[Libs-Or] Update from your ALA Chapter Councilor

[Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney]

Hi folks,

I will have a more full report of the activities of ALA Council during these Annual sessions, but I wanted to share a resolution that just passed during Council Session I.

2022-2023 ALA CD#55
2023 ALA Annual Conference

Resolution to Reaffirm ALA's Position on the Freedom to Read

Whereas, ALA will support the work of Unite Against Book Bans, a national campaign to protect the rights of everyone's access to a variety of books, in libraries and elsewhere in its efforts to connect, support and mobilize local advocates to fight book bans in their communities or states;

Whereas, reading is a foundational skill, critical to future learning and to exercising our democratic freedoms;

Whereas, libraries provide access to books that offer teachable moments for readers of all ages and expand our understanding of people with different backgrounds, ideas, and beliefs;

Whereas, books are tools for understanding complex issues;

Whereas, limiting people's access to books does not protect them from life's complex and challenging issues;

Whereas, people deserve to see themselves reflected in a library's collection;

Whereas, librarians are professionals trained to not impose their own thoughts and opinions on which ideas are right, but to make knowledge and ideas available so that people have the freedom to choose what to read;

Whereas, removing and banning books from public libraries or public schools is a slippery slope to government censorship and the erosion of our country's commitment to freedom of expression;
Whereas, a large majority of Americans across the political spectrum oppose book bans; and

Whereas, book bans harm communities; then

RESOLVED, that the American Library Association (ALA), on behalf of its members:
1. Endorses the statement that individuals should be trusted to make their own decisions about what they read and believe.
2. Asserts parents or other individuals should not be making decisions for other parents' or guardians' children about what they read.
3. Reaffirms that it stands united against book bans.
4. Continues to act to protect the rights of all to access a variety of books in schools, in libraries, in bookstores, online, and elsewhere.

PASSED: 148 yes, 1 no, 0 abstain.


[cid:image001.png at 01D40490.C62B5F80]


Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney
(She/They)
Library Director
__

City of Lincoln City  |  Driftwood Public Library
801 SW Hwy 101  |  Ste 201  |  Lincoln City, OR
P: 541.993.1251
E: kbrodbeck-kenney at lincolncity.org<mailto:kbrodbeck-kenney at lincolncity.org>  | W: Driftwoodlib.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20230624/32423a7d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 15748 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20230624/32423a7d/attachment.png>