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

Resources and Continuing Education

• 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
• 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

• February 28, 2020: Lawmakers Discuss Censorship of Student Journalists Amid VCU Newspaper Censorship Claims
• February 28, 2020: Virginia Commonwealth Police Probe Student Newspaper Thefts 
• February 28, 2020: Someone Stole Newspapers in Bulk at Virginia Commonwealth University. Why That Matters to All of Us.
• February 28, 2020: VCU Police Investigating Reports of Stolen Student Newspapers
• February 28, 2020: VCU Police Investigating Stolen Student Newspapers; Charges or School Punishment Possible
• February 26, 2020: Commons Employees SGA Leaders Cleared Out Copies of the CT Following Story on Conflict Withing Organization
• February 13, 2020: New Voices Bill Protects Rights, But Only for Some
• February 13, 2020: Student Journalists Weigh in on Censorship Bill
• February 10, 2020: SPLC Statement: Virginia HB 36 As Amended Does Not Meaningfully Advance
• February 8, 2020: Virginia Bill Strikes in Correspondence with Student Journalists
• February 4, 2020: Defending Free Speech on Campus Means Defending Student Journalists, Too
• February 3, 2020: Virginia Education Committee guys New Voices legislation with a major amendment, leaving high school journals unprotected
• February 3, 2020: House panel backs changed version of student censorship bill
• February 3, 2020: Virginia school system denies ban on students' Confederate imagery
• January 30, 2020: Virginia House bill protecting student journalists' advances
• January 21, 2020: Bills to protect student journalists introduced in Virginia
• January 16, 2020: Virginia school board prevents 2 LGBTQ-themed children's books from being removed from libraries and classrooms
• January 16, 2020: Student Journalism and the First Amendment 
• January 15, 2020: Some Northern Virginia parents wanted two books with LGBTQ characters removed from school. Officials said no.
• January 12, 2020: Public schools in Virginia can censor student journalist any time, for any reason. A proposed law would change that.
• December 2, 2019: The Censorship War in Loudoun County
• November 25, 2019: Other View: Censorship by Theft on a University Campus
• November 18, 2019: Commentary: Loudoun County Students Have the Right to See Themselves in Stories 
• November 15, 2019: As Protests Continue, School Leaders Seek Ways to Address Concerns over Diverse Classroom Library Initiative
• November 12, 2019: LGBTQ School Book Controversy in Loudoun County
• November 10, 2019: Angry Parents Protest LGBTQ Books in Virginia Classrooms
• October 24, 2019: Supporters, opponents of Loudoun County Public Schools' diverse libraries come out in force
• October 1, 2019: A Virginia teacher was fired for refusing to use a trans student’s pronouns. Now, he’s suing his school district.
• July 3, 2019: Norfolk Students filmed a report about their crumbling school. Administrators ordered it deleted
• 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
• 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

2020 Committee Member Roster