🧰Cultivating Civic Infophilia
Protecting Public Knowledge by Practicing Freedom of Expression
Infophilia, a Positive Psychology of information | May 16, 2025 | Vol. 3, Issue 26 | Toolbox
✨Welcome to Infophilia, a weekly letter exploring how our love of information and connections can help us all thrive, individually and collectively.
As dictators, slave owners, tyrants and other illicit power holders have always known, an illiterate crowd is the easiest to rule. And, if you cannot prevent people from learning to read, the next best recourse is to limit it’s scope. - Dr. Carla Hayden, 14th Librarian of Congress (Chautauqua 2023 lectures focusing on the role of libraries in civic infrastructure).
Dear readers,
I am pleased to announce a new section, the Knowledge Structures Toolbox. The Toolbox is where I’m going to periodically share resources to improve our information styles.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to exercise your right to freedom of expression, and advocate!
Adaptive Infophilia Theory holds that our relationship with information (“infostyles”) varies depending on the context. In different situations, we can embody the roles of infophiles or infofools or another category. The Toolbox is designed to guide you toward the healthier end of the information literacy spectrum, transform knowledge into action and insights that benefit everyone. Therefore, your mission will also evolve to reflect these changes. I’ll try to make sure that there is something valuable for everybody, regardless of your location, with additional resources, for paid subscribers. I’ll also be consolidating previous anonymous surveys and resources, including the pilot instrument for measuring infophilia, in this space. 🤞
Our first case is healthy civic infophilia using recent Library of Congress dismissals.
Thank you,
Anita
Cite as: Coleman, Anita S. (2025, May 16). Cultivating civic infophilia: protecting public knowledge by practicing freedom of expression. Infophilia, a positive psychology of information, 3 (26).
Case: Dismissal of the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden and the Register of Copyrights and Director of the Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter.
Background reading (ICYMI): Thank you, Dr. Carla Hayden | Future of Knowledge
Your mission should you choose to accept it: Advocate!
Action Items
Sign Petitions
Add your name to the Authors Guild Petition to Reinstate Shira Perlmutter as Register of Copyrights
Add your name to the Change.org Petition to Reinstate Dr. Carla Hayden as the Librarian of Congress
Contact Your Representatives in Congress
Step 1: If you don’t already know, find your Members in the U.S. Congress: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Step 2: Email, call or visit them to advocate for 1) reinstatement of Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress; 2) reinstatement of Shira Perlmutter, Register of Copyrights; and 3) pass new legislation to give Congress the power to appoint (and dismiss) the Librarian of Congress. Adapt the template below, as needed.
Advocacy Template / Talking points
To the Honorable [Insert Name], [United States Senate / United States House of Representatives] [Full Address in Washington D.C.]
I’m writing to express my deep concern about the unjust dismissals of Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress, and Shira Perlmutter, the Register of Copyrights and Director of the U.S. Copyright Office.
Dr. Hayden and Register Perlmutter are highly respected professionals who have earned widespread admiration across diverse communities for their balanced, effective, and visionary service to our nation. Their dismissals, particularly in relation to the growing influence of artificial intelligence and commercial appropriation of digital knowledge, are deeply troubling. Under Register Perlmutter's leadership, the Copyright Office has been a voice of balance and transparency, advocating for both creators' rights and innovation.
Dr. Hayden’s appointment for a 10-year term (2016-2026) by President Obama was confirmed with overwhelming bipartisan support: 74 Yeas, 18 Nos, and 8 not voting. The modernization of the Library of Congress and the Copyright Office systems is also enjoying strong bipartisan backing. However, these dismissals threaten to undermine this progress.
According to Section 136-1 of Title 2 of the U.S.C., the Librarian of Congress should be appointed by a nomination from the President with Senate confirmation. I urge you to introduce a bill that will amend this section to allow only Congress to appoint and remove the Librarian of Congress. This is crucial for maintaining the independence and integrity of these vital institutions.
I strongly encourage you to speak out against the White House’s actions. Only the U.S. Senate has the authority to confirm the Librarian of Congress, and only the Librarian can appoint the Register of Copyrights. Due process is fundamental to our democracy, and I urge you to uphold it in this matter.
Thank you for your attention and support.
Best wishes, [Your Name]
[City / State, Zip Code]