Utah Library Association IFC receives the 2013 Gerald Hodges IF Chapter Relations Award

The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) announces that the Utah Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee is the recipient of the 2013 Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award.

The Intellectual Freedom Committee of the Utah Library Association built “a strong Intellectual Freedom cohort in the State of Utah. In one year they had a fivefold increase in membership, developed and implemented training programs, successfully assisted in fighting a highly publicized banned book situation, publicized Intellectual Freedom issues, developed relationships with community organizations; recruited students, new graduates and paraprofessionals, and forged bonds and closer relationships as a committee.” Barbara Pickell, Hodges Award chair said, “The achievements of the Utah Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee epitomize the values and goals that are recognized by the Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award.”

The Hodges Award recognizes an intellectual freedom-focused organization that has developed a strong multi-year, ongoing program or a single, one-year project that exemplifies support for Intellectual Freedom, patron confidentiality and anti-censorship efforts. The award, named after Gerald Hodges, who joined the ALA staff in 1989 as director of membership services and the Chapter Relations Office, consists of $1,000 and a citation. Hodges was the associate director of communications and marketing at his death in 2006, but intellectual freedom and chapter relations were still his passions. A charter member of the ALA Legacy Society, he willed a portion of his estate to support ALA's intellectual freedom efforts. Memorial contributions in recognition of Hodges came from many friends, colleagues and ALA chapters following the establishment of the Gerald Hodges Fund.

This is the first year the award was given in his honor and will be presented at the IFRT 40^th anniversary celebration. Come join the IFRT from 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2013 at the magnificent Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St. at Michigan Ave., Chicago) for the celebration. The evening will include live music, building tours, delicious edibles, and signature libations.

Tickets for the celebration are $30 for IFRT members, $40 for non-members and $20 for students. To purchase a ticket, just visit http://ala13.ala.org by June 24 and go through the Annual Conference registration site. If you already have registered for the Annual Conference, you can just add this ticketed event. Note: if you do not want to attend the rest of the conference, you can purchase tickets just for this event. Just begin the registration process and then select “Ticketed Events.” Tickets will not be available at the door.

In celebrating the 40th anniversary, IFRT will also celebrate our first chair of the Round Table, John Phillip Immroth (1973–1974). Proceeds from the 40th anniversary celebration will go to increase the endowment of the John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award. You can help. Your event sponsorship donation of $100, $250 or $500 will help to continue this prestigious award for many years to come. This year’s Immroth award winner, Amnesty International, will also be presented at the celebration. The bulk of your sponsorship
donation is tax-deductible. To become a sponsor of the IFRT 40^th anniversary celebration, contact Shumeca Pickett at spickett@ala.org or (312) 280-4220. 

Nominations Sought for IFRT Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award

The ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) is seeking nominations for the inaugural Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award.  The award will be presented, along with the Immroth Award, atIFRT’s 40^th Anniversary Celebration, to be held on Friday, June 28, 2013, in conjunction with

the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.                                

The deadline for nominations is Monday, May 13, 2013.  The nomination form can be found at http://www.ala.org/ifrt/awardsfinal/hodges/hodges. 

The Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award will recognize an Intellectual Freedom focused organization that has developed a strong multi-year, ongoing program or a single, one-year project that exemplifies support for Intellectual Freedom, patron confidentiality and anti-censorship efforts. ALAChapters (state, regional, and student), Divisions, Round Tables and Affiliates (including division affiliates) will be eligible for the award.

The award consists of a citation and $1,000 from the ALA Gerald Hodges Fund, established following Hodges’ death in 2006.

Gerald Hodges joined the ALA staff in 1989 as director of membership services and the Chapter Relations Office.  At his death in 2006, he was the associate director of communications and marketing, but his passion was still Intellectual Freedom and Chapter Relations.  A charter member of the ALA Legacy Society, Hodges willed a portion of his estate to support ALA's intellectual freedom efforts. Memorial contributions in recognition of Hodges came from many friends, colleagues and ALA chapters following the establishment of the Gerald Hodges Fund.

ALA’s use of this Fund to support this award commemorates Hodges’s twin passions for intellectual freedom and the powerful capabilities of ALA’s chapters.  The award takes the place of the IFRT State and Regional Intellectual Freedom Achievement Award, which from 1984–2009 was given to the most innovative and effective intellectual freedom project covering a state or region.  

