Intellectual Freedom Committee

Purpose: To uphold the value of intellectual freedom in Virginia's libraries by monitoring and reporting on intellectual freedom issues in the Commonwealth.

Upcoming Activities and Events

• Freedom of Information Day - March 16
  VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee participates in the annual Wreath-Laying Ceremony at James Madison’s grave at Montpelier. This event is free and open to the public. 
• Sunshine Week - the week that includes March 16
• Choose Privacy Week - the first week of May 
• Ideas for Choose Privacy Week 
• Library Self-Check List for Choose Privacy Week 
• Banned Books Week - September 22-28, 2019

Resources and Continuing Education

• Intellectual Freedom Issues and General Resources
• ALA Intellectual Freedom Blog
• Intellectual Freedom E-Learning: recordings of free webinars presented by the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom
• Thomas Jefferson Center for Free Expression
• Virginia Coalition for Open Resources (The VLA is a member of VCOR)
• Your Guide to Reporting Censorship
• ALA Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, and Academic Libraries
• "Exhibit Spaces and Bulletin Boards: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights,” American Library Association
• “Library-Initiated Programs as a Resource: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights,” American Library Association
• “Library Privacy Guidelines & Checklists,” American Library Association
• “Meeting Rooms: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights,” American Library Association
• Privacy Issues
• Protecting Your Online Privacy: Risks And Strategies  (An Infopeople Webinar, 11/9/2017) 
  
• Choose Privacy Week Webinars
• I SPY webinar
• Library Freedom Project
  
• Banned Books Week Info
• Banned Books Week Information
• ALA Banned Books Information
• Fifty Shades of Banned Books (8/10/2016)
• Fake News Info & Resources 
• A great list of resources and webinars related to Fake News from the library world
  

Reporting Challenges

Has your library experienced a challenge or a reconsideration of your materials, displays, website content, or another intellectual freedom issue?  Let the VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee know, and we can offer support, guidance, and resources for you and your library. If you aren’t sure what constitutes a reconsideration or a challenge, please report it and let us know anyway.  

Contact: VLA Intellectual Freedom Committee Co-Chairs, Hayley Tompkins [email protected] or Rebecca Lamb [email protected]

The American Library Association collects statistics on challenges as well to monitor trends in intellectual freedom issues. If you have received a challenge at your library, please fill out their quick and easy challenge report (this can be submitted anonymously).

Virginia Intellectual Freedom In the News

• October 1, 2019: A Virginia teacher was fired for refusing to use a trans student’s pronouns. Now, he’s suing his school district. 
• April 10, 2019: Hollins restores online yearbooks after images of blackface prompted removal
• April 8, 2019: OIF, ODLOS, and VLA Respond to Hollins University’s Removal of Yearbooks
• April 3, 2019: A Va. university temporarily removes yearbooks with blackface from digital archives
• April 3, 2019: College President Sparks Controversy by Taking Down Blackface Photos
  
• April 3, 2019: Hollins University Removes Access to Yearbooks With Racist Images
• April 3, 2019: Hollins University Temporarily Pulls Yearbooks With Blackface from Digital Archives
• Jan. 29, 2019: House subcommittee kills student censorship bill
• Jan. 15, 2019: Editorial: End censorship of student media
• Jan. 14, 2019: Virginia legislators want to stop schools from censoring student media
• 2018 Banned Books Week Award Winners
• 2017 Banned Books Week Award Winners 
• March 24, 2017: Va. governor vetoes charter school and ‘Beloved’ bills (From the Washington Post)

• 2016 Chesterfield County School Librarian’s Summer Reading List

2019 Committee Member Roster

 - Last updated 6/19/2019