The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted today to begin dissolving Obama-era regulations regarding net neutrality, and reactions from the library community are not positive.
“I see it as a trend that is going to take us backward in time,” says Mike Robinson, professor of library science and head of the systems department at the Consortium Library of the University of Alaska Anchorage. “The internet is supposed to represent a democratization of access to information, and libraries are part of that democratization movement. Getting rid of net neutrality undermines that.”
The American Library Association (ALA) agrees, releasing a May 18 statement from ALA President Julie B. Todaro. “Net neutrality is critical to ensuring open and nondiscriminatory access to information for all, and today’s actions by the FCC endanger that,” the statement reads. “We are at risk of maximizing profits for commercial [internet service providers] and large content providers, while degrading internet access and choice for libraries and ultimately all consumers.” Continue reading Net Neutrality Under Attack: How the FCC’s vote is likely to affect libraries→
Image by Anders Abrahamsson. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
Imma Subirats writes: “The main difference between the web of hypertext and the Semantic Web is that while the first links html pages or documents, the second goes beyond the concept of document and links structured data. In this context, Linked Data is the set of best practices for publishing and connecting structured data on the web. This particular scenario is beneficial for digital repositories, as a way to enhance the visibility and interoperability of data by linking their content into the wider Web of Data.”…
In honor of Valentines Day, lets think about the effects that technology might have on our relationships with out sweeties!
This Pew Internet and American Life Project (Pew) report is the second of two reports about the impact of the internet, social media and mobile phones on online dating and romantic relationships.This fresh, new report (February 11, 2014) examines how couples use (and misuse) the internet and mobile phones in their marriages and committed relationships.
As technology becomes more deeply integrated into people’s lives, couples are feeling both the positive and negative effects of digital communication tools in their relationships.
To view the first report, titled Online Dating and Relationships (October 2013), follow the link.
Image by The Italian Voice. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
In a world that is increasing dependent on cloud technology, privacy concerns will never be too far behind. Many patrons rely on libraries as their main resource to acquire software and web access. As a result, the task of protecting privacy defaults, to some extent, to the providers. Libraries are important stakeholders in these conversations.
In the article, Libraries & Privacy in the Internet Age (2013), Eric Phetteplace stated, “Privacy almost always involves some kind of trade-off, for users and for libraries. We need to ensure we’re making the right trade-offs with due diligence.” Phetteplace noted that an important key is to isolate user sessions by supervising access. More proactive approaches to prevention include modifying browsers and educating the public about why their privacy matters. Click here to learn more about online privacy for your library.
As we wrap up School Library Month, it is especially timely for Maureen Sullivan, president of ALA to write a blog post specifically about the importance of school libraries. Maureen mentions cuts to specific federal programs that may have impact on our school media centers in Minnesota. She also mentions that “The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project Online Survey of Teachers found that although the Internet has opened up a vast world of information for today’s students, their digital literacy skills have yet to catch up. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed stated that students lack the ability to assess the quality and accuracy of information they find online. Another 33 percent reported that students lack the ability to recognize bias in online content.” This reinforces the critical role that media specialists possess in our schools.