Nominations and supporting evidence for the Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award must be received by May 13, 2013.  Nominations and supporting evidence should be sent via email, fax, or mail to: Shumeca Pickett, ALA, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Fax: 312-280-4227. E-mail: spickett@ala.org.  Questions? Call 312-280-4220 or 800-545-2433, ext. 4220.

Information on all IFRT intellectual awards can be found at http://www.ala.org/ifrt/awardsfinal.

Amnesty International USA receives the 2013 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award

The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) of the American Library Association (ALA) announces that Amnesty International USA is the recipient of the 2013 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award.

Amnesty International USA has supported intellectual freedom for 52 years.

“Of special recognition is Amnesty International’s approach to Banned Books Week, said Immroth Award Chair Charles Kratz. Rather than focusing on book censorship, per se, Amnesty International’s approach focused on the logical consequences that would follow when governments are allowed to censor. Beyond the removal or burning of books comes the removal and physical harm to authors, journalists and others.

This year’s award will be presented at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table. In celebrating the 40th anniversary, IFRT will also celebrate our first chair of the Round Table, John Phillip Immroth (1973–1974). Come join the IFRT from 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2013 at the magnificent Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St. at Michigan Ave., Chicago) for the celebration. Refreshments, including signature cocktails, will be served.

The John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award honors intellectual freedom fighters in and outside the library profession who have demonstrated remarkable personal courage in resisting censorship. The award consists of $500 and a citation. Individuals, a group of individuals or an organization are eligible for the award. The award was first presented in 1976.

Tickets for the celebration are $30 for IFRT members and $40 for non-members. To purchase a ticket, just visit http://ala13.ala.org and go through the Annual Conference registration site. If you already have registered for the Annual Conference, you can just add this ticketed event. Note: if you do not want to attend the rest of the conference, you can purchase tickets just for this event. Just begin the registration process and then select “Ticketed Events.”

Proceeds from the 40th anniversary celebration will go to increase the endowment of the John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award.  You can help. Your event sponsorship donation of $100, $250 or $500 will help to continue this prestigious award for many years to come. The bulk of your sponsorship donation is tax-deductible. To become a sponsor of the IFRT 40^th anniversary celebration, contact Shumeca Pickett at spickett@ala.org or (312) 280-4220.

Judith Krug Fund Banned Books Week event grants now open

Applications for 2013 Judith Krug Fund Banned Books Week event grants now open

CHICAGO—Applications are now open for the 2013 Judith F.Krug Memorial Fund Banned Books Week event grants, sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF). Grants in the amounts of $2,500 and $1,000 will be given to organizations in support of "Read-Outs” or other activities that celebrate Banned Books Week (Sept. 22 – 30, 2013).

Applications for the grants will be accepted through April 30, 2013, and the announcements will be made in June.

The Freedom to Read Foundation - the First Amendment legal defense affiliate of the American Library Association - is an official sponsor of Banned Books Week.

This is the fourth year Krug Fund grants will be given. Eight organizations received grants in 2012, six in 2011 and seven in 2010 . A compilation video of 2012 recipients can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPK0e1KMgeg. Photos from all 21 projects are available at www.facebook.com/freedomtoread, and additional information about all the funded events is at www.ftrf.org/?Krug_BBW.

Organizations are required to submit an event description, timeline and budget with their application; they also will agree to provide a written report, photos and video from their event(s) toFTRFfollowing Banned Books Week.Only not-for-profit organizations may apply. They need not have official 501(c) 3 status. Krug Fund grants cannot be used to buy computer hardware.

Going forward beginning in 2013, organizations may only be awarded grants twice within a six-year period.

For more information on Banned Books Week, challenges to materials in libraries and schools and resources for combating censorship, visit www.ala.org/bbooks. A compendium of thousands of books that have been banned and challenged can be found in the 2010 "Banned Books Resource Guide," available through the ALA Store: www.alastore.ala.org. You also can purchase Banned Books Week posters, buttons, bookmarks, t-shirts, bracelets and tote bags there.

Contact Jonathan Kelley at jokelley@ala.org with questions, or call (800) 545-2433, ext.4226.

Judith F. Krug,FTRF’s first executive director, was passionate about Banned Books Week and defending the freedom to read. After her death, the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund was established to guarantee that the message of Banned Books Week would continue to spread and grow around the UnitedStates.

