SRRT (Social Responsibilities Round Table)

History of the International Responsibilities Task Force (IRTF)

Since its founding in 1969, the Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) has engaged the American Library Association with international and human rights concerns, linking librarianship to broader struggles for justice worldwide. In its earliest years, the SRRT Action Council confronted urgent global issues, including opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam and support for Chilean librarians, educators, and cultural workers in the aftermath of the 1973 coup. These early interventions set a precedent for integrating international responsibility into the professional and ethical work of librarianship, emphasizing that the defense of knowledge and intellectual freedom extends beyond national borders.

By the late 1970s, SRRT began to formalize its engagement with global issues. In 1979, the Peace Information Exchange Task Force was established as the first SRRT body explicitly devoted to international concerns. Its work included monitoring global conflicts, disseminating information, and urging the Association to consider the human and professional costs of war and oppression.


Building on this foundation, the International Human Rights Task Force was created in 1986, formalizing SRRT's commitment to international advocacy. Among its earliest initiatives was a resolution addressing South Africa during the height of the anti-apartheid struggle, demonstrating the Task Force's dedication to racial justice and solidarity with librarians and communities under repressive regimes.

In 1993, the Task Force adopted its current name, the International Responsibilities Task Force (IRTF), reflecting an expanded scope of work and a long-term commitment to linking ALA's principles of intellectual freedom and access to information with global human rights, peace, and anti-authoritarian advocacy.

Under this name, the IRTF has consistently addressed a wide range of international issues. These include opposition to U.S. interventions in Central America, advocacy against sanctions and war in Iraq, support for Palestinian librarians and educators under occupation, and engagement with Cuba, raising awareness of the impact of U.S. embargoes on libraries, education, and cultural exchange. The Task Force has also worked to expose the effects of militarism, censorship, and disinformation on libraries and access to knowledge worldwide.

Over the decades, the IRTF has maintained a sustained presence in ALA Council and SRRT programming, sponsoring resolutions, educational sessions, publications, and campaigns that emphasize the profession's ethical obligations to international communities. Its work demonstrates that libraries are not neutral in the face of oppression: they are often among the first institutions targeted by authoritarian regimes, militarized states, and colonial or neo-colonial interventions. By advocating for international solidarity, defending access to information, and raising awareness of global human rights issues, the IRTF ensures that librarianship retains its commitment to both professional ethics and moral responsibility.

Chronological Highlights of the IRTF and Predecessor Task Forces

• 1969 – SRRT founded; Action Council begins addressing international issues, including opposition to the U.S. war in Vietnam and solidarity with Chilean educators and librarians after the 1973 coup.

• 1979 – Peace Information Exchange Task Force established, SRRT's first body explicitly devoted to international concerns.

• 1982–1986 – Organizing materials for the International Human Rights Task Force appear in SRRT records; by 1986, the Task Force is actively sponsoring resolutions and educational initiatives.

• 1986 – International Human Rights Task Force adopts its first resolution on South Africa, advocating against apartheid and expressing solidarity with South African librarians and communities under systemic racial oppression.

• Late 1980s–Early 1990s – Task Force addresses issues in Central America, including U.S. interventions in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala.

• 1980s–1990s – Task Force engages with Cuba, highlighting the effects of U.S. sanctions and restrictions on libraries, education, and cultural exchange.

• 1993 – Task Force formally renamed the International Responsibilities Task Force (IRTF), reflecting an expanded focus on global human rights, peace, and intellectual freedom.

• 1990s – IRTF raises concerns about sanctions against Iraq, emphasizing the impact on education, libraries, and access to information.

• 2000s – IRTF addresses U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq, sponsoring resolutions and promoting awareness of disinformation affecting libraries and educators.

• 2000s–2010s – IRTF advances solidarity with Palestinian librarians and educators, advocating for intellectual freedom, access to knowledge, and human rights under occupation.

• Ongoing – IRTF continues to address threats posed by militarism, authoritarianism, censorship, and disinformation worldwide, ensuring that ALA remains engaged with global human rights issues through resolutions, programs, publications, and advocacy.

Today, the IRTF carries this legacy forward, connecting past struggles to contemporary challenges. In a world where authoritarianism, censorship, militarism, and disinformation remain persistent threats, the Task Force affirms that librarianship is inseparable from advocacy, solidarity, and the defense of knowledge as a human right. Its ongoing work preserves the principle that intellectual freedom, peace, and justice are not optional aspirations, but core responsibilities of the profession, sustained through vigilance, education, and principled action on the global stage.

PLEASE JOIN THE IRTF! SUPPORT OUR WORK AND CONTRIBUTE YOUR IDEAS AND EFFORTS.

Mark C. Rosenzweig
IRTF Co-coordinator and rep. to SRRTAC