Re: [LM_NET] Wikipedia and ALA

[Judy Crook <jcrook@ROF.NET>]

Diane,

I agree with you that Wikipedia should not be blocked (at the school I 
mentioned in my last post, it was initially blocked by a filter).  
However, in a school where there is no librarian to push information 
literacy (in spite of information literacy standards) and where no 
evaluation is taking place, this seems to me to be a better option for a 
school than allowing access to it. 

There are no librarians in that school district.  I'm not there to teach 
students and faculty about the problems with Wikipedia.  I'm not there 
to encourage them to double-check the information in another source.  I 
left because the district is only required to hire aides by the state of 
Colorado, so that's what they are doing, and in spite of my master's 
degree, I was not encouraged/allowed to pursue certification through 
alternative licensing.  There is no formal or informal instruction in 
research skills.  Students will still use it at home, but the fact that 
it is blocked at school might give them an idea that there's a reason 
for it.  They might question the tech director about *why* it is 
blocked, and they will learn something that way. 

Judy Crook, Librarian
Contract part-time reference librarian
Rifle, Colorado
ESL teacher education student
Western Governors University
LM_NET member for 3 years
jcrook@rof.net


Diane Chen wrote:

>     Some librarians will choose not to offer Wikipedia access to their students 
>and to block it, but by such strident advocating for this by several librarians 
>over the past 3 months, I believe this list is encouraging censorship and the 
>inhibition of free speech. Many people who are not as adamantly opposed and who DO 
>have the resources to teach the evaluation of resources, may be intimidated by the 
>passion of a few and not post. I would like everyone to remember this as we email. 
>It is essential to LM_NET users that we are open to all opinions and accepting of 
>others. 
>

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