An informal guide to IF-supportive candidates

ALA Election season is upon us. We know you have many issues of concern in the profession. If intellectual freedom drives your voting choices, please make use of this  informal guide to IF-supportive candidates 

With thanks to Jim Kuhn for his assistance and to Julia Warga for her permission, here's a list of ALA candidates who have shown dedication to intellectual freedom in their memberships to IFC, IFRT, their professional histories or statements of concern.


(The ALA election polls have opened and will close on Friday, April 26th.) 

An informal guide to IF-supportive candidates for ALA Council 2013. (updated March 20, 2013)

NOTE:
These names are provided for informational purposes only and imply no endorsement of the candidates.  Please report any error or omission to Acrewd@live.com (I, Ann Crewdson, claim responsibility for this list.)

Candidates for ALA President
Barbara F. ImrothCourtney L. Young

Candidates for Councilor-at-Large
Abdullahi, IsmailBell, Gladys SmileyChou, MinCrewdson, AnnDowning, KarenGarcia-Febo, LoidaGarnar, MartinHand, DorcasHires, WillHogan, Patricia M.Kamm, SueKemp, ViccyKratz, CharlesMargolis, BernardMatthews, Stephen L.Milone Hill, NanciNickel, Robbie L.Pecoraro, JohnReech-Harper, Celise AnnReynolds, KevinRomans, LarryRubin, RachelRushton, ErinTeliha, JimToriola, TemitopeWilliams, J. Linda

Intellectual Freedom Round Table to hold 40th anniversary celebration at Chicago Cultural Center

We're 40 this year! Come help us celebrate, at the Chicago Cultural Center, during the Annual ALA conference this summer!

Tickets available now!  Visit http://www.ala.org/ifrt/ifrt-40th-anniversary-celebration for more information

CHICAGO - After 40 years of defending and upholding First Amendment
rights, it is time for a party. Come join the Intellectual Freedom Round
Table (IFRT) from 7:30 - 10 p.m. on Friday, June 28, 2013 at the
magnificent Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St. at Michigan
Ave.) for our 40th Anniversary Celebration. This event is held in
conjunction with the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago.

Tickets for this worthy event are $30 for IFRT members and $40 for
non-members.  If you are not a member, consider joining IFRT for only
$15 and become involved in some of the most important issues in the
library community.  Tickets for students are $20.  All tickets are
available via ALA's Annual Conference registration system (note: you do
not have to register for the Annual Conference to attend).
Refreshments, including signature cocktails, will be served.

Proceeds from this event will benefit IFRT's prestigious John Phillip
Immroth Memorial Award, honoring the courage, dedication and
contribution of an individual or group setting the finest example for
the defense and furtherance of the principles of intellectual freedom.
The award was named for John Phillip Immroth, founder and first chair of
the Intellectual Freedom Round Table in 1973.  "The winners of this
award through the years have, without exception, been inspirational to
all of us who know the kind of risk and dedication it takes to stand up
for intellectual freedom," said Charles Kratz, chair of the Immroth
Award committee.  "Our goal is to raise $10,000 for the Immroth Award,
so that it can continue to honor those who richly deserve it for years
to come."  The 2013 Immroth Award recipient will be announced later this
spring.

Sponsorship opportunities are available to individuals and organizations
who wish to help support the event at a higher level.
Sponsorship levels are $100 (Defender), $250 (Advocate) and $500
(Champion) and include tickets, recognition in the program and other
benefits. Sponsorship donations above the price of the tickets are tax
deductible.  To become a sponsor of the IFRT 40th anniversary
celebration, contact Shumeca Pickett atspickett@ala.org or (312)
280-4220.

"The IFRT 40th Anniversary celebration will be a great opportunity to
bring together long-standing and brand new members of the Intellectual
Freedom community to honor our past and look forward to our future,"
says Julia Warga, chair of IFRT. "I invite everyone to come and share in
what promises to be a truly delightful event!"

Call for Nominations for the John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award

The John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award honors intellectual freedom fighters in and outside the library profession who have demonstrated remarkable personal courage in resisting censorship. The award consists of $500 and a citation. Individuals, a group of individuals or an organization are eligible for the award.

Sponsor and Deadline
The John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award is sponsored by the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) of the American Library Association (ALA). The deadline for nominations is December 1 of each year.  NOTE: The deadline for 2013 has been extended to February 17, 2013.

