Registration Open for “Intellectual Freedom In Libraries”
A Course Collaboration of FTRF and Emporia State University

Chicago, IL

July 17, 2024

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is excited to announce a new educational collaboration with the Emporia State University School of Library & Information Management (SLIM) in Emporia, Kansas.

The first offering of this collaboration is Intellectual Freedom in Libraries, course number LI861XK which begins August 19, 2024. Registration is open through August 30, 2024, and students enrolled in any LIS program in the U.S. are welcome to enroll. The  course examines intellectual freedom as a core value of librarianship and a foundational principle for library professionals. Students will learn how to articulate, promote, and defend intellectual freedom practices and policies as a key component of professional practice in multiple types of libraries and information services.

Students interested in taking the course can learn about the enrollment process from Kathie Buckman (kbuckman@emporia.edu) at Emporia.

The Freedom to Read Foundation also collaborates on courses at Longwood University, the University of Illinois iSchool (U of I) and the San Jose State University School of Information (SJSU). For more information on other courses offered, please write Joyce McIntosh (jmcintosh@ala.org). The Freedom to Read Foundation is a non-profit organization established to promote and defend First Amendment rights, foster libraries as institutions that fulfill the promise of the First Amendment, support the right of libraries to include in their collections and make available to the public any work they may legally acquire, and establish legal precedent for the freedom to read of all citizens.

For over 50 years FTRF staff, volunteers, members, and supporters have achieved this work through First Amendment education, litigation, and advocacy. For information on other FTRF news and initiatives, visit FTRF.org or email ftrf@ala.org.

For Immediate Release
Chicago, IL
June 3, 2024

Today, the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) announced that Thomas F. Allen Jr., Ryan W. Goellner, Kevin Shook, and Ben A. West, attorneys with the law firm Frost Brown Todd LLP, are receiving the foundation’s 2024 Roll of Honor Award for their pro bono contributions to FTRF’s litigation efforts defending library users’ First Amendment rights and the freedom to read.   

Allen, Goellner, Shook, and West collaborated with FTRF’s General Counsel and staff in writing substantive amicus curiae briefs in Little v. Llano County and Book People, Inc. v. Wong, two important cases pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. They are each recognized for their contribution to the many hours of dedicated work they put into writing and researching these briefs and their commitment to supporting the freedom to read and First Amendment rights. The Freedom to Read Foundation also recognizes Frost Brown Todd LLP for supporting the work of the four attorneys. 

FTRF General Counsel Theresa Chmara praised the work done by the four Frost Brown Todd attorneys, stating that their dedication, commitment, and insights into the issues were valuable to both the briefs and the foundation’s ongoing efforts to battle censorship in  courts throughout the country. 

• Thomas Allen is an accomplished appellate attorney and a partner in the Dallas office of Frost Brown Todd LLP. He has presented oral arguments in various appellate courts, including the Texas Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, Fifth, and Ninth Circuits. With more than 20 years of experience, Allen is known for litigating high-profile appeals and obtaining groundbreaking results. Allen is also passionate about serving his community and engaging in pro bono work, including his recent advocacy on behalf of the Freedom to Read Foundation: “Freedom can’t exist without the freedom to read—broadly and according to each person’s own choices. It was therefore an honor to work with the Freedom to Read Foundation on these important matters,” said Allen.
• Ryan Goellner focuses on general corporate litigation, media law, business tort and contract actions, and appeals, where he has achieved significant outcomes for clients before Ohio, West Virginia, and Michigan appellate courts, as well as various federal circuit courts of appeal. Goellner’s media law practice has involved the successful defense of multimillion-dollar defamation claims against several media conglomerates. He is privileged to stand with clients advancing the free exchange of ideas.
• Kevin Shook advises clients in media, First Amendment, and intellectual property matters. He is the chair of Frost Brown Todd’s Media and First Amendment service team and has extensive experience representing national media clients in high-profile cases, often brought by celebrities or political figures. "My passion for the First Amendment inspired me to work on these cases. I strongly believe that children should have access to diverse perspectives and that books in our libraries should not be subject to a majority vote,” said Shook.
• Benjamin (Ben) West has represented small mom-and-pop companies, international airlines, national shipping companies, and everything in between, with experience advising on litigation and appeals involving aviation, transportation, class-action defense, and complex commercial disputes.West is grateful for the opportunity to advocate for the rights of readers and these important issues.

The Freedom to Read Foundation will honor the four attorneys on Friday, June 28 during the Opening General Session of the American Library Association’s Annual Conference and at the evening’s Rally for the Right to Read.  

The Freedom to Read Foundation established the Roll of Honor in 1987 to recognize a person or group of people who have contributed to the Foundation through adherence to its principles or who have provided substantial monetary support for the work of the organization. 

The Freedom to Read Foundation is a non-profit organization established to promote and defend First Amendment rights, foster libraries as institutions that fulfill the promise of the First Amendment, support the right of libraries to include in their collections and make available to the public any work they may legally acquire, and establish legal precedent for the freedom to read of all citizens. For over 50 years FTRF staff, volunteers, members, and supporters have achieved this work through First Amendment litigation, education, and advocacy. For information on other FTRF news and initiatives, visit FTRF.org or email ftrf@ftrf.org. 

Chicago, IL

Freedom to Read Foundation Announces 2024 Conable Conference Scholarship Recipients

The Conable Conference Scholarship honors the memory of Gordon Conable, a past president of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF).  Conable, who was also an American Library Association (ALA) Councilor, was a tireless champion of intellectual freedom and dedicated to mentoring future leaders of the library profession.  Mentoring those new to the profession was an important undertaking for Gordon, and the FTRF Board of Trustees is pleased to be able to honor his memory by creating mentoring opportunities for students and new librarians. The Conable Scholarship does this by providing financial assistance to a new librarian or library student who shows a particular interest in intellectual freedom and wishes to attend the ALA Annual Conference.

This year, the Freedom to Read Foundation Conable Conference Committee members have named two scholarship recipients, who will receive full scholarships to attend the American Library Association’s (ALA) Annual Conference next week in San Diego, California.  Each recipient, Etana Laing and Tif Sutherland, were chosen from the largest class of applicants in the history of the scholarship.

Etana Laing is an MLIS student at the University of Maryland-College Park and a library associate at Bowie State University. She also has a book club for Black women and people with lived experience of misogynoir called Revolutionary Reads. 

Upon receiving news of the scholarship, she said “The rising number of book challenges and bans in the United States reflects the times we are living in, where our rights are being stripped away before our eyes, DEI initiatives are walked back, anti-LGBTQIA+ and Islamophobic rhetoric is on the rise, and the list continues. Intellectual freedom is a critical tool to fight these issues and is the root of my passion for this work,” said Laing. 

Tif Sutherland, the second recipient, is Reference Supervisor at Calvert Library in Maryland and President of the Maryland Library Association, leads a team of seven librarians focused on instruction, access, and equity for a community of 100,000.  They are committed to advocating for library support and training library supporters, leadership focused on soft skills, developing customer service-focused library workers, and delivering community and data-driven services, with a strong focus on advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion within the library landscape.

Sutherland shared the following, “Intellectual freedom is the foundation of an engaged and informed community. My staunch dedication to this principle has been strengthened during my time as the President of the Maryland Library Association. I've seen library workers so dedicated to their vital positions as resources and support for their communities balance their roles with external forces bent on making the work they do more challenging. Diverse perspectives and stories provide information and ideas that encourage literacy, learning, idea-sharing, and democracy.”

The Freedom to Read Foundation is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association that is dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read and the right of library workers to serve the information needs of their community. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have worked to protect First Amendment rights through education, litigation, and advocacy. To learn more about the Gordon Conable Scholarship and the Freedom to Read Foundation, please visit https://www.ftrf.org.

Freedom to Read Foundation Awards Citation Honoring Girl Scout Kate Lindley

Today the Freedom to Read Foundation Board of Trustees announced the award of a special citation to Girl Scout Kate Lindley of Hanover County, Virginia in recognition of her Girl Scout Gold Award Project, “Free to Read,” as well as in recognition of her steadfast advocacy on behalf of the freedom to read even as local elected officials censored any mention of her project at a ceremony intended to honor Gold Award winners in her community.  

