DATE CHANGE!
Hi all! The first session of this program has moved one week to April 16.
If you have not yet registered for Where Do You Stand? Academic Freedom and Library Worker Protections, I encourage you to do so! Whether you are an academic library worker or a part of the library ecosystem, these sessions will be a valuable way to learn more about Academic Freedom and Worker Protections.
REGISTER HERE: April 16 and May 7
Event Description:
In recent years, the status of library workers' protection under the principle of academic freedom has become increasingly volatile and situation-dependent. State-level legislation, federal executive orders, and institutional policies have created new questions about what protections academic library workers have-and which aspects of their work are protected. Many library workers believe they understand their academic freedom status, but institutional policies and employment classifications can make those protections more complex than they first appear. This session will help participants clarify what applies to their work.
This two-session program invites participants to investigate their own institutional context between sessions and return to share what they learned, the questions that emerged, and the strategies they used to seek clarity.
Session 1 : April 16, 2026 : This discussion-based session, moderator Danya Leebaw, Director of Social Sciences at the University of Minnesota Libraries, will share examples from academic libraries that illustrate how questions of academic freedom arise in practice and will introduce strategies for seeking out information about their academic freedom status, including where to look for relevant policies and agreements, who within an institution may be able to provide clarification, and how library workers have negotiated for better protections.
Session 2 : May 7, 2026: Attendees will reconvene to share what they were able to determine regarding their status after the first session. Attendees are invited to share who they spoke with, what strategies helped clarify their protections, and where uncertainty or institutional barriers remain in this follow-up session. This session will not be recorded.
This series builds on Leebaw's session, Academic Freedom for Library Workers: Why it Matters and How to Defend it from ALA's Recharging in Challenging Times. Attendees are invited to read the article Power and Status (and Lack Thereof) in Academe: Academic Freedom and Academic Librarians on In the Library with the Lead Pipe ahead of these sessions.
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Amanda Sand
amandasand.lib@gmail.com | 712-540-5148
she|her
Principal Consultant, Library Leverage, www.libraryleverage.com
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Original Message:
Sent: Mar 26, 2026 02:08 PM
From: Amanda Sand
Subject: Where Do You Stand? Academic Freedom and Library Worker Protections
In recent years, the status of library workers' protection under the principle of academic freedom has become increasingly volatile and situation-dependent. State-level legislation, federal executive orders, and institutional policies have created new questions about what protections academic library workers have-and which aspects of their work are protected. Many library workers believe they understand their academic freedom status, but institutional policies and employment classifications can make those protections more complex than they first appear. This session will help participants clarify what applies to their work.
This two-session program invites participants to investigate their own institutional context between sessions and return to share what they learned, the questions that emerged, and the strategies they used to seek clarity.
Session 1 : April 9, 2026 : This discussion-based session, moderator Danya Leebaw, Director of Social Sciences at the University of Minnesota Libraries, will share examples from academic libraries that illustrate how questions of academic freedom arise in practice and will introduce strategies for seeking out information about their academic freedom status, including where to look for relevant policies and agreements, who within an institution may be able to provide clarification, and how library workers have negotiated for better protections.
Session 2 : May 7, 2026: Attendees will reconvene to share what they were able to determine regarding their status after the first session. Attendees are invited to share who they spoke with, what strategies helped clarify their protections, and where uncertainty or institutional barriers remain in this follow-up session. This session will not be recorded.
REGISTER HERE: April 9 and May 7
This series builds on Leebaw's session, Academic Freedom for Library Workers: Why it Matters and How to Defend it from ALA's Recharging in Challenging Times. Attendees are invited to read the article Power and Status (and Lack Thereof) in Academe: Academic Freedom and Academic Librarians on In the Library with the Lead Pipe ahead of these sessions.
------------------------------
Amanda Sand
amandasand.lib@gmail.com | 712-540-5148
she|her
Principal Consultant, Library Leverage, www.libraryleverage.com
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