SU professor to address role of libraries in spread of controversial literature

Friday, May 7, 2004, By News Staff

SU professor to address role of libraries in spread of controversial literatureMay 07, 2004Edward Byrnesedbyrnes@syr.edu

Catherine Arnott Smith, an assistant professor in Syracuse University’s School of Information Studies, will hold a roundtable discussion about the inclusion of controversial material in the holdings of public libraries. She will speak May 19 at 7 p.m., at the Betts Branch of the Onondaga County Public Library, 4862 South Salina St., Syracuse. The event is free and open to the public.

Arnott Smith will address the role of libraries in disseminating controversial information such as Holocaust revisionism and denial, creationist literature and alternative medicine information. She will examine these and other topics from perspectives that consider intellectual freedom, responsibility, skepticism and critical thinking. The audience will be encouraged to participate in the discussion.

Arnott Smith’s participation is sponsored by the Central New York Skeptics, a community organization dedicated to the promotion of science and reason, the investigation of paranormal and fringe-science claims, and the improvement of standards for science education and critical-thinking skills. For more information, visit http://www.cnyskeptics.org.

The School of Information Studies at SU is a nationally ranked center for innovative programs in information policy, information behavior, information management, information systems, information technology and information services. The School offers an undergraduate degree, three professional master’s programs, and a Ph.D. program. For more information, visit the School’s web site at www.ist.syr.edu.

Officially chartered in 1870 as a private, coeducational institution of higher education, Syracuse University is a leading student-centered research university. Syracuse’s 12 schools and colleges share a common mission: to promote learning through teaching, research, scholarship, creative accomplishment and service while embracing the core values of quality, caring, diversity, innovation and service. The 938-acre campus is home to more than 18,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and 90 countries.