Lindley’s Gold Award project involved the creation of “Banned Book Nooks” and a “Free-to-Read” online app, both designed to assist students and readers in her community access books that had been banned by the Hanover County School Board.  The Banned Book Nooks, located in local businesses and supported by community donations, make it possible for students to borrow many of the titles banned from Hanover County school libraries.  The “Free to Read” app provides the school board’s flawed reasoning for why the books were banned, why they are valuable, and where readers can still find them in Hanover County. Lindley also created “Talk Totes” containing 10-15 copies of a banned title with discussion questions, and she recruited a network of student ambassadors to distribute the totes in each of the four county high schools.

When it came time for the Hanover County Board of Supervisors to recognize Kate and the other Girl Scouts who earned Gold Awards, the Board of Supervisors refused to acknowledge Kate’s project. While other award winners received proclamations recognizing and detailing their Gold Award projects, Kate instead was given a proclamation that failed to include any mention of censorship or banned books. 

Kate bravely stood up to this censorship and refused to be silenced.  When it came time to accept her proclamation from the Board of Supervisors, she announced “My name is Kate Lindley and I am from the Ashland District. I would like to let you, the Board of Supervisors, know that you have bestowed upon me the greatest honor you could, greater than that of any proclamation, in your censorship of my Gold Award Project. You have shown the world that you are afraid to call something what it is, be that a banned book or a deselected one. Thank you for this recognition.”

The Freedom to Read Foundation is proud to award a special citation to Kate Lindley for her advocacy on behalf of the freedom to read and her courage in speaking truth to power. The Freedom to Read Foundation will honor Kate on Friday, June 28, 2024, at the Rally for the Right to Read during the American Library Association’s Annual Conference in San Diego, California.   

The Freedom to Read Foundation is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association that is dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read and the right of library workers to serve the information needs of their community. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have worked to protect First Amendment rights through education, litigation, and advocacy.

Freedom to Read Foundation 2024 Election Results

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association, concluded its annual election on April 30, 2024. FTRF members elected five people to its Board of Trustees for two-year terms that begin on June 27, 2024. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have been dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to access information through education, litigation, and advocacy.

FTRF President Sukrit Goswami had the following welcome for new trustees. “Congratulations to all who were elected to the FTRF Board – we look forward to doing this important work with you. I would also like to thank everyone who ran for the board positions; we hope that you will choose to work with us on committees and be involved with the work of this organization. Every person counts in our efforts to stop censorship and ensure that Free People Read Freely.”

The elected trustees are:

Shauntee Burns-Simpson has been elected for a 2-year term. Burns-Simpson is the Director of Youth & Family Services at the District of Columbia Public Library. She served as President of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) from 2020 to 2022, and she has also chaired the ALA Committee on Diversity. Burns-Simpson is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion on a national scale within the profession.

Dorcas Hand has been elected for a 2- year term. She is a retired school librarian from Houston TX who is a co-chair of Students Need Libraries in HISD (Houston), a grass-roots advocacy effort to return school librarians and libraries to all campuses in HISD. Hand served on the FTRF Board from 2019-22, is an active member of the ALA COLA Ecosystem Subcommittee, is the Texas Chapter Councilor to the ALA Governing Council (2021-2024) and sits on the TXLA Executive Board (2021-2024).

Lesliediana Jones has been elected for a 2-year term. She is currently an Associate Director and Interim Assistant Dean at the Harvard Law School Library. Lesliediana has been the Chair of the Intellectual Freedom Committee, 2022 - present and a member of the Executive Board of the Freedom to Read Foundation. She has been a past member of the ALA Committee on Legislation. Lesliediana has been a speaker at conferences locally and internationally on the subject of intellectual freedom and the vital role of libraries in our communities.

Pat Scales has been elected for her second 2-year term. She is a free-speech advocate and is the author of Banned Books for Children and Teens, Protecting Intellectual Freedom in Your School Library and Books Under Fire: A Hit List of Banned and Challenged Children’s Books. She writes a bi-monthly column, Scales on Censorship, for School Library Journal. She has also served as a member and chair of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Sophia Sotilleo has been elected for her second 2-year term. Sotilleo is the Dean of the Thurgood Marshall Library at Bowie State University, is a current ALA Executive Board Member, and a member of the New Castle County Library Advisory Board for the state of Delaware. She also serves on the College and Research Library (CRL) Budget and Finance Committee. She has also served as a past Freedom to Read Foundation Vice president, serving on the education committee and Liaison to the Black Caucus of American Library Association. She also served as the Co-Chair for FTRF’s launch of the Symposium on Intellectual Freedom and Social Justice.

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is led by a board of fifteen trustees. The term for an elected trustee is two years, and board members may serve two consecutive terms. Trustees meet at least twice a year in conjunction with the ALA conferences or professional development events and hold virtual committee meetings throughout the year. If you are interested in working with the Freedom to Read Foundation visit us at www.ftrf.org or email jmcintosh@ala.org for information on how to become involved.

Applications Open for Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Programming Grants

Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes grants to organizations to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during the annual Banned Books Weeks celebration (September 22-28, 2024).  Staff at all types of libraries, schools, universities, and non-profit community organizations are encouraged to apply. Grants are awarded for $1,000 and applications are accepted now through April 30, 2024.  

Grants are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• IMAGINATION: What makes your plan unique? How have you integrated the concept of Freed Between the Lines? 
• SCHEDULE/ACTION PLAN: Include key dates, responsibilities, and collaboration with other groups to carry out a creative project.
• PR PLAN: What are the ways you will promote your event and who is your intended audience?  Do you have a media and social media plan?  How will your promotion be creative, unique and eye-catching?
• BUDGET: Please detail your proposed budget. Institutions, and other groups they are working with, should partially contribute to the funding of proposed events rather than solely relying on the grant. Do not designate all of these grant funds for the purchase of books, or as an honorarium for one speaker.
• EVALUATION: Detail how you will evaluate the success of your program.

To be eligible for a grant, organizations must not have been a recipient of an FTRF grant within the past five years. FTRF Founder Judith F. Krug was a fierce proponent of education and intellectual freedom.  During Krug’s lengthy career she worked non-stop to prevent censorship and protect First Amendment rights. 

Apply here or visit the Freedom to Read Foundation online to apply and learn more about past recipients and their projects through the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.  Contact Joyce McIntosh at jmcintosh@ala.org or Karen Gianni at kgianni@ala.org with questions.

Apply now with this application.

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) offers an annual scholarship for library school students and new professionals to attend ALA's Annual Conference. The goal of the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship is to advance two principles that Gordon held dear: intellectual freedom and mentoring.

The Conable Scholarship provides for conference registration, transportation, housing (six nights), and a $300 stipend for meals and other expenses.

The recipient will also receive a one-year membership to the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF). In return, the recipient will be expected to attend various Freedom to Read Foundation and other intellectual freedom meetings and programs at the conference, consult with a mentor, and present a report about their experiences and thoughts. Application deadline April 26, 2024.

The scholarship is available to students currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies degree program or an AASL-recognized master’s programs in school librarianship and new professionals (those who are three or fewer years removed from receiving an LIS degree).

Note: If the recipient is already registered for ALA’s Annual Conference, they will have their conference fee refunded.

The conference scholarship winner will be expected to arrive on Wednesday and stay through Monday afternoon. 

The application requires a resume, two references, and an essay of up to 500 words describing your interest in intellectual freedom issues and how you will use your attendance at the ALA annual conference to further your interest in intellectual freedom during and after the conference.  Your resume should include your education, work history, and volunteer experience.

Submit an Application.

Freedom to Read Foundation Virtual President’s Program:

Continuing the Conversation: Intellectual Freedom and Social Justice

February 22, 2024

3:00pm Eastern, 2:00pm Central, 1:00pm Mountain, 12:00pm Pacific

90 Minutes

Please Register Here.

Freedom to Read Foundation and National Associations of Librarians of Color leaders will share how our organizations are responding to challenges to intellectual freedom and the right to access information. A significant number of the challenges in the past two years have been to works by or about persons of color. Through this conversation we will identify ways our organizations can support one another in fighting censorship. 

Through Education, Litigation, and Advocacy the Freedom to Read Foundation works to protect First Amendment rights.  A commitment to social justice is fundamental to the work of the Foundation. Learn more Here

Panelists include:

Sukrit Goswami, President of the Freedom to Read Foundation

Stacy Wells, Executive Assistant, American Indian Library Association (AILA)

Amy Breslin, Member at Large, Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)

Nichelle Hayes, President of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA)

Ray Pun, Immediate Past President of the Chinese American Librarians Association (CALA)

Loida Garcia-Febo, International Relations Committee Chair, REFORMA – The National Association to Promote Library & Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking

You can read the letter here:

October 17, 2023

City Council

City of Huntington Beach

2000 Main Street

Huntington Beach, CA 92648

Re:      Resolution No. 2023-41

Dear City Council Members:

The First Amendment Coalition, the ACLU of Southern California, and the Freedom to Read Foundation strongly oppose Resolution No. 2023-41 (“Resolution”), which would impose an unconstitutional censorship regime on the people’s right to access library books and materials protected by the First Amendment. Since the founding of this nation, public libraries have been havens for free inquiry and expression. The government has no business interfering with the decisions of parents, families, and minors about what library books to read and how they may access them. We urge you to reject the Resolution in the strongest possible terms.

