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New wave of bills targeting libraries is ‘a threat to our democracy,’ American Library Association warns

The association, founded in 1876, condemned legislation that would threaten librarians and other educators with criminal prosecution for possessing “obscene” material.
 

 

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Defend the Freedom to Read, It's Everybody's Job,www.ala.org/challengereporting

OIF designates Jan. 27, 2013 as 'Sweater Vest Sunday' to support intellectual freedom

ALA Midwinter viral campaign encourages reporting of challenges to library materials CHICAGO — ALA Midwinter 2013 attendees – and all fans of intellectual freedom – can take a stand for the freedom to read (and for fashion!) by participating in Sweater...

Oak Park students learn to distinguish fact from opinion in News Know-how news literacy project

CHICAGO — High school students, using the Oak Park (Ill.) Public Library as their “newsroom,” gained valuable lessons in distinguishing fact from opinion, as they examined news coverage of a wide range of important issues through the News Know-how news...

Students post News Know-how projects that helped them distinguish between fact and opinion in 2012 presidential campaign

CHICAGO — First-year projects completed in the News Know-how initiative that helped young people distinguish between fact and opinion in news accounts in print and online during the 2012 presidential election have been posted at www.newsknowhow.org...

Public libraries invited to seek $50,000 in training, support to help teens learn news literacy skills

CHICAGO — Public libraries and library consortia are invited to apply for more than $50,000 in training and support, in the News Know-how initiative that helps students, grades 10-12, learn skills that will help them distinguish fact from opinion , check...

Freedom to Read Foundation announces nominating committee for 2013 election

CHICAGO — The Freedom to Read Foundation ( FTRF) has announced the nominating committee for its April 2013 election. Committee members are: Judith Platt, Washington, D.C. (chair); Jonathan Bloom, New York; and Julius C. Jefferson, Jr., Washington, D.C...

Bill Moyers calls out book censors for Banned Books Week

CHICAGO — Award-winning broadcast journalist Bill Moyers discusses book banning and the harms of censorship in a new video essay to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week. Banned Books Week is an annual event sponsored by the American...

Bill & Judith Moyers are Honorary Chairs of Banned Books Week

Bill Moyers speaks out against censorship in new 30th anniversary video essay CHICAGO — Award-winning broadcast journalists Bill Moyers and Judith Davidson Moyers have been named Honorary Co-Chairs for the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week (Sept. 30 –...

Celebrate the power of literature and read a banned book

Banned Books Week is Sept. 30 – Oct. 6 CHICAGO – What would you do if you went to the library to check out a book, only to find it wasn’t there? Not because it was already checked out, but because someone else didn’t agree with its content and had it...

Poster of the 1966 film Fahrenheit 451

OIF to sponsor Fahrenheit 451 film, Wikileaks documentary at ALA Annual

CHICAGO — The American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is sponsoring two films as part of the "Now Showing @ ALA" film program at the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif. The films are free to all registered attendees of...

Judith F. Krug

Freedom to Read Foundation announces eight Judith Krug Fund grants for Banned Books Week events

CHICAGO —The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), via its Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund, has announced eight $1,000 grants to libraries, schools and other organizations in support of Banned Books Week events. Banned Books Week, which will take place Sept. 30...

Booth receives FTRF Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship

CHICAGO — The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) has named Steven Booth, an archivist with the Presidential Materials Division at the National Archives and Records Administration, the fifth recipient of the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship. The...

New documentary explores the impact of government surveillance on civil liberties for Choose Privacy Week

CHICAGO — To highlight the 2012 observance of "Choose Privacy Week," the American Library Association's (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is debuting a new short documentary, "Vanishing Liberties: The Rise of State Surveillance in the Digital...

New survey confirms librarians’ commitment to protecting privacy rights

CHICAGO - In conjunction with Choose Privacy Week, the American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) released preliminary findings from a new survey measuring librarians' views on privacy rights and protecting library users'...

Choose Privacy Week begins on May 1, 2012!

CHICAGO - Choose Privacy Week begins next week (May 1 – 7, 2012), and the ALA is offering numerous resources to help libraries take part, including online programming, a series of blog posts and a brand-new new video documentary. From April 25 through...

OIF’s Barbara Jones discusses Choose Privacy Week

CHICAGO — Barbara Jones, executive director of the ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF), highlights the importance of privacy rights in today’s digital age with a new video podcast in honor of Choose Privacy Week, May 1 – 7, 2012. Now in its third...