Obama's Proposal for Open Government

Barack Obama has just released his technology and innovation plan that focuses on open government and information technology. The article, available here, highlights five key points:

• Ensure the full and free exchange of information among Americans through and open internet and diverse media outlets
• Create transparent and connected democracy
• Encourage the deployment of a modern communications infrastructure
• Employ technology and innovation to solve our nation's most pressing problems
• Improve America's competitiveness

The details of his plan include things like open meetings with government officials and agencies available via live feeds, net neutrality, subsidies to promote broadband development, and prohibitions against big telecoms leasing bandwidth they will not use in the attempt to shut out the "little guys". Let us hope that this announcement will, at least, start a dialogue among the candidates that deals with open government and the free flow of information.

Poster Session at CAL '07

On November 10, the Liberscholars presented at the Colorado Association of Libraries conference. You can view some of the elements of our Executive Power 2.0 poster here.
We got our picture taken with Gwen Alexander, Emporia's new Dean at the School of Library & Information Management. Photo courtesy Rhonda Altonen.

Our Poster Abstract:
What happens when a crisis of national security is used to justify a unilateral consolidation of power by the executive branch? This presentation demonstrates how information systems begin to break down at local, national, and international levels. We look at core issues and documents, such as Executive Order 13233, the Freedom of Information Act, the Patriot Act, manipulation and redaction of government records and research; as well as the consequences for libraries, and their reactions and strategies. These changes in the dynamic between the federal government and institutions have a direct impact upon the pursuit of, access to, and reliability of information within civil society.