The Resolution’s sweep is breathtaking. It would prohibit any city library from allowing access to “any content of a sexual nature” for anyone under 18 years of age without consent of a parent or guardian, regardless of “whether the books or materials are intended for children or adults.” Resolution ¶ 1(a)–(b). Taken literally, it would cover “countless literary works,” Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 535 U.S. 234, 247 (2002), including the Bible, Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, 1984, Beloved, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and Introduction to Plant Reproduction, to name only a few examples of commonly read books.

The Resolution would also impair access to educational materials on gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, and reproductive health. Indeed, speech discussing gender identity and expression or sexual orientation is often a prime target of measures such as the Resolution. While some minors can and do seek parental guidance or support on such matters, others are unable to do so safely. Free access to these educational materials helps ensure that LGBTQ youth feel safe and supported.

In addition, the Resolution would subject the future acquisition of any “children’s books and other materials” containing unspecified “sexual references” or “sexual content” to the arbitrary veto of a “review board” appointed by city council members and guided by nothing more than undefined “community standards of acceptance.” Resolution ¶ 2. The review board could also require libraries to restrict access to any “book or material currently in circulation” which “does not meet community standards.” Id. ¶ 2(d).

The Resolution would violate the fundamental right to freedom of speech. The First Amendment protects not only the right to speak but also “the public’s interest in receiving information.” Pac. Gas & Elec. Co. v. Pub. Utils. Comm’n, 475 U.S. 1, 8 (1986) (citations omitted); see also Board of Education v. Pico, 457 U.S. 853, 867–68 (1982) (noting that “the right to receive ideas is a necessary predicate to the recipient’s meaningful exercise of his own rights of speech, press, and political freedom” and explaining that “students too are beneficiaries of this principle”); Stanley v. Georgia, 394 U.S. 557, 568 (1969) (noting that the “right to read or observe” is “fundamental to our scheme of individual liberty”); Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479, 482 (1965) (stating “[t]he right of freedom of speech . . . includes not only the right to utter or to print, but the right to distribute, the right to receive, [and] the right to read”) (citation omitted).

This right is especially salient in a public library, “the ‘quintessential’ locus for the exercise of the right to receive information and ideas.” Kreimer v. Bureau of Police, 958 F.2d 1242, 1256 (3d Cir. 1992). The founders of this nation “understood the necessity of public libraries for a well-functioning democracy,” and “[f]or more than a century, librarians have curated the collections of public libraries to serve diverse viewpoints.” Fayetteville Pub. Libr. v. Crawford County, No. 5:23-CV-05086, 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 131427, *10 (W.D. Ark. July 29, 2023). The decision as to what library materials minors may read or view and how they may do so belongs to their parents and them, not to the government.

The literature, art, music, films, and other materials covered by the Resolution are the essence of speech protected by the First Amendment. Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Grp. of Boston, 515 U.S. 557, 569 (1995); Ward v. Rock Against Racism, 491 U.S. 781, 790 (1989); Schad v. Borough of Mount Ephraim, 452 U.S. 61, 65 (1981).

Speech is not unprotected merely because it contains some alleged “sexual content.” Ashcroft, 535 U.S. at 245; Reno v. ACLU, 521 U.S. 844, 875 (1997). Under the First Amendment, speech “cannot be suppressed solely to protect the young from ideas or images that a legislative body thinks unsuitable for them.” Erznoznik v. City of Jacksonville, 422 U.S. 205, 213–14 (1975).^[1]

As the Supreme Court has said, “one man’s vulgarity is another’s lyric,” and “because governmental officials cannot make principled distinctions in this area,” the Constitution leaves to individuals the right to decide what protected speech to view or read. Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15, 25 (1971); cf. Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. Wilson, 343 U.S. 495, 505 (1952) (“It is not the business of government in our nation to suppress real or imagined attacks upon a particular religious doctrine, whether they appear in publications, speeches, or motion pictures.”).

Above all else, the First Amendment prohibits the government from discriminating based on viewpoint, and the grant of unbridled discretion to restrict access to speech inherently creates an unacceptable risk of viewpoint discrimination. Rosenberger v. Rector & Visitors of the Univ. of Va., 515 U.S. 819, 828-29 (1995); Kaahumanu v. Hawaii, 682 F.3d 789, 807 (9th Cir. 2012).

The terms “content of a sexual nature” or “sexual references” are so inherently subjective as to be entirely arbitrary. The Resolution is devoid of “sufficiently definite and objective” standards “to prevent arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement” of “the policy as a pretext for censorship.” Amalgamated Transit Union Loc. 1015 v. Spokane Transit Auth., 929 F.3d 643, 654 (9th Cir. 2019). This risk is especially acute in the case of elected officials or their surrogates, who are “the object of political pressures” that often “run contrary to the protections that the first amendment affords political and other controversial forms of expression.” Cinevision Corp. v. City of Burbank, 745 F.2d 560, 575 (9th Cir. 1984). 

Therefore, if adopted, the Resolution would violate the First Amendment by licensing censors to exercise unbridled discretion to curtail access to protected speech based on vague standards amounting to little more than the arbitrary whims of a minority. While no one can be forced to read a library book to which they object, no one has the right to subject, through force of government, the entire community to their narrow and arbitrary view of what books are acceptable for minors of any age to read.

Unsurprisingly, courts have rejected similar misguided attempts to restrict access to library books. See, e.g., Fayetteville Pub. Libr., 2023 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 131427 at *46–48 (enjoining enforcement of law prohibiting the furnishing of books or materials allegedly “harmful to minors” that included “a broad category of protected speech” such as “any material with any amount of sexual content” of any kind, which “would likely impose an unnecessary and unjustified burden on any older minor’s ability to access free library books appropriate to his or her age and reading level”); Sund v. City of Wichita Falls, 121 F. Supp. 2d 530, 549 (N.D. Tex. 2000) (holding that a resolution conferring on residents “the power to remove from the children’s section any books they find objectionable” was unconstitutional because it “effectively permitt[ed] them to veto lawful, fully-protected expression simply because of their adverse reaction to it”); cf. Cline v. Fox, 319 F. Supp. 2d 685, 692 (N.D. W. Va. 2004) (holding that even in prison, First Amendment does not allow a policy that “prohibits all books, magazines, paintings, and photographs that contain even one depiction of sexual intercourse,” such as “literary classics like George Orwell’s 1984 and religious texts like the Bible,” regardless of “the context of the depiction or the content of the work as a whole”).

The City Council would far better serve the people of Huntington Beach by respecting their right to freedom of expression and turning its attention to critical public services instead of stoking division by adopting an arbitrary and unconstitutional censorship regime. For all these reasons, we object to the Resolution and strongly urge the City Council to reject it.

Sincerely,

s/David Loy
Legal Director

First Amendment Coalition

s/Jonathan Markovitz

Free Expression and Access to Government Staff Attorney

ACLU Foundation of Southern California

s/Deborah Caldwell-Stone

Executive Director

Freedom to Read Foundation

^[1] The Resolution goes far beyond materials deemed legally obscene as to adults or minors, or child sexual abuse material produced with actual minors, all of which may be restricted without violating the First Amendment and creation or distribution of which is already prohibited by California law, making it unavailable in libraries. Miller v. California, 413 U.S. 15 (1973); Ginsberg v. New York, 390 U.S. 629 (1968); New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747 (1982); Cal. Penal Code §§ 311-313.5.

Freedom to Read Foundation Announces Two
Conable Conference Scholarship Recipients

Chicago, IL
June 17, 2023

This year the Freedom to Read Foundation will send two scholarship recipients to the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) annual meeting and the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference through the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship. The purpose of the annual scholarship for library school students and new professionals is to advance two principles that Conable held dear: intellectual freedom and mentoring.

After receiving more applications than usual, staff and committee members made the decision to award two scholarships. The 2023 recipients are Paloma Barraza and Pamela Verfaillie. 

