The+issues

Please read through the different topics listed. Because there are so many issues within each topic, I created a separate page to continue the discussions. If you are interested, you can click on the link and add your ideas to the page you will be directed to. If you would like to add an issue please do so with a brief description of the main issues and why you think it is important. If you have links to additional resources add them as well.

I would like to reiterate that the primary focus for this discussion is what happens when technology and intellectual freedom collide.


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I created a mindmap to help with brainstorming about the issues surrounding intellectual freedom. Here is the link to the mindmap media type="custom" key="2780427". This is to view the map as it is thus far. You may collaborate on it by sending me your email so I can invite you to be an editor. If you have suggestions but do not want to collaborate, please use the discussion tab for this page.

Here are a few tips to best view the map:
 * click and drag the cursor to move the screen
 * use the key in the bottom left corner to:
 * zoom in or out
 * center the map
 * or collapse and expand the nodes
 * some nodes have links to web pages (the earth icon) for more information
 * some nodes have an attachment (paperclip icon) with questions or explanations about the term
 * nodes that are added by collaborators have the chat discussion attached (notepaper icon)

**__Access__** Access to information implies that people have the resources they need to inform themselves, make decisions, ask questions, form opinions, and share ideas. What happens when someone is denied access to informational resources? Barriers to access can be numerous and range from literacy issues to economic obstacles. The increase of electronic and Internet resources while raising the potential for accessing more information, have raised new concerns about equitable access.

 Let's create a special page to continue this discussion. Click here: **Access
 * [|Equality and Equity of Access: What's the Difference?]** Prepared by Nancy Kranich

__The Internet and Filters__** Similar to the introduction of the printing press, the Internet allows information to be shared at an unprecedented speed. Anyone with Internet access also has access to vast amounts of information that cross international boundaries. Even to someone who is comfortable with technology, this idea might be daunting. With the Internet there is no implicit filtering agent. The information is out there, raw. It is up to the individual in front of the screen to determine if the information is accurate or appropriate. In the case of minors, particularly younger children, the question arises; are they capable of making those decisions?

In many cases they are probably not. This however, is not cause to stifle access to the ideas available through technology. Rather, it is an opportunity to guide young people through the myriad of conflicting, sometimes objectionable, resources they might come across when searching the Internet. Libraries, especially school libraries, have the unique dual role of providing information and educating young people how to digest and use it, Throwing this role away by artificially removing a potential danger with Internet filters does a disservice to our children.

Between removing useful information and dampening intellectual development, filters are not a viable solution to assuaging adult fears. They create a missed opportunity to provide a real solution.

 Let's create a special page to continue this discussion. Click here: The Internet and Filters.

**__Social Networking__** The Internet challenges people's traditional views of communication and information. Equivalent to the introduction of the printing press in the fifteenth century, the Internet shapes how we receive and disseminate information. The Internet has broadened the scope and the amount of information available, a key stroke away. Currently, the rise in popularity of Web 2.0 technologies has shifted the focus of the Internet from a storage database for vast amount of information to a platform for creating and sharing information. Before the general public has come to terms with the impact of the Internet on accessing information, new technologies are opening up yet more possibilities for retrieving and sharing knowledge. The interactive applications of today's Internet are redefining who can decide what constitutes information and knowledge. Of the many dilemmas facing the wired society, issues involving access to information and the freedom to create and share it lie at the heart of public debate. What kind of access and to whom should this access be afforded are questions presented by the rapid growth of the Internet and Web 2.0.

Internet users are now key players in shaping what kind of information appears in what format to a global virtual community. The ability to manipulate Web technologies to create a personalized Web interaction, the creation of software that allows the user to incorporate different applications into her/his access point to the Web, and the power of a collective intelligence provide a unique opportunity for people to participate in shaping the culture of the 21st century. And, they are doing just that.

Social networks offer a range of ways for people to interact on the virtual plane. The "architecture of participation" ([|Tim O'Reilly]) inherent in successful Web 2.0 applications underscores the symbiotic relationship between the user and Web 2.0; these applications are made meaningful through user interaction and the personal meaning only encourages exploration. Drawn to the interactive and creative qualities of the 'new' Web, people are creating content that is changing how we use the Internet. It is also changing how we understand communication.

 Let's create a special page to continue this discussion. Click here: Social Networking.

As electronic resources play an increasingly important role in accessing, retrieving, and disseminating information, the library finds itself at the forefront of implementing legislated policies that have not yet been fully designed nor have had their full impact felt. Much of the Internet and how it affects access to information involves issues that are unique to the format. However, the basic tenets of intellectual freedom and freedom of expression remain. In order to uphold its commitment to providing equitable access to a wealth of information and resources, the library will have to take an active role in helping develop equitable information policies.
 * __Technology and Technology Policy__**

 Let's create a special page to continue this discussion. Click here: Technology and Policy**.