Good-bye Banned Books Week of 2015. Libraries and bookstores will take down the yellow caution tape. Fahrenheit 451 and Winnie the Pooh will be returned to the shelf. New blogs about Teen Read Week and Halloween books will be posted.

But that doesn’t mean we stop caring about intellectual freedom. You’ve heard about libraries that are blindsided by a book challenge and the community and staff are unprepared because for most libraries intellectual freedom is only one week a year.

But think about how much stronger your library will be if there is a foundation of intellectual freedom principles demonstrated in a multitude of facets all year long?

Next week, the Office for Intellectual Freedom is hosting two excellent speakers to share how to build public awareness of the right to read and why its important.

With a strong background in marketing, Susan Brown is the director of the Chapel Hill Public Library. You may be familiar with their award winning Banned Books Week Trading Cards.

Marci Merola works at the American Library Association as the director of the Office for Library Advocacy. She focuses on providing advocacy resources and tools to libraries at the state and local levels. She works to educate members and citizens on current issues and the importance of libraries, as well as integrating advocacy efforts throughout the association.

Don’t wait until Banned Books Week 2016 to think about intellectual freedom again. Join our webinar and get some great resources to build a strong library and intellectual freedom foundation in your community.

Register: www.ala.org/advocacy/advocating4if 

Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2015 

• 2:00 PM-3:00 PM (Eastern)
• 1:00 PM-2:00 PM (Central)
• 12:00 PM-1:00 PM (Mountain)
• 11:00 AM-12:00 PM (Pacific)