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The Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) is developing a resource file of sample materials selection and collection development policies, library use policies, confidentiality policies, patron comment forms, and other relevant materials for libraries of all types and sizes. You are invited to contribute your materials to this resource file. To contribute materials or to request sample materials, please contact the Intellectual Freedom Committee, California Library Association, 717 K Street, Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95814-3477.
The Intellectual Freedom Committee collects reports of incidents challenging intellectual freedom. This will allow us to assess the scope of attacks on intellectual freedom in California and to alert the library community. Please use the form found in Appendix A to report any incident in which an attempt is made to censor materials or programs or in which patron confidentiality is threatened. The information gathered from these reports will assist the Intellectual Freedom Committee in developing programs and services to assist libraries in maintaining intellectual freedom. This information, without the institution name unless specifically permitted, may be used in workshops, presentations and public releases.
When your library is facing an intellectual freedom emergency and needs help, the Intellectual Freedom Committee would like to help you. This help can take many forms. You may just need the moral support of a telephone conversation. Assistance can also mean the provision of appropriate documents, such as those issued by the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom and documents from other groups. You may wish us to write a letter in your support or make telephone calls to others. In the case of a meeting or hearing, we may be able to send a committee member or, more likely, help you locate a capable resource person in your area. We will not undertake actions against your wishes. To contact the Intellectual Freedom Committee, call the CLA. Office. They will put you in touch with the current Committee.
There are several organizations, regional and national, which deal with issues of intellectual freedom. These brief descriptions will help you determine which ones suit your needs and interests.
California Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee 717 K Street, Suite 300 Sacramento, CA 95814-3477 (916) 447-8541 FAX: (916) 447-8394
Coalition for the Right to Know 464 19th Street Oakland, CA 94612 (415) 835-4692
Coalition for the Right to Know is an organization of like-minded groups and individuals in Northern California who are concerned with people's rights to information. In a democracy the equal right to vote for our representatives who make governmental policies that affect daily life requires a free and equal access to information so that wise decisions can be made.
The Coalition supports and participates in debate and acts as a watchdog for evidence of secrecy, suppression of information, disinformation, or intimidation, whether by governments or groups. It is against all kinds of censorship which includes the hidden censorship that racism, sexism, homophilia, and other societal prejudices create. Its members exchange information, network with each other when issues need action and speak on radio, television and at public meetings.
FAIR; First Amendment Information Resources Graduate School of Library and Information Science University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 90024 Elizabeth Eisenbach, Director
FAIR is a small special collection emphasizing current ephemeral resources on First Amendment legislative and judicial activities and intellectual freedom concerns. Its purposes are to protect the American citizen's right to free access to information; to promote scholarship on First Amendment cases and issues; to provide resources on all points of view in censorship controversies; and to perpetuate intellectual freedom within the academic community. FAIR collects printed ephemeral materials and newsletters from a wide range of organizations involved in studying and protecting First Amendment and intellectual freedom rights; documentation of censorship activities or court cases; examples of banned books; Amicus Curiae briefs; publications from regional, state, and local library associations and their intellectual freedom committees; newspaper and periodical editorials, articles, and political cartoons; kits, information, papers, and curriculum materials from workshops and institutes; bibliographies and directories of organizations and resources; audio-visual materials; and government publications and reports.
Inland Coalition for Intellectual Freedom Norco Branch Library 2634 Hamner Norco, CA 91760 (714) 735-5329 contact: Gary Christmas
Intellectual Freedom Committee American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611
The primary responsibility of the Intellectual Freedom Committee is to recommend policies concerning intellectual freedom to the ALA Council. It also works closely with the Office for Intellectual Freedom and other units of the American Library Association in matters touching intellectual freedom and censorship.
The Office for Intellectual Freedom American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 944-6780 or (800) 545-2433 http://www.ala.org/oif.html Judith F. Krug, Director
The goal of the Office for Intellectual Freedom is to educate librarians and the general public to the importance of the concept of intellectual freedom. Toward this end, the Office serves as the administrative arm of the Intellectual Freedom Committee and bears the responsibility for implementing ALA policies on intellectual freedom, as approved by Council.
To accomplish this mission, the Office maintains a complete program of publications, projects, and services. The major printed publications of the Office are the bimonthly Newsletter of Intellectual Freedom, the monthly OIF Memorandum and the Intellectual Freedom Manual. In addition to its regular publications, the Office prepares special materials from time to time, including audiovisual products.
