On Thursday, April 3rd the ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee held a We Are ALSC Chat titled “Solidarity in the Face of Censorship: Meeting You Where You Are”. A representative from the Office for Intellectual Freedom, Sarah Lamdan, graciously joined the discussion to offer advice and answer questions. The ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee would like to thank all those who attended and share the brilliant notes taken by IFC member Judy Ehrenstein. Question: What is OIF hearing? Is there any good news? There is good news! When challenges go to court, IF frequently wins. A judge ruled against the removal of books in the Elizabeth, CO school district, and all removed items had to be returned to shelves. https://www.cpr.org/2025/04/04/judge-orders-elizabeth-school-district-return-banned-books/ Litigation is the last step and is expensive and takes time. Groups such as the ACLU, NAACP, and the Legal Defense Fund have been supportive of libraries in cases of book bans….
Tag: Intellectual Freedom Committee
Solidarity in the Face of Censorship: Meeting You Where You Are
Are you a librarian or supporter of the freedom to read with concerns about current attacks on intellectual freedom and how they affect front-line library staff? The ALSC Intellectual Freedom Committee hopes to alleviate some concerns for librarians and other staff about attacks on the Library Bill of Rights. All are invited to join a live We are ALSC Chat on Thursday, April 3, at 8 p.m. EST/7 p.m. CST. A representative from ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom (ALA-OIF) will answer questions about how libraries can prepare for challenges and how to respond to current challenges from state governments and local residents. Click here to register. We hope to see you there! Featured image courtesy of ALSC
Let Parents Parent Their Own Kids
When a book is banned, we know that perspectives, information, and a view of a wider world has been made inaccessible, often to children. The ability to see others and themselves is erased and the message is that something is so unacceptable that no one should read it. These “concerned citizens” seek to protect kids from what scares them, challenges their beliefs, or keep them away from what they deem “inappropriate”. It’s about power and paternalism. The message is “we know better than you what is good for your kids.” When speaking with someone making a complaint, I mention that it is the job of individual parents to make decisions about what their own children read. It is not my job to affix LGBTQ warning labels on books, as one parent wanted, because she didn’t like having to discuss gender and sexuality with her child. Nor is it the job…
Book Displays: An Act of Courage, A Time to Listen
It takes courage to purchase books that could become controversial. And it takes even more courage to place them on a prominent display. You could, of course, keep these titles in their categorized place on the library’s shelves, with nothing drawing attention to them, or off in the corner, where only those walking by might see them. That way, you might think, those who need them can find them if they make the effort—the books are available—and you’re also not opening yourself up to a range of complaints. But the truth is that those who feel marginalized in our world may not know how to find the books they need, or they may be afraid to ask. Bright and inclusive displays highlight the collection and, more importantly, welcome those feeling alone with a big, literary hug. At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, we purchased what books we could…
And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming
After a nice long Summer respite, the Intellectual Freedom Committee is excited to get back to blogging and to have a meeting on the calendar! The committee will be meeting on Tuesday, September 17th at 4 pm Eastern Time. Meetings are open to all ALSC members so feel free to join! Committee meetings cover an array of topics and we always encourage dialogue on current events. Are you struggling with quiet censorship or challenges to programming? This month Banned Books Week is September 22nd-28th. Does your library have any plans? Have any title suggestions for a Banned Books storytime? Or maybe you just read an amazing book about banned books and need to let everyone know? Join the committee as we discuss these topics and more next Tuesday. We look forward to seeing you! Today’s blog post was written by Caitlin Tormey, Librarian, Sacramento Public Library on behalf of the ALSC…
Children’s Books about Banning
Children’s books about banning
More Impactful Programs Coming Up at the 2023 ALA Annual Conference
Amazingly, this year’s ALA Annual Conference is now mere weeks away! To build on the great recent post by the Program Coordinating Committee on what to look forward to however you are engaging, here are some recommendations from our Intellectual Freedom Committee on sessions that will be helpful to all of us in dealing with the difficult situations this challenging time presents. A Rally for the Right to Read: Uniting for Libraries & Intellectual Freedom Thursday, June 22, 6:00-9:00 pm, Hilton Chicago-Boulevard Room Join us to honor the courage and resilience of America’s librarians and their persevering work to protect the freedom to read. Beginning at 6 pm, program attendees will hear from inspiring speakers and recognize the 2023 recipients of the FTRF Roll of Honor Award, the Eli M. Oboler Award, the Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award and the John Phillip Immroth Award. At 8 pm, a…
The Freedom to be Scared!
When doing outreach for grade school children my favorite books to book talk often come from a genre that is frequently challenged: Horror! It’s a delight to discuss scary stories because these conversations reveal how children are their own best selectors and even censors when they are given the ability to choose what they read.