[Libs-Or] Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – February 2025

[Jennifer Keyser]

Dear Oregon Library Community,

The February edition of Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom
Newsletter is now available (PDF version attached). The newsletter covers a
wide range of intellectual freedom issues that have been emerging around
access to data and disinformation as well as to changes in the publishing
industry. Lots of new reports and studies have been released covering
digital censorship, perceptions and use of AI and copyright issues with AI.

Thanks for reading and all your work in supporting intellectual freedom!

-Multnomah County Library's Intellectual Freedom Committee

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions
Intellectual Freedom Newsletter – February 2025

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Information and resources from ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom on
privacy issues related to immigration enforcement:  Libraries and
Immigration Enforcement
<https://www.oif.ala.org/libraries-and-immigration-enforcement/>. (privacy)


A book challenge in Oregon makes the news: School board votes to continue
use of challenged book
<https://www.dailyastorian.com/school-board-votes-to-continue-use-of-challenged-book/article_7709f694-ee8c-11ef-9d7f-b744f2f03d1c.html>
(Daily Astorian, 1 min). (censorship)

As government data is scrubbed, deleted or access is limited, Data Rescue
Project and libraries at universities and colleges are stepping up to
rescue that data
<https://www.datarescueproject.org/libraries-supporting-data-rescue/> (2
min) -check out their resource page
<https://www.datarescueproject.org/resources/> for alternatives to
government databases. Free Government Information similarly highlights work
to save government data and websites that are being removed
<https://freegovinfo.info/node/14744/> (4 min) that goes beyond the Internet
Archive’s efforts with the Wayback Machine
<https://www.cbsnews.com/video/how-the-wayback-machine-is-preserving-outdated-government-websites/>
(4 min). Related, The Conversation highlights the importance of government
climate data and how to access info
<https://theconversation.com/how-to-find-climate-data-and-science-the-trump-administration-doesnt-want-you-to-see-249321>
the current administration doesn’t want you to see (6 min) and IEEE
discusses what goes into saving public data
<https://spectrum.ieee.org/internet-archive-saving-us-data> (9 min). (access,
information literacy)

Recent changes and issues emerging in the publishing field: The New York
Times touches on book blurbs, and whether they matter
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/books/what-are-blurbs-books.html> (6
min) and the  transformation and impact of translated literature in the
publishing world
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/15/books/tilted-axis-books-translation.html>
(10 min). The Conversation examines the proliferation of fake papers in
science and the impact
<https://theconversation.com/fake-papers-are-contaminating-the-worlds-scientific-literature-fueling-a-corrupt-industry-and-slowing-legitimate-lifesaving-medical-research-246224>
on lifesaving medical research (30 min). Related, Publishers Weekly reports
on the latest push towards subscription-only access from library database
providers
<https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/97170-library-database-providers-clash-over-subscription-models.html>
and Oregon Senator Wyden’s fight against bait and switch sales
<https://www.wyden.senate.gov/news/press-releases/wyden-to-ftc-stop-companies-from-offering-bait-and-switch-sales-of-digital-tv-e-book-music-and-video-game-purchases>
with digital content. (information literacy, access, diversity)

Library Futures released a report on digital censorship
<https://www.libraryfutures.net/censorship> (2 min). Read the full report
<https://www.libraryfutures.net/neocensorship-report>. Related, Tech Policy
addresses fact-checking myths
<https://www.techpolicy.press/some-facts-about-fact-checking-defending-the-imperfect-search-for-truth-in-an-era-of-institutionalized-lying/>
(15 min).(censorship,access, first amendment)

The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists discusses disinformation and ways to
combat conspiracies: How to inoculate yourself (and others) against
misinformation
<https://thebulletin.org/2025/02/how-to-inoculate-yourself-and-others-against-viral-misinformation/>
(23 min). (disinformation)

A Professor Put Her Class on TikTok. Thousands Enrolled in a Digital
H.B.C.U.
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/05/style/hillmantok-tiktok-hbcu.html> (New
York Times, 7 min). (diversity, access)

