Intellectual Freedom Committee

Shenise McGhee, Chair
Associate Librarian and Associate Professor
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
John Brown Watson Memorial Library
1200 North University Drive
Pine Bluff, AR 71601
870-575-8417
mcghees@uapb.edu

Mission & Responsibilities

The Intellectual Freedom Committee is concerned with proposed or actual restrictions of Intellectual freedom imposed by individuals, committees, or administrative authorities on library materials or on the selection judgments, order procedures or administrative practices of librarians.

The Committee is concerned with proposed or enacted legislation at the national, state, local, and school district levels which might place library collections in jeopardy, or which might restrict, prejudice or interfere with free and unbiased selection, acquisition and circulation of library materials, and other professional activities of librarians, or which might otherwise restrict the basic concept of the freedom of inquiry.

The Committee is concerned with the continuing education of the library community (including librarians, library boards, and the general public) in understanding and accepting the philosophy and the professional practice inherent in the Library Bill of Rights and the interpretations issued from the American Library Association, the ALA Freedom to Read Statement, the Statement of Professional Ethics, 1981, access to Resources and Services in the School Media Program: An interpretation of the Library Bills of Rights (adopted 1986, amended 1990), and the Freedom to View statement.

ArLA Freedom Minute eNewsletter

Previous Committee Chairs

2019 - Shenise McGhee
2018 - John Paul Myrick
2017 - John Paul Myrick
2016 – John Paul Myrick
2015 – Freddy Hudson

Helpful Links

ALA Office For Intellectual Freedom – http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=oif
Freedom to Read Foundation – http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/affiliates/relatedgroups/freedomtoreadfoundation/index.cfm
LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund – http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/affiliates/relatedgroups/merrittfund/merritthumanitarian.cfm