Nominations
Established in 1979, upon the death of John Phillip Immroth, this award honors the courage, dedication, and contribution of a living individual or group who has set the finest kind of example for the defense and furtherance of the principles of intellectual freedom.  The award consists of a citation and a $500 prize.

John Phillip Immroth was a teacher, author, scholar, advocate, and defender of First Amendment rights.  He was the founder and first Chair of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table in 1976.  His impact on the ideal of intellectual freedom and its practice was great.

The Immroth nomination form is available from the Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611.

Nominations and supporting evidence should be sent to:
Shumeca Pickett,
ALA, 50 E. Huron St.,
Chicago, IL 60611.
Telephone: 312-280-4220 or 800-545-2433, ext. 4220.
Fax: 312-280-4227.
E-mail: spickett@ala.org

Do you have a favorite public library intellectual freedom fighter?

The Public Library Association is now accepting nominations for the Gordon M. Conable Award for public libraries and intellectual freedom.

Eligible nominees include public library staff member, library trustees, or specific public libraries.

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 amongst 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; 
• defended library materials, programs, or services when confronted with a censorship challenge. 

Further details are available on PLA's website. Nominations are open until Dec. 1. 

Call for Content: IFRT Report

Call for Content

Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) Newsletter

The editors of The IFRT Report invite articles, news stories, conference reports, intellectual freedom events and news to be published in the next issue of The IFRT Report. Content should be in the form of articles or news reports addressing censorship, challenges to library materials, Banned Book Week events in your state and community, state legislative efforts threatening freedom of expression, academic freedom threats, book reviews and intellectual freedoms concerns in general. State library association reports from Intellectual Freedom Committee chairs are welcome. Articles should be limited to 1000-1500 words and written for the library practitioner. 


The issue will be co-edited by Bridget O’Leary, Central New Mexico Community College Library Instruction Coordinator (boleary at cnm dot edu) and Dr. John B. Harer, Associate Professor and Interim Chair, Department of Library Science, Esat Carolina University (harerj at ecu dot edu) 


Please submit proposals to editors (contact above) by email as soon as possible; articles will be due to the editors no later than November 1, 2012. Questions can be directed to either of the editors.

What are you doing for Banned Books Week?

Banned Books Week is right around the corner! What do you have planned?

Every year, ALA provides suggestions and resources for celebrating the Freedom to Read, but every year, libraries show astonishing creativity in how they celebrate.  

Inspire us! What will your library be doing?

At my library, we just held our Fall Orientation Fair, and I created a 40" x 60" poster out of 5" tall cover images of the top challenged books lists for the past 3 years (provided by ALA, of course). We bought a lot of tiny sticky dots, and asked students to tell us which banned books they had read. It was a huge success! The best part? Enough students commented on the absence of Farenheit 451 from the poster that we had to grab a sticky note and make a place for them to make their mark.

We'll also be doing a book display (starting this week), and putting the poster out for more interactions (I'll replace the sticky note with a cover image this time!). We're also the location for a Banned Books Read-Out put on by the local chapter of the ACLU, the local public library system, the university's writing center, and a local bookstore. Can I tell you how inspired I am that the people in this community came together like that to do this?

Your turn. What will Banned Books Week look like at your library?

ACRL - Core Organizational Values Survey

ACRL has just announced a brief survey for its members on the topics of intellectual freedom and professional ethics.  This survey is intended as a first step towards ensuring that the organization is able to provide its members with the proper resources on these issues. 

If you are an ACRL member and would like to complete the survey, please follow this link.  One respondent will win a free ACRL webcast.  Also, if you have any questions, please contact Janice Welburn, chair of the ACRL Task Force on the Structure for Core Organizational Values.

IFRT Preconference at ALA's Annual Conference in Anaheim

Who Do I Trust to Protect My Privacy?
Privacy Conversation Deliberative Forum And Moderator Training

Sponsored by ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table and The ALA Center for Civic Life

A Hands-On Preconference
Thursday, June 21, 2012, 1:30 – 5:30
Anaheim Convention Center, Room 303C

Join an afternoon conversation on privacy Thursday, June 21st, from 1:30 to 5:30 at the Anaheim Convention Center, Room 303C. The conversation will be structured with an Issue Map. Following the dialogue, participants will learn how to convene and moderate a deliberative dialogue so they can host their own local forums that explore privacy values and concerns.

Download forum materials including the Issue Map here (ALA Members only).

