Author Archives

A former school librarian in Wisconsin, Helen Adams is an online senior lecturer for Antioch University-Seattle in the areas of intellectual freedom, privacy, library ethics, and copyright. A member of the AASL Knowledge Quest Advisory Board, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, and a KQ blogger, she is the author of Protecting Intellectual Freedom and Privacy in Your School Library (Libraries Unlimited, 2013) and contributor to The Many Faces of School Library Leadership (2nd edition, Libraries Unlimited, 2017). Email: hadams1@centurytel.net.

• Intellectual Freedom Was Alive and Well at Midwinter in Seattle

  By Helen Adams on 02/12/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  The American Library Association (ALA) held its Midwinter Meeting in Seattle from January 24-29, 2019. As a member of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (and a retired school librarian), I’m providing information on the work of the committee as well… Read More ›

• Banned Books Week: Censorship of Books and More

  By Helen Adams on 09/10/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  Banned Books Week will be observed September 23-29, 2018. The annual event focuses a spotlight on the never-ending attempts to censor books; however, other types of library resources are also challenged. The non-book censorship attempts may not get as much… Read More ›

• Choose Privacy Every Day!

  By Helen Adams on 07/25/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  Annually the American Library Association (ALA) observes Choose Privacy Week from May 1-7. With increasing threats to personal and library user privacy, highlighting privacy once a year is insufficient. Recently the ALA rebranded its “Choose Privacy Week” website to “Choose… Read More ›

• Let the Good Times Roll: Intellectual Freedom at the ALA Conference

  By Helen Adams on 06/11/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  For librarians, Intellectual freedom is a living concept, a core value reflected in the ALA Code of Ethics, the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, and Libraries: An American Value. It is highlighted annually during Banned Books… Read More ›

• The Marrakesh Treaty and Why It Is Important to Librarians

  By Helen Adams on 04/18/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  There’s new proposed national legislation for librarians to monitor and support. On March 15, 2018, the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate with bipartisan support. The proposed legislation will amend the U.S. Copyright Act 17, U.S.C…. Read More ›

• Updating the Intellectual Freedom Manual

  By Helen Adams on 04/02/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  The Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) and the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) has started the process for revising the 9th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual published in 2015. Rationale for a New Edition Why is a revision needed? Several… Read More ›

• Report from ALA Midwinter: Intellectual Freedom Documents to Help School Librarians

  By Helen Adams on 02/22/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  The American Library Association held its Midwinter meeting in Denver from February 9-13, 2018. As the chair of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (and a retired school librarian), I’m providing information on three important items for school librarians. Net Neutrality… Read More ›

• The Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit

  By Helen Adams on 01/19/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  Since 1998, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Workbook for Selection Policy Writing has provided guidance to school librarians. After two decades, the document needed a makeover! Kristin Pekoll, assistant director at the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), had a… Read More ›

• High Points and Concerns: Reflections on Intellectual Freedom in 2017

  By Helen Adams on 01/02/2018 • ( 0 )

  

  As a new year begins, I’m reflecting on three positive matters involving intellectual freedom and school librarians from 2017 that will continue in 2018. Intellectual Freedom & the AASL Standards: In November 2017, AASL introduced its new National School Library… Read More ›

• That All May Read: A Snapshot of the National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped

  By Helen Adams on 12/04/2017 • ( 1 )

  

  School librarians encourage reading and protect their students’ right to read; but what if one of the students is blind, partially sighted, is physically unable to turn the pages of books, or has a reading disability that prevents reading print normally?… Read More ›