Ann Curry
Ann Curry, PhD is Professor, Graduate Program in Communication and Technology.
Research Interests
- History and practice of censorship and information control
- Access to information and its role within democracies
- Control of access to information to disadvantaged groups within society
- Censorship of information about controversial topics
- Information ethics, including intellectual property, privacy, and the impact of technology
- Architecture of public spaces and buildings, particularly public libraries
Biography
Ann Curry, PhD is Professor, Graduate Program in Communication and Technology. She obtained her Masters of Library Science at the U. of British Columbia and her PhD in Information Studies at the U. of Sheffield (U.K.). She was Director and Professor at the U of A School of Library and Information Studies (2008-2011), Professor at the UBC School of Library, Archival, and Information Studies (1990-2007), and Program Chair Library Technician Program MacEwan University (1975-1981). She has worked in Australia, Britain, and Malaysia in addition to her home country of Canada, and has been an oil company librarian, a children’s puppeteer and librarian, a business librarian, and a public library manager.
Throughout her career, Ann’s research has focused on censorship and intellectual freedom within society as a whole, and access to information issues, particularly those associated with controversial subjects and those that involve inequitable access for particular groups. She is currently investigating information ethics and the evolving nature of information access influenced by the internet and social media. Ann has received two major awards for teaching excellence – the UBC Killam Teaching Award and the American/Canadian ALISE Award for Teaching Excellence. She was the primary architect of the UBC doctoral program in library, archival and information studies and has supervised numerous master’s and doctoral theses. Ann has also remained very active within information and legal organizations, serving on Intellectual Freedom committees and on the executive of the BC Civil Liberties Association. Prompted by her concern (and fury!) over the lawsuits filed against Canadian public libraries regarding their copies of the book Children of the Matrix, she worked hard for the successful passage of Canada’s first (and only!) provincial legislation that protects libraries from libel suits.
Teaching Interests
- Research methods: surveys, interviews, field stimulations (mystery shopper), content analysis
- Intellectual freedom and censorship
- Management of book and electronic resources
- Planning buildings and renovations
Recent Presentations
(2012 February) – “Bums, Poops, and Pees: A Scholarly Examination of Censorship of the Scatological in Children’s Literature.” Refereed paper presented at the Drawing the Line(s): Censorship & Cultural Practices Conference. California State University. Long Beach, CA
(2012 February) – “Information Ethics in the Curriculum and in Practice.” Invited lecture at the Especialidad de Ciencias de la Informacion, Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru. Lima, Peru
(2012 February) – “The Heckler’s Veto in the Public Forum: Control of Information on U.S. and Canadian campuses. Invited lecture at Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, University of California Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA
(2011 October) – “Censorship of Information Taught in LIS Courses: The Compass Change from Morality and Politics to Information Ethics.” Invited presentation at the International Symposium on Library and Information Science Education: Trends and Visions. National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
(2011 June) – “Mystery Shopper Methodology within LIS Research.” Paper presented at the American Library Association Annual Conference. New Orleans, LA.
(2011 May) – “Preparing for the Baby Boomer Blast.” Paper presented at the Beyond Hope Conference. Prince George, BC.
(2011 May) – “Library Planning - With Inspiration from Lady Gaga.” Paper presented at the Beyond Hope Conference. Prince George, BC
(2011 April) – “Andrew Carnegie Redux: How His Vision re Public Library Architecture Is Still Relevant After 100 Years.” Paper presented at the British Columbia Library Association Conference. Victoria, BC.
(2011 April) – “A Century of Censorship Challenges in BC, from Das Kapital to The Golden Mean.” Paper presented at the British Columbia Library Association Conference, Victoria, BC.
(2011 March) – “Bums, Poops, and Pees: A Scholarly Investigation of the Scatological in Children’s Literature.” Research colloquium presentation to students and faculty members at the School of Library and Information Science, Simmons College, Boston, MA.
(2011 March) – “Information Policy and Information Control: The Realities of Practice.” Invited lecture at Dalhousie University Faculty of Management.. Halifax, NS.
(2011 March) – “Freedom to Read in Canada: Is the Door Opening or Closing?” Invited Speaker to Faculty of Management Research Colloquia Series. Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS.
(2011 February) – “The Heckler’s Veto: Censorship or Free Speech on University Campuses.” Invited colloquium speaker for campus-wide Freedom to Read Week celebration. Mount Royal University, Calgary
(2011 January) – “Introducing Information Ethics in Grades 1-12:” Paper presented at the Association for Library and Information Science Education Conference. San Diego, CA.
(2010 October) – “Silencing by Shouting Down: Acceptable Censorship in 2010?” Invited Research Colloquia presented at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC.
Recent Publications
(2011) – “Censorship of Information Taught in LIS Courses: The Compass Change from Morality and Politics to Information Ethics.” Proceedings of the International Symposium on Library and Information Science Education: Trends and Visions. Department of Library and Information Science, National Taiwan University (Ed.) Taipei, Taiwan.
(2011) – “Seeing Ourselves: Images of LGBT Families in Books for Children.” With Deb Thomas. Accepted for publication (with revisions) in School Libraries Worldwide.(forthcoming)
(2005) – “Child Pornography Legislation in Canada: History and Current Developments.” With research assistants Sunni Nishimura and Lauren Maggio. Canadian Journal of Library and Information Studies. 29 (2): 141-1
(2005) – “Action Research in Action: Involving Students and Professionals.” IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) World Library and Information Congress. Oslo, Norway. August 14-18, 2005. Proceedings available at: www.ifla.org/IV/ifla71/papers/046e- Curry.pdf (Session 70)
Areas of Expertise
- Access to Information
- Censorship
- Information Ethics
- Intellectual Freedom
Contact
ann.curry@ualberta.ca
(780) 248-1110