Applying the Nebraska Intellectual Freedom

Manual at Your Library

Michael Elsener, Tim Lentz, Todd Schlechte

How would you define Intellectual Freedom?

Intellectual Freedom Defined by ALA

Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship/faq

So much more than fighting censorship!

The Intellectual Freedom Round Table’s manual addresses

fundamental rights for patrons.

● Access to resources● Filtering software● Privacy● Copyright issues● Meeting room usage● Minor’s rights● Labeling materials● Free speech

Why did we need a new

manual?● Last update was 2004

● The team decided to start from scratch and not edit

● Available digitally for free, or can be purchased in print for

your library

Mission and Responsibilities of the Office for Intellectual Freedom

● Mission: “Established December 1, 1967, the office for intellectual freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association’s basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials.”

● Responsibilities: “The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries and to support librarians, teachers, and administrators undergoing a material of service challenge.”

Censorship Practices

Active Practices

● Redaction ● Removal● Restriction● Relocation

Passive Practices

● Self-censorship● Bias

Knox, Emily History of Intellectual Freedom and Censorship ALA Webinar 2016

Models of Censorship

● State Sponsored● Institutional ● Individual

Knox, Emily History of Intellectual Freedom and Censorship ALA Webinar 2016

Challenge Stories

1. Discuss challenges you have faced at your library.

2. What was the outcome?3. How could the process have been

improved? Hand out provided: http://kpla.org/wp-content/uploads/Intellectual-Freedom-and-Customer-Service-Handout.pdf

“Buddha at the Gate, Running” by Jamie LaRue

Why people challenge materials

Think of the strengths of patrons who challenge:

● They use the library and value literacy● Their kids use the library● Parents pay attention to their kids library

use● Parents have a clear value set and want to

instill values in kids● They have taken the time to talk directly to

the library about their collection

Rules for working with people:

1. Apologize2. Don’t be defensive, listen3. Restate the problem until the patron

agrees you understand4. Offer Service5. Offer additional information6. Follow up on the process

LaRue J. Buddha at the Gate, Running: Why People Challenge Library Materials. American Libraries [serial online]. December 2004;35(11):42-44. Available from: Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA. Accessed October 4, 2017.

Responsibilities of Librarians

The introduction to the ALA code of ethics

Librarians “significantly influence or control the selection, organization, preservation, and dissemination of information. In a political system grounded in an informed citizenry, we are members of a profession explicitly committed to intellectual freedom and the freedom of access to information. We have a special obligation to ensure the free flow of information and ideas to present and future generations.”

What is the basis for a Librarian’s Commitment to IF?

Constitutional Amendments

First

Fourth

Freedom to access Information

Privacy

What are the five freedoms named in the

First Amendment?

Bonus! What freedoms are NOT named?

Nebraska Revised Statute 84-712.05

Records which may be withheld from the public; enumerated.

...(11) Records or portions of records kept by a publicly funded library which, when examined with or without other records, reveal the identity of any library patron using the library's materials or services;

ALA documents regarding IF● ALA Code of Ethics● ALA Library Bill of Rights● ALA Freedom to Read Statement

Access

Collection Considerations:

Provide what community wants & needs, plus consider:● Diversity ● Opposing Viewpoints● Something for everybody in the community● Resist censorship via education and policy● Replace items that go missing based on content

Group Work 3 Labeling Scenarios

Internet Access

Internet Filtering

● Filtering prevents access● Pornography is not illegal● Adults must have access to unfiltered

computersImportant: Never allow alleged child pornography viewing to go unreported

Access to Meeting Rooms

Meeting Room Rules

● Content-neutral● Applied equally● Be narrowly defined in regard to time, place, or manner of

use

What this means

● If open to public use, religious services must be allowed● May limit frequency, noise level, and disallow collection

of money● May restrict to non-profit groups, or charge commercial

groups a fee● Library programs may preempt other activities● May require groups to allow any non-disruptive person to

attend

Privacy and Confidentiality

What’s the difference?

Privacy is about the person and their experience

Confidentiality is about the data we have; it is an extension of privacy

Ethical and legal considerations

Ethics: Privacy is embedded in the right to read

Legal: Protected at State and Federal levels

Practical Considerations

Key Concept: Libraries should minimize the collection of personally identifiable user information, store it locally and securely, maintain legal control of the data and insure that library practices do not divulge user information or put it on public view (e.g., self-service hold shelves that reveal a user's identity).

Ongoing concerns

Community norms

Law enforcement

Vendors

Policies

(Hopefully not) your worst nightmare

Why are policies so important?

● Promotes equitable and principled access

● Protects and empowers you and your staff

Overview

● Collection development● Privacy● Internet: use and filtering● Expected behavior in the library● Meeting Rooms● Labeling and / or Rating

How to develop good policy

Get this handbook (yes, self-advertising, but we wrote it for you)

ALA also has excellent resources

Involve your stakeholders: Library Boards, City Government, legal counsel

Share it and discuss it with staff

Make it readily available

Use it and adhere to it

Group Activity: What items should be part of the following

policies?

1. Meeting Room2. Privacy3. Law Enforcement

Where to Get Help and Become Involved

National Resources

● ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom● ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table● ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee● Electronic Frontier Foundation● Libraries and the Internet Toolkit● Choose Privacy Week● Banned Books Week Coalition● National Coalition against Censorship

Nebraska and Regional Resources

● NLA Intellectual Freedom Round Table● Nebraska Statutes, Chapter 51, on libraries● Nebraska Library Commission ● American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska● Academic Freedom Coalition of Nebraska● Anti-Defamation League, Plains States

Region

NLA Resolution in support of ALA’s Resolution on

Access to Accurate

Information

Pew Research Center Polls

The Importance of Intellectual

Freedom

● Intellectual Freedom can be complicated and difficult

● More relevant and important than ever in a “post truth” world

● How should librarians approach fake news, propaganda, misinformation and the volume of information resources that are now available?

...and what librarians can do to help

● Information Literacy Skills● NOT censorship! Context● We cannot be another search

engine! People need skills to evaluate sources

● Librarians are uniquely equipped to teach patrons how to find better and more useful information

The Future of the Nebraska IF

Team

● Surveys report up to 85% of challenges go unreported

● The IF team has created an annual survey to capture more challenged material

● ALA has updated its form to include hate crimes in libraries

Questions?