Paloma Barraza (she/her/hers) is completing her master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the  University of Arizona iSchool with a focus in academic libraries. She works as a Library Technician at the University of Northern Colorado Libraries as the course reserve specialist and works for High Plains Library District as a bilingual Substitute Librarian. Paloma also has a master’s degree in Art History from the University of New Mexico, where she specialized in colonial and pre-contact art of the Americas. After she graduates she hopes to become a specialized librarian in an academic setting. This is her first time attending the conference, and she hopes to meet academic librarians and others who are working with Latin American collections as well as accessibility for patrons. 

Pamela Verfaillie is the library associate at Valdez High School in Valdez, Alaska. She is past-president of the Alaska Association of School Librarians, and is currently studying to earn her MLIS at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She has an undergraduate degree in political science from Bates College (ME) and a certificate in Information and Library Science from the University of Maine at Augusta. Her interest in intellectual freedom stems from watching friends and colleagues facing coordinated efforts to remove books from school libraries and seeing school districts set aside existing policies when confronted by these tactics. Mrs. Verfaillie believes that librarians and other educators need to work together to effectively support each other, educate school and city administrations regarding appropriate policies and procedures, prevent censorship, and ensure that the views of one individual or group does not restrict other patrons' freedom to read.

The annual scholarship provides for conference registration, transportation, housing (six nights), and a stipend for meals and other expenses and is available to students currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies degree program or an AASL-recognized master’s programs in school librarianship and new professionals (those who are three or fewer years removed from receiving an LIS degree). To learn more about the scholarship, visit Conable Conference Scholarship - Freedom to Read Foundation (ftrf.org). 

The Freedom to Read Foundation is a non-profit legal and educational organization dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have worked to protect First Amendment rights through education, litigation, and advocacy. Visit Freedom to Read Foundation (ftrf.org) or contact ftrf@ala.org to learn more.

Freedom to Read Foundation Celebrates 2023 Roll of Honor Recipient Pat Scales

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) will honor the work and achievements of librarian and free speech advocate Pat Scales by awarding her its  2023 Roll of Honor Award during the American Library Association’s Annual Conference in Chicago in June.  

“Pat’s lifetime of dedication to upholding the principles of intellectual freedom, her years as a collaborator and volunteer with the Foundation, and the numerous ways she has ensured that children, and their parents, can find ways to read together, made her a unanimous and clear choice for this year’s Roll of Honor award,” said Committee Chair and FTRF Vice President Sophia Sotilleo.

Pat’s work as an advocate for the freedom to read began when FTRF founder Judith Krug saw Pat and Judy Blume on the Today Show.  Blume had joined Scales to promote Scales’ program,“Communicate through Literature,” which brought together parents from the middle school where Scales was a librarian. The parents met once a month, without their children, to read books that students had chosen for the parents to read.  The books covered everything from bullying, belonging, and the need to achieve, to sex, and sexuality.  The program was so popular she had to create two groups.

Following Scales’ and Blume’s presentation on the Today Show, Krug wrote a note to Pat recruiting her for the Foundation’s corps of volunteers and trustees, saying that Pat’s work was a good fit with the Freedom to Read Foundation’s mission.  Since then, Pat has been an FTRF trustee, an active volunteer on committees, and as a strong voice in defense of authors’ right to write and publish without censorship, and the right of children, students,  and parents to freely read without censorship. 

Through “Communicate with Literature” and similar initiatives that followed, Pat has worked with everyone from pediatricians to clergy members.  “You can’t only preach to the choir,” said Pat. “You have to accept opportunities, go in, and tell our side of the story.” And throughout Scales’ career, she has done exactly that. 

 Scales’ work as a school librarian and intellectual freedom advocate has had a long-term, visible impact, such as the Scales on Censorship column published by School Library Journal, as well as a growing number of books tackling intellectual freedom issues in schools and libraries.  A new edition of “Teaching Banned Books” will be released this fall and will be available to  inform educators, librarians, and parents for years to come about fighting censorship and the importance of having diverse books available for student readers. “The only thing that matters to me is that it’s out there, so people who need it can use it,” said Scales. 

Scales has made advocacy for the freedom to read a full-time endeavor since her retirement  from teaching 16 years ago.  She has also created a legacy for future educators and librarians by donating  the  Pat Scales Special Collections, a research resource, to  the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama, one of the few public liberal arts schools in the country. The Collection began with 4,000 books in 2016 and now includes over 10,000 children’s and young adult literature titles. Pat still joins the archivist there in teaching a banned books course on a regular basis.

Pat will be honored the evening of  Thursday, June 22, 6 p.m. at  A Rally for the Right to Read: Uniting for Libraries & Intellectual Freedom and at the Opening General Session of the 2023 ALA Annual Conference on Friday, June 23, at 4 p.m.

The Freedom to Read Foundation is a non-profit legal and educational organization dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have worked to protect First Amendment rights through education, litigation, and advocacy. Visit Freedom to Read Foundation (ftrf.org) or contact ftrf@ala.org to learn more.

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) offers an annual scholarship for library school students and new professionals to attend ALA's Annual Conference. The goal of the Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship is to advance two principles that Gordon held dear: intellectual freedom and mentoring.

The Conable Scholarship provides for conference registration, transportation, housing (six nights), and a $300 stipend for meals and other expenses.

The recipient will also receive a one-year membership in the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF). In return, recipient will be expected to attend various FTRF and other intellectual freedom meetings and programs at conference, consult with a mentor/board member, and present a report about their experiences and thoughts. Application deadline May 5, 2023.

The scholarship is available to students currently enrolled in an ALA-accredited library and information studies degree program or an AASL-recognized master’s programs in school librarianship and new professionals (those who are three or fewer years removed from receiving an LIS degree).

Note: If the recipient is already registered for ALA’s Annual Conference, they will have their conference fee refunded.

The conference scholarship winner will be expected to arrive on Wednesday and stay through Monday afternoon. 

The application requires a resume, two references, and an essay of up to 500 words describing your interest in intellectual freedom issues and how you will use your attendance at an ALA conference to further your interest in intellectual freedom during and after the conference.  Your resume should include your education, work history, and volunteer experience.

Submit an Application.

 

April 5, 2023

Applications Open for Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Banned Books Week Programming Grants

Each year the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) distributes grants for organizations to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during the annual Banned Books Weeks celebration (October 1-7, 2023). The 2023 theme is "Let Freedom Read." Staff at all types of libraries, schools, universities, and non-profit community organizations are encouraged to apply. Grants are awarded for $1,000 and applications are accepted now through May 19, 2023.  

Grants are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• IMAGINATION: What makes your plan unique? How have you integrated the concept of LET FREEDOM READ?  Do not designate all of the grant funds for the purchase of books, or as an honorarium for one speaker; local collaborators might support those aspects.
• SCHEDULE/ACTION PLAN: Include key dates, responsibilities, and collaboration with other groups to carry out a creative project.
• PR PLAN: What are the ways you will promote your event and who is your intended audience?  Do you have a media and social media plan?  How will your promotion be creative, unique and eye-catching?
• BUDGET: Please detail your proposed budget. Institutions, and other groups they are working with, should partially contribute to the funding of proposed events rather than solely relying on the grant. Do not designate all of these grant funds for the purchase of books, or as an honorarium for one speaker.
• EVALUATION: Detail how you will evaluate the success of your program.

To be eligible for a grant, organizations must not have been a recipient of an FTRF grant within the past five years. FTRF Founder Judith F. Krug was a fierce proponent of education and intellectual freedom.  During Krug’s lengthy career she worked non-stop to prevent censorship and protect First Amendment rights. 

Apply here or visit the Freedom to Read Foundation online to apply and learn more about past recipients and their projects through the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.  Contact Joyce McIntosh at jmcintosh@ala.org with questions.

February 23, 2023
Chicago, IL

The Freedom to Read Foundation Awarded the Los Angeles Times Book Festival’s Innovator’s Award 

The Los Angeles Times has announced the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) will receive its LA Times Book Festival 2022 Innovator’s Award, which “spotlights efforts to bring books, publishing and storytelling into the future.” 

“The organization is as important and relevant today as it was at its inception in 1969,” says Julia Turner, Deputy Managing Editor of Entertainment and Strategy for the Times. “We honor its continued fight against book bans and its mission to protect all Americans’ right to read and access information.”

“We are grateful to the Los Angeles Times for recognizing the Freedom to Read Foundation's efforts to ensure everyone’s right to read freely as guaranteed in the First Amendment,” responds FTRF President Peter Coyl. “With unprecedented attacks on librarians and increasingly brazen efforts to take books away from schools and children, the mission of the Foundation is more important now than ever. We hope this award will serve as a clarion call for others to join in the fight to preserve one of our most precious freedoms.”

