LHRT (Library History Round Table)

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The mission of the Library History Round Table (LHRT) is to encourage research and publication on library history and promote awareness and discussion of historical issues in librarianship.

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ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee report

  • 1.  ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee report

    Posted Oct 17, 2025 11:09 AM

    Hi folks:

    I'm Amanda Sprochi and I'm the LHRT liaison to the ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee. We met last week and here is my report.

    IFC is working on a few things this year:

    Programming is looking at presentation ideas for 2026 Annual. If you have any IF issues you would like to see addressed or learn about, please contact me.

    Llano case: this is a case out of Texas where a federal judge ruled that libraries are government bodies and therefore are allowed to remove books from libraries based on view point and ideology because that act is protected government speech. The ruling stated that there was no protection under the First Amendment, but did concede that it was possible that a challenge could be made under other parts of the Constitution. The IFC appointed a subcommittee to investigate justifying the freedom to read beyond the First Amendment.

    AI: IFC appointed a working group to look into Artificial Intelligence as it pertains to IF issues. They will meet later in November.

    Support for rural libraries: the IFC is looking at ways to best support rural libraries with book challenges. They are often under funded and have little access to legal help or resources.

    A subcommittee is looking at content controls in Overdrive.

    Banned Books week activities were discussed, and it was noted that there have been some attempts to censor Banned Books week activities and celebrations.

    An RFP has gone out for submissions to the Law for Librarians symposium. Papers will be published in the Jounral of Intellectual Freedom and Privacy. The second cohort traiining for Law for Librarians started October 10.

    If you have any questions or would like to bring anything to the ALA IFC, please contact me.

    aks



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    Amanda Sprochi
    Cataloger/Data Wrangler
    60 Ellis Library
    University of Missouri
    520 S 9th St.
    Columbia, MO 65211
    sprochia@missouri.edu
    573/882-0461
    She/Her/Hers

    The University of Missouri occupies the traditional land of the Osage, Kiikaapoi, Peoria, and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ peoples.
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