IFRT Members Community (Open)

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The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) provides a forum for the discussion of activities, programs, and problems in intellectual freedom of libraries and librarians.

The IFRT Members Community group is the central hub for discussion, library and events. It is visible to all ALA members but only IFRT members can participate in the conversation.

  • 1.  Update: Missouri Library Association Response to Ashcroft's "Age Appropriate" Administrative Rule Proposal

    Posted Nov 22, 2022 02:45 PM
    The Missouri Library Association (MLA) has published its response to the proposed "age appropriate" rule advanced by Missouri Secretary of State Ashcroft that will impair the ability of public libraries to acquire and lend library books to their communities.  Its Intellectual Freedom Committee has published its own response to the proposed rule as well.

    MLA has issued its its call to action that asks Missouri residents and Missouri organizations to to comment on the proposed rule.  ALA will be supporting MLA and following MLA's lead in responding to the the proposed rule.   Please see the MLA website for more information.

    Best wishes to everyone for an enjoyable holiday weekend -

    Deborah


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    Deborah Caldwell-Stone
    Director, Office for Intellectual Freedom
    American Library Association
    dstone@ala.org
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  • 2.  RE: Update: Missouri Library Association Response to Ashcroft's "Age Appropriate" Administrative Rule Proposal

    Posted Nov 22, 2022 08:40 PM
    Thank you Deborah!  Missouri appreciates the support!

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    Cynthia M Dudenhoffer
    Associate Teaching Professor & Program Coordinator
    Univ. Of Missouri SISLT
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  • 3.  RE: Update: Missouri Library Association Response to Ashcroft's "Age Appropriate" Administrative Rule Proposal

    Posted Nov 25, 2022 06:09 PM
    The idea that only people from Missouri should be able to comment on this issue is nonsensical and I tell you this as a seasoned lobbyist who works on a national level. Legislators from various states will tell you that outside communications are a plus to the process. This is true even where the technicality is that you must be a state resident in order to proposition a state legislator. We answer this by working with people from whatever state it may be, there is no question that the state itself should be the leader but in no way, shape, or form is input from outside of the state something to be dismissed.

    Any questions you may have please first refer to United for Libraries.

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    Alec McFarlane
    President
    New Image Associates - Construction Consultants
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  • 4.  RE: Update: Missouri Library Association Response to Ashcroft's "Age Appropriate" Administrative Rule Proposal

    Posted Nov 27, 2022 10:13 PM
    Deborah Caldwell-Stone

    The unblocking of my response here means that it's time to deliver the unadulterated truth: Age inappropriate is a misnomer when the youngest child ever admitted to college was 6 years of age [https://www.oldest.org/people/youngest-kids-to-go-to-college/]. We are focusing on the wrong things for the wrong reasons.

    All of your comments and statements at ALA Annual in Washington DC this last June of 2022 include the matter of answering censorship and the key element is to ask for specifics. I am someone who has since been denied membership and censored three times for want of discussing the issue of race and racism. Intellectual Freedom is totally misrepresented here by both the ALA and yourself. The idea that we are going to solve these problems by answering to these ideologies is misunderstood.

    In order to understand the basis, we must revisit the issue being promoted by the ALA itself and further where I have addressed this in IFRT itself: [Recast & Extrapolated] Exploring Human Origins: Promoting a National Conversation on Human Evolution.

    You are personally obligated to read and respond as the director of the OIF because this post proves the fallacy of what you, and our organization is doing in real time.

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    Alec McFarlane
    President
    New Image Associates - Construction Consultants
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