“In awarding the Innovator’s Award to the Freedom to Read Foundation, the Los Angeles Times honors the Foundation’s 50 plus years of advocacy, education, and litigation on behalf of the freedom to read, as well as the vision of its founding director, Judith Krug, who fiercely believed in the right of the reader to read and the role of the library in supporting our democracy and individual liberties,” says FTRF Executive Director Deborah Caldwell-Stone. “We thank the Los Angeles Times and look to a future where we can secure every person’s right to read what they want, without the government telling them what to read.” 

You can read the full article and list of Los Angeles Times 2022 Book Award recipients here: www.latimes.com/about/pressreleases/story/2023-02-22/los-angeles-times-book-prizes-to-honor-james-ellroy-and-freedom-to-read-foundation

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is a non-profit legal and educational organization dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read and the right of libraries to collect -- and individuals to access -- information. Affiliated with the American Library Association, staff, trustees, members, and ALA liaisons to the Foundation achieve its mission through First Amendment education, litigation, and advocacy. Visit www.ftrf.org to learn more.

The Freedom to Read Foundation, in partnership with ALA eLearning, is offering three very timely and relevant webinars. Join us and learn skills for dealing with today's most challenging issues facing libraries across the country.

FTRF Members receive a code to attend the webinars for free! Check your email inbox or call the office at 312-280-4223 ext. 4223 if you did not receive a registration code.  If you are not a member, visit here to join.

• Navigating Book Challenges in Rural America - Wednesday, January 4, 2023: https://elearning.ala.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=695

• Reproductive Health and Libraries: Navigating the New Information Landscape - Wednesday, January 11, 2023 : https://elearning.ala.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=696

• Dealing with Challenges, Misinformation, and Disinformation About Resources for Children and Young Adults - Wednesday, January 18, 2023: https://elearning.ala.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=697

• Defending Intellectual Freedom: Facing Challenges and Fighting Back (the bundle): https://elearning.ala.org/local/catalog/view/product.php?productid=698

We hope you can join us.  If you have questions, or issues with registration, contact ALA eLearning at ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100 or call FTRF staff at 312-280-4223 ext. 4223 or email ftrf@ala.org.

Chicago, IL
August 16, 2022

Freedom to Read Foundation Announces Grant Recipients for Projects Reflecting the theme: Books Unite Us: Censorship Divides Us

The Freedom to Read Foundation has awarded six organizations $1000 each to support activities that raise awareness of intellectual freedom and censorship issues during the annual Banned Books Week celebration (September 18 - 24, 2022). The organizations were asked to design initiatives that showed imagination and creativity around the theme, “Books Unite Us: Censorship Divides Us.”

The 2022 recipients include:

Athens-Clarke County Library – Athens, GA
Staff at Athens-Clarke County Library will take inspiration from their permanent exhibit “Imagination Squared: Pathways to Resilience” to stand up to the challenges that are getting closer and closer to all communities. The exhibit features nearly 2,000 5”x 5” block squares that were decorated by community members on the theme “What Resilience Means to You.” The squares span an entire wall and make a significant impact on library visitors. Participants in their Banned Books Week program will decorate a 5” x 5” canvas board using the theme “Books Unite Us.” The event will be aimed at all ages with one program for teens and one for the community. Each event will begin with an overview of Banned Book Week, the importance of intellectual freedom, and the harm that comes from book banning. An art instructor at the University of Georgia who is also the founder of Imagination Squared, will speak about resilience and how art helps build connections. 

Friends of the Chesapeake Public Library – Chesapeake, VA
Chesapeake Public Library (CPL) wants to fight back against the division that comes with attempts at censorship. To raise awareness, staff are making banned books the focus of their third annual Black Ink festival, an all-day festival that celebrates local authors of color. During this year's festival, they will offer writing workshops, poetry slams, panel discussions on the importance of diversity in the publishing industry, a tent giving away free copies of banned books and a keynote speech from Chesapeake's own Kwame Alexander. Kwame has had several books banned, including New York Times best-seller "The Undefeated". During his speech, he will speak to all the ways that books unite us. Black Ink is for all-ages. With the ongoing book challenges in their local school district, this year's festival will target local middle and high school students— especially those who are underserved. The program will highlight their growing partnership with administrators and teachers at Chesapeake Public Schools.

Kean University, Common Read Program -  Sayre, PA
Kean University’s Common Read Program will include students, faculty, and administrators from General Education, Psychology, English, Speech Language Pathology, ESL, Communications, and others as they join to read one common book. The Common Read Program champions the idea that a single book can join a diverse community together, expanding critical thinking habits for the institution at large. After a multi-step selection process, the 2022 common read book chosen is one the ALA’s top-ten most challenged books of 2021: LGBTQ+ activist George M. Johnson’s memoir-manifesto All Boys Aren’t Blue. Kean University will welcome Johnson to campus on October 11, 2022, National Coming Out Day. As Johnson is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, the Common Read program is working alongside Greek life to engage fraternities and sororities as part of the welcoming ceremony. After a meet & greet and book signing, Johnson will engage in a short reading followed by a student-led Q&A. Afterwards, they will celebrate Johnson’s visit with a gallery reception at the University Human Rights Institute. 

Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County Library - Kenton, OH
Staff of Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County Library will host a program “Books Unite Us- Expanding Our Cultural Horizons” including a “world fair” of stations where patrons will learn about banned books in diverse cultures and societies. Each station will detail a culture/society and why they banned specific books. Attendees will receive a “passport” to have stamped as they complete their trip around the world. The program will include an in-person opportunity at the beginning of Banned Books Week, as well as a digital version for those who cannot attend. The online program will include daily updates from each culture/system and ask for online participation- rewarding participants with virtual items such as free printables, digital resources, and physical prizes/items that can be mailed. The heart behind this program is to encourage participants to broaden their knowledge of other cultures and belief systems. Staff hope that participants will be able to see banned books in a different perspective- and learn more about other cultures and systems. 

Medina County District Library  - Medina, OH
The Medina County District Library (MCDL) is collaborating with Medina County Juvenile Detention Center (JDC), Access the Arts, and all 6 District Library locations to provide programming to children and teens ages 10-18 from Medina County, Ohio focused on “Books Unite Us: Censorship Divides Us” through artistic mediums including painting, poetry, and music. Because staff felt the celebration of the Freedom to Read needs more than a single week, their timeline began in July 2022 and runs through March 2023. 

"Students from all over the county, including students from our juvenile detention center, united to contribute to our community mural which depicts their artistic interpretation of the concept of censorship while displaying a love of books and reading" said Suzie Muniak, Assistant Director of Medina County District Library.

Finished and recorded projects will reflect the uniqueness of the youth of Medina County, and the  collaborative effort made to create a work of art promoting their freedom to read.

Sidney Silverman Library at Bergen Community College - Paramus, NJ
Staff at the Sidney Silverman Library at Bergen Community College hope their program will demonstrate why talking about and learning from challenged or banned books creates empathy, unity and understanding by highlighting shared experiences. Using the Readers’ Theater reading fluency strategy, a selection of readings from banned books will be turned into scripts which will be read by students and faculty before a live audience in the Student Center and/or an Outdoor Classroom. Events will be supported by a series of posters which will be placed across the campus and will highlight the selected books explaining the reason for the challenge or ban as well as relevant quotes from scholars and writers. Volunteer students, faculty and staff will select various challenged children’s books and read aloud to students at the College’s Child Development Center and a display of banned or challenged books will be created in the Sidney Silverman Library. The celebration will culminate in a student trip to New York City to see a production of “The Kite Runner” on Broadway.

To learn more about past recipients and their projects and consider applying in the future, visit the Freedom to Read Foundation online at www.ftrf.org or Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund .  Contact Joyce McIntosh at jmcintosh@ala.org with questions.

For Immediate Release

Wed, July 20, 2022

Chicago, Illinois

Contact: Joyce McIntosh

Assistant Program Director

Freedom to Read Foundation

jmcintosh@ala.org

Freedom to Read Foundation Announces 2022 - 2023 Executive Committee

The trustees of the  Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read, elected its officers and members of its Executive Committee for the 2022-2023 term at its Annual Meeting held on June 23, 2022. 

