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Intellectual Freedom Toolkit



Agencies         Challenges        Documents          Collection Development      IF Checklist
 
Library Policies      
     Privacy           Training and Webinars

Statue of Liberty Has someone just challenged an item in your library’s collection?
Are you conducting a Privacy Audit and need to know more?

Need to make sure your collection is being developed with IF principles in mind? 
Writing or updating policies for your library?
Trying to find training resources related to intellectual freedom issues?


Find resources here to help you meet all of these needs effectively.  If you have questions, please contact your IFC chairs for Oregon.  Our contact information can be found on the Contact IFC page.

 

 REVISED Intellectual Freedom Toolkit (LibGuide Edition) (Published Feb 8 2022)

  • Featuring infographic bookmark for challenge workflow, reporting form, policy examples, and more

 

Documents

OLA IFC Statement to Midwest Tape on proposed Hoopla rating system (6/25/2024)

OLAIFC/PDSAL Statement on Canby School District Book Removals and Restrictions (2/26/2024) 

OLA/OIFC Statement on Materials Challenges and Intellectual Freedom (12/13/2021)

Newseum Institute - First Amendment FAQ

First Amendment and Censorship, American Library Association with related links 

Oregon Constitution/ Article 1, Section 8

American Library Association Code of Ethics

American Library Association Library Bill of Rights

Agencies and Contact People for IF Issues Help

Oregon Library Association - Intellectual Freedom Committee - Contact IFC

Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse (State Library of Oregon)  

American Library Association- Office for Intellectual Freedom

American Civil Liberties Union- Oregon

Challenges

When someone challenges an item in your library’s collection, you need to know what steps to take before it happens as well as what to do if it happens.  Use these resources to prepare for the possibility of a challenge and to help you deal with a challenge.

Guidance to School Districts: Addressing Challenged Materials in K-12 Education (ODE, 2019)

Guidelines for Responding to Complaints (2013 Edition)

Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse (State Library of Oregon)  

Challenges to Books and Materials in Oregon Libraries – Annual Reports 

American Library Association - The Freedom to Read and The Freedom to View statements

Freedom to Read Foundation 


Privacy

What responsibilities do libraries have in protecting privacy?  How does the need to protect privacy affect daily operation, purchasing practices and policies for your library?  How should staff be prepared to deal with issues of privacy?  Get ahead of the privacy issue and make sure your library is protecting privacy right from the start.

American Library Association - Privacy (includes toolkit and guidelines)

American Library Association - Choose Privacy Week

Data Privacy Project (online privacy training information for library professionals)

Constitutions, Laws, Privacy and Libraries (PDF document created by Candace Morgan)


Library Policies

What makes a fair and equitable library use policy?  What should your policies about facility and resource use say?

Libraries and the Internet toolkit (ALA)

Meeting rooms, exhibit spaces, and programs (ALA)



Collection Development

A well-designed collection development policy can be your key to developing a collection that meets the needs of users and that considers issues of intellectual freedom for those users. It is also crucial to have a policy in place before a book or other library resource is challenged.

Selection & Reconsideration Policy Toolkit for Public, School, & Academic Libraries (ALA)

American Library Association wiki - Sample Collection Development Policies for School Libraries, Public Libraries and Academic Libraries

Resources for School Librarians – Collection Development Policies

Training Materials and Webinars

The time to train staff in issues of intellectual freedom is before an issue arises.

OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee - Intellectual Freedom Training Resource Guide (this online guide contains links to videos and other materials that you can use for IF training at your library)

ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom - Intellectual Freedom eLearning