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ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee Publishes New Guidelines, Resources for Libraries on Social Media and Controversial Programs

ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee Publishes New Guidelines, Resources for Libraries on Social Media and Controversial Programs

“From the American Library Association:

2018-07-05_12-23-41In response to program cancellations and rising concerns about social media access and privacy, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee published new guidelines and a Q&A for library workers.

Social Mediafor Public and Academic Libraries” provides a policy framework for public and academic libraries that use social media. Topics range from staff responsibilities and acceptable behavior, to privacy and reconsideration forms.

Using recent court cases, the resource explicates the definition of “public forum” as it relates to social media platforms, as well as outlines what may be in a library’s social media policy. The guidelines include suggestions for creating social media policies but is not intended as a comprehensive list of requirements or legal advice.

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The IFC also published “Responding to and Preparing for Controversial Programs and Speakers Q&A,” which offers strategies and resources for libraries to address community concerns and prepare for potentially controversial library-initiated events.

The Q&A is divided into four sections: representation of all views at library programs, disinvited speakers and authors, dealing with protests and speakers, and security for programs and events. It includes suggestions on how to “set the tone” during a controversial program and how to be transparent about policies and expectations.

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Stephen

Posted on: July 12, 2018, 6:40 am Category: Uncategorized

Artists Information Seeking Behavior

Conference Paper: “Artists Information Seeking Behavior”

“Title

Artists’ Information Seeking Behavior

Authors

Han Leng
Curtin University

Gaby Haddow
Curtin University

Source

Library.IFLA.org

Abstract

This paper is based on a pilot study of local artists based at the Artist Open House Fremantle (AOHF), Western Australia.The study was conducted to test the interview questions that were developed for a Masters research degree, which is investigating the information seeking behaviour of higher degree by research students in art and design courses in Perth, Western Australia.

A work of art is a reflection of the artist who creates it. Artistic skills and talent form fundamental components of the unique research perspective possessed by the artists and are important considerations to be included when attempts are made to understand artists’ information seeking behaviour. Studies on artists’ information needs are relatively limited, but what distinguishes this group of information users from other professions is the nature of resources and information services required by this community.

This paper focuses how the artists meet their information needs for art and design resources; incorporating the findings from the pilot interview sessions. It also discusses the existing library and information science research literature that has explored creative artists’ information needs, and how this group of information users gather information to be utilised in the production of their creative works.

Direct to Full Text Paper
9 pages; PDF.”

Stephen

Posted on: July 12, 2018, 6:09 am Category: Uncategorized

Canadian Federation of Library Associations Applauds Government Support for Net Neutrality

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GATINEAU, July 4, 2018 – The Canadian Federation of Library Associations/Fédération
canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA-FCAB) applauds the federal
government’s response to the “Protection of Net Neutrality in Canada” report from the
Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.

The report, and the government’s support, emphasized the need to ensure the
continuation of net neutrality in Canada.

“Net Neutrality is a vital underpinning of the universal access to information and
knowledge that our organization strives for,” said Alix-Rae Stefanko, Chair of CFLA-FCAB.
“In our digital world, net neutrality is a crucial principle of equity.”
The government’s response highlighted its commitment to support principles of net
neutrality in telecommunications services, particularly through the Telecommunications
Act. The government has also supported motion M-168, which indicated the need to
uphold standards of net neutrality that are globally recognized.

CFLA-FCAB is also pleased to see the government is committed to ensure that
international regimes will not inhibit Canada’s position on net neutrality noting “The
Government of Canada is mindful of the concerns of Canadian enterprises and citizens
over the recent changes in the United States (US) to its net neutrality regime and will
seek to address with the US any situation whereby a Canadian enterprise is negatively
affected by the traffic management practices of a US ISP.“1

A comprehensive framework for net neutrality should be implemented that reflects the
government’s support. As governments, businesses, civil society groups and private
citizens move more data and activities to web-based platforms and more products
and services go online, action is needed to ensure the governments support translates
into legislative and regulatory reality.

“Committee members and the government understand that Net Neutrality will limit the
tendency toward monopolistic behaviour by service providers and other web-based [1
See https://www.ourcommons.ca/content/Committee/421/ETHI/GovResponse/RP9998948/
421_ETHI_Rpt14_GR/421_ETHI_Rpt14_GR-e.pdf], last accessed June 29, 2018.
companies,” added Stefanko. “We need to preserve an online ecosystem that creates
opportunity for learning, innovation, and dialogue for all Canadians as our society
becomes increasingly integrated and the internet becomes ubiquitous in our daily lives,”
she added.

