1.0ALSC Bloghttps://www.alsc.ala.org/blogALSC Intellectual Freedom committeehttps://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/author/intellectual-freedom-committee/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="pF98JfF2dd"><a href="https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2013/07/the-power-of-the-pickle-buck/">The Power of the Pickle Buck</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/2013/07/the-power-of-the-pickle-buck/embed/#?secret=pF98JfF2dd" width="600" height="338" title="“The Power of the Pickle Buck” — ALSC Blog" data-secret="pF98JfF2dd" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://www.alsc.ala.org/blog/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> Thank you to ALSC Intellectual Freedom committee, particularly Chair Heather Acerro, for arranging for Susan Linn to speak at ALA Annual in June. Susan’s presentation was welcome inspiration in the uphill struggle we librarians face in protecting our patron’s intellectual freedom. Susan spoke in particular on the thorny subject of sponsorship. The audience heard that research into child brain development points to creative play being vital for proper brain development. However, the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (which was cofounded by Susan) calls into question whether the ubiquitousness of the likes of Dora the Explorer and SpongeBob Squarepants in the lives of children, even on our bookshelves, is hindering creativity. Susan explained that when children’s play involves these characters, instead of say, a sock puppet, creative play is inevitably stymied. When play elements are less defined, less pre-conceived, and open to choice, children have the opportunity to create wonderful...