It’s not often that school librarians gravitate toward the gridiron for advice, but when it comes to combating censorship, iconic Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi had the perfect game plan: “Preparedness is the ultimate confidence builder.” From January-September 2019,… Read More ›
censorship
American Dirt: To Read or Not to Read?
Is That the Question? Last month, I was scrolling through Twitter and found Oprah promoting American Dirt. A thriller about immigration that hooked her on the first page? I’m in. I immediately ordered it on Amazon and went back to… Read More ›
Ages and Stages in Your library
A Wide Range A couple of years ago, I booked tickets to see an act that my family had seen on America’s Got Talent. Piff, the Magic Dragon had a family friendly act on America’s Got Talent, but the show… Read More ›
Code of Ethics: The Foundation of Our Work
IMPORTANT NOTE: I am in no way supporting the views of organizations that use hate speech or act in any way that is dangerous to others. Several things have happened recently that led me to this post: In the November/December… Read More ›
What to Do for Banned Books Week?
Intellectual Freedom and Middle School Students I look forward to September every year, as it’s my opportunity to focus on our freedom to read. Each year I revamp my Banned Books Week presentation to stir in my students a renewed spirit… Read More ›
Banned Books Week: Censorship of Books and More
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 ›
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 ›
The Problem with Problematic YA Authors
Earlier this year, a few popular YA authors, illustrators, and editors found themselves caught up in the #MeToo movement. With accusations ranging “from abuse of power, to sexual harassment to sexual assault,” some accused have been dropped from publishers or… 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 ›
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 ›