About the Office for Intellectual Freedom
| How to Contact OIF Staff |
| History, Authorship, and Purpose of the OIF Web Site |
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www.freeexpression.org
Mission Statement
Established December 1, 1967, the Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association’s basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries.
The Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is responsible for developing, recommending, and maintaining a total intellectual freedom program for the American Library Association (ALA). In doing so, OIF offers several services for individual members and ALA divisions who are working behind the scenes, and on the front line, to protect the public's right to read.
OIF provides advisory services and assistance to librarians facing challenges to library materials-regardless of format. These services include helping librarians develop policies that safeguard the rights of their patrons and supporting librarians confronting challenges. In a straightforward book challenge, OIF will provide book reviews, information on previous challenges to the title, and biographical information on the author, along with tips for dealing with challenges, forming a review committee, and conducting a challenge hearing. OIF also provides advisory services and support, tailored to specific circumstances. For example, OIF has drafted op-eds and letters to the editor, prepared testimony and provided local and national experts to support individual libraries.
OIF supports the division intellectual freedom committees by maintaining contact with the committee chairs and functioning as a liaison between the division Intellectual Freedom Committees (IFC), the ALA IFC, the state IFCs and the broader intellectual freedom community. OIF staff attends division IFC meetings in order to facilitate communication, and update division IFCs on OIF activities. OIF also assists division intellectual freedom committees' planning programs, drafting documents, and preparing publications.
Each year OIF observes Banned Books Week during the last week of September. Observed since 1982, the annual event celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them.
Educational Goals
In order to meet its educational goals, the Office undertakes information, support and coordination activities.
Information activities consist of distributing materials, including the Library Bill of Rights and its Interpretations; preparing regular publications, including the bimonthly Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom, and special publications, such as the Banned Books Week Resource Book, Censorship and Selection: Issues and Answers for Schools (second edition), the Intellectual Freedom Manual (6th edition available in 2001), special continuing education materials such as Confidentiality in Libraries: An Intellectual Freedom Modular Education Program; and miscellaneous bibliographies; accepting speaking engagements; presenting training workshops; giving interviews to news media; and maintaining the OIF exhibits on banned books.
Support activities include provision of advisory services and assistance in regard to actual or potential intellectual freedom problems; and the administration of the Freedom to Read Foundation and the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund.
Coordination activities include serving as liaison to the Intellectual Freedom Committee, the unit which recommends to Council policy regarding intellectual freedom; maintaining working relationships with division intellectual freedom committees, including development of the main Annual Conference intellectual freedom program co-sponsored by all division intellectual freedom units, the Intellectual Freedom Round Table, and the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee; coordinating the activities of state intellectual freedom committees; making available information about national, state, and local legislation pertinent to intellectual freedom; and cooperating with other organizations whose intellectual freedom positions are similar to ALA’s.
The Office has established the Intellectual Freedom Action Network. Network members will act as eyes and ears for intellectual freedom: keeping the Office up to date on activities in their community, supporting colleagues who are facing censorship challenges, and building support for intellectual freedom.
The Office is charged to work with the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee to recommend, develop, and maintain a total intellectual freedom program for ALA.
IFFORUM is an unmoderated discussion list from the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom. Intellectual freedom news and current issues are posted and discussed.
To SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE to IFFORUM, just follow these simple steps:
1. Go to lists.ala.org <http://lists.ala.org/>;
2. Enter "ifforum" in the Search lists box; or click view all lists, and search for ifforum@ala.org;
3. Click ifforum@ala.org;
4. Click Subscribe or Unsubscribe;
5. Enter your email address and click Submit. A welcome message with your password will be sent to you. If these steps don't work, or you need other assistance, contact the Office for Intellectual Freedom at oif@ala.org.