Peter Coyl, Director and CEO of the Sacramento Public Library in Sacramento, California is the newly-elected President of the Freedom to Read Foundation. He has previously served as Vice President of the Freedom to Read Foundation and currently serves as Councilor for the American Library Association’s (ALA) Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) and as a member of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC). "I am honored to be selected as the President of the Freedom to Read Foundation. The First Amendment is the cornerstone of our democracy and now, more than ever, it is vital we protect, defend, and strengthen it," said Coyl. "I look forward to working with our colleagues in the library, publishing, bookselling, and academic arenas to ensure that our right to read remains strong and enduring.  We welcome those who share our vision to join us in this fight."

Sophia Sotilleo, Interim Library Director/Associate Professor at the Langston Hughes Memorial Library, Lincoln University, Pennsylvania has been elected Vice-President of FTRF. “Working as a librarian at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), serving first generation college students, I see daily the importance of having access to various types of books that not only educate, but also empower and encourage our next generation of leaders. The Freedom to Read Foundation continues to do an amazing job at defending and supporting access to information and I look forward to serving with the organization in this inspiring and important work,” said Sotilleo. Sotilleo was also elected as a 2022-2025 ALA Councilor-at-Large and is a 2022 Association of Research Libraries Leadership Fellow.

Cindy Hohl, Director of Branch Operations at Kansas City Public Library and immediate past president of the American Indian Library Association, will serve as FTRF’s Treasurer. Hohl said she is “committed to supporting library workers and champions equal access for everyone to defend their right to read.” Hohl is also the ALA representative to the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Indigenous Matters Section, Co-Chair of the ALA Spectrum Scholarship Program, and Co-Chair of the ALA Working Group on White Supremacy & Fascism as Antithetical to Library Work, and part of the LibLearnX Programs Committee.

Sukrit Goswami and Lesliediana Jones have been elected to serve as members of FTRF’s Executive Committee.  

Goswami is the Director at Haverford Township Free Library, Havertown, Pennsylvania. He is currently the Chair of ALA's Information Technology Policy Advisory Committee (ITP), and a member of ALA's Intellectual Freedom Committee. “One of the most powerful statements I have come across in my professional career is Freedom to Read Foundation's slogan, “Free People Read Freely.” I would like to continue to promote and advocate Freedom To Read Foundation’s commitments towards protecting, safeguarding and supporting libraries and librarians in their defense of first amendment rights as a member of the FTRF Executive Committee.“

Lesliediana Jones is the Associate Director of Public Services at Harvard Law School Library, Cambridge, Massachusetts and currently serves as Chair of the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee. “I believe in the words of Frederick Douglass, ‘Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.’ The freedom to read is a right that all persons should be able to use however they choose,” said Jones.

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association, is dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have worked to protect First Amendment rights through education, litigation, and advocacy. 

For Eldon Ray James, the 2022 recipient of the Freedom to Read Foundation’s Roll of Honor award, an impromptu declaration of a career goal was a prompt that not only changed his life but also led to a life of service that achieved abundant changes that are preserving intellectual freedom and access to information for library users in many schools, libraries, and institutions across the United States.  

In 1996 Ray was sentenced to 70 months in a minimum security Federal correctional camp where there was an informal library and very little else available to those who were incarcerated there and who wanted to read to improve their lives. Ray asked the corrections officials if the camp could offer Ray and the other inmates college courses, and soon the camp began offering higher education courses through Howard College in Big Spring Texas. 

When asked during an online speech class what he would do when released, Ray stood up and said, “I’m going to become a librarian.” Though his classmates laughed, Ray persevered and was able to complete his bachelor's degree in English and begin coursework at the University of Texas’ School of Information Science with Loriene Roy, who served as President of the American Library Association.  Roy invited Ray to Washington D.C. for her inauguration and to meet with members of the Association of Specialized Government, and Cooperative Library Agencies’ forum for Library Services to the Incarcerated and Detained. Ray volunteered to chair the forum, beginning his years of service within ALA.

In 2009 Ray was invited to revise and update ALA’s “Prisoners Right to Read” document for adoption by the ALA Council, launching his work advocating for the intellectual freedom rights of persons involved in the justice system and those incarcerated behind prison walls. 

“Intellectual freedom is the absolute right to read, write, and think, unrestricted by government at any level,” said James. “An individual has the right to follow their own course through life without interference from institutions of government.” 

“I recognized early on that I could not go back behind bars, but I can help improve conditions for access to information to those who are behind bars,” said James. And that is precisely what he has done.

Ray’s years of service include many hours of work on behalf of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table as well as work on behalf of the Freedom to Read Foundation.  Elected a trustee of the foundation, Ray stepped down after one term because he believed that the Foundation needed the input of librarians and intellectual freedom advocates who represented traditionally marginalized communities.  

Even as his service to FTRF concludes, Ray continues his advocacy on behalf of incarcerated persons’ intellectual freedom as the United States’ representative to the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Task Force that is working to establish international standards for prison libraries. 

All during his years of service, Ray worked full-time as an information scientist and researcher for a private concern until his retirement in 2019.

Ray will be honored Friday June 24 at the Opening General Session of the 2022 ALA Annual Meeting and that evening at the Freedom to Read Celebration honoring Ray and other intellectual freedom award recipients.

Freedom to Read Foundation 2022 Election Results

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association dedicated to protecting and defending each person’s First Amendment right to read, concluded its annual election on May 1, 2022. FTRF members elected four new members to its Board of Trustees and re-elected one incumbent board member for two-year terms that begin on June 23, 2022. Since 1969 FTRF trustees, staff, and members have worked to protect First Amendment rights through education, litigation, and advocacy.

“As Americans, we cannot take our First Amendment rights for granted.  Our right to free speech and our right to read are being challenged daily in all parts of the United States.   We welcome the strong leaders who have been elected to the FTRF Board and join with them to support, defend, and advocate for our First Amendment rights and assure intellectual freedom, equitable access, and the freedom to read for all members of our communities,” said current FTRF President Barbara Stripling.

Newly elected trustees include:

Jarrett Dapier is new to the Freedom to Read Foundation Board but has volunteered as a speaker for their graduate course collaboration for a number of years. “I am interested in being a part of the FTRF board because of the vital, crucial work this body does to protect the right of all Americans to read. This right is currently under widespread assault from a variety of groups all working in concert to control schools, teachers, and librarians - all professionals who are trained to provide students with accurate information about our world, its history, and its art. I am a tireless advocate for free expression and the right to read and I don't let things go easily, especially when youth rights are violated,” said Dapier. Dapier has worked at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of IL on the First Amendment Rights Project, and since 2009 in public libraries where he adapted and directed stories about censorship to the stage with teen performers. He is also the author of the picture book Mr. Watson's Chickens, which is currently being challenged for removal at a public library in Spanish Fort, Alabama.

Jennifer Griswold is the Director of the Pflugerville Public Library in Pflugerville, Texas. She ran for a seat on the Board of Trustees to challenge censorship both locally, and on the national level. She has worked at Pflugerville since 2006 as the Reference Librarian, Assistant Director, and for the past six years as Library Director. Her background is also in news research and academic librarianship. In 2018 Griswold was awarded the honor of being Texas Librarian of the Year, and she is a current member of the Texas Library Association Queers and Allies Roundtable; the Ethnic and Multicultural Exchange Roundtable, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Roundtable, and the staff liaison for the Pflugerville Equity Commission.

“Libraries in Texas are on the frontlines of the censorship battle. Area directors meet to discuss the issue, those who are experiencing challenges, and those who are policing themselves out of fear. I believe I can offer a unique perspective not only from myself, but also my colleagues who are involved in active challenges,” said Griswold.

Pat Scales is a retired middle and high school librarian and a returning FTRF trustee.

“Book censorship is at epidemic levels, and America’s youth are the target. FTRF promotes and defends students’ right to read, but now, more than ever, the young need to be guided and taught to advocate for themselves. Proactively involving youth in defending their First Amendment rights assures a new generation of free speech advocates and could inoculate them against falling victim to a virus called censorship,” said Scales.

She is a free-speech advocate and is the author of Teaching Banned Books: 32 Guides for Children and Teens, Protecting Intellectual Freedom in Your School Library and Books Under Fire: A Hit List of Banned and Challenged Children’s Books. She writes a bi-monthly column, Scales on Censorship, for School Library Journal, and is a regular contributor to Book Links magazine. She has also served as a member and chair of the ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Professor Sophia Sotilleo is an Associate Professor and the Interim Library Director at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania for the Langston Hughes Memorial Library. In this capacity, she has the privilege to teach Information Literacy across all subject areas and works with the Library Team to support and ensure that the Library is a part of the Lincoln University curriculum and co-curriculum strategic plans for student success. Her current area of research and interest is in Embedded Librarianship, with a focus on access, advocacy, and leadership in the field of Librarianship.

