Freedom to Read Foundation Seeks Nominations for Board of Trustees
The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) is seeking individuals who are willing to sustain and support the Foundation's mission to express their interest in being slated as a candidate for election to its 2026-2028 Board of Trustees.
Members of the FTRF Nominating Committee will evaluate and slate candidates for the election, which will take place in April 2026. Please let us know if you would like to be considered as a candidate for the FTRF Board or recommend friends or colleagues as potential candidates. The deadline for nominations or self-nominations is Wednesday, February 18, 2025. Contact Karen Gianni (kgianni@ala.org) with questions or to express interest in serving on the FTRF Board of Trustees. To be considered for nomination, expressions of interest must include a statement highlighting the candidate's professional experience, current or past professional involvement, skills you'll bring to the FTRF board, interest in intellectual freedom, and a desire to protect our First Amendment Rights.
- A candidate must be a current FTRF member in good standing as of February 18, 2026.
- If elected, the willingness and ability to attend regularly scheduled meetings. Trustees meet at least twice a year. At least one meeting is in person in conjunction with ALA Annual. Trustees may also need to attend board meetings at other times of year to conduct business affairs.
- Elected trustees are expected to make an annual donation of $500 in support of the foundation. The donation can be a personal donation, or the trustee may raise the funds via a fundraiser, or by soliciting donations or recruiting new members.
- A trustee serves a term of two years and may run for re-election to a second term of two years. There is a term limit of two consecutive terms, and a trustee must step down for a period of one year before becoming a candidate for trustee again.
The Foundation is led by a board of fifteen trustees, eleven of whom are elected by the FTRF membership. In 2026, members of the Freedom to Read Foundation will elect five trustees to its board. Newly elected trustees will begin their two-year term at FTRF's annual meeting which will be held in June 2026 at ALA Annual in Chicago; attendance is required.
FTRF, founded in 1969, is a non-profit legal and educational organization. FTRF protects and defends the First Amendment to the Constitution and supports the rights of libraries to collect and individuals to access information.
These rights are threatened as never before. Challenges to materials in school districts and public libraries have increased exponentially, and ensuring equal access to information is critical, especially for members of historically marginalized communities. FTRF's trustees and staff work to protect and defend First Amendment rights, including the right of libraries to collect and provide access to information that reflects diverse voices and the right of individuals to access that information
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Johannah Genett
Deputy Director
Hennepin County Library
She/Her/Hers
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