The Office also distributes documents, articles, and ALA policies concerning intellectual freedom, among which are the Library Bill of Rights, the Association's basic policy statement on intellectual freedom; the Freedom to Read statement; and various interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights.
Another popular part of the Office's activities is the maintenance and distribution of the OIF exhibits. These exhibits are available on loan for display at conferences, workshops, seminars, and other meetings involving intellectual freedom.
One of the most often used and least heard about functions of the Office is its provision of advice and consultation to individuals (whether librarians or others) in the throes of potential or actual censorship controversies. In these cases, every effort is made to provide information or give other assistance. This may take the form of a written position statement defending the principles of intellectual freedom in materials selection, names of persons available to offer testimony before library boards, or, in extreme cases, visits to the community to view the problem firsthand and provide moral and professional support for the defenders of First Amendment principles. The alternative chosen is always the prerogative of the individual requesting assistance.
Freedom to Read Foundation 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 944-6780
The Foundation is a separate legal entity but is closely affiliated with the American Library Association through its Board of Trustees and Executive Director, who also serves as the Director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom. The Foundation, incorporated in November 1969, has as its goals:
To promote and protect freedom of speech and freedom of press as such freedoms are guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States and as such freedoms necessarily involve the public right to hear what is spoken and to read what is written; To promote the recognition and acceptance of libraries as repositories of the world's accumulated wisdom and knowledge and to protect the public right of access to such wisdom and knowledge; To support the right of libraries to include in their collections and to make available to the public any creative work which they may legally acquire; To supply legal counsel, which counsel may or may not be directly employed by the Foundation, and otherwise to provide support to such libraries and librarians as are suffering legal injustices by reason of their defense of freedom of speech and freedom of press as guaranteed by law against efforts to subvert such freedoms through suppression or censorship to the extent such libraries and librarians may request such aid and require it on account of poverty or inability to obtain legal counsel without assistance.
To promote the recognition and acceptance of libraries as repositories of the world's accumulated wisdom and knowledge and to protect the public right of access to such wisdom and knowledge;
To support the right of libraries to include in their collections and to make available to the public any creative work which they may legally acquire;
To supply legal counsel, which counsel may or may not be directly employed by the Foundation, and otherwise to provide support to such libraries and librarians as are suffering legal injustices by reason of their defense of freedom of speech and freedom of press as guaranteed by law against efforts to subvert such freedoms through suppression or censorship to the extent such libraries and librarians may request such aid and require it on account of poverty or inability to obtain legal counsel without assistance.
"Librarians whose professional positions and personal well-being are endangered because of their defense of intellectual freedom, and library boards, librarians, and library employees threatened with legal action on such grounds, should contact the Foundation." [11]
"In furtherance of its purpose 'to support the right of libraries to include in their collections and to make available to the public any creative work which they may legally acquire,' the Freedom to Read Foundation combats through the courts statutes in force that limit or make illegal application of the principles of intellectual freedom. Librarians affected by repressive statutes in force should contact the Freedom to Read Foundation." [12]
Intellectual Freedom Round Table American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 944-6780
The Intellectual Freedom Round Table is a membership organization within the American Library Association. Participation in the Round Table allows members of the Association close contact with ALA's overall intellectual freedom program.
The Round Table sponsors programs on related topics and is available to assist the Intellectual Freedom Committee, the Office for Intellectual Freedom, and the Freedom to Read Foundation in various interrelated activities. For instance, the Round Table contributed part of the funds needed to send out a brochure on censorship to school librarians around the country.
Another activity of the Round Table is the administration of the John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award for Intellectual Freedom.
LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund American Library Association 50 East Huron Street Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 944-6780
"Librarians requiring immediate financial aid should contact the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund. The Merritt Fund was established in recognition of the need for support at the moment an individual is in jeopardy or is fired in the cause of intellectual freedom. This special fund not only assists librarians who have been victims of discrimination, it also allows for immediate assistance even prior to the establishment of all pertinent facts in a particular case. Depending on the situation, grants can be made prior to establishment of claims that intellectual freedom is involved. Both the Foundation and the Merritt Fund are administered through the Office for Intellectual Freedom." [13]
People For The American Way 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 467-4999
Mike Hudson, Western Director 15 Driftwood, No. 1 Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 (213) 823-2860
People For The American Way is a nonpartisan, education-oriented citizens' organization established to promote and protect civil and constitutional rights. Founded in 1980 by a group of religious, civic, and educational leaders, People For The American Way now has 275,000 members nationwide. The organization's primary mission is to educate the public on the vital importance of the democratic tradition and to defend it against attacks from those who would seek to limit our constitutional and civil rights.
