Request for Feedback on Proposed ALA Library Bill of Rights Revision

ALA's Intellectual Freedom Committee has been working on a revision to the Library Bill of Rights. They request your feedback on the proposed amendment.The revision would work in tandem with the Library Bill of Rights Interpretations.

Thanks to Rob Nunez who is a member of this committee and has brought this to our attention.

Here's an email from the committee chair with a link to post your comments:

Good afternoon -  

The Intellectual Freedom Manual Review Working Group, which reviewed all documents in preparation for the next edition of theIntellectual Freedom Manual, recommended consideration of updating the Library Bill of Rights in a narrow manner to add an Article VII focused on the concept of ensuring privacy and confidentiality for library users.

The rationale:

Article III of the Code of Ethics includes the protection of the library users’ privacy and confidentiality as a responsibility of library staff’s professional responsibilities; however, the right of library users to privacy and confidentiality is not included in the Library Bill of Rights.

The Code of Ethics provides ethical guidance to library staff, while the Library Bill of Rights does not specifically include privacy and confidentiality among its articles described as “basic policies” which should govern the services of all libraries.

When adopted as policy by a library’s governing body, the Library Bill of Rights can represent the library’s promise to the user.

In an era of big data, Facebook revelations, and tenuous privacy protections and data security, the Library Bill of Rights should be amended to include the expectation (and promise) that libraries protect users’ privacy and maintain the confidentiality and security of their personally identifiable information.

The Intellectual Freedom Committee would appreciate feedback on this article draft by Friday, December 21. Please feel free to share this message widely. Feedback can be posted in the following two ways:

• Use this Google Doc link to post feedback to Google Doc draft. The IFC requests that you post comments on the document, rather than edit the document directly. To post a comment, select “Insert” in the top menu, and then click “Comment.” Comments may be posted anonymously (if you’re not signed into a Google account) or publicly (if you’re signed into your Google account).
• Using “track changes,” add comments and edits to the attached Word doc draft. You can email them to me (glynnj@kenyon.edu) or post them as a comment to this ALA Connect post, and I’ll forward it to working group members.

Revisions of two Library Bill of Rights interpretations will also be distributed to the library community on Monday for feedback. The Intellectual Freedom Committee will make revisions to the drafts in light of your suggestions and plans to distribute the documents to ALA Council prior to the Midwinter Meeting in Seattle. The committee also plans to present them at ALA Council Forum for further feedback.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions, and please let me know if you have any questions,

Julia Warga, Chair
Intellectual Freedom Committee
glynnj@kenyon.edu

Library Bright Spot Award Winners

Hello, Everyone!

I recently received this message from Brandi. I encourage you to join her in tapping your coworkers for recognition for the great work they are doing!

I wanted to take a minute to nominate a few of my co-workers for this weeks spotlight award. 

First, Marcia, for coming up with the great idea to live stream the historic Mars landing! On a snowy Monday, she had 40 people show up to witness something great together and we've been receiving such great feedback ever since. In fact - it made it into the Kenosha News as a Voice of the People Editorial (pic attached). 

Second, I'd like to recommend Jake, Lisa R., Jill, Jeff, and Ed for their hard work representing us so well at HarborHoliday on Saturday. Mother Nature made a show of the wind and rain but KPL staff pushed back with good spirits, great service, and good tidings! Over 3,000 people came through the event and some of the standout feedback continues to be about Ed's amazing readings on the streetcars, Jake and Lisa's activities (undercover education elves those two are) and the joy and cheer Jill and Jeff offered to people boarding the Bookmobile. A few pics of them from the event attached - unfortunately I didn't get a picture of Ed reading.