New PLA Gordon M. Conable Award recognizes commitment to intellectual freedom

Contact: Angela Thullen


PLA, Marketing Specialist

312-280-5026

For Immediate Release

August 15, 2006

New PLA Gordon M. Conable Award recognizes


commitment to intellectual freedom

CHICAGO- The Public Library Association's (PLA) new Gordon M. Conable Award will honor a public library staff member, a library trustee, or a public library that has demonstrated a commitment to intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights.
The award consists of a $1,500 check and a commemorative plaque from the sponsor, Library Systems & Services, LLC.

The recipient of the Gordon M. Conable Award must have demonstrated a commitment to intellectual freedom and the Library Bill of Rights in various ways, including, but not limited, to the following: developed and promoted collections that include diverse points of view; provided programs that promote community dialog on controversial issues; created and nurtured an organizational climate that fosters an understanding of the Library Bill of Rights among the library staff, library board, and elected and appointed officials; initiated activities at the local, state, or national level that promote, support, or defend intellectual freedom,
the Library Bill of Rights, or the First Amendment; guaranteed open access to library materials and services for children and young adults;
guaranteed open access to electronic information; and defended library materials, programs, or services when confronted with a censorship challenge.

Nominations for the PLA Gordon M. Conable Award can be submitted through PLA's online awards application.
The deadline for nominations is December 1, 2006.

For more information on this and other PLA awards, contact the PLA office at 800-545-2433, ext. 5PLA, or visit PLA's web site at
www.pla.org.
PLA is a division of the American Library Association.