Libraries, the First Amendment, and Cyberspace: What You Need to Know [Paperback]

Robert S. Peck (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Difficult First Amendment issues for libraries are now further complicated by the growth of Internet access. What may be or may not be legal is hard for the librarian, library director, or library board member to learn or understand. Peck (The Bill of Rights and the Politics of Interpretation) gives us a useful guide to these tricky constitutional issues. A good opening chapter presents 49 questions covering background information on the First Amendment. The next eight chapters discuss libraries, sexually oriented materials, materials considered offensive due to their political or moral content, religious issues, library confidentiality issues, workplace issues, children, and cyberspace. Peck presents complex laws and detailed court opinions with great clarity. His lengthy appendix includes the Library Bill of Rights plus model guides for access policies that cover Internet access. This easy-to-read and up-to-date overview on this complicated issue is recommended reading for all librarians and for use as a library school textbook.
-Stephen L. Hupp, Swedenborg Memorial Lib., Urbana Univ., OH
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Peck takes aim at the "misinformation about free speech [that] is circulated as if it were authoritative." He answers questions about the First Amendment, identifying common misconceptions about free speech in general, obscenity and pornography, the Internet, and those entities' effects on libraries. He discusses the First Amendment, its developing interpretation, and how it relates to state constitutional guarantees; the exceptions to free speech; and the concept of the public forum. Further chapters consider the religious connotations of free speech, free speech in the workplace, whether there is a right to offend, free speech and children, and other topics. Finally, he turns to the First Amendment in cyberspace and on the Internet. Edward Swanson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: American Library Association (November 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0838907733
• ISBN-13: 978-0838907733
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,604,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important contribution to libraries & 1st Amendment studies., May 4, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Libraries, the First Amendment, and Cyberspace: What You Need to Know (Paperback)

The First Amendment is an integral philosophical and political concept embedded in academic and community library system operations. The First Amendment And Cyberspace answers the questions librarians and library patrons most often have about the First Amendment and library services. Included the issues of basic First Amendment principles and their application to libraries, the right to offend, religious motivations and library use, library confidentiality laws, cyberspace and the First Amendment. A special chapter focuses on children, schools and the First Amendment. Essential reading for library students, librarians, library administrators, and library board members, Robert Peck's The First Amendment And Cyberspace is enhanced with appendices on American Library Association policies and recommendations including Conducting a Challenge Hearing; Guidelines and Considerations for Developing a Public Library Internet Use Policy; and Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records.

5.0 out of 5 stars Religious Motivations and Library Use - A unique approach, December 22, 2004

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Dr. Mohamed Taher (Toronto) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Libraries, the First Amendment, and Cyberspace: What You Need to Know (Paperback)

While the book has 9 plus chapters, the fifth chapter makes a sense, as it is a detailed section on motivations that are not-secular, non-business, and non-academic areas.

The chapters of the book are:
1 Questions and Answers about the First Amendment: Sex, Lies, and Cyberspace 1
2 Basic First Amendment Principles and Their Application to Libraries 25
3 The Sexual Conundrum 45
4 The Right to Offend 62
5 Religious Motivations and Library Use 72
6 Just between You and Your Librarian--Library Confidentiality Laws 84
7 Workplace Issues: Employee Free Speech and Harassment 92
8 Children, Schools, and the First Amendment 105
9 Cyberspace--The Last Frontier 125
Appendixes
A The Library Bill of Rights and Its Interpretations 147
B Guidelines for the Development and Implementation of Policies, Regulations and Procedures Affecting Access to Library Materials, Services and Facilities 176
C Guidelines and Considerations for Developing a Public Library Internet Use Policy 180
D Dealing with Concerns about Library Resources 188
E Conducting a Challenge Hearing 191
F Policy on Confidentiality of Library Records 196
G Policy concerning Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information about Library Users 198
Glossary 201
Index

Worth a new edition.

5.0 out of 5 stars Libraries the Frist Amendment and Cyberspace: What You Need, March 27, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Libraries, the First Amendment, and Cyberspace: What You Need to Know (Paperback)

Anyone who works in the Library and Information field need to get this book. This resource will save you alot of mental and financial problems as well as stress. The author does not make the assumption that the reader knows the subject area. This resource is written so that a layperson can understand it. After every chapter there are references that one can peruse if he/she so desires. The appendix is wonderful. The table of contents is methodical and logical. It is a great reference resource and a good read!!