Join us as we greet special guest John Palfrey, a noted scholar, law professor and internet freedom advocate and head of Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.

In his book, “BiblioTech: Why Libraries Matter More Than Ever in the Age of Google,”  Palfrey argues that anyone seeking to participate in the 21st century needs to understand how to find and use the vast stores of information available online.

Libraries play a crucial role in making these skills and information available — and yet are at risk. In order to thrive in our rapidly modernizing world and dwindling government funding, libraries must make the transition to a digital future as soon as possible — by digitizing print material and ensuring that born-digital material is publicly available online, while continuing to play the vital role as public spaces in our democracy that they have for hundreds of years.

The Ed Mignon Distinguished Lectureship is named after UW Information School alumnus and former faculty member Dr. Edmond Mignon. It is made possible by a gift from his wife, Molly Mignon.