When someone faces a difficult intellectual freedom (IF) issue, they usually don’t have time to wade through dense text to find the answers they need. Designed as a real-world reference, OIF’s Intellectual Freedom Manual provides trusted, comprehensive guidance for every library worker, from the volunteer to the director, in plain language. Whether you’re developing or reviewing policies, on-boarding new staff or trustees, responding to challenges and controversies, or studying librarianship, you’ll find this a vital tool, with features such as
- contributions that center the voices of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and LGBTQIA+ people, who are often targeted by censorship efforts;
- chapters that begin with an overview explaining the big ideas and offering reflection questions;
- an introduction to IF and why it matters, drawing on ALA's core IF documents and supported with adaptable policy worksheets;
- information and best practice guidance on key topics such as access, children and youth, censorship and internet filtering, collection development and management, copyright, meeting rooms and exhibit spaces, library programming, politics and religion, privacy, and visits and requests from law enforcement;
- stories from real people whose lives have been impacted by IF, showing how library policies shape culture, protect staff and users, and affect real people;
- concise breakdowns of IF issues from legal experts, helping you understand the laws and how they apply in real situations;
- practical advice on advocating for IF, getting help when challenges arise, lobbying, and working with your elected officials;
- a thorough index to help you quickly find the information you need; and
- a helpful glossary and selected bibliography of additional resources.
Erin Jones (formerly Erin Berman) is the equitable libraries division director for Alameda County Library in California. She is a fierce advocate for intellectual freedom and privacy. Jones previously led the Privacy Subcommittee of ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee and co-led the teams that developed Article VII of the Library Bill of Rights and the Core Values of Librarianship. She currently serves as a trustee for the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund. Her work has been honored with the California Library Association’s Zoia Horn Award in both 2016 and 2021. She is also coeditor of The Ultimate Privacy Field Guide: A Workbook of Best Practices (2022) and author of Your Technology Outreach Adventure: Tools for Human-Centered Problem Solving (2019).
ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) is charged with implementing the intellectual freedom policies of the American Library Association through educating librarians and the public about the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association's basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. In order to meet its educational goals, the Office undertakes information, support, and coordination activities.
