Locked Out of the Library
Incarcerated Students and Information Access Barriers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5860/ital.v45i2.17597Keywords:
incarcerated students, prison education, digital rights management, copyright, information access, ebooks, higher education, Academic librariesAbstract
While incarcerated students face many challenges when commencing higher education, a lack of access to the internet is a considerable barrier. This technological exclusion has implications for the delivery of course materials, most of which are offered only electronically. A project team from Curtin University Library sought to understand and address the challenges faced by incarcerated students in accessing library services, particularly ebooks and audiovisual content. It was found that restrictions related to contract terms, digital rights management, and copyright contribute to a reactive and uncertain situation for library services. This article outlines the state of the problem and offers possible pathways academic libraries can take to improve the state of information access for incarcerated students.
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