Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award

About the Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award The Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award  is given to the most innovative and effective intellectual freedom project covering a state or region. 

From 1984-2009, the State and Regional Intellectual Freedom Achievement Award was given to the most innovative and effective intellectual freedom project covering a state or region. Projects could be one-time, one-year or ongoing/multi-year efforts. The award consisted of a citation and $1,000. The award was underwritten first by SIRS, then by ProQuest/SIRS.

 

Gerald Hodges joined the ALA staff in 1989 as Director of Membership Services and the Chapter Relations Office. At his death in 2006, he was the Associate Director of Communications and Marketing, but his passion was still Intellectual Freedom and Chapter Relations. Hodges willed a portion of his estate to establish the Gerald Hodges Fund in support of intellectual freedom. Memorial contributions to that fund also came from many friends and colleagues. In 2013, it was decided that the most appropriate use of that fund would be to re-institute the former "State and Regional Intellectual Freedom Achievement Award" as the "Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award."  

Administered by:

American Library Association logoWinner imageIntellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) logo

Award and Frequency

The award consists of a citation and $1,000 .

This award is given out on an annual basis.

Applicant Responsibility

The award consists of a citation and $1,000 .

Application Instructions

 Nominations for the inaugural Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award must be received by May 12, 2014.  Nominations and supporting evidence should be sent via email, fax, or mail to: Shumeca Pickett, ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Fax: 312-280-4227. E-mail: spickett@ala.org.  Questions? Call 312-280-4220 or 800-545-2433, ext. 4220Nomination form

Nominations for the Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award must be received by May 12, 2014. Nominations and supporting evidence should be sent via email, fax, or mail to: Shumeca Pickett, ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Fax: 312-280-4227. E-mail: spickett@ala.org. Questions? Call 312-280-4220 or 800-545-2433, ext. 4220. 

 

Contact Information

Matthew C. Sylvain (Chair, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024)
Leanne Marie Cheek (Member, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Ms. Cynthia M. M Dudenhoffer (Director-at-Large, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024)
Cyndi M. Robinson (Member, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025)
Matthew C. Sylvain (Member, July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024)
Deborah Caldwell-Stone (Staff Liaison, June 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025) - dstone@ala.org
American Library Association
225 N Michigan Ave Ste 1300
Chicago, IL 60601-7616

Karen Gianni (Staff Liaison, June 1, 2022, to June 30, 2025) - kgianni@ala.org
Freedom to Read Foundation
225 N Michigan Ave Ste 1300
Chicago, IL 60601-7616

Betsy Gomez (Staff Liaison, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025) - bgomez@ala.org
American Library Association
225 N Michigan Ave Ste 1300
Chicago, IL 60601-7616

Aimee Strittmatter (Staff Liaison, July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025) - aimees@ala.org
Work Phone: (773) 704-4221
Fax: (312) 280-5271
American Library Association
225 N Michigan Ave Ste 1300
Chicago, IL 60601-7616

Displaying active committee roster as of 03/19/2024. Last retrieved on 03/19/2024. Members can log in and refresh page to view full contact information for committee members.

Selection Criteria

  • An ALA chapter or other qualified organization has been unusually successful in coalition-building so that allied groups are marshaled effectively to support intellectual freedom at the national, state or regional level.

  • An ALA chapter or other qualified organization has done an exemplary PR task in promoting awareness of intellectual freedom issues at the national, state or region level. 

  • A project has been effective in recruiting activists within and outside of librarianship to work on intellectual freedom projects.

  • A structure has been conceived that markedly enhances the continuity and effectiveness of the organization's efforts in intellectual freedom.

  • A chapter, etc. has succeeded in galvanizing to an unusual extent support for intellectual freedom within a state chapter.

  • An chapter, etc. has intervened with special effectiveness in an intellectual freedom crisis at the national, state or regional level.  Such intervention should, preferably, have resulted in a clear victory over the forces of censorship.

  •  Projects that can be generalized to other chapters, etc. will merit special attention of the Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award.