Intellectual Freedom

ALA actively advocates in defense of the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment.
A collection of banned and challenged books on display at a conference table

A commitment to intellectual freedom transforms your library.

ALA actively advocates and educates in defense of intellectual freedom—the rights of library users to read, seek information, and speak freely as guaranteed by the First Amendment. Intellectual freedom is a core value of the library profession, and a basic right in our democratic society. A publicly supported library provides free, equitable, and confidential access to information for all people of its community.

Featured

The Journal of Intellectual Freedom & Privacy includes peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, the latest book banning incidents, court rulings, and legal controversies.

The Intellectual Freedom News is a free weekly compilation. Every Friday, explore privacy, censorship, access, and First Amendment news articles from all over the country - right in your inbox.

Explore core documents, guidelines, publications, toolkits, and Q&As about intellectual freedom and privacy in libraries.

Assistance & Consultation

The staff of the Office for Intellectual Freedom is available to answer questions or provide assistance to librarians, trustees, educators and the public about intellectual freedom issues and resources. Areas of assistance include policy development, First Amendment issues, and professional ethics. Inquiries can be directed via email to oif@ala.org or via phone at (312) 280-4226.

Contact

American Library Association
225 Michigan Ave, Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60601
312-280-4226
oif@ala.org

Become a member of the International Freedom Round Table for only $15 a year.