Intellectual Freedom Blog

The American Library Association (ALA) and a coalition of more than 25 groups are banding together to empower individuals and communities to fight censorship and protect the freedom to read. Organizations including the American Federation of Teachers and the Authors Guild have joined the association’s Unite Against Book Bans campaign to raise awareness about the recent rise in book challenges in public libraries and schools. #UniteAgainstBookBans

ALA announces Ukraine Library Relief Fund. In cities and towns throughout Ukraine, dozens of libraries have been severely damaged or destroyed. Librarians have kept libraries open for as long as possible and are improvising to bring services to people. Kreminna City Library offered services a couple of hours a week as street fighting raged. And in Kharkiv, a library was organized in the metropolitan transit system where families were taking shelter. Funds raised will help purchase computers, software, and other resources. Donations will also help support immediate repair needs such as glazing windows and repairing roofs damaged by bombing to keep libraries open. ULA will provide small amounts of support for librarians and library workers who are in harm’s way, wounded, or displaced and need of financial assistance. ALA will send donations to ULA once a month.

Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes grants for organizations to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during the annual Banned Books Weeks celebration (September 18 – 24, 2022). Staff at all types of libraries, schools, universities, and non-profit community organizations are encouraged to apply. Grants are awarded for $1,000 and applications are accepted now through June 6, 2022.

Banned Books Week is September 18 – 24, 2022.

Books unite us. Books encourage boundless exploration and allow readers to spread their wings. Stories give flight to new ideas and perspectives. Reading—especially books that set us free—expands our worldview. Censorship, on the other hand, locks away our freedom and divides us from humanity in our own cages.

“The loudest voices often are the voices that are heard. And if there aren’t any voices to counter those loud voices, it’s easy for elected officials to assume that that represents a prevailing opinion.” OIF Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone. #UniteAgainstBookBans

Voters overwhelmingly agree: we need to protect young people’s ability to have access to books from which they can learn about and understand different perspectives, rather than protect them from books they might find upsetting. #UniteAgainstBookBans http://uniteagainstbookbans.org

“Ms. Lesley’s commitment to intellectual freedom, her community, and her staff is second to none,” said Conrrado Saldivar, President of the Wyoming Library Association. “Her resolve and defense of library materials has been an inspiration to all library staff in Wyoming and ensures that her community can continue having a robust exchange of ideas and opinions.”

A new national poll commissioned by the American Library Association (ALA) is the first to approach the issue of book bans through the lenses of public and school libraries. It also found near-universal high regard for librarians and recognition of the critical role that public and school libraries play in their communities.
The findings demonstrate that, far from being a partisan issue, book bans are opposed by large majorities of voters of all parties. The value of libraries and librarians has similar bipartisan support, with strong majorities of voters voicing confidence in libraries and favorability toward librarians.

The American Library Association (ALA) and the nation will celebrate National Library Week from April 3-9, 2022. This year’s theme is “Connect with Your Library.”

The freedom to read is essential to holding together the fabric of our democracy. Our nation’s libraries are on the front lines, protecting that freedom in the face of threats from groups that would remove or limit access to reading materials and censor content in schools, all in the name of “protecting” our nation’s children from “dangerous” ideas.

The American Library Association (ALA) and the nation will celebrate National Library Week from April 3-9, 2022. This year’s theme is “Connect with Your Library.”

“Libraries represent values that are core to democracy. Trained and certified librarians and library workers provide services and collections that inform, engage, illuminate and help people of all ages learn more about the world around them.” by Patty Wong, ALA President in “Your Librarian Wants to Challenge, Not Ban” in the New York Times.