IFRT Member Spotlight – Molly Dettmann
Molly Dettmann is a Teacher Librarian at Norman North High School in Norman, OK where she loves to promote reading, inquiry, and making in her library. She is the 2021-2022 Chair of Oklahoma Library Association’s (OLA) Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Intellectual Freedom Roundtable and served as the Secretary of the OLA’s former Intellectual Freedom Committee from 2017-2020.
1. What made you want to be a part of the IFRT?
I became active in my state’s Intellectual Freedom Committee and wanted to make sure I was up on what was happening nationally with Intellectual Freedom, so I joined IFRT when time to renew my ALA membership.
2. What is your favorite part about being involved in IFRT?
I love knowing there is another group to reach out to within ALA that cares about Intellectual Freedom. I also enjoy reading up on what’s happening with Intellectual Freedom through IFRT’s listserv on ALA Connect.
3. Have you joined any IFRT programs recently? What was your favorite?
I absolutely loved IFRT’s Webinar: Frosty Windows, Frosty Mirrors. It was so informative and I appreciate that it was free and open to all to attend (and even available to people later as a recording). I shared that webinar as far and wide as I could! The topic was one that is near to my heart as a school librarian and all of the panelists with their different perspectives and experiences brought more to previous conversations and articles I’ve read on the topic. I also liked the breakout option to have discussions with other attendees!
4. If you could meet your favorite banned book character, who would you meet and why?
I would meet Celie from Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. I recently reread this book to prepare for a presentation to AP English Seniors and was reminded how Celie is just such an amazing character and this book is so beautiful and heartbreaking, but also hopeful and eye opening. It would be totally cool to meet her and tell her how meaningful her story has been to my students that have read it.
Composed by the Intellectual Freedom Round Table Publications and Communications Committee. Follow us on Twitter @IFRT_ALA.
The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) provides a forum for the discussion of activities, programs and problems in intellectual freedom of libraries and librarians; serves as a channel of communications on intellectual freedom matters; promotes a greater opportunity for involvement among the members of the ALA in defense of intellectual freedom; promotes a greater feeling of responsibility in the implementation of ALA policies on intellectual freedom.