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations/Fédération Canadienne des
associations de bibliothèques (CFLA-FCAB) is the national voice of Canada’s library
associations. Our purpose is to advance library excellence in Canada, champion library
values and the value of libraries and influence national and international public policy impacting libraries and their communities.

-30-

For more information please contact:
Katherine McColgan
Executive Director
613.867.7789
[email protected]

Posted on: July 11, 2018, 12:21 pm Category: Uncategorized

Activism in the Social Media Age

Activism in the Social Media Age

Activism in the Social Media Age

“As the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag turns 5 years old, a look at its evolution on Twitter and how Americans view social media’s impact on political and civic engagement

 

This month marks the fifth anniversary of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, which was first coined following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin. In the course of those five years, #BlackLivesMatter has become an archetypal example of modern protests and political engagement on social media: A new Pew Research Center analysis of public tweets finds the hashtag has been used nearly 30 million times on Twitter – an average of 17,002 times per day – as of May 1, 2018.

Use of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag on Twitter periodically spikes in response to major news eventsThe conversations surrounding this hashtag often center on issues related to race, violence and law enforcement, and its usage periodically surges surrounding real-world events – most prominently, during the police-related deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and the subsequent shooting of police officers in Dallas, Texas, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in July 2016.1

The rise of the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag – along with others like #MeToo and #MAGA (Make America Great Again) – has sparked a broader discussion about the effectiveness and viability of using social media for political engagement and social activism. To that end, a new survey by the Center finds that majorities of Americans do believe these sites are very or somewhat important for accomplishing a range of political goals, such as getting politicians to pay attention to issues (69% of Americans feel these platforms are important for this purpose) or creating sustained movements for social change (67%).

Certain groups of social media users – most notably, those who are black or Hispanic – view these platforms as an especially important tool for their own political engagement. For example, roughly half of black social media users say these platforms are at least somewhat personally important to them as a venue for expressing their political views or for getting involved with issues that are important to them. Those shares fall to around a third among white social media users.2

At the same time, the public as a whole expresses mixed views about the potential broader impact these sites might be having on political discourse and the nature of political activism. Some 64% of Americans feel that the statement “social media help give a voice to underrepresented groups” describes these sites very or somewhat well. But a larger share say social networking sites distract people from issues that are truly important (77% feel this way), and 71% agree with the assertion that “social media makes people believe they’re making a difference when they really aren’t.” Blacks and whites alike offer somewhat mixed assessments of the benefits and costs of activism on social media. But larger majorities of black Americans say these sites promote important issues or give voice to underrepresented groups, while smaller shares of blacks feel that political engagement on social media produces significant downsides in the form of a distracted public or “slacktivism.”

These are some of the key findings of Pew Research Center’s analysis of publicly available tweets using Crimson Hexagon and data acquired through Gnip, as well as an accompanying survey of 4,594 U.S. adults conducted May 29-June 11, 2018.”

Stephen

Posted on: July 11, 2018, 11:02 am Category: Uncategorized

Remodelling libraries: trends and opportunities (part 1)

Remodelling libraries: trends and opportunities (part 1)

In this first of two articles, Alan J Clark looks at the big picture of the ways in which libraries are being designed for a new era in service provision.

http://www.designinglibraries.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1527

Stephen

Posted on: July 11, 2018, 6:45 am Category: Uncategorized

How to Write Content Better & Faster: 10 Secrets to Try Now

How to Write Content Better & Faster: 10 Secrets to Try Now

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/content-writing-secrets/254055/

“1. Talk to Your Readers as If You Were Having a Conversation with Them

2. Make Transitions from Each Sentence & Paragraph Smooth

3. If You Are Copywriting, You’re Only as Good as the Content You Copy

4. Learn How to Write Kick-Ass Headlines

5. Layout Subheadings Before You Start to Write the Body

6. Write Eye-Catching Quotes, Images & Memes

7. Write Shorter Paragraphs & Sentences

8. Using Voice to Text Tools Helps Make Writing Easier

9. Write First, Then Edit

10. Use Tools to Edit the Content

Practice to Develop Good Writing Habits”

Stephen

Posted on: July 11, 2018, 6:45 am Category: Uncategorized

Create a commotion with library rock stars

Create a commotion with library rock stars

“Librarians help with life-long love of reading

Create a commotion with library rock stars

Everybody knows there’s only one kind of rock star in the life of a preschooler. And it’s not their parents, that’s a given. Not their day care providers, nor grandparents. Not even any animated super hero or character – no matter how many times they made you watch Frozen.

Nope. None of them can hold a candle to the local librarian.”

Stephen

Posted on: July 11, 2018, 6:38 am Category: Uncategorized
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