The FTRF Blog - Freedom to Read Foundation

The FTRF Blog

Read the latest news about FTRF and the First Amendment in Libraries and engage with thoughtful opinions from leaders in our community on The FTRF Blog.

Top tags: Banned Books Week Judith Krug Memorial Fund FTRF45 membership BBW2014 Conable Scholarship Roll of Honor banned books litigation Media Coalition special events ALA Annual Conference Barbara Jones Board of Trustees Carolyn Forsman election givingfREADom GivingTuesday grants Judith Krug remembrances Midwinter Meeting Theresa Chmara ALA Annual Conference censorship Emily Knox FTRF News Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund online learning ACLU

Remembering Judith, Part 1: Barbara Jones

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Friday, April 11, 2014

Five years ago today, Judith Krug passed away. To honor her memory, we are posting a series of remembrances on the Freedom to Read Foundation blog throughout the day. If you would like to add a memory, please feel free to email ftrf@ala.org or post a note in the comments.

Here are the other parts in the series:
Part 2: Judith Platt
Part 3: Chris Finan
Part 4: Eva Poole, Mary Minow, Mary Curtis
Part 5: 2009 Memorials

Our first remembrance comes from Barbara Jones:

When I first accepted the position of Director of OIF and FTRF after Judith’s death, many of my colleagues emailed me: “I’d hate to try fitting into those shoes.” But I saw it differently.

Of course I look every day at Judith’s photo on my bulletin board and feel humbled and so grateful that she was my mentor. I was truly blessed to have that role model to guide my career. But then I move on to start my day—talking to a long-time librarian who is weary from defending the freedom to read in her library and needs support to get through another week; or advising a young librarian whose boss just told her to remove a book from the shelves and she doesn't want to lose her job by opposing him. Taking a course on how to use social media to grow the Foundation. And I think of how much Judith would have loved working with Tony Diaz and Librotraficante, as FTRF works to defend the freedom to read for Mexican-American students.

The best way to honor a legacy that has driven my entire career, is to help that legacy grow and thrive in the best way I can. And to help encourage a new generation of librarians who are passionate about the freedom to read and the core values of this profession.

Since my mother slammed her fists on the reference desk at our hometown library, demanding they let me in the adult section, I knew that free speech would be my career. But how? And then I met Judith Krug—first through library school articles, and then at ALA conferences. I knew I was home with her and with the librarians who are lifelong friends.

Toward the end of her career cut tragically short, I remember Judith at an IFLA/FAIFE meeting in Amsterdam. FAIFE (Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression) was struggling to survive as a committee of IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions). We had no money and no prospects. We discussed all the reasons FAIFE should be disbanded: travel expenses, time, member commitment, et al. And Judith kept saying, over and over: “But it’s too important.” And today, about ten years later, FAIFE thrives and grows.

Last week, one of our young ALA committee members asked some of us “senior” colleagues on email: “What was Fran (a deceased school librarian and long-time IFer) like?” The responses touched me. From all over the country we remembered Fran so that new members can try to know her.

And today it is time to remember Judith in that way—from many of us, from many perspectives.

If you would like to support Judith's legacy, please consider making a contribution to FTRF's Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund. Your donations to the Krug Fund will go directly to providing grants to libraries and other organizations celebrating Banned Books Week, and to FTRF's ongoing online intellectual freedom education efforts. For more information, visit http://www.ftrf.org/?Krug_Fund.

Tags: Judith Krug Judith Krug remembrances

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Just posted: March 2014 FTRF News

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Monday, March 31, 2014

FTRF members should have received by now their March issue of Freedom to Read Foundation News in the mail. This issue includes details on our most recent case, SBAL v. Driehaus, a rundown of the recent battle over The House of the Spirits in a North Carolina school, and Executive Director Barbara Jones' article on intellectual freedom issues in academia.

This issue is now also available online to members and organizational subscribers. To access the current issue, you must be signed in as a member. Log-in instructions are available at http://www.ftrf.org/Login.aspx.

FTRF News back issues, from 1991 to December 2013, are available to members and non-members with no log-in required.

If you're not a current member of the Freedom to Read Foundation, as always we encourage you to join now or renew your membership! We very much appreciate the support of our members. You make our work possible!

Tags: FTRF News member benefits

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Krug Fund Banned Books Week event grant applications now open

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Applications for Banned Books Week 2014 event grants via FTRF's Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund are now open. Applications will be accepted through April 30.

Click here to apply: http://www.ftrf.org/?2014_KrugBBW. Here are the application guidelines:

Krug Fund Banned Books Week event grant application guidelines

1. Event outline should be a total of no more than 4 pages, whether the application is for a $1000 grant only or for either a $1000 or $2500 grant. The outline should include the following:

a. A detailed timeline incorporating both planning stages and the event itself.

b. Plans for documenting the event(s), including tracking attendance or other metrics, and capturing photos and recording video of the event(s).

c. A detailed budget including other sources of funding.

2. Only not-for-profit organizations may apply. They need not have official 501(c)3 status.

3. Beginning in 2013, organizations can be awarded only two grants, in non-consecutive years, within a six-year period. (Thus, organizations that received grants in 2013 are ineligible to apply in 2014.)

4. Krug Fund grants cannot be used to buy computer hardware.

5. Applications can be single projects or they can encompass multiple activities. Similarly, projects can take place in one day or an entire week (or longer).

6. The Freedom to Read Foundation reserves the right to give grants of amounts other than $1000 or $2500.

7. Applications will be judged, in part, on the following criteria:

a. Originality/creativity

b. Project's appeal to a broad/diverse audience

c. Clear plans for promoting the project, including to local media

d. Integration of social media

e. Collaboration with other organizations

f. Is the application specific about how a Krug Fund grant would be spent?

g. Is the project duplicable for other organizations in the future?

h. To what extent will the funded project promote the ideals and mission of the Freedom to Read Foundation and of Banned Books Week? How will it raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues?

For more information about Banned Books Week, visit www.ftrf.org/?BBW. To see reports from past years' recipients, click here.

Learn more about the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.

Tags: Banned Books Week grants Judith Krug Memorial Fund

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Read FTRF trustee candidates' statements of interest

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Monday, March 24, 2014

Next week, ballots will be mailed to all 2014 members of the Freedom to Read Foundation. Per election guidelines, each candidate for FTRF trustee has written a short "Statement of Qualification and Concern" to help guide the voting process.

To help you get a fresh start on deciding who you'll be voting for - and as a reminder to those who have yet to renew your FTRF membership for 2014 (the deadline is Monday, March 31) - we have posted the candidates' statements online. Voters will be able to select up to 5 candidates for election.

Enjoy! And vote!

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Join us for a FREE webinar with Theresa Chmara on FTRF's litigation efforts

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Friday, March 21, 2014

FTRF members are invited to participate in a FREE live webinar on Tuesday, April 29, featuring FTRF General Counsel Theresa Chmara. At this one-hour session, Chmara will discuss recent cases in which FTRF has become involved, including Arce v. Huppenthal and Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus. She also will take your questions about FTRF's litigation efforts.

The webinar will take place from noon-1:00 pm EDT (9:00-10:00 am PDT). It will be recorded for those members unable to participate live.

To register, you must log in to the FTRF site using your username and password. If you are unsure of either, please go here.

This session will be open to all current FTRF members. To join or renew your membership, please visit www.ftrf.org/?Membership. If you have any questions about your FTRF membership status, please email kdiehnelt@ala.org.