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LIBR 569J: ISSUES IN INTELLECTUAL FREEDOM AND ACCESS – COURSE SYLLABUS

Program: Master of Library and Information Studies
Year: Winter Session 2005-2006, term 1
Location: Koerner 216
Instructor: Ann Curry
Office location: TEF 322
Office phone: 604-822-4250
Office hours: Wednesdays 1-3 (by appointment if possible) . Please make appointments by email
E-mail address: ann.curry@ubc.ca
Course website address: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/courses/libr569j/05-06-wt1/index.htm [coming soon]

Course Goal: In accordance with the mission and goals of the School, the goal of this course is to provide students with in depth knowledge of intellectual freedom and access issues that face information professionals in all types of libraries. Students will learn about the history of censorship practices, the evolving and sometimes controversial role of librarians and others who promote the philosophy of intellectual freedom, the policies of various countries and associations regarding intellectual freedom and ethical practice, freedom of information and privacy legislation, and the overall influence of technology on censorship and access issues. Print, film/sound, and electronic materials for children, young adults, and adults will be covered. Topics discussed may include sexually explicit heterosexual and gay/lesbian materials, witchcraft, hate literature, religious/blasphemous information, seditious or war-time information, information regarding illegal acts or substances, racially or politically sensitive/offensive material, and information describing violent acts.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Discuss key incidents and legislation which have influenced intellectual freedom and information access (IF/IA) in Canada, the U.K., the U.S., and other selected countries in past centuries.
  • Explain the effects of McCarthyism and anti-Communist actions on U.S. and Canadian librarians.
  • Discuss current changes in societal attitudes, libraries, popular media, and education which influence the debates regarding IF/IA
  • Explain the major reasons why print, AV, and electronic materials are challenged and cite important examples of titles challenged for those reasons
  • Describe the intellectual freedom and code of ethics policies of library associations in various countries and the application of those policies
  • Discuss the differing opinions of librarians, politicians, teachers, parents, board members, and other key players toward the philosophy and application of intellectual freedom, and the reasons for those differences
  • Describe the background of Canadian copyright legislation; the differences among Canadian, U.S., and U.K. legislation; the implications of such legislation on access to information; and the role of librarians in administering copyright legislation.
  • Describe the background of Canadian freedom of information and privacy legislation, the political factors underlying such legislation in Canada and other countries, the implications of such legislation on access to information, and the role of librarians in administering this legislation
  • Discuss the various opinions regarding Internet filters, how filters work, the current state of filter installation in libraries, and the formulation of policies regarding Internet access and use.
  • Explain the issues involved in the controversy regarding meeting rooms and open forums in public libraries and academic institutions.

Course Topics: The course will focus on both past intellectual freedom topics and incidents, and topics of current interest.

Prerequisites: LIBR 500, 510, 540, and 560, or permission SLAIS Graduate Adviser is required.

Format of the course:Lectures, videos, discussions, & presentations

Required and Recommended Reading :

Required:

  • Students must sign up for the ALA news-only, no-discussion e-list of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Action Network during the course. To subscribe, send a message to listproc@ala.org. Leave the subject line blank. In the body of the message, type: subscribe ifaction yourfirstname yourlastname. Once you are subscribed, you will want to receive the messages in digest form. Send a message to listproc@ala.org with the message: set ifaction mail digest
  • Book of Custom Course readings available at the UBC Bookstore
  • Web-based resources. List is posted at the course website on the SLAIS site
  • Required/recommended reading and viewing of challenged materials. List is posted at the course website on the SLAIS site.

Course Assignments:

Assignment

Due Date

Weight

#1 – The Course Readings: Your Reflections and Reactions

Sept. 27

Pass/Revise

(part of mark for #5)

#2 – “Review” of a challenged item

Oct. 25

20%

#3 – Presentation

As assigned

25%

#4 - Major Paper

Nov. 22

40%

#5 – Participation in Assignment #1, Attendance, In-class participation,

 

15%

Course Schedule:

Date

Topics

Assignments

Sept 6

Topic: Introduction to the Course

Topic: Library Associations’ Positions on Censorship & IF, with focus on CLA and ALA

  • Video - Excess Access

 

 

Sept 13

Topic: History of Censorship & IF Concepts

Topic: Censorship-related Legislation

Historical and current censorship legislation

 

Sept 20

Topic: Blasphemy - Religion, Witchcraft. and the Occult

  • Video clip: The Burning Times
  • Video clip: Harry Potter: Witchcraft Repackaged
  • Discussion of Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone, & The Witches
  • Video clip – Salman Rushdie – Interview by Britt-Marie Mattsson

