Intellectual Freedom News 1/5/2021
Be the Change: How to Support BIPOC Librarians and Writers of Color | “Although there is no one way to support emerging BIPOC librarians, we can all agree: It is transformative when you exercise the opportunity to do so. If you want to support social justice and intellectual freedom education, the “Be the Change” Book Bundle is for you. Revenues from the “Be the Change” eBook Bundle will go to ALA general fund initiatives, including the Spectrum Scholarship Program.”
IFRT Member Spotlight – Kristin Anderson
Find out which banned character Kristin Anderson, IFRT Director-at-Large would meet.
Remember to Report Censorship for 2020!
If there was any instance this year in which you asked yourself, “Is this censorship?” then you should report it to the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom by New Years Eve. If it made your library spidey senses tingle, it is probably worth a report. Read on for more information on what censorship looked like in 2020.
Happy Birthday David Sedaris!
David Sedaris was born on this day in 1956. He is an award winning author and comedian, and he is a regular, longtime contributor to The New Yorker and the National Public Radio (NPR) show This American Life. His essays are known for their satirical and self-deprecating humor, and read like diary entries (which many of them are), a window into Sedaris’ clever mind.
Happy Birthday, Sandra Cisneros
Author, poet, and artist Sandra Cisneros celebrates her birthday today.
Be the Change: How to Support BIPOC Librarians and Writers of Color
Although there is no one way to support emerging BIPOC librarians, we can all agree: It is transformative when you exercise the opportunity to do so. If you want to support social justice and intellectual freedom education, the “Be the Change” Book Bundle is for you. Revenues from the “Be the Change” eBook Bundle will go to ALA general fund initiatives, including the Spectrum Scholarship Program.
Updated! Access to Digital Resources and Services Q&A
On November 16th, members of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee voted and approved the document “Access to Digital Resources and Services Q&A.”
Intellectual Freedom News 12/11/2020
Should I Report Censorship? “By reporting censorship incidents, you can help to identify trends in censorship cases and document responses and solutions to censorship. All the data is processed to release the Top 10 Most Challenged Books on the Monday of National Library Week in April. While OIF knows that many challenges are never reported, we strive to be as comprehensive as possible. Then when a library worker or teacher needs support, we have an arsenal of tools, experts, training and legal knowledge.”
What Trump Taught Us: If You’re Going to Do It, Do It Right (User-Generated Content in Library Discovery Systems)
A how-to overview for libraries adopting discovery systems that include user-generated content like reviews or comments, with special attention to implications of recent litigation against @theRealDonaldTrump twitter account.
Library Access Beyond English
Access is part of the intellectual freedom equation. Whether access is impaired by economic inequalities, print disabilities, physical challenges, or language differences, librarians should work to dismantle barriers.