Can Libraries be “Antibodies” Against the “Infodemic”?

Authors

David SyeFollow

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

2-25-2021

Publication Title

Intellectual Freedom Blog

Department

University Libraries - Public Services

College/School

University Libraries

Abstract

Agenda-driven books regarding COVID-19 and vaccines are appearing as top results on retail searches. Those of you who have worked library reference are most likely accustomed to patrons showing you an Amazon page on their phone asking “can you get me this book?” Performing a book search for “COVID-19” via both Amazon and Barnes and Noble shows books suggesting debunked conspiracy theories within the first ten results. Additionally, searches on OCLC WorldCat reveal that books with such misleading or debunked information wind up on the shelves of public, college, and high school libraries.

Comments

Available at: https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=24725

Recommended Citation

Sye, David, "Can Libraries be “Antibodies” Against the “Infodemic”?" (2021). Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity. 127.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/faculty/127

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.