Multiculturalism and diversity affects on information policy

[Harold Schiffman]

Multiculturalism and diversity affects on information policy

Multiculturalism and diversity influence information policy through
its promotion of Multicultural information and equal access to
information. Multiculturalism information policy strives to provide
access to information to all users and provide materials that promote
cultural uniqueness. This goal is handled differently from place to
place and nation to nation. The equal access to information for people
with disabilities is covered in the U.S. by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), and the ALA dictates that "Libraries must not
discriminate against individuals with disabilities and shall ensure
that individuals with disabilities have equal access to library
resources." The most obvious is the need for barrier free physical
access to the information, but it also requires information be
accessible in alternative non-visual media for people with impaired
vision and visual captioning of images for people with impaired
hearing.

Promoting multiculturalism through information policy.
According to a resolution put forth by United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) multicultural
information policy must provide "access to and use of information and
knowledge, with emphasis on ensuring multicultural, multilingual
content; and to help promote access of all citizens." Many countries
have national information policies that dictate the diversity of
culture and language. Canada's policy on Multiculturalism is
expansive. By the Official Languages Act (1985) all federal documents
must be produced in English and French. The Canadian Multiculturalism
Act (1985) policy promotes the full participation in Canadian society
by all, through government-wide issues such as communication and
cultural protection.

Do homogenous communities need to include Multicultural materials even
if they don't have an audience for them? Rochelle Arsenault and Penny
Brown argue that they should. They recommend a policy that promotes
Multiculturalism by providing access to materials that promote other
cultures religious books, fiction, folktales, and materials in foreign
languages.(Arsenault, 2007)

Providing equal access to people with special needs.
A publication by the National Federation of the Blind states that the
"requirements for providing accessible information in alternative
non-visual media are an integral part of the ADA's nondiscrimination
policy." Library materials that would meet the requirements include;
recorded books, large print materials, descriptive/captioned video.

Discussion questions:

1) Canada's information policy requires all federal documents be
published in both French and English. Should all U.S. documents be
required to be published in other languages, Spanish for example?

2) Some people are opposed to Multiculturalism. While the Ayn Rand
Institute may be viewed as extremist, they do raise a good point,
"Multiculturalism holds that an individual's identity and personal
worth are determined by ethnic/racial membership—not by his own
choices and actions."(Berliner, 2002) If America is a melting pot,
should we mandate the promotion of other cultures and highlight the
differences in people through an enforced Multiculturalism information
policy? Or should we adopt a policy similar to Canada's
Multiculturalism information policy? Do we need an official
Multiculturalism policy at all?

3) How might cash-strapped libraries provide people with special needs
access to information? What information should be a priority? How
great a role should libraries play in access to information for people
with special needs?

References:

Toward Equal Access: Providing Information Access Services to Blind
and Visually Impaired Persons Under the Americans With Disabilities
Act. National Federation of the Blind: Baltimore. (1991)

Uhlir, Paul. (2003). Draft Policy Guidelines for the Development and
Promotion of Public Domain Information. Paris: UNESCO
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001297/129725e.pdf

Berliner, Michael S. & Gary Hull. "Multiculturalism: An Assault on the
Individual". Impact, November 2002
http://www.aynrand.org/site/DocServer/newsletter_multiculturalism.pdf?docID=162

Diversity and Multiculturalism/ Diversité et Multiculturalisme.
Canadian Heritage/ Patrimoine canadien. (2008)
http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/index_e.cfm
http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/index_f.cfm

Arsenault, R., et. al. (2007). "The Case for Inclusive Multicultural
Collections in the School Library" CSLA Journal, 31 (1). p. 20-1

http://hunt6010a.blogspot.com/2008/04/multiculturalism-and-diversity-affects.html

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