“I am interested in serving on the Freedom to Read Board to support the work of an organization that defends and promotes the rights of libraries to ensure access to books and information. Working as a librarian at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), serving first generation college students, I see daily the importance of having access to various types of books that not only educate, but also empower and encourage our next generation of leaders. The freedom to read foundation continues to do an amazing job at defending and supporting access to information and I look forward to serving with the organization in this inspiring and important work.”

Re-elected for a second term: Loida Garcia-Febo is a Past President of the American Library Association, a current member of the FTRF Executive Committee, and is looking forward to continuing the work she started by Co-Chairing the FTRF Social Justice and Intellectual Freedom Task Force which resulted in the development of various lines of action and a forthcoming two-day FTRF symposium about the topic. Garcia-Febo has served as Chair of the American Library Association’s (ALA) Intellectual Freedom Round Table, long-time active REFORMA (the National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish Speaking) liaison to the FTRF, and an Officer of International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression (IFLA's FAIFE). She is committed to serve diverse communities and to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion achieving joint historical signatory commitment from US library associations to EDI on which they are building new strategies to serve libraries and library workers. “I am eager to continue serving and working together with the FTRF Trustees to continue protecting and defending the First Amendment to the Constitution,” said Garcia-Febo.

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is led by a board of fifteen trustees. The term for an elected trustee is two years, and board members may serve two consecutive terms. Trustees meet at least twice a year in conjunction with the ALA conferences or professional development events and hold virtual committee meetings throughout the year. If you are interested in working with the Freedom to Read Foundation visit us at www.ftrf.org or email jmcintosh@ala.org for information on how to become involved.

Applications Open for Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund Programming Grants

Books Unite Us: Censorship Divides Us

Grants are evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Imagination: What makes your plan unique? How have you integrated the concept that Books Unite Us: Censorship Divides Us?

• Schedule/Action Plan: Include key dates, responsibilities, and think of ways to collaborate with other groups to carry out a creative project.

• Promotional Plan: What are the ways you will promote your event and who is your intended audience?  Do you have a media and social media plan?

• Budget. It is preferred that institutions and other groups they are working with partially contribute to the funding of proposed events rather than solely relying on the grant. Designating funds for the purchase of books, or as an honorarium for one speaker, is discouraged.

To be eligible for a grant, organizations must not have been a recipient of an FTRF grant within the past five years. 

FTRF Founder Judith F. Krug was a fierce proponent of education and intellectual freedom.  During Krug’s lengthy career she worked non-stop to prevent censorship and protect First Amendment rights. Apply here or visit the Freedom to Read Foundation online to apply and learn more about past recipients and their projects through the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund.  Contact FTRF Assistant Program Director Joyce McIntosh, jmcintosh@ala.org or 312-280-4223, with questions.

FTRF members who were current as of April 1, 2022 will  receive an online ballot from vote@skypunch.tech. Please check your spam mail if you do not see a link.  FTRF members who have not provided us with an email, will receive a paper ballot in the mail which will need to be filled out and returned by May 1, 2022.

Contact Joyce McIntosh, jmcintosh@ala.org or 312-280-4226 with questions.

Members of the FTRF Nominating Committee have evaluated and slated the following candidates for the election:

Jarrett Dapier

I am interested in being a part of the FTRF board because of the vital, crucial work this body does to protect the right of all Americans to read. This right is currently under widespread assault from a variety of groups all working in concert to control schools, teachers, and librarians - all professionals who are trained to provide students with accurate information about our world, its history, and its art. I am a tireless advocate for free expression and the right to read and I don't let things go easily, especially when youth rights are violated. Having worked at the ACLU of IL on the First Amendment Rights Project and since 2009 in public libraries where I have adapted and directed stories about censorship to the stage with teen performers, I have dedicated much of my professional life to fighting censorship. I am also the author of the picture book Mr. Watson's Chickens, which is currently being challenged for removal at a public library in Spanish Fort, Alabama. I will contribute my own experience and my passion to this board in ways that I believe will complement the already excellent work being done there. 

Skip Dye
SKIP DYE is SVP, Library Sales, and Digital Strategy at Penguin Random House. Skip has been at PRH for over 25 years. Skip is a strong advocate for library funding and Intellectual Freedom. He has served as President of United for Libraries (2018-19), Member of ALA Nominating Committee (2020), and is currently serving as Co-Chair of United’s Intellectual Freedom task force. Skip is a board member of the Friends of Lewes Public Library in Lewes, DE (the first town in the first state).

I am honored to be nominated to serve as a Trustee on the FTRF Board. I do not take lightly the active responsibilities that this position holds, and the importance of championing intellectual freedom as new laws are being considered or passed that negatively impact our country’s foundational core. My strength is my staunch belief in and support for the Reader’s Bill of Rights, the First Amendment, and the Library Bill of Rights. I bring a voice and unique experiences and skills to the table which I hope can affect positive change and continue the mission of the Freedom to Read Foundation.

Loida Garcia-Febo

Loida Garcia-Febo is past President of the American Library Association, member of the FTRF Executive Committee, running for a second with FTRF to continue work she started by Co-Chairing the FTRF Social Justice and Intellectual Freedom Task Force which resulted in the development of various lines of action and a forthcoming two-day FTRF symposium about the topic. Served as Chair of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table, long-time active REFORMA's liaison to the FTRF, and Officer of IFLA's FAIFE. Committed to serve diverse communities and to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion achieving joint historical signatory commitment from US library associations to EDI on which they are building new strategies to serve libraries and library workers. Long-time advocate of free access to information and freedom of expression. Actively advocated at national and local levels for laws and measures protecting privacy, against censorship, supporting network neutrality and many other issues within the work of the FTRF. Collaborated with the FTRF, ALA’s IFC and IFRT speaking about freedom to read, ethics and diversity, intellectual freedom 101, and coordinating events to celebrate FTRF 45th anniversary. Eager to continue serving and working together with the FTRF Trustees to continue protecting and defending the First Amendment to the Constitution.

Harvey Graff

 I am a distinguished historian of literacy. Author of many books and articles, until my retirement, I was the inaugural Ohio Eminent Scholar in Literacy Studies at  Ohio State University, where I founded and directed the unique, university-wide, interdisciplinary initiative LiteracyStudies@OSU.

I have been honored in Europe, the Middle East, and South America as well as the United States and Canada. My writings are translated widely. They include the landmark The Literacy Myth; The Legacies of Literacy; Literacy Myths, Legacies, and Lessons; and in press Searching for Literacy: The Social and Intellectual Origins of Literacy Studies. 

I am also a leading historian of children, youth, and families in North America and Europe, and comparative U.S., Canadian, and European history. My 1995 book, Conflicting Paths: Growing Up in America and 2015 Undisciplining Knowledge are considered  classic.

I speak from almost half a century of classroom teaching and close relationships with young people and their intellectual, social, and emotional development as they become young citizens. 

I speak with professional and personal knowledge of most of the works of literature that the radical banners seek to remove. I am active nationally with  groups ranging from Honesty in Ohio Education to ACLU and AAUP.

Jennifer Griswold

My name is Jennifer Griswold, I am the Director of the Pflugerville Public Library in Pflugerville, Texas. I am running for the Board of Trustees to challenge censorship locally, and on the national level.

I have worked for Pflugerville since 2006 as the Reference Librarian, Assistant Director, and for the past six years, Library Director. I have a background in news research and academic librarianship. I have a B.A. in English from St. Edwards University, and a Master of Science in Information from the University of Texas.

I was the 2018 Texas Librarian of the Year, and am a current member of the Texas Library Association Queers and Allies Roundtable; the Ethnic and Multicultural Exchange Roundtable, the ALA Intellectual Freedom Roundtable, and the staff liaison for the Pflugerville Equity Commission.

Libraries in Texas are on the frontlines of the censorship battle. Area directors meet to discuss the issue, those who are experiencing challenges, and those who are policing themselves out of fear. I believe I can offer a unique perspective not only from myself, but also my colleagues who are involved in active challenges. Thank you for the opportunity to voice my interest in running for the Board of Trustees.

Paul Grondahl

As director of the New York State Writers Institute, as a journalist for four decades and as the author of numerous books, my work and my actions have underscored my commitment to the First Amendment, freedom of the press and right to read and write whatever one wishes without censorship. This freedom of intellectual and artistic expression is a fragile and challenged constitutional right that must be fostered and defended.

