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.

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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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FTRF files brief in lawsuit challenging Arizona’s Ethnic Studies ban

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The Freedom to Read Foundation yesterday joined with several other library, education, and free speech organizations in filing anamicusbrief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals inArce v. Huppenthal, a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Arizona Revised Statute § 15-112(A). The brief argues that the statute, which led to the disbanding of Tucson’s Mexican American Studies (MAS) program, violates Arizona students’ First Amendment rights to receive information and is unconstitutionally overbroad.

See FTRF's press release here and the amicus brief on our Current Cases page.

Tags: Arizona Banned Books Week ethnic studies litigation Tucson

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Banned Books Week Spotlight: Lockport Public Library

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Saturday, September 28, 2013

Each day during Banned Books Week we will profile one of the seven recipients of FTRF's Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund 2013 Banned Books Week grants. Day 7 features Lockport Public Library, a branch of the Lafourche Parish Public Library System in Louisiana.

The final organization to be profiled in our spotlight series for Banned Books Week, the Lockport Public Library is one of two Louisiana institutions to receive Krug Fund grants this year (Livingston Parish Library was the other).

Lockport's events in clude "pirate radio" broadcasts once a week in September; several art workshops where patrons created paintings, sculptures, posters, and other mixed media art to express their views on censorship and their favorite banned books; a mock trial on Thursday with caged books waiting to be defended or prosecuted; and a freedom to read book walk on Wednesday which featured people with paper chains walking for banned books. There were also various banned book movie adaptation showings.

Check out the Lafourche Library System's Banned Books Club blog for details of their 2013 events and learn about their monthly discussion group at the system's Thibodaux branch. This month's selection was Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed.

You can follow the Lafourche Library on Twitter (@LafourcheLib) and Facebook.

And here's the library's Most Interesting (Banned Books Week) Fan in the World:

Most Interesting Ban

Tags: Banned Books Week BBW2014 Judith Krug Memorial Fund LaFourche Parish Public Library pirate radio

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Banned Books Week Spotlight: South Atlanta High School

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Friday, September 27, 2013

Each day during Banned Books Week we will profile one of the seven recipients of FTRF's Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund 2013 Banned Books Week grants. Day 6 features South Atlanta School of Law and Social Justice in Georgia.

The School of Law and Social Justice is one of four small schools in the South Atlanta High School complex in Atlanta, Ga. Their grant went to support "Danger! Black Men Reading," a series of events highlighting banned and challenged books by African American male authors, including Ralph Ellison (of Invisible Man fame), Malcolm X, and James Baldwin.

Their events included a Banned Books Week/Library Card Sign-Up Month combined event, an essay contest, Banned Books Week awards luncheon, and a virtual Read-Out.

South Atlanta has posted a number of photos on their Facebook page and created this preview video to kick the week off!

Tags: African American literature Banned Books Week BBW2014 Judith Krug Memorial Fund social justice South Atlanta High School

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Banned Books Week Spotlight: Livingston Public Library

Posted By Jonathan M. Kelley, Thursday, September 26, 2013

Each day during Banned Books Week we will profile one of the seven recipients of FTRF's Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund 2013 Banned Books Week grants. Day 5 features Livingston Parish Library in Louisiana.

A Southern Style Cafe. Banned picture shows. Southern Literature lecture. Skits and trivia. There's a plethora of events with a singular focus on the South taking place this week at Livingston Parish Library just east of Baton Rouge, La.

The Southern Style Cafe was Monday and is being repeated this evening. Residents are encouraged to come read from their favorite Southern banned/challenged books and listen to country music.

Tuesday and Saturday are the dates of the Banned Picture Show, featuring films based on banned and challenged books.

Sunday, Sept. 29, there will be a Southern Literature Lecture with professors from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Mornings throughout September saw Free to Read programming with a goal of explaining Banned Books Week to kids, highlighting books such as A Light in the Attic and Where the Wild Things Are.

Finally, next Monday (Sept. 30), there will be a Banned Books Skit & Trivia event involving the Young Writers Circle.

Read the Library Director's report on Livingston's Banned Books Week celebration.

Tags: Banned Books Week BBW2014 Ju Judith Krug Memorial Fund Livingston Parish Southern literature