The Iranian Protests Are a Reminder of the Need for Praise of Salman Rushdie
We in libraries can do nothing to ameliorate Mr. Rushdie’s physical pain. We can and should, however, proudly display and recommend his works. To support Mr. Rushdie and to celebrate his works is not to attack a religion. It is only to excoriate, as we should, the mindless and soulless adherence to the wrong-headed, hateful, and evil interpretation of a religion promulgated by mere–and mistaken–men.
Rhode Island School Librarian Speaks Out at School Committee Meeting
Lisa Gerard defended students’ freedom to read at a school committee meeting this past June. Gender, police, and racism were at the core of the book challenges.
Intellectual Freedom News 9/24/2022
ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and a basic right in our democratic society. A publicly supported library provides free, equitable, and confidential access to information for all people of its community.
IRFT Member Spotlight – Dorcas Hand
Dorcas Hand is a retired school librarian who faced a few materials challenges during her career, but none that reached the level of current events. She currently holds a seat on the board of the Freedom to Read Foundation and serves as the Retired Members Round Table liaison to the ALA Committee on Library Advocacy (COLA). Dorcas co-chairs the COLA Ecosystem Initiative Subcommittee and is the ALA Chapter Councilor for Texas.
Banned Book Week Ideas for Rural Libraries
While book banning is a growing trend nationwide, the majority of successful book bans happening right now seem to be occurring in rural areas (both fringe and remote rural) as well as some suburban areas. The initiatives and toolkits presently available for all librarians are great, but they are created by urban LIS professionals and best-suited for urban and suburban audiences. The current rhetoric used in these one-size-fits-all toolkits may not be effective in rural areas.
Intellectual Freedom News 9/16/2022
ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and a basic right in our democratic society. A publicly supported library provides free, equitable, and confidential access to information for all people of its community.
Intellectual Freedom News 9/9/2022
ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and a basic right in our democratic society. A publicly supported library provides free, equitable, and confidential access to information for all people of its community.
E-Course on the First Amendment and Library Services Begins September 12
The First Amendment and Library Services, brought to you by Theresa Chmara, ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions, and the Office for Intellectual Freedom, will introduce you to the legal principles behind the First Amendment, their practical implications in daily life, and how those principles affect library work.
Intellectual Freedom News 9/2/2022
ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and a basic right in our democratic society. A publicly supported library provides free, equitable, and confidential access to information for all people of its community.
Intellectual Freedom News 8/26/2022
ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and a basic right in our democratic society. A publicly supported library provides free, equitable, and confidential access to information for all people of its community.