Last year a book was pulled from middle and high schools, after a parent of a 6th grader complained about the “vulgar” language within the book. The book, which is authentically relevant to the current climate of our country, a… Read More ›
Intellectual Freedom
Choose Privacy Every Day!
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
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 ›
Librarians, Youth Reading and Intellectual Freedom: Historical and Contemporary Views
Concern about children’s and teens’ reading has been with us for hundreds of years. Mobilizing concerns about youth reading in order to spur activists and citizens to action has a long and complex history in the United States. Much lip… Read More ›
The Marrakesh Treaty and Why It Is Important to Librarians
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 ›
Intellectual Freedom and Youth: Practical and Philosophical Considerations
When it comes to intellectual freedom, most people would agree that adults should have the right to read what pleases them. Many would also agree that teenagers need some freedom to explore their own reading tastes and choices. But what… Read More ›
Updating the Intellectual Freedom Manual
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 ›
Student Rights
During the past two weeks, we have all listened to the Parkland students as they voiced their anger, pain, and frustration. On the other side, we listened to those who said that these were just kids and the #NeverAgain movement would… Read More ›
Report from ALA Midwinter: Intellectual Freedom Documents to Help School Librarians
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 ›
Contemporary Book Challenges: What You Need to Know Today
Though panics over the Internet and social media have also affected libraries, book challenges remain a perennial issue for librarians.The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom provides an amazing selection of resources librarians can use in the event of… Read More ›