Intellectual Freedom and Privacy

Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored. Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive and disseminate ideas. (ALA's Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A)

Like Intellectual Freedom, privacy is also an issue of information ethics. It is the right of an individual (or group) to keep information about personal and professional life from disclosure, especially to government and commercial enterprises, and to remain free from surveillance except as authorized under provisions of law. Therefore, librarians should follow concerned laws when they distribute patrons' information and make local information policies. You can find more information about this issue from the following links.

Adams, Dennis. "Literature for Children: Avoiding Controversy and Intellectual Challenge," Top of the News, Spring 1986, p. 304+

Baldwin, Gordon B. "The Library Bill of Rights: a Critique," Library Trends, Summer 1996, p. 7-27

Burt, David. "Policies for the Use of Public Internet Workstations in Public Libraries," Public Libraries, May 1997, p. 156-159

Caywood, Carolyn. "Censorproof Your Library," School Library Journal, 12/94, p.44

Cornog, Martha. "Is Sex Safe in Your Library? How to Fight Censorship," Library Journal, August 1993, p. 43-46

Elton, Catherine. "Balanced Books: the Religious Right's New Target," New Republic, May 5, 1997, p. 10-12

Fisher, Marshall Jon. "Moldovascam.com: Electronic and Telephone Fraud," Atlantic Monthly, September 1997, p. 19-22

Highes, Robert. "Free Libraries, Free Society," American Libraries, August 2002, p.48-51 -- In an AL exclusive, Robery Hughes, one of the world's most highly regarded cultural critics, warns of the threat of "patriotic correctness."

Aftab, Parry . Parent's guide to protecting your children in cyberspace -- New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000

Alfino, Mark & Pierce, Linda. Information ethics for librarians -- Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland & Co., c1997

Baird, Robert M. & Rosenbaum, Stuart E. (editors). Pornography : Private Right or Public Menace? -- Amherst, N.Y. : Prometheus Books, 1998

Robotham, John S. & Shields, Gerald. Freedom of Access to Library Materials -- New York, N.Y. : Neal-Schuman Publishers, c1982

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