Librarians are standing up in politically charged environment, says Anthony Ross

From a personal email from Anthony Ross, coauthor of a new article with Professor Nadia Caidi on library reactions to post 9-11 legislation in the U.S. and Canada:

"... it is encouraging to see that librarians and their organizations and associations are standing up for traditional library values and rights in today's politically charged information environment.  In the United States, Canada, and around the world the library community has not taken these changes lightly, and the degree to which these communities continue to advocate will shape the future role and perception of the library institution in society and the trust that the public has long placed in that institution." (Email reprinted with permission.)

Anthony is referring to his findings reported in: Ross, A. & Caidi, N. (2005). "Action and Reaction: Libraries in the Post 9-11 Environment." Library and Information Science Research, 27(1), 97-114 (Winter 2005).

I checked Books and Periodicals Online and didn’t find the journal, so I just asked Anthony where to find his article. He says that readers who have access to Elsevier's Science Direct database can get it at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/07408188 Note: the issue seems complimentary at the moment - try this

For the article abstract...

ABSTRACT

"The events of September 11, 2001 were tragic on many levels: they affected almost all facets of society, including the library institution. In many ways, that date acted as a catalyst in the library community, calling into question traditional library values and ethical principles, as a result of the politically charged climate and the post 9/11 legislations. This article examines the legislative environment following 9/11 in the United States and Canada and reviews the reactions to these legislations by the library communities in these two countries. The findings point out to mixed reactions from the library communities in the two countries. The results are used to frame and discuss the broader role and responsibilities of libraries in a post 9/11 environment."