Topic: BC Library Assoc. Intellectual Freedom Committee

 

 

Sept 27

  • Small group seminars on Custom Course readings

 

#1 Seminars

Oct 4

Topic: Profanity

  • George Carlin’s Seven Dirty Words
  • Video – Expletives Deleted
  • Discussion of books & rap music censored for profanity

Topic:Racism and the Word “nigger”;

  • Discussion of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Little Black Sambo, and To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Video: The Speaker

 

  

 

Oct 11

Topic: Sex

  • Student Pres. #1 - Obscenity Law in Canada, and the Butler
  • Decision
  • Discussion of Lady Chatterley’s Lover
  • Censorship of s ex education materials for children
  • Case studies of sex-related materials censored in libraries

 

 

Oct 18

Topic: Gay/Lesbian Materials

 

Oct 25

Topic: Child Pornography

  • Student Pres. #3 - Child Pornography: Current legislation and the Robin Sharpe case

Topic: “Censorship” of Library Employees

  • The McCarthy Era in the U.S. and Canada
  • Video clip – The Un-Canadians
  • Video clip – Storm Center, 1956, starring Bette Davis
  • Case Studies of recent speech/internet access/email rights battles involving library employees

#2 Book/Film Review

Nov 1

Topic: Computer Filters

  • Student Pres. #4 - Filters: how they work, the latest news, technology and legislation

Topic: Library Staff Rights re Offensive Materials &
Sexual Harassment

  • Case Study of The Ottawa Public Library sexual harassment case

 

Nov 8

Topic: Anti-Semitism and Holocaust Revisionism

  • Video Clip – The Longest Hatred
  • Student Pres. # 5 – Censorship of Holocaust Revisionists and the issue of “hi-tech hate” on the internet
  • Video – Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media
  • Pt. 4: Holocaust Denial vs. Freedom of Speech
  • Guest speaker – Richard Rosenberg

 

Nov 15

Topic: Violence

  • Student Pres. #6 – Acceptability and impact of violent images/videos - opposing viewpoints

Topics: Freedom of Information Legislation & the Role of Journalists

  • Guest speakers – Martin Dowding, & Stephen Ward

 

Nov 22

Topic : “How-to” Materials on Mayhem, Murder, Illegal Acts

  • Student Pres. #7 – Censorship of materials on how to commit mayhem/murder, build bombs, etc.

Topic: Libraries and Libel

  • Libraries and libel suits (charges for carrying “libelous” materials)

Topic: BC Civil Liberties Assoc.

  • Guest speaker - B.C. Civil Liberties (BCCLA)
    representative

#4 – Major paper

Nov 29

Topic: How to Manage IF Issues in Your Information Agency

  • Managing the intellectual freedom issues discussed in this course, with special focus on meeting rooms and governing board education/relations

Topic: Wrap-up discussion on individual essay topics

  

 

 

Course Policies :

Attendance: The UBC calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”

Students who have medically documented continuing/chronic disabilities that may affect their ability to complete assignments on time should report this to their adviser or to me before problems arise.

Regular on-time attendance in class is an important and required part of this course. I will provide copies of all handouts distributed during sessions you miss, but it is your responsibility to obtain notes from one of the other class members.

I recognize that sudden unexpected problems arise for everyone (including myself), but I expect you to attend and be on time for class. Repeated absences or tardiness will result in a lower course mark or in a request from me that you drop the course. The size of an attendance-related course mark penalty will be determined by the instructor. Missing more than two classes will likely result in course failure. If you ARE late for class (for whatever reason) please come into the classroom rather than waiting for the break.

Evaluation: Assignments will not be accepted late unless prior arrangements are made with me. Consideration will be given to legitimate emergencies. If an extension is granted, a late penalty may be imposed at my discretion; this will be discussed when you request an extension.

All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/RESOURCES/slais-marking.htm.

Food in Class: Consumption of beverages is okay during class time, and occasional consumption of food is fine. I’d rather you were alert in class than fainting from hunger because of a missed meal!

Course discussion list: Each of you must sign-up for the class internet discussion list. From whatever email account you wish to use, send the following [leave the Subject lineblank]:

address-- To: majordomo@interchange.ubc.ca
message-- subscribe l-569j
end

This is the mechanism that I will use to make announcements to you outside class. You are also welcome to post comments/questions to the list if relevant to other students. For particular problems or questions you should e-mail me directly at ann.curry@ubc.ca, see me in my office, or call me.

Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English. Marks will also be deducted for deficient bibliographic citation style

Footnotes/References: Please do not use any footnote or endnote software when writing papers for this class. This software makes revisions for publication very difficult, and the software is not accepted by most publishers.