Enabling the information commons

Bradley, Fiona

dc.contributor.author	Bradley, Fiona
dc.date.accessioned	2006-03-12T00:00:01Z
dc.date.available	2010-06-18T23:42:12Z
dc.date.issued	2004	en_US
dc.date.submitted	2006-03-12	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Enabling the information commons 2004,	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10150/106186
dc.description.abstract	As more libraries embrace the term 'information commons' to name services and symbolise their mission, this paper explores the meaning of the concept in Australia and the US. The public library as we know it was founded on principles of providing free access to all. This is now threatened by the growth of information as commodity, and has led many to question the controls and costs of information in society. This paper examines threats that emerge from commercialisation, legislation, funding, and the changing role of libraries. The responses to these threats by libraries, individuals and organisations are detailed. Projects and alternative models that aim to protect the information commons are discussed. This paper asks if libraries should be political about this issue, and what the consequences of such action may be on funding, intellectual freedom, trust and communities. What steps can librarians take to ensure access to information for all individuals in the future? Do the information commons represent a new direction for librarianship, or a renewed emphasis on traditional values?
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf	en_US
dc.language.iso	en	en_US
dc.publisher	Australian Library and Information Association	en_US
dc.subject	information commons	en_US
dc.subject	open access	en_US
dc.subject	copyright	en_US
dc.subject	Creative Commons	en_US
dc.subject	Scholarly Communication	en_US
dc.subject	Libraries	en_US
dc.title	Enabling the information commons	en_US
dc.type	Conference Paper	en_US
refterms.dateFOA	2018-06-30T18:17:56Z
html.description.abstract	As more libraries embrace the term 'information commons' to name services and symbolise their mission, this paper explores the meaning of the concept in Australia and the US. The public library as we know it was founded on principles of providing free access to all. This is now threatened by the growth of information as commodity, and has led many to question the controls and costs of information in society. This paper examines threats that emerge from commercialisation, legislation, funding, and the changing role of libraries. The responses to these threats by libraries, individuals and organisations are detailed. Projects and alternative models that aim to protect the information commons are discussed. This paper asks if libraries should be political about this issue, and what the consequences of such action may be on funding, intellectual freedom, trust and communities. What steps can librarians take to ensure access to information for all individuals in the future? Do the information commons represent a new direction for librarianship, or a renewed emphasis on traditional values?