition into a different library environment.     

Assessment of Digitized Library and Archives Materials: A Literature Review

Professional literature about the assessment of digital libraries reflects a growing interest in both improving the user experience and in justifying the creation of digital collections to multiple stakeholders. This article explores some of the key themes in digital library assessment literature through a review of current literature (2004–14) gathered from both scholarly and popular resources online. The majority of scholarship about digital library assessment utilizes usability testing and Web statistics for data collection, while studies about altmetrics, the reuse of digital library materials, cost benefit analysis, and the holistic evaluation of digital libraries are also present in the literature. Exploring the literature about digital library assessment allows libraries to create effective and sustainable evaluation models based on the successes and shortcomings of previously completed projects.     

社区图书馆:概览、评价与思考

文章对社区、社区服务、社区图书馆含义分别进行界定,在概览国内外社区图书馆建设与服务现状的基础上进行综合分析与评价,提出促进我国社区图书馆可持续发展的对策与模式。     

Analyzing Digital Library Initiatives: 5S Theory Perspective

This article traces the historical development of Digital Libraries (DLs), examines some DL initiatives in developed and developing countries and uses 5S Theory as a lens for analyzing the focused DLs. The analysis shows that present-day systems, in both developed and developing nations, are essentially content and user centric, with low level digitization projects in developing countries. Also, there is a lack of interoperability among the various types of DL initiatives. The article recommends investment in DL projects, digitization of print collection, as well as the development of standards that will address the problem of interoperability among the various systems.     

印度独立后新闻自由政策的转折点

大家族财团控制着印度的报刊,政府与这些财团之间的矛盾主要表现为政府与财团报刊的冲突。英·甘地时期这种冲突逐渐加剧,在1975年的紧急时期达到顶点,英·甘地政府实行严格的新闻检查,压制新闻自由。紧急状态结束后,执政的人民党政府废除了新闻检查制度,恢复了新闻自由。     

To Uphold and Resist: Protecting Intellectual Freedom through Progressive Librarianship

Public librarians uphold an ethical commitment to protect the intellectual freedom of their patrons, but when information is accessed online, users become vulnerable to censorship and surveillance. The public library is a democratic institution in which patrons should be able to interact with information free of restriction or judgment, and this right is threatened by the conflict between access and privacy. Librarians should reject the notion that they are neutral and instead adopt a political stance in defense of intellectual freedom; they should actively combat surveillance and limitations on access. A framework for activism can be found within Birdsall’s theory of progressive librarianship.     

英国科学数据共享政策法规研究

首先介绍英国科学数据共享的法律基础——英国信息自由法、欧盟数据库指令等,信息自由法的颁布为英国科学数据共享提供了法律保障,并奠定了英国政府在科学数据共享中强有力的作用,欧盟数据库指令为科学数据库产权归属提供了可能;接着分析了英国科学数据共享的指导思想和原则:《布加勒斯特宣言》、《公共资助科学数据开放获取宣言》以及《网络经济的未来:首尔宣言》。最后研究了英国研究理事会、基金会、大学、政府部门等的科学数据共享政策。     

Changing Models of Library Education to Benefit Rural Communities

ABSTRACT

Rural libraries whose librarians have expertise in digital literacy and a deep understanding of unique communities contribute to improving quality of life for residents. However, many library education programs do not include the development of students as future leaders of community growth. In this article we describe efforts to build on prior research in the Appalachian region. Offered by Texas Woman’s University School of Library and Information Studies (TWU SLIS), a designated Hispanic-serving institution in Texas, the program extends library roles by getting librarians out into their communities, working with community leaders and residents to facilitate needed and wanted change.     

Yoga at the Public Library: An Exploratory Survey of Canadian and American Librarians

Results of a 2017 survey of 983 public librarians in the U.S. and Canada show that libraries increasingly provide opportunities for both youth and adults to practice yoga at the library. This article examines how these public library yoga programs work and what impacts they have. Most libraries have limited means to assess the impact of these programs. Nonetheless, over 80% of responding librarians said participation in yoga programs had met or exceeded their expectations, and 60% said yoga programs have brought new users into their libraries. These results suggest that yoga programs in public libraries are having significant effects.