Melisa Martinez LIS 701.

02 McCusker Lecture Assignment October 31st, 2012 Paretsky situates her lecture within the context our class emphasis on intellectual freedom by addressing some of the issues and concerns that the Internet and other external factors impacted intellectual freedom, access, copyright, and social responsibility. Although Paretsky did not directly address intellectual freedom, the right of freedom of thought and expression is best seen in her crime fiction writings, particularly in characterization of her main protagonist V.I., a private investigator. Throughout her lecture, Paretsky made three points that reinforce a majority of the class readings regarding elements of intellectual freedom and access. One point made by Paretsky highlighted the challenges between integrity of work and the marketplace, specifically the visible word and the concerns of seeking the truth in the vast market place of information. In this respect, Paretsky explained the effects that downloading of electronic information has had on the creation of honest work such as the radical changes to printed words and library collections. A second point of the lecture that is the question of marginal and smaller voices and how they fit within the vast market of information. Particularly important to this is how users seek this information given the barriers that Internet websites place on access. A third point that Paretsky made in the lecture concerns fiction as the truth. Paretsky makes the case that the essential truths are told through fiction and they are told and not silenced given our current social climate. In a way, Paretsky fiction writings are influenced by the many external factors that impact the truth from becoming known. Chris Jay Hoofnagles article on Google and trust reinforces the point Paretsky made about the visible word. A point that Hoofnagles article makes regards the trust that the general audience, policy makers, and journalists place on Google as an outlet that it is incredibly

Melisa Martinez

successful and as company that is truly concerned with our privacy online. Hoofnagles observation of Google and trust relates to Paretsky points because it highlights the concern that the general public should have on how we access information. It brings into question whether or not the information or downloads that Google provides us are in fact the truth we are seeking as credible information. In addition, it also highlights the way current and future users will access books and whether if the books we are downloading from Google are the true representations of works. A second reading that also discusses the implications of Google that connects to Paretskys lecture is Lee Shakers article. Like Hoofnagles article, this article explains another worrisome aspect of Google that is widely used by other Internet websites: the dataveillance process. Paretsky touched on it a little bit when she spoke of Amazon and the visible word, but if focused on more it signifies the widely used operation that Internet websites use to document user behavior. While tracking the actions of the users, the website essentially track users most commonly searched inquires therefore eliminating other smaller, equally important voices in books and other areas. The dataveillance process not only affects the visible word, but it places user information with the larger Internet enterprises whose stances on privacy, access, and copyright are weak.

Melisa Martinez

Reference List Hoofnagle, Chris Jay. Beyond Google and Evil: How Policy Makers, Journalists and Consumers Should Talk Differently about Google and Privacy. First Monday 14.4 (April 2009): n. pag. Web. 28 Oct. 2012. Shaker, Lee. In Google we trust: information integrity in the Digital Age. First Monday 11.4 (April 2006) n. pag. Web. 28 Oct. 2012.

Mission Statement Quick Public Library is open to fulfill and serve the needs and interests of the community by providing equitable access to information and by protect the integrity of intellectual freedom and copyright. The library will work to provide access to emerging technologies and digital resources, in addition to an expansive print collection. The library promises to fulfill these goals by providing the most update and current information for its communitys needs and interests.

Melisa Martinez