On Intellectual Freedom

The following article will appear in the next issue of The Crab:

Intellectual freedom is the cornerstone of our societal freedoms: the freedom of thought, the freedom of belief, the freedom to read and the freedom to express our ideas. All of these freedoms are protected by the Constitution of the United States and specifically guaranteed by the First Amendment.

The Intellectual Freedom Advisory Panel (IFAP) believes that the right of free and unrestricted access to information is vital for any populace. In order to make informed decisions and to participate intelligently in a democracy, a citizenry must have free access to all forms of information and expressions, whether economic, political, scientific or social.

The newest member of the panel, Annette Goodman, library supervisor of the Enoch Pratt Free Library’s satellite at the Baltimore City Detention Center’s law library interviewed Mary Somers, Chair/MLA Intellectual Freedom Officer and reference librarian at the Harford Community College Library. Somers and Goodman hope to address the many questions concerning “Intellectual Freedom.” And in so doing, attempt to recruit members who support the panel’s mission.

What is “Intellectual Freedom? "Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause, or movement may be explored. Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive, and disseminate ideas." - American Library Association. That’s the short answer. IF has its roots in early attempts at censorship, and the belief of librarians that it is a basic principle of a democracy. It encompasses the notions of patron privacy, censorship, labeling of materials, filtering, and pretty much everything else that could potentially restrict a user’s access to information.

Don’t you agree with censoring some materials? Well, no. Censorship is a slippery slope. It’s like a rash—once it starts, it spreads easily and can be difficult to stop. Censorship assumes that adults cannot think for themselves, and decide for themselves what material they wish to receive. ALA has endorsed these ideas through the “Library Bill of Rights”, which actually states that not only should libraries not censor materials, they have an obligation to “challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.”

Does intellectual freedom only apply to books? “Intellectual Freedom” is a broad term that encompasses not just materials (and not just books), but many basic functions of a library—acquisitions, circulation, and even reference!! In addition, ALA states that “Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive and disseminate ideas.” In other words, along with patron privacy, sequestering materials, and all the other “non-book” issues, Intellectual Freedom includes the right to think what you want!!

Shouldn’t the Internet be filtered in the children’s section of the library? Why? Everyone knows that filters don’t work! Seriously, and I am speaking as a parent here, I would be far more upset if someone took away my right to decide what materials my child could see, than if my child accidentally saw something I thought they shouldn’t. Besides, if I am doing my job as a parent, my child would be properly supervised and be able to access only the things I let them access.

Doesn’t Intellectual Freedom only apply to public libraries? What about school, college, special libraries? I’m so glad you asked!! All libraries should apply Intellectual Freedom principles—ALA says so!! The Intellectual Freedom Manual devotes a fair amount of space to the topic of Intellectual Freedom in public, school, academic, federal, state, and special libraries. its part of the first chapter, aptly titled:” Intellectual Freedom: An Enduring and All-Embracing Concept”.

What if a patron objects to a book we have in our public library? What should we do? It’s all about the policy, baby. Every library should have a policy for handling complaints, and all employees of the library should be familiar with it. Policies help ease employee anxieties, and provide a framework so that every case is handled the same way. The MOST important thing a library employee can do when facing an irate patron is to LISTEN!! Sometimes just acknowledging a differing point of view can defuse a potentially ugly situation. The ALA/OIF website is chock full of helpful advice.

Why do people want to censor materials? People have good intentions. They may have honest reservations about some materials. These reservations can stem from religious beliefs, personal experience, or other important issues. It’s important to remember that when confronting a challenge. People have reasons for doing what they do, and treating them with respect is one way of acknowledging their distress.

How often are books challenged in the United States? That can be a difficult number to find. Many libraries prefer to keep their challenges “under wraps”, for obvious reasons. The Office of Intellectual Freedom of ALA does track reported challenges. In 2007, there were 420 challenges. Some of the more frequently challenged titles might surprise you—The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one that makes the list almost every year. And the number one challenged book of 2007? And Tango Makes Three, a picture book based on a true story of two male penguins that formed a couple and attempted to nurture an egg to maturity. The message of the book is that it’s OK to be part of a non-traditional family.

Are there any libraries that have banned books in recent years? Again—this can be difficult to quantify. It’s not something most libraries like to brag about. I’m going to go out on a limb here and surmise that most removed materials have been in school libraries. Challenges happen every day. I belong to a listserv whose function is to report challenges, and several posts come through daily. It’s important to remember that there are many more challenges than removals (a good thing!!). Some recent events include a North Carolina school system that removed, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez on the grounds of sexual content and profane language, and one system in New York that pulled The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer because of concerns that the book deals with the occult.

What book is the most often banned book in America? The most challenged book in the twenty-first century (so far), is actually a series. It’s a series starring a British orphan who is sent to a magical school called Hogwarts - yes, the Harry Potter books win the prize!

I’ve heard about “Banned Books Week,” but what is it? “Banned Books Week (BBW) celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them. After all, intellectual freedom can exist only where these two essential conditions are met.” It is celebrated during the last week of September every year, and ALA makes it easy to celebrate by providing poster, bookmarks and other resources.

I want to learn more. Where can I go to get more information? As you may have guessed, the single best place to find out more about Intellectual Freedom is at the OIF webpage at www.ala.org/oif. If you prefer, you can consult the print volume published by ALA/OIF, Intellectual Freedom Manual, 7th edition. For a local flavor, please visit Maryland’s very own Intellectual Freedom Manual at http://www.mdlib.org/divisions/ifap/manual.asp. The panel worked very hard on it, and we think it’s great!!

I’d like to be a part of the Intellectual Freedom Association Panel. How do I get started? You can contact Monica McAbee (Secretary) at Monica.McAbee@pgcmls.info or Mary Somers (Chair) at msomers@harford.edu. Or, contact the MLA Office at 410.947.5090, and someone there will make sure we get your contact info. And one last thing—if you’re going to the conference in May, be sure to attend IFAP’s program, "Protect Patron Privacy: It's the Law!" The presenter is Carrie Gardner, a noted expert in the field of patron privacy and youth access rights. See you there!!