An opinion piece that reflects on the many merits of public libraries: Count
this blessing: The public library, open to all, for free
<https://www.nj.com/opinion/2025/01/count-this-blessing-the-public-library-open-to-all-for-free-opinion.html>
(nj.com, 4 min). In contrast the Huntington Beach Public Library is in the
middle of political debates, see reports from New York Times
<https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/us/huntington-beach-maga-plaque.html>
(8 min) and Los Angeles Times
<https://www.latimes.com/california/newsletter/2025-02-27/huntington-beach-library-chris-kluwe-essential-california>
(12 min). (access, information literacy, first amendment, censorship)

AI Spotlight

The U.S. Copyright Office announced the release of part 2 of their report
<https://blogs.loc.gov/copyright/2025/02/inside-the-copyright-offices-report-copyright-and-artificial-intelligence-part-2-copyrightability/>
(3 min) on Copyright and artificial intelligence: Copyrightability
<https://www.copyright.gov/ai/Copyright-and-Artificial-Intelligence-Part-2-Copyrightability-Report.pdf>.
(copyright)

404 Media reported on AI-generated slop at public libraries
<https://www.404media.co/ai-generated-slop-is-already-in-your-public-library-3/>.
Hoopla quickly responded to the investigation, stating they would cull AI
slop
<https://www.infodocket.com/2025/02/20/report-hoopla-to-cull-ai-slop-after-404-media-investigation/>
(Library Journal, 1 min). 404 Media  goes deeper into the issue on their
podcast <https://www.404media.co/podcast-the-rise-of-ai-book-ripoffs/> (40
min). Related, TechCrunch reports on bias control and censorship with
ChatGPT
<https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/16/openai-tries-to-uncensor-chatgpt/> (9
min). (information literacy, disinformation)

New research on the use of AI: Knowing less about AI makes people more open
to  it
<https://theconversation.com/knowing-less-about-ai-makes-people-more-open-to-having-it-in-their-lives-new-research-247372>
(Conversation, 4 min), The Impact of Generative AI on Critical Thinking
<https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/uploads/prod/2025/01/lee_2025_ai_critical_thinking_survey.pdf>
(Microsoft Research, 60 min), and AI datasets have human values blind spots
<https://theconversation.com/ai-datasets-have-human-values-blind-spots-new-research-246479>
(Conversation, 3 min). 404 Media discusses the Microsoft study: AI Is
Breaking Our Brains
<https://www.404media.co/podcast-ai-is-breaking-our-brains/> (50 min).
Related, Tech Policy notes understanding the limitations of AI
<https://www.techpolicy.press/ai-at-work-maximizing-human-potential-by-understanding-techs-limitations/>
(9 min) can be key to successful use of the tool and The Conversation
argues that AI is best for unimportant tasks
<https://theconversation.com/generative-ai-is-most-useful-for-the-things-we-care-about-the-least-249329>
(8 min). (information literacy)

Wired calls out issues with DeepSeek, the new Chinese AI app, and includes
tips on protecting your data: DeepSeek is explicitly sending US data to
China <https://www.wired.com/story/deepseek-ai-china-privacy-data/> (11
min). (privacy)

An animated look at limitations of using AI to replicate human speech: Hank
Azaria’s ‘Simpsons’  voices and A.I.
<https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/02/04/opinion/simpsons-hank-azaria-voice-acting-AI.html>
(New York Times’ Opinion, 9 min). Related, KBOO.FM show uses host voice
generated by AI
<https://www.wweek.com/culture/2025/02/06/kboofm-show-uses-host-voice-generated-by-artificial-intelligence/>
(Willamette Week, 3 min). (information literacy)
------------------------------

Additional Resources

ALA Intellectual Freedom Blog: https://www.oif.ala.org A blog dedicated to
intellectual freedom issues, and includes the Intellectual Freedom News
<https://www.oif.ala.org/category/intellectual-freedom-news/> –a weekly
roundup of IF related articles

Oregon Library Association’s Intellectual Freedom Toolkit
<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/iftoolkit/home> (published February 8,
2022). A range of tools and resources relating to IF challenges and
policies created by the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Rights, Responsibilities & Reactions is a monthly roundup of Intellectual
Freedom News compiled by the Multnomah County Library Intellectual Freedom
Committee. We welcome suggestions at lib.ifc at multco.us



*Jennifer Keyser *(she/her)
*Policy Coordinator Librarian*
Monday - Friday
971-429-4699
Multnomah County Library
multcolib.org

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