Study of Internet censorship issues in public libraries

Abstract

There is a distinct lack of studies, both at a national and international level, examining what public librarians see as the primary issues involved with the paradigmatic shift in information and communication technology towards use of the Internet, and the relationship between attitudes towards intellectual freedom and Internet access. The purpose of the following study is to explore the issues public librarians face; their views on intellectual freedom, censorship versus selection, and what (if any) inferences can be made about the state of Internet censorship. It involves a qualitative content analysis of the archives of an email discussion group for public librarians covering the period of March 1997 to October 1997. Results indicate that public librarians are primarily concerned with defining their role in the new technological age, the perception of control within this role, their responsibility to children, and community influence. It is hoped that these findings will act as a springboard for further investigations into an area of increasing relevance to the profession.