To manage your subscription, please point your Web browser to http://lists.ala.org/wws. If you are not already a member of any Sympa list, you can click on "send me a password," and provide your e-mail address (please use the exact address form which you subscribed to this list), and one will be sent to you. Once logged in, you can turn your subscriptions on and off. Those of you who were subscribed in digest mode will need to reestablish your digest setting, since that could not carry over with the list move. Digest mode is available through the Subscriber Options link under "Reception mode." If problems, please contact Matthew Ivaliotes, Internet Administrator, Information Technology and Telecommunications Services, American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611; mivaliotes@ala.org
IFACTION is a news-only, no-discussion e-list of the Intellectual Freedom Action Network (IFAN) and the Office for Intellectual Freedom. Several intellectual freedom news items are posted daily.
To SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE to IFACTION, just follow these simple steps:
1. Go to lists.ala.org <http://lists.ala.org/>;
2. Enter "ifaction" in the Search lists box; or click view all lists, and search for ifforum@ala.org;
3. Click ifaction@ala.org;
4. Click Subscribe or Unsubscribe;
5. Enter your email address and click Submit. A welcome message with your password will be sent to you. If these steps don't work, or you need other assistance, contact the Office for Intellectual Freedom at oif@ala.org.
To manage your subscription, please point your Web browser to http://lists.ala.org/wws. If you are not already a member of any Sympa list, you can click on "send me a password," and provide your e-mail address (please use the exact address form which you subscribed to this list), and one will be sent to you. Once logged in, you can turn your subscriptions on and off. Those of you who were subscribed in digest mode will need to reestablish your digest setting, since that could not carry over with the list move. Digest mode is available through the Subscriber Options link under "Reception mode." If problems, please contact Matthew Ivaliotes, Internet Administrator, Information Technology and Telecommunications Services, American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611; mivaliotes@ala.org
IFAN volunteers are asked to help OIF by:
- Reading the local newspapers and watching local TV programs for incidents of censorship, and reporting them to OIF.
- Monitoring e-lists and computer bulletin boards, looking for incidents of censorship and information on pressure groups forming in their areas, and reporting this information to OIF.
- Lending support to someone facing a challenge.
- Responding to requests from OIF for support on controversies in your area.
- Telling others about the Intellectual Freedom Action Network.
For additional information on how to volunteer, see the IFAN Web site.
How to Contact OIF Staff
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Office for Intellectual Freedom
50 East Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60611
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4223
Fax: 312-280-4227
oif@ala.org; http://www.ala.org/oif
Judith F. Krug
Director
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4222
Fax: 312-280-4227
jkrug@ala.org
Deborah Caldwell-Stone
Deputy Director
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4224
Fax: 312-280-4227
dstone@ala.org
Associate Director (Vacant)
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4223
Fax: 312-280-4227
Nanette Perez
Program Officer
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4225
Fax: 312-280-4227
nperez@ala.org
Jonathan Kelley
Program Coordinator
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4221
Fax: 312-280-4227
jkelley@ala.org
Program Coordinator (Vacant)
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4223
Fax: 312-280-4227
Bryan Campbell
Administrative Assistant
Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4220
Fax: 312-280-4227
bcampbell@ala.org
History, Authorship, and Purpose of the OIF Web Site
When was the Office for Intellectual Freedom Web page created?
The first Web page was created in 1996; by the summer of 1997, OIF's Web presence was beginning to emerge.
Who is the author?
The OIF Program Officer/Communications is responsible for creating, mounting, and maintaining the pages on the OIF Web site. However, the “author” would be all staff members of the Office for Intellectual Freedom and all groups associated with our office (e.g., the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee, Intellectual Freedom Round Table, Committee on Professional Ethics). Mail comments on OIF Web site to nperez@ala.org.
What is the purpose of the Office for Intellectual Freedom Web page and who is the primary audience?
The Web site provides information and resources for librarians and the general public and helps fulfill the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom's mission:
The Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association's basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries.
The primary audience is composed of librarians and the general public.
Links to non-ALA sites have been provided because these sites may have information of interest. Neither the American Library Association nor the Office for Intellectual Freedom necessarily endorses the views expressed or the facts presented on these sites; and furthermore, ALA and OIF do not endorse any commercial products that may be advertised or available on these sites.
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