AAUP endorses ACRL Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries

Contact: Stephanie Sherrod


(312) 280-2515

ALA News Release


For Immediate Release


December 2000

AAUP endorses ACRL Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries

The American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Council has endorsed the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL)
Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries: An Interpretation of the “Library Bill of Rights.” Endorsed by the American Library Association (ALA) Council at the 2000 Annual Conference, the
Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries were developed by the ACRL Intellectual Freedom Committee in 1999.

“Academic freedom...is indispensable to librarians because they are trustees of knowledge with the responsibility of ensuring the availability of information and ideas, no matter how controversial, so that teachers may freely teach, and students may freely learn,” said Mary A. Burgan, general secretary of AAUP. AAUP endorsed the
Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries at its November 11, 2000 council meeting.

“We are pleased and honored to have the
Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries endorsed by AAUP,” said Laurence Miller, past chair of the ACRL Intellectual Freedom Committee, under whose leadership the principles were developed. “As the information function of academic libraries within the higher education community becomes increasingly critical, it is important for that community to reaffirm its commitment to equality of access and to intellectual freedom, in general.”

The
Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries are available on the ACRL Web site.

With more than 11,000 members, ACRL is the largest division of the American Library Association (ALA). ACRL is the only individual membership organization in North America that develops programs, products and services to meet the unique needs of academic librarians.