The Social Responsibilities Round Table works to make ALA more democratic and to establish progressive priorities not only for the Association, but also for the entire profession. Concern for human and economic rights was an important element in the founding of SRRT and remains an urgent concern today. SRRT believes that libraries and librarians must recognize and help solve social problems and inequities in order to carry out their mandate to work for the common good and bolster democracy.
Learn more about SRRT on the ALA website.
Please excuse the cross postings to AASL, ALSC, ESLS, and IFRT.
Dear Colleagues,
I have published a guest post on the Office of Intellectual Freedom blog: "Intellectual Freedom Concepts: Toward a Shared Understanding for Taking Action" (12/22/25).
The beliefs and understandings I share in this post were honed by over thirty years in librarianship as a building-level school librarian, district-level librarian mentor, and an educator of LIS graduate students. Recent conversations on the ALA and IFRT Connect spaces inspired me to submit this post for publication at this time in the life of our profession and our country.
One powerful sentence written by high school librarian Suzanne Sannwald in Core Values in School Librarianship: Responding with Commitment and Courage (Bloomsbury 2021) provides the thematic through line for the post: "Intellectual freedom is not a standalone core value but one that intricately and inseparably intersects with equity, diversity, and inclusion" (56).
I hope you will make time to read this post and consider how it applies to your own conceptualization and practice of intellectual freedom.
Sincerely,
Judi
------------------------------Judi Moreillon, M.L.S., Ph.D.Literacies and Libraries Author and ConsultantShe/Her/Hersinfo@storytrail.comhttp://storytrail.com------------------------------