Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession. It is not an outdated, rarely thought about core value; it is a living tenet that allows for the promotion and protection of ideas from all viewpoints and access to… Read More ›
privacy
Intellectual Freedom Was Alive and Well at Midwinter in Seattle
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 ›
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 ›
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 ›
Being Practical about Privacy: Preparing for Choose Privacy Week
Every year libraries celebrate Choose Privacy Week from May 1-7, and this year’s theme is “Practical Privacy Practices.” Get an Early Start! On April 13, there will be a one-hour free webinar reviewing privacy practices librarians can take in three… Read More ›
News You Can Use: Introducing a Timely Intellectual Freedom Resource
There are many resources about intellectual freedom to keep school librarians informed, but are you familiar with the “Intellectual Freedom News”? It’s a weekly electronic compilation of intellectual freedom news in a variety of areas produced by interns in the American Library… Read More ›
Two ALA Committees That Worked for You and Your Students at ALA’s Midwinter Meeting
The American Library Association (ALA) holds its Midwinter Meeting annually in January, and this year it was in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of the Midwinter Meeting is to have a face-to-face time for committees, task forces, and other groups to… Read More ›
Keeping the Flame Alive: 50th Anniversary of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom
Established in 1967, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is fifty years old in 2017. Although you may imagine a large suite of offices with a big staff, that is not the case. OIF is manned by five dedicated individuals… Read More ›
Give a Gift That Counts!
Gift giving is part of the tradition of the holiday season, whether you celebrate St. Nicholas Day, Christmas, Hanukkah, Milad un Nabi, or Kwanzaa. If you support the freedom to read and access information in libraries in all formats, consider… Read More ›
ALA in Orlando: Conference Kaleidoscope
Because of the mass shooting at the Pulse night club in Orlando, my memories of ALA’s Annual Conference in Orlando will always be rainbow hued. Attendees wore rainbow ribbons and black arm bands provided by the Task Force on Equity,… Read More ›