Reading Summary and Analysis Discussion Post: Questioning Information Freedom

Course Goal:

This course prepares

students from diverse scholarly and professional backgrounds to investigate, analyze and critique the social,

political and cultural tensions surrounding contemporary information practices.

Students will critically engage with the theoretical approaches, ethical groundings, methodological

frameworks and technical skills utilized by information professionals.

Course Objectives:

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

1.Identify and analyze information-related problems of a community or organization

2.Frame and articulate information resources, services and systems that can address the information-

related problems of a community or organization

3.Describe influences on individual and institutional information practices

4.Assess the implications of a contemporary information issue for an information organization

5.Apply knowledge of information technologies and resources to a real world situation, taking into

account the perspectives of institutional and community stakeholders

6.Articulate ideas and concepts in a variety of communication modes including oral, written and

multimedia

7.Provide direction and feedback within a team or small group setting

8.Synthesize scholarship from information studies and related fields, along with media accounts

9.Apply knowledge from existing scholarship to real-world information problems

10.Describe principles and ethics of the information professions

11.Critically evaluate the role of the information professions in societies

12.Describe the contributions of the information professions

13.Participate meaningfully in professional development opportunities

Course Topics:

●Contemporary Theory

●Technology and Information Infrastructures

●Intellectual Property and Copyright

●Questioning Information Freedom

●Privacy

●Data and Bias

●Repair and Care Work

●Practicing Anti-Racism in Information Spaces

●Legacies of Colonialism in Libraries, Archives and Museums

●Library Labour Required and Recommended Reading: Material from books, journals, videos,

podcasts and websites will constitute required reading. These will be listed in the course learning

management system (i.e. Canvas) and will be available directly through links or through Library

(e.g., electronic and/or print formats).

Topic Briefing The major assignment is a Topic Briefing Paper on a topic of your choice. Examples will be provided

on Canvas. A topic briefing document is a short, formatted document, outlining the key issues and

literatures on a topic, in order to provide information for an organization about making a decision,

moving forward with a policy, or creating a new program (for example). Topic Briefings often present

findings from literature in an easily accessible way, using graphics or images, and offer concise and

clear recommendations for an organization.

This assignment has 5 parts:

A.Topic Briefing Proposal:

You will submit a one-page proposal providing the following required information: the topic selected;

at least 4 relevant references; your motivation for choosing the topic; potential audience(s); initial

ideas concerning how you will explore the topic; and

B.Topic Briefing Draft:

You will submit a full draft of the Topic Briefing

C.Topic Briefing Peer Feedback:

You will provide peer reviews of 2 of your colleagues Topic Briefing Drafts.

D.Topic Briefing Final:

This is the final 4 page professionally formatted version of your topic briefing. This must have at

least 10 references.

E.Topic Briefing Pitch:

You will submit a slide deck of 3 slides maximum and present a 2 minute “pitch” of your Topic Briefing.