Democratic librarianship in the Nordic model

2022 ◽  
pp. 096100062110696
Author(s):  
Masanori Koizumi ◽  
Håkon Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Freedom Of Speech ◽  
Nordic Countries ◽  
Book Clubs ◽  
Library Directors ◽  
Democratic Community ◽  
Managerial Decisions

The purpose of this research is to examine the evolving democratic librarianship and its robust connection to the Nordic societal model. Through an analysis of libraries in Oslo, Tromsø, Stockholm, Aarhus and Helsinki, as well as recent changes in library laws, we have analysed contemporary democratic librarianship in the Nordic countries through four essential factors: (1) citizens in democratic activities within libraries, (2) library managerial decisions, (3) activities of political parties within public libraries and (4) library laws. Through the analysis, we show that this robust and unique ecosystem is supported by (1) discussions at book clubs and shared readings events connected to common societal concerns, (2) criteria of library directors and managers, such as neutrality, freedom of speech and clauses of the Library Act, (3) perception of politicians regarding public libraries as the centre of the democratic community and (4) the Library Acts critically impacting democratic librarianship.

Freedom of Speech for Public Officials vs. the Political Parties' Right to Equal Opportunity: The German Constitutional Court's Recent Rulings Involving the NPD and the AfD

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-212
Author(s):  
Thomas Kliegel
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Equal Opportunity ◽  
Freedom Of Speech ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Public Official ◽  
Public Officials ◽  
The Public ◽  
Election Process ◽  
Political Function ◽  
The Right

Public Officials are bound by the fundamental rights when they are acting in their political function. Acting as such they cannot, in general, claim the freedom of speech for themselves as normal citizens do. If they give statements regarding other political parties they have to abide by the principle of neutrality. Statements that could be understood as negative will be — especially if they are made during the election process — a violation of the right of political parties to equal opportunity, which is an indispensable element of the free and open process of forming popular opinion. The delineation of whether a public official is appearing as such, as a “party politician” or “private individual” can, however, be difficult and it is the obligation of the public official to leave no doubt about the role he is exercising. Different from any other public official the Federal President needs not comply with the principle of neutrality. He has a broad margin of assessment and only transgresses his legal boundaries if he violates the integrative task of his office in an arbitrary manner.

scholarly journals How Adult Fiction Readers Select Fiction Books  in Public Libraries: a Study of Information-Seeking in Context

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kamy Ooi
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Book Clubs ◽  
The Public ◽  
Book Choice ◽  
Internet Radio ◽  
Book Selections

<p>This study examines from the viewpoint of twelve adult fiction readers, who are members of book clubs, how they go about selecting fiction books to borrow from the public library. The methodological approach taken was a qualitative one in that each participant took part in an individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interview. The central premise of the study was that information seeking occurs in a context and must therefore be understood as influenced by context. In attempting to understand how adult fiction readers select their books then, the study examined a variety of contextual factors that influenced book choice. Personal characteristics such as mood and lifestyle were found to have an impact on book selections. Family and friends, and peers from book clubs, also played important roles in participants' book choices. The mass media, including the Internet, radio, television and the printed press also impacted participants' choice of books. Radio, in particular, was a popular source among participants. The study also examined the role that the public library played in fiction readers' book choices. It was found that while the public library provided a range of readers' advisory tools to assist fiction readers in their book selections, not all the tools were helpful to the study's participants. Library staff also played a largely invisible role in participants' book choices. Implications for public library services are discussed in the study.</p>

FREE SPEECH ON SOCIAL MEDIA: HOW TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS FROM SOCIAL MEDIA THAT ARE FUNDED BY TRADE IN OUR PERSONAL DATA

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-236
Author(s):  
Richard Sorabji
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Free Speech ◽  
Past History ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Freedom Of Speech ◽  
Online Social Media ◽  
Government Documents ◽  
Important Benefit ◽  
The Social

AbstractI have argued elsewhere that in past history, freedom of speech, whether granted to few or many, was granted as bestowing some important benefit. John Stuart Mill, for example, in On Liberty, saw it as enabling us to learn from each other through discussion. By the test of benefit, I here argue that social media that are funded through trade in our personal data with advertisers, including propagandists, cannot claim to be supporting free speech. We lose our freedoms, if the personal data we entrust to online social media are used to target us with information, or disinformation, tailored as persuasive to different personalities, in order to maximize revenue from advertisers or propagandists. Among the serious consequences described, particularly dangerous because of its effect on democracy, is the use of such targeted advertisements to swing voting campaigns. Control is needed both of the social media and of any political parties that pay social media for differential targeting of voters based on personality. Using UK government documents, I recommend legislation for reform and enforcement.

