Public relations and intellectual freedom intersected at the American Library Association’s Midwinter Meeting, held January 12–17 in Washington, D.C. ALA unveiled a new public-awareness campaign while strategizing with attorneys over how to challenge the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) passed by Congress December 21.
ALA’s Executive Board voted to initiate litigation to challenge both CIPA and the Neighborhood Children’s Internet Protection Act, legislation that mandates filtering for libraries and schools that receive federal funding for Internet access. ALA does not endorse the use of filters because they block constitutionally protected material. The public awareness campaign, “@ your library,” is being launched, in part, to advance the notion that librarians are the best search engines and public libraries remain free and safe places in which to read and learn.
In other actions, the Association’s governing Council passed a sweeping policy on library services for people with disabilities, which includes recommendations for how libraries can further extend open access.
The conference attracted 13,291 people to the nation’s capitol. Larry Irving, former assistant secretary of commerce, addressed the President’s Program. A full report will appear in a forthcoming American Libraries Online and the March issue of American Libraries.
Posted January 22, 2001.