From Principles to Practice: Building Censorship Resistant Library Policies
Session Description
Policies are more than paperwork; they are the everyday expression of a library’s values. In a time of increasing book challenges and scrutiny of library programs, strong policies can mean the difference between panic and preparedness. This session draws on insights from the 11th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual to help participants translate intellectual freedom principles into clear, defensible policies that work in real-world settings. Presenters will share examples of policy language that has successfully withstood challenges, discuss common pitfalls that weaken policy protections, and offer approaches for aligning policy with community needs and governing expectations. Whether you are starting from scratch or refining existing documents, you will leave with practical tools to ensure your library is ready before the next challenge arrives.
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Learning Outcomes
- Evaluate existing policies for alignment with intellectual freedom principles.
- Draft or update policies to better withstand material, program, or display challenges.
- Communicate the purpose and value of these policies to boards, staff, and community members.
Presenter: Cathi Fuhrman
Dr. Cathi Fuhrman recently retired from the State College Area HS after 31 years as a school librarian and Library Department supervisor in Pennsylvania. She now adjuncts at Antioch University/Seattle in their School Library Media Endorsement Program. She is a past president of the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA), co-chairs its Intellectual Freedom Task Group and is the Project Director for Read for Liberty PA, Helpline for Intellectual Freedom. Dr. Fuhrman received the 2024 AASL Intellectual Freedom Award for fighting censorship and creating a rapid response team to support school librarians, students, and communities in Pennsylvania. PSLA also won the 2024 ALA Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Award for the work of the PSLA Intellectual Freedom Task Group. Dr. Fuhrman chairs the AASL State Policy Training Task Force and is a former AASL Board Director and former AASL Chapter Assembly Chair. She is a member of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table and is serving on the IFRT Developing Issues Committee. Dr. Fuhrman currently serves as a Councilor at Large for ALA.
Presenter: Erin Jones
Erin Jones is the equitable libraries division director for Alameda County Library in California. She is a fierce advocate for intellectual freedom and privacy. Jones previously led the Privacy Subcommittee of the ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee and co-led the teams that developed Article VII of the Library Bill of Rights and the Core Values of Librarianship. She currently serves as a trustee for the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund. Her work has been honored with the California Library Association’s Zoia Horn Award in both 2016 and 2021. She is the editor of the eleventh edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual (2026), and also a coeditor of the Ultimate Privacy Field Guide (2022).