I am submitting my name as a candidate for Freedom to Read Foundation’s Board of Trustees because I believe in these bedrock democratic principles. I actively practice and defend them in my professional life and push back against challenges on my broad platform of a weekly column in the Albany Times Union and large social media audience.

Sherelle Harris

I am Director of the Norwalk Public Library, where I have worked for 23 years, starting as a part-time YA Librarian. Hailing from Illinois, I am a die-hard Midwesterner in Connecticut. I have a BA in Journalism from Columbia College Chicago and an MLS from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. 

I am freelance journalist.
I have been awarded for my creative works.
I love the core values of librarianship.

Let’s talk about trial by fire! I was promoted to my current post last April. One month later I received persistent requests to remove a book from the library. I sympathized, but called ALA and CLA for help. 

I recall the time I was a long-term substitute in a school library and the principal told
me to remove a particular book from the library. I challenged him. In my home I have
the type of books I want to read, but when I’d build collections, I purchased many
books that offend me. I believe in the challenge of opposing viewpoints.

I will bring to the Freedom to Read Foundation Trustees my belief in and support of the First Amendment, and my understanding of the fiduciary responsibility that supports the legal work.

Wanda Huffaker

Wanda Mae Huffaker served on the Board of Trustees 2020-2022. She particularly enjoyed working with the Roll of Honor committee, as a liaison for the Robert B. Downs Award and helping coordinate a joint, virtual award ceremony with IFRT (Intellectual Freedom Roundtable) recipients in 2021. Honoring intellectual freedom champions, and awarding grants, like the Judith Krug Banned Books Week Grants is a way to share the excitement we feel about being involved with the Freedom to Read Foundation. Wanda has served as IFRT chair, her state chapter IFC chair and even a few ALA IFC working groups.

She has been proud to represent FTRF the past few months; as book banning’s have increased, reporters doing advance research on her name often found reference to the foundation and asked about it. It underscores that all we do, including press releases, can play a role in the work of the freedom to read. It also reminds us that everyone can have a role in protecting that freedom.

Pat Scales

Pat Scales is a retired middle and high school librarian. She is a free-speech advocate and is the author of  Teaching Banned Books: 32 Guides for Children and Teens, Protecting Intellectual Freedom in Your School Library and Books Under Fire: A Hit List of Banned and Challenged Children’s Books. She writes a bi-monthly column, Scales on Censorship, for School Library Journal, and is a regular contributor to Book Links magazine. She has served as a member and chair of the ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Book censorship is at epidemic levels, and America’s youth are the target. The FTRF promotes and defends students’ right to read, but now, more than ever, the young need to be guided and taught to advocate for themselves. Proactively involving youth in defending their First Amendment rights assures a new generation of free speech advocates and could inoculate them against falling victim to a virus called censorship.

Sophia Sotilleo

Professor Sophia Sotilleo is an Associate Professor and the Interim Library Director at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania for the Langston Hughes Memorial Library. In this capacity, she has the privilege to teach Information Literacy across all subject areas, and works with the Library Team to support and ensure that the Library is a part of the Lincoln University curriculum and co-curriculum strategic plans for student success. Her current area of research and interest is in Embedded Librarianship, with a focus on access, advocacy, and leadership in the field of Librarianship.

I am interested in serving on the Freedom to Read Board to support the work of an organization that defends and promote the rights of libraries to ensure access to books and information. Working as a librarian at an Historically Black College and University (HBCU), serving first generation college students, I see daily the importance of having access to various types of books that not only educate, but also empower and encourage our next generation of leaders. The freedom to read foundation continues to do an amazing job at defending and supporting access to information and I look forward to serving with the organization in this inspiring and important work.

Students from Granbury ISD in Granbury, Texas are speaking out against a decision by their school board to remove 130 titles from school library shelves for review. They are selling anti-censorship t-shirts and are donating proceeds to the Freedom to Read Foundation . 

One of the students, Kennedy Tackett, explained the design of the shirt. “The term radical gaslighter comes from the school board meeting. Students and community members spoke up, and those are the names the superintendent decided to use afterwards. We wanted to take that back and use it to empower.”

The “Radical Gaslighter” t-shirts may be ordered through Custom Ink.

Watch Kennedy and other students and parents address the school board on this twitter thread courtesy of Christopher Tackett.

Chicago, IL
January 11, 2022

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is seeking individuals who are willing to sustain and support the Foundation's mission to stand as candidates for election to its 2022-2023 Board of Trustees. 

FTRF is a non-profit legal and educational organization affiliated with the American Library Association (ALA) founded in 1969 to support and defend librarians whose positions are jeopardized because of their defense of the First Amendment, and to set legal precedent for the freedom to read on behalf of all people. 

These rights are threatened as never before. Challenges to materials in school districts and public libraries have increased exponentially and the importance of ensuring equal access to information is critical, especially for those who are members of historically marginalized communities. FTRF's trustees and staff work to protect and defend First Amendment rights, including the right of libraries to collect and provide access to information that reflects diverse voices and the right of individuals to access that information.

The Foundation is led by a board of fifteen trustees, eleven of whom are elected by the FTRF membership. The term for an elected trustee is two years, and board members may serve two consecutive terms. In 2022, members of the Freedom to Read Foundation will elect five trustees to its board. The Board of Trustees meets at least twice a year in conjunction with ALA conferences traditionally held in January and June. Trustees also participate in committee meetings throughout the year with other trustees and members of the Foundation. Newly elected trustees will begin their two-year term at FTRF's annual meeting which will be held in June 2022.

Candidates standing for election to the FTRF Board of Trustees must be members in good standing of the Freedom to Read Foundation, commit to meeting with the FTRF Board and its committees at least once a month, and raise or donate at least $500 annually to the foundation.

Members of the FTRF Nominating Committee will evaluate and slate candidates for the election, which will take place in April 2022. Please let us know if you would like to be considered as a candidate for the FTRF Board or can recommend friends or colleagues as potential candidates. The deadline for nominations or self-nominations is Friday, February 18, 2022. Contact Joyce McIntosh (jmcintosh@ala.org) or Karen Downing (kdownumich@gmail.com) with questions or to express interest in serving on the FTRF Board of Trustees.

Chicago, IL
October 21, 2021

The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), is excited to announce a scholarship for the Spring 2022 course, Intellectual Freedom and Young Adults, offered through San Jose State University School of Information (SJSU iSchool). INFO 267-10 Intellectual Freedom YA, led by instructor Beth Wrenn-Estes, runs from January 26 - May 16, 2022. The course will focus on intellectual freedom issues with youth, the value of youth literature to enhance individuals’ lives, the ethics of intellectual freedom, the psychology of censorship and how to combat it, and how to defend materials for youth.

Before Wrenn-Estes started teaching for SJSU full-time she was a youth services librarian. She is passionate about libraries and especially serving youth. Wrenn-Estes received the iSchool Outstanding Teacher Award in 2012 and The Most Distinguished (Faculty) Service award in 2014.

The scholarship covers half the cost of the course and is open to any student enrolled in a LIS degree program.  As part of a collaboration between FTRF and SJSU, staff and volunteers will lend their expertise as guest speakers, and the FTRF and ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom archival materials will be made available to students. 

Applications for the scholarships are due November 19 and recipients will be announced by December first. For more information and to apply for the scholarship visit www.ftrf.org/?Krug_Education. You may also apply directly here.

Students enrolled in programs affiliated with the WISE consortium will be provided course credit automatically upon completion of the course.  Others will need to coordinate course credit with their home institution.

For more information regarding registration please contact Sheila.Gurtu@sjsu.edu at the SJSU iSchool.

The Freedom to Read Foundation (www.ftrf.org) is a First Amendment legal defense and education organization affiliated with the American Library Association. In 2009, following the death of its founding executive director Judith Krug, FTRF created the Judith Krug Memorial Fund. The Krug Fund has two purposes: to support Banned Books Week via event grants to organizations, and to provide intellectual freedom education. For more information on the Krug Fund, or to make a donation to support its work, please visit www.ftrf.org/?Krug_Fund.

The Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) degree program at the San José State University (SJSU) School of Information (iSchool) is delivered exclusively online, meaning everything is offered online including courses, internships, academic advising, faculty office hours, guest speaker presentations, research assistant opportunities, convocation, and more. Their MLIS degree program has a rich history at San José State University, with the first library science classes taught in 1928. The graduate degree program has been 100% online since 2009. Visit http://ischool.sjsu.edu/ to learn more.