Auston Stamm’s Post

As #BannedBooksWeek kicks off, ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom has released new preliminary data documenting attempts to censor books, materials, and services in public, school, and academic libraries during the first eight months of 2024. Between January 1 and August 31, 2024, ALA tracked 414 attempts to censor library materials and services. In those cases, 1,128 unique titles were challenged. In last year's reporting period, ALA tracked 695 attempts with 1,915 unique titles challenged. Though the number of reports has declined in 2024, the number of documented attempts to censor books far exceeds the numbers before 2020. Additionally, instances of soft censorship, where books are purchased but placed in restricted areas, not used in library displays, or otherwise hidden or kept off limits due to fear of challenges, illustrate the impact of organized censorship campaigns on students’ and readers’ freedom to read. In some circumstances, books have been preemptively excluded from library collections, taken off the shelves before they are banned, or not purchased for library collections in the first place.

#openaccess content may be written by scholars and published by university presses and academic journals—but its impact extends far beyond academia. These free, high-quality resources can be particularly useful for public libraries and their patrons. Here’s how: bit.ly/4eMiKO5 

Focusing on the recent public outcry around a potentially wide-ranging OA policy for books in the next iteration of the REF, publisher, Lucy Barnes and author, Dr. Judith Fathallah make the case for recognising the important role played by no-fee academic book publishers, particularly for early career researchers. #OpenAccess #OAbooks #REF2029

It’s Open Access Week! Did you know you can access books, scholarly articles and other resources for research for FREE? 📚💡 Open access is important because it allows everyone to access research and knowledge for free, making learning easier and fairer for all students. It encourages collaboration among researchers and helps ensure that diverse voices are heard. By making research openly available, we can drive innovation and benefit society as a whole. Talk to your librarians, professors and peers about open access materials, and make the most of the resources available to you. Get info and find resources: https://lnkd.in/gJEfXKVN #OpenAccessWeek #UnlockKnowledge #OpenAccessWeek #UnlockKnowledge

In their article “It’s Bigger Than Just a Book Challenge”: A Collective Case Study of Educators’ Experiences With Censorship, authors Danielle E. Sachdeva, Sue C. Kimmel, and J. Sebastián Chérres, explore how educators navigate the complexities of book challenges and censorship. Gain insights into their experiences and the importance of cultural capital in defending intellectual freedom. https://buff.ly/3ZR73R6 #Censorship #RightstoRead

Below is a list of my publications with citations nearing 100! Click the link below to explore my works on Google Scholar: https://lnkd.in/gqk4nPYx

https://lnkd.in/edVgjrWn What does the Wikipedia know, and how can it know it? More to the point, how can anyone using an anonymously edited source, the contents of which change on a daily basis, know that what they are reading constitutes knowledge?

The open-access publication of scholarly books achieved through the Direct to Open (D2O) program allows readers to access vital research without having to pay. The benefits for students are a game changer, as it reduces high costs often incurred in academia, and improves learning outcomes. Learn how you can get involved in this open, community-supported approach that benefits authors, libraries, and readers: https://lnkd.in/guyDG3Zi

Combatting Digital Amnesia: The Crucial Role of Librarians in the Age of Information Overload This is post from International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)'s Academic and Research Libraries (ARL) Section highlights the generally understated value of academic librarians in helping students and academics to manage information overload and 'digital amnesia'. #AcademicLibraries #AcademicLibrarians #InformationOverload #DigitalAmnesia