Office for Intellectual Freedom Subject File, 1961- | The American Library Association Archives

Title: Office for Intellectual Freedom Subject File, 1961-

Series Number: 6/1/6

Acquired: 4/26/1974; 1/9/1981; 1/24/1992; 5/14/1999; 9/10/2009;12/17/2009; 7/26/2010; 2/2/2012; 8/8/2013; 3/24/2014; 9/5/2014; 1/30/2015; 2/20/2015; 3/2/2015; 3/19/2015; 09/15/2017; 6/1/2021

Volume: 101.2 Cubic Feet

Arrangement

Creator(s)

Administrative History

In December 1967, the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) was established to provide ALA with a permanent headquarters to coordinate the association's intellectual freedom activities and to provide continuity for the total program (1). The OIF's major concern is to educate librarians and the general public on the importance of intellectual freedom as it relates to the individual, the institution, and the functioning of our society, thereby allowing the Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) to concentrate on developing policy (2). The goal of the OIF is to encourage and protect the librarian's commitment to the principles of intellectual freedom, both in pursuit of professional responsibilities and in personal life (3). Serving as the administrative arm of the IFC, the OIF is responsible for the implementation of ALA policies on intellectual freedom, as set forth in the Library Bill of Rights and its supporting documents. Its functions include: 1. Distribution of materials and information, including advice and consultation to librarians concerning potential or actual confrontations with censorship problems, and administration of the Program in Support of the Library Bill of Rights; (4) 2. Preparing regular and special publication, including the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom, a monthly column in American Libraries, the OIF Memorandum, The Intellectual Freedom Manual, The Freedom to Read Foundation News, and an annual bibliography, Librarians, Censorship, and Intellectual Freedom; 3. Maintaining the permanent and traveling OIF exhibits; (5) 4. Supervising liason with the Freedom to Read Foundation, the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund, serving as liaison to the IFC, coordinating activities of state intellectual freedom committees, and cooperating with organizations whose purposes are related to intellectual freedom; (6) 5. Administering the Emergency Employment Network, a network of libraries which offers interim employment to librarians who suffer loss of employment due to intellectual freedom policies (7).

Sources:
1. OIF, ALA, Intellectual Freedom Manual, (Chicago, 1974), p. xix. 2. Ibid., p. xx 3. Ibid., p. xix. 4. ALA Bulletin, February 1968, p. 123. 5. American Libraries, 1971 2:2, p. 352-353. 6. ALA Handbook of Organizations, 1975-76, p. 65. 7. American Libraries, 1971 2:2, p. 353.

Subjects (links to similar materials)

Languages of Materials

Available for use at:

Service Location	Boxes
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	001-002
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	003-008
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	009-014
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	015-020
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	021-026
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	027-032
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	033-034
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	035
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	036-041
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	042-047
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	048-053
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	054-057
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	058-063
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	064-069
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	070-075
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	076-081
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	082-087
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	088-093
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	094-097
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	098-103
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	104-109
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	110-115
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	116-117
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	118-119
Offsite: 24 hours notice required	e-records
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard St.	Original Oboler Award Press Announcement, 1985

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Description:

Office for Intellectual Freedom Subject File (1961-) includes announcements (1973), reports (2000-01), bibliographies (1970, 1975, 1977), manuals (1978) and promotional literature (concerning intellectual freedom and censorship (1969, 1978-81); LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund; files relating to the development, production, and 1977 Annual Conference evaluations of the movie "The Speaker" (1975-78); records of the National Coalition against Censorship (1974-89); topical files containing publications from political pressure groups, pro- and anti- censorship (1974-99); Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) files including transcripts and correspondence regarding the U.S. versus ALA (Pennsylvania) court case (2001-2003); Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) conferences and meetings (1961-2006); Banned Book Week (1983, 1986-2008); Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) files concerning awards, conferences and other materials (1984-99); files of the Staff Committee on Mediation (1971-1980); files concerning the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Library Awareness Program; files on Cuba (2001-2005), manual policy revisions (2000-2004), and issues about the internet and privacy (2006-2007); files on the Academic Freedom Group (1977-1982); budget files from financial years 1985-2007; exhibit files from "Censorship and Black American" (1984), "Censorship and Libraries" (1983-1988), and "Censorship: 500 Years of Conflict" (1984); Immroth Memorial Award photographs and slides; and files on state statutes and tracking of censorship legislation (1987-2007).

Note that the record series listed below has been folded in its entirety into the above record series:

6/7/16 The Speaker Evaluation Forms, June 1977

Online Images / Records

Access Restrictions

Please contact an archivist to request access. Standing Committee on Review, Inquiry, and Mediation files (1987-93) and Staff Committee on Mediation files (1971-1980) are restricted. All users seeking access to record series 6/1/6 are required to sign a nondisclosure addendum to the ALA reader application.

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