Register: Nanette Perez nperez@ala.org

$25. To register, sign onto ALA Conference Registration; click on Preconferences and Events, and scroll down to IFRT.

For More Information, contact: Carolyn Caywood cacaywood@cox.net; Nancy Kranich nancy.kranich@rutgers.edu; Nanette Perez nperez@ala.org

The Pirate Party and Annual Conference

Save The Date
June 25, 1:30-3:30 PM
Location: Ernest N. Morial Convention Center Room 288-290

IFRT is excited to announce our program from the upcoming ALA Annual Conference, “New Technologies: The Impact on Government Transparency.” Are you Interested in government transparency, its effect on libraries, and how changes in technology affect how we share information? Rick Falkvinge, founder of Sweden's Pirate Party, will be joining us in New Orleans, LA, to speak about how the evolution of information-sharing tools have impacted government transparency.

Who is Rick Falkvinge? He is the founder of the first Pirate Party and a campaigner for next-generation civil liberties and sensible information policy. In particular, he stresses how the copyright industries work in collusion with Big Brother hawks to erode or eliminate the parts of Internet that guarantee our civil liberties. On this platform, one of privacy and digital rights, his party became the largest in the below-30 demographic in the 2009 European Elections. When not doing politics or exploring technical subjects in detail, Mr. Falkvinge can usually be seen cooking, sampling a scotch whisky, or riding a fast motorcycle.

If you care about copyright, civil liberties, and freedom of speech, be sure to include this thought-provoking program on your conference calendar.

For more information on the Pirate Party (http://www.pp-international.net/) and Mr. Falkvinge (http://falkvinge.net/).

Photo Credit: Carl Johan Rehbinder

New Year for the IFRT

I am very excited to work with the IFRT members during this year continuing to promote access to information, presenting programs about topics of interest, and adding social media to reach out to new and existing members. To this end, I have started a new IFRT Monthly Video Series to promote intellectual freedom among ALA members. I am most grateful to a number of our own OIF and IFRT colleagues which agreed to participate in the videos such as Barbara Jones, Director of the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, Kent Oliver, President of the Freedom to Read Foundation, Dr. Carrie Gardner, Martin Garnar, Douglas Archer, and Carolyn Caywood. Watch our videos and share with others!

American Constitution Society

This is a repost from Barbara Jones, Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom

"I attended the ACS Annual Meeting last week and it was simply wonderful for “constitution geeks” and those legal and public policy professionals looking for an alternative to the “originalism” theory. "

"I urge you, when you have the time, to take a look at their web site, where many of the panels and speeches are posted. This is a young organization and worthy of attention I think."

www.americanconstitutionsociety.org

Indeed!

Metropolis : Burning Man 2010 Theme

This is part of a blog about this year's theme at Burning Man. It is about a city, ". . .in tandem with this culture, Black Rock City has also spawned a host of public agencies. These address such needs as health and safety, communication, conflict resolution, art and theme camp placement, land use planning, and the construction and maintenance of civic infrastructure. Our Department of Mutant Vehicles (DMV) and Department of Public Works (DPW) are institutions such as one might find in any normal city. The melding of this governmental infrastructure with a deeply rooted ethic of participation makes our city an intriguing model that can be applied to urban planning in the larger world.

I would like to see if IFRT's program can discuss how, or if, intellectual freedom values permeate Black Rock City. How does the theme of Metropolis fit into the larger picture of a civic society and intellectual freedom concepts?
http://blog.burningman.com/metropol/welcome-to-metropol-the-story-of-a-city/

Finally, here's the NPR link I promised

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127118179

Youropenbook.org

It's about Facebook, so it may be a bit dated, but the open book link looks kind of interesting.

Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life. Whether you want to or not.

Youropenbook.org

Just heard about this on NPR. When asked on air some people people REALLY don't care about their privacy. One woman updated her new cell phone number unaware that it went out to everyone. When she asked if it mattered to her, she simply said, "No, not at all."

I'll post the story from NPR in a bit.

National Coalition Against Censorship Newsletter May 2010

I subscribe to this via email and find it really great.

NCAC's newsletter contains information and discussions about freedom of expression issues, including current school censorship controversies, threats to the free flow of information, and obscenity laws.

Read their roundup of some of the top censorship stories in The Long and the Short of It. http://www.ncac.org/The-Long-and-the-Short-of-It-CN-112

http://www.ncac.org/