Book clubs for people with intellectual disabilities: the evidence and impact on wellbeing and community participation of reading wordless books

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 275-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila Hollins ◽  
Jo Egerton ◽  
Barry Carpenter
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Picture Books ◽  
Book Club ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Shared Reading ◽  
Book Clubs ◽  
Community Settings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the social and scientific rationale for book clubs, whose members read wordless books together, and give examples of storytelling with picture books in libraries and other community settings for people with intellectual disabilities and autism. Design/methodology/approach The authors consider the impact of book clubs reading picture books without words, alongside an understanding of the underlying neuroscience (see Table I for search strategy). The authors compare differences in the neuroscience of information and emotion processing between pictures and words. Accounts from book club facilitators illustrate these differences in practice. Findings Many readers who struggle with reading and comprehending words, find pictures much easier to understand. Book clubs support community inclusion, as for other people in society. A focus on visual rather than word literacy encourages successful shared reading. Research limitations/implications No research has been published about the feasibility and effectiveness of wordless books in community book clubs or shared reading groups. There is very little research on the impact of accessible materials, despite a legal requirement for services to provide reasonable adjustments and the investment of time and resources in developing storylines in pictures, or “translating” information into easy read formats. Practical implications Book clubs whose members read picture books without words are growing in number, especially in public libraries in the UK. Expansion is dependent on funding to pay for training for librarians and volunteer facilitators. Social implications There is a shortage of fully accessible activities for adults with intellectual disabilities in mainstream community settings with a primarily social purpose. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper describing the theory and impact of wordless book clubs for people who find pictures easier to understand than words.

scholarly journals Freedom of speech within political parties

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Udit Bhatia ◽  
Fabio Wolkenstein
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Free Speech ◽  
Political System ◽  
Freedom Of Speech ◽  
Political Agency ◽  
The Political ◽  
Knock Down ◽  
The World ◽  
Party Members ◽  
Political Freedoms

Abstract The expulsion of party members for the expression of dissent is a common practice in democratic states around the world, which can have momentous consequences for individual parties and the political system at large. In this article, we address the question of whether limitations on party members’ free speech can be defended on normative grounds. Drawing on a conception of parties that sees them as broader membership organisations that allow citizens to exercise political agency in a unique fashion, as well as on insights from the broader normative-theoretical literature on organisations, we build a strong presumptive case that interference with party members’ political freedoms is normatively problematic. Exploring numerous weighty arguments in favour of limiting freedom of speech within parties, we find that none of them provides a knock-down argument against our case. The argument we advance has important implications for contemporary theoretical debates about parties and partisanship, and for the regulation of parties’ internal affairs more generally.

scholarly journals How Adult Fiction Readers Select Fiction Books  in Public Libraries: a Study of Information-Seeking in Context

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kamy Ooi
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Public Library ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Book Clubs ◽  
The Public ◽  
Book Choice ◽  
Internet Radio ◽  
Book Selections

<p>This study examines from the viewpoint of twelve adult fiction readers, who are members of book clubs, how they go about selecting fiction books to borrow from the public library. The methodological approach taken was a qualitative one in that each participant took part in an individual, semi-structured, face-to-face interview. The central premise of the study was that information seeking occurs in a context and must therefore be understood as influenced by context. In attempting to understand how adult fiction readers select their books then, the study examined a variety of contextual factors that influenced book choice. Personal characteristics such as mood and lifestyle were found to have an impact on book selections. Family and friends, and peers from book clubs, also played important roles in participants' book choices. The mass media, including the Internet, radio, television and the printed press also impacted participants' choice of books. Radio, in particular, was a popular source among participants. The study also examined the role that the public library played in fiction readers' book choices. It was found that while the public library provided a range of readers' advisory tools to assist fiction readers in their book selections, not all the tools were helpful to the study's participants. Library staff also played a largely invisible role in participants' book choices. Implications for public library services are discussed in the study.</p>

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