Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF)

First survey of its kind confirms national bipartisan support for the freedom to read

CHICAGO — Privacy is a core value of librarianship, but what does it mean to put privacy in action in the library? Wading through suggested best practices, technology requirements, and the laws addressing privacy rights can be daunting and can raise more questions than answers. And the creation of ever larger datasets and methods to track users’ every movement means that library workers need to have a deep understanding of privacy, confidentiality, and security.

CHICAGO – Librarians face an increasing number of book challenges, with objections aimed specifically at the content contained in the books themselves, including LGBTQ+ content and critical race theory.

But today the objections are increasingly reaching beyond the books themselves, with the focus shifting to the personalities of the authors themselves based on activities that often go beyond the scope of what they commit to the printed page.