The 

democratization of knowledge is the acquisition and spread of knowledge amongst a

wider part of the population, not just privileged elites such as clergy and academics. Libraries, in
particular public libraries, and modern digital technology such as the Internet play a key role, as
they provide the masses with open access to information.
Over the centuries, the dissemination of information has risen to an unprecedented level. The
start of this process can be marked from the printing press, the purpose of which was to spread
information uniformly among the masses. Today, in a digitized world, the availability of online
content outnumbers the information published in books, journals or in any print form.

Contents

 1History
 2In the Digital Age
 3Role of libraries
 4See also
 5References

History[edit]
The printing press was one of the early steps towards the democratization of knowledge. Another
small example of this during the Industrial Revolution was the creation of libraries for miners in
some Scottish villages in the 18th century.[1]
The democratization of technology has played a major facilitating role. Wikipedia co-
founder, Larry Sanger, states in his article,[2] that "Professionals are no longer needed for the
bare purpose of the mass distribution of information and the shaping of opinion." Sanger's article
confronts the existence of "common knowledge" and pits it against the knowledge that everyone
agrees on.

In the Digital Age[edit]

Wikipedia is rapidly turning into a real-time reference tool in which public entries can be updated
by anyone who has access to the required technology and enough time. This and similar
phenomena—a product of the digital age—have greatly increased the accessibility not only to
fruition of information, but also to it's production and diffusion in the post-modern era. This has
raised a number of valid criticisms (see Reliability of Wikipedia). For instance, one could draw a
distinction between the mere spread of information and the spread
of accurate or credible information. Wikipedia, which in principle relies on external sources, may
thus be a more reliable source of information in certain spheres, but not necessarily in others.[citation
needed]

WikiLeaks has also played a major role in allowing more sensitive and politically-private
information to become public knowledge, although some controversies surrounding public safety
have arisen as a result of leaks.
Google Books has been pointed to as an example of democratization of knowledge, but Malte
Herwig in Der Spiegel raised concerns that the virtual monopoly Google has in the search
market, combined with Google's hiding of the details of its search algorithms, could undermine
this move towards democratization.[3]
After the most powerful search engine, Google, and the most viewed encyclopedia, Wikipedia,
the most viewed information based website is Encyclopædia Britannica.[4]

Role of libraries[edit]
An article written in 2005 by the editors of Reference & User Services Quarterly calls the library
the greatest force for the democratization of knowledge or information.[5] It continues to say that
public libraries in particular are inextricably linked with the history and evolution of the United
States, but school library media centers, college and university libraries, and special libraries
have all also been influential in their support for democracy.[5] Libraries play an essential role in
the democratization of knowledge and information by providing communities with the resources
and tools to find information free of charge. Democratic access to knowledge has also been co-
opted to mean providing information in a variety of formats, which essentially means electronic
and digital formats for use by library patrons.[6] Public libraries help further the democratization of
information by guaranteeing freedom of access to information, by providing an unbiased variety
of information sources and access to government services, as well as the promotion of
democracy and an active citizenship.[7]
Dan Cohen, the founding executive director of the Digital Public Library of America, writes that
the democratic access to knowledge is a profound idea that requires constant tending and
revitalization.[6] In 2004, a World Social Forum and International workshop was held entitled
"Democratization of Information: Focus on Libraries". The focus of the forum was to bring
awareness to the social, technological, and financial challenges facing libraries dealing with the
democratization of information. Social challenges included globalization and the digital divide,
technological challenges included information sources, and financial challenges constituted
shrinking budgets and manpower.[8] Longtime Free Library of Philadelphia director Elliot Shelkrot
said that "Democracy depends on an informed population. And where can people get all the
information they need? —At the Library."[9]