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</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><font><span style="color:black">The OLA Intellectual Freedom
Committee joins the American Library Association in recognizing that net
neutrality is an intellectual freedom issue. Net neutrality is the
principle that all data traveling on the Internet should be treated equally.
If net neutrality is not maintained, then cable companies and others
would be allowed to pay for preferential treatment, which could relegate
libraries and other nonprofits to the “slow lane” of Internet traffic.
Intellectual freedom, which is the “right of all peoples to seek and
receive information from all points of view without restriction,” requires that
net neutrality be maintained so that information flows freely to all users.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""></span></font></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="color:black">On
May 15th of this year, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) presented a
proposal that has been interpreted as replacing the principle of net neutrality
with a two-tiered Internet system allowing paid prioritization. The FCC
is accepting </span><a href="http://www.fcc.gov/comments"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">public comments</span></a><span style="color:black"> on this proposal
for 60 days, then will accept follow-up comments through Sept. 10th.
See the Reuters article “</span><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/15/us-usa-internet-neutrality-idUSBREA4C0SF20140515"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">Amid protests,
U.S. FCC proposes new 'net neutrality' rules</span></a><span style="color:black">” for a summary of this complex
proposal. </span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""></span></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="color:black">Senator Ron Wyden, after
being awarded the </span><a href="http://www.olaweb.org/assets/IntellectualFreedom/IF_Champion/2014_wyden_bio2.pdf"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">OLA 2014 Intellectual Freedom Champion
award</span></a><span style="color:black">, discussed net
neutrality during a</span><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/05/sen_ron_wyden_to_accept_intell.html"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)"> Round Table discussion at Multnomah
County Library</span></a><span style="color:black">.
Senator Wyden spoke about the advantages of having the FCC reclassify
Internet Service Providers as common carriers under Title II of the
Communications Act of 1934. As a common carrier, ISPs would be prevented
from making any “unjust or unreasonable discrimination” in charges or services.
Senator Wyden also discussed the need to increase public recognition of
how important net neutrality is for libraries, which are the primary source of
Internet access for many people and a key provider of educational resources.</span><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""></span></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="color:black">Here is more information about net neutrality
and its importance to libraries:</span></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><font> </font></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.ala.org/advocacy/telecom/netneutrality"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">The American Library Association statement on net
neutrality</span></a></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/2014/05/game-redux-network-neutrality/"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">ALA District Dispatch blog post
on theFCC’s May 15th actions</span></a></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.districtdispatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/ALA-ARL-EDU-letter-to-FCC_2.13.14-1.pdf"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">ALA, ARL and EDUCAUSE’s open
letter to the FCC Chairman</span></a><span style="color:black"> (pdf)</span></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><span style="color:black">“</span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/05/16/why-the-death-of-net-neutrality-would-be-a-disaster-for-libraries/"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204)">Why the death of net neutrality
would be a disaster for libraries</span></a><span style="color:black">” Washington Post blog, May 16, 2014</span></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white">John Oliver's 13-minute viral video with a
humorous explanation of net neutrality</span></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span>o<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpbOEoRrHyU"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white">clip with original HBO language</span></a></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Courier New""><span>o<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><a href="http://recode.net/2014/06/02/still-confused-about-net-neutrality-john-oliver-explains-video/"><span style="color:rgb(17,85,204);background:none repeat scroll 0% 0% white">clip with
bleeped language</span></a></p><font>
</font><p class="" style="margin-bottom:0.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font-family:"Times New Roman";font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:normal;font-size-adjust:none;font-stretch:normal">
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.fcc.gov/comments">FCC “Send
Us Your Comments form</a></p><font>
</font><p class="MsoNormal"><font><br></font><font>
Feel free to contact the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee with your questions
or comments.</font><a name="_GoBack"></a></p>
</div><br><br><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small;display:inline"><a href="mailto:rrichard@pcc.edu">Roberta Richards</a> and <a href="mailto:gkwilker2@gmail.com">Garnetta Wilker</a><br>
</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:small;display:inline">Co-Chairs, Intellectual Freedom Committee, Oregon Library Association<br></div><div dir="ltr"><font face="Helv"><font face="Helv">
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