ALA News Releases (September 1995) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/alareleases/alareleases-9509 For Immediate Release From: Pamela Goodes September 20, 1995 Linda Wallace 312-280-5043, 5042 M E D I A A L E R T ALA issues Intellectual Freedom Alert The American Library Association (ALA) has issued an Intellectual Freedom Alert urging all library staff, trustees, friends and advocates for libraries and intellectual freedom to help defend against an attack on ALA and its freedom of information policies in connection with Banned Books Week -- Celebrating the Freedom to Read which begins Saturday, September 23. The attack was made at a press conference held Monday, September 18, by a group called Focus on the Family which charged ALA with falsifying reports of banned books and being anti-family. At the same time, the Family Research Council released results of a survey which claim to show libraries are failing to collect and preserve classic materials. Judith Krug, director of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom, described the group's claims as false and misleading. She noted that a review of the survey methodology quickly reveals its faults and biases and that the Banned Books Week promotional materials clearly distinguish between materials that were challenged and those that were actually banned. "Contrary to what Focus on the Family would have the public believe, ALA strongly encourages parents to monitor and guide their children's reading. We do not believe that responsibility extends to other people's children." Krug said her office has received numerous calls from the media and is pointing out the inaccuracies of these reports and clarifying ALA's position. Copies of materials distributed by the Focus on the Family are available from OIF by calling the Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4226 or 4220. E-mail: Anne.Penway@ala.org or Donna.Reidy.Pistolis@ala.org. A copy of the Intellectual Freedom Alert is attached. I N T E L L E C T U A L F R E E D O M A L E R T Date: September 20, 1995 To: All library staff, trustees, friends and advocates for libraries and intellectual freedom From: American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom All library staff, trustees, friends and advocates for libraries and intellectual freedom should be aware that a group called Focus on the Family has launched an attack on the American Library Association (ALA) and its freedom of information policies in connection with Banned Books Week which begins Saturday, September 23. At a press conference held Monday, September 18, the group charged ALA with falsifying reports of banned/challenged books and being anti-family. We encourage you to join in defending against these false and misleading charges by monitoring media in your area and speaking out for libraries and First Amendment rights. What you can do: -Write a letter to the editor or op-ed piece in response to news reports. -Call in to radio or TV talk shows where book banning is the topic of discussion. -Recruit others -- trustees, Friends, library users to speak out in the media and to their friends, neighbors, co-workers. The more voices heard the better as this is clearly a well organized campaign to discredit ALA and libraries. Key points to be made: *The full name of Banned Books Week is "Banned Books Week -- Celebrating the Freedom to Read." The annual event is observed the last week in September under the sponsorship of ALA, the American Booksellers Association, the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, the Association of American Publishers, the American Society of Journalists and Authors and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book of the Library of Congress. * ALA does not claim that all reports included in the Banned Books Week promotional materials are bannings. Most are referred to as challenges, the point being that librarians and the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom fought successfully to keep them from being censored. *Libraries provide ideas and information from all points of view to anyone who wants or needs them. Any time a book is removed, restricted, labeled or put in another part of the library where it is harder to find, the freedom to read is curtailed. In some instances, the complaints of a single individual have removed access to library materials from literally thousands of library users. *ALA and librarians across the country respect the rights of parents to supervise their own children's reading -- and strongly encourage them to exercise it. This right does not include censoring what other children read. *The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with educating librarians and the general public about the importance of intellectual freedom and defending against attempts to limit free access to libraries and library materials. A copy of the ALA Library Bill of Rights can be located on the ALA Gopher at gopher.uic.edu, port 70 or the ALA home page on the Worldwide Web using the address http://www.ala.org. For more information, contact the Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association, 50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611. Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4226 or 4220. E-mail: Anne.Penway@ala.org or Donna.Reidy.Pistolis@ala.org. [][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][][] Rob Carlson ALA Internet Coordinator 50 E. Huron Street Voice: 312.280.2437 Chicago, IL 60611 Fax: 312.280.2438 rob.carlson@ala.org U56651@uicvm.uic.edu