A webinar sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) and the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom (ALA OIF)
Across the country there has been an overwhelming increase in the number of materials challenges in school districts and public libraries. Librarians, school administrators, teachers, and trustees are having a hard time knowing what steps they can take to keep books on the shelves or what resources are available to support their anti-censorship efforts. In this webinar panelists will discuss current campaigns to censor diverse books addressing racism and the experiences of BIPOC and LGBTQIA persons, share information about the legal precedents addressing book censorship in public schools and libraries, and discuss how people facing challenges can advocate for themselves and their staff, as well as ways to protect their collections and curriculum.
Panelists:
Deborah Caldwell-Stone is Director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom and Executive Director of the Freedom to Read Foundation. For over twenty years she has worked closely with library professionals and library trustees on a wide range of intellectual freedom issues related to library service in the United States. She has served on the faculty of the ALA-sponsored Lawyers for Libraries and Law for Librarians workshops and is a contributor to the 10th edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual. She has contributed articles on law, policy, and intellectual freedom to American Libraries and other publications
Theresa Chmara is an attorney in Washington, DC. She also is the General Counsel of the Freedom to Read Foundation. She is the author of Privacy and Confidentiality Issues: A Guide for Libraries and their Lawyers (ALA 2009). She has been a First Amendment lawyer for over thirty years and is a frequent speaker on intellectual freedom issues in libraries. She is a contributing author for the Intellectual Freedom Manual published by the Office of Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, an instructor for the Lawyers for Libraries training seminars, and an instructor for the American Library Association First Amendment and Library Services E-Course.
Megan Cusick is the Deputy Director for State Advocacy in ALA’s Public Policy and Advocacy office. She coordinates ALA's state and local advocacy efforts in partnership with ALA offices and divisions; state chapters and affiliates; and librarians, library staff, and advocates across the country. Prior to joining ALA, Megan was a librarian in Chicago Public Schools and the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center; she is a co-founder of the Chicago Teachers Union librarians committee. She has presented and published on topics such as partnerships, library trends, civic engagement, intellectual freedom, and advocacy.
