A History of ALA Policy on Intellectual Freedom

Collecting several key documents and policy statements, this supplement to the tenth edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual traces a history of ALA's commitment to fighting censorship. Beginning with an introductory essay that chronicles ALA policy making on intellectual freedom, this important resource includes sections discussing such foundational issues as library advocacy on social and political issues, from post-World War I disarmament, to Vietnam-era protests, to the call to revisit the field’s rhetoric concerning neutrality; the evolution of the Library Bill of Rights, such as the 1978 revision that eliminated its use of sex-linked pronouns and ALA Council actions rescinding the 2018 interpretation on meeting rooms; protecting the freedom to read; diverse collections and equity, diversity, and inclusion, new to this edition; ALA’s complicated history on race, including a 1936 statement opposing discrimination, inaction amidst litigation to desegregate libraries in the 1950s and 1960s, and protests over Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law; ALA's Code of Ethics; how to respond to challenges and concerns about library resources; internet filtering, minors and online activity, and education and information literacy; programs and displays; policy on governmental intimidation; copyright; and privacy and confidentiality, including the retention of library usage records.