Contact: Nanette Perez
Office for Intellectual Freedom
312-280-4223

For Immediate Release
January 17, 2006

ALA introduces “Radical, Militant Librarian” button

(CHICAGO) In recognition of the efforts of librarians to help raise awareness of the overreaching aspects of the USA PATRIOT Act, the American Library Association (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is offering librarians an opportunity to proudly proclaim their “radical” and “militant” support for intellectual freedom, privacy, and civil liberties.

To be debuted at the 2006 ALA Midwinter Meeting (January 20-25), the white, red, and blue buttons proclaim “Radical Militant Librarian - Defending Access, Defending Privacy, Defending Freedom.” Buttons are $2.00 each during this conference. After conference, quantity discounts will be available through OIF.

ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom will sell the buttons for $2.00 (1-10 buttons); $1.50 (11-50 buttons); and $1.25 (51 or more). All proceeds support the programs of the office.

Inspiration for the button’s design came from documents obtained from the FBI by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The request revealed a series of e-mails in which FBI agents complained about the “radical, militant librarians” while criticizing the reluctance of FBI management to use the secret warrants authorized under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act. The efforts of “radical militant librarians” arguing on behalf of their users’ right to read freely, without government interference or surveillance, helped to influence the Congress in its vote to extend its debate on the renewal of the USA PATRIOT Act.

To order securely online, please visit https://www.ala.org/ala/oif/basics/basicrelatedlinks/radicalbutton.htm. To order by phone, please call 1-800-545-2433 ext. 4220.

For more information on the USA PATRIOT Act, please visit http://www.ala.org/oif/ifissues/usapatriotact.