Among the issues People For The American Way has addressed are censorship of Salman Rushdie's Satanic Verses, the FBI Library Awareness Program (participating in a suit against the FBI), and local government's discrimination against users of the foreign-language collection at Monterey Park (California) Public Library.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) 132 W. 43rd Street New York, NY 10036 (212) 944-9800 Ira Glasser, Executive Director
Northern California Chapter 1663 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 621-2493 Elaine Elinson, Public Info. Dir. Mila Guzman, Speaker's Bureau Southern California Chapter 161 Beverly Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90026 (213) 977-9500 Linda Hunt, Public Info. Dir. Jean Williams, Speaker's Bureau
Founded in 1920, the ACLU is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, public interest organization devoted to protecting the civil liberties of all Americans as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, and extending them to groups that traditionally have been denied them - First Amendment rights, equal protection of the law, due process of law and the right of privacy. As an advocate for the rights of individuals, the ACLU challenges civil rights violations in the courts, opposes repressive legislation and educates the public on a broad spectrum of issues that affect individual freedom in the United States. It has over 250,000 members and hundreds of local chapters throughout the country. Some 2,000 attorneys, including 66 paid staff members and the rest volunteers, handle about 6,000 cases every year.
The ACLU supports numerous projects on specific topics such as national security, reproductive freedom, gay and lesbian rights, AIDS and privacy, technology and privacy, immigration and alien's rights. It also prepares and distributes literature such as pamphlets and newsletters and maintains an active speaker's bureau.
In the event of a challenge, your local ACLU chapter may be able to provide speakers at public hearings and in some cases may even provide legal defense if a complaint is filed and they accept the case. They do not handle criminal cases or civil disputes. Copies of specific ACLU policy statements may be useful and may be requested through the public information director of the Northern or Southern California chapters.
National Coalition against Repressive Legislation (NCARL) 1313 W. 8th Street, Suite 313 Los Angeles, CA 90017 (213) 484-6661 Ruth Calvin Emerson, Chairperson
Northern California Area Offices P.O. Box 640354 San Francisco, CA 94164-0354 (415) 346-7350 Miriam Rothschild, Coordinator Route No. 1, Box 68 Carmel, CA 93923 (408) 624-7562 Richard Criley, Director
NCARL was founded in 1960 to muster public support and bring pressure on the House of Representatives to abolish the House Un-American Activities Committee. It continues its work today advocating federal legislation in the area of civil liberties and the control of inquisitorial activities of the government, and implementing other political action programs. NCARL opposes repressive laws, covert intelligence gathering activities of the CIA, FBI, and other federal law enforcement and military agencies and any infringement of First Amendment freedoms by these agencies. In an effort to keep its supporters and the public informed, NCARL maintains a speaker's bureau, conducts research, and prepares and distributes literature. Among its publications is "Right to Know & the Freedom to Act," a First Amendment monitoring service.
Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. (MPAA) Classification and Rating Administration (CARA) 14144 Ventura Boulevard Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (818) 995-3600
New York Office: 1133 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036 (212)840-6161 CARA Board Chair: Richard D. Heffner (NY) Attorney working primarily with CARA Board cases: Ms. Gail Markels (NY)
The MPAA ratings provide information to parents about the content of theatrical films. They also protect the motion picture industry and the theater owners from complaint over content. It should be emphasized that the MPAA ratings provided by the CARA Board have no legal standing and do not relate to the legal definition of obscenity. Therefore, they should not be a factor in the determination of video circulation policy or of a selection policy in a library. MPAA has challenged in the courts any attempt by cities, counties, states and other jurisdictions to make a harmful matter statute or any other kind of local ordinance utilizing the ratings. Ms. Markels works in this area and can provide a list of cases. A new updated 1991 pamphlet by Jack Valenti, MPAA President and CEO, explaining the rating system and its history can be obtained by writing or calling the CARA office at MPAA in Sherman Oaks.
For further information, see Sigler, Dr. Ronald F. "Building An Intellectual Freedom Policy for Video Collections," Video Rating Guide for Libraries II (Winter, 1991):xiii-xv.
The following organizations may also be helpful in addressing intellectual freedom concerns or in building coalitions for intellectual freedom.
[13] Ibid.
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