Heading to ALA Annual? Check out these great intellectual freedom sessions! www.oif.ala.org/your-guide-t...

Your Guide to Intellectual Freedom, Privacy, and Advocacy at ALA Annual 2026

Welcome to your guide to intellectual freedom and privacy at ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition 2025, June 25 – 29! With unceasing censorship attempts in our communities and legislative attacks from t...

oif.ala.org

Are you coming to ALA Annual Conference? Join us for Banned Books from the Big Chair! This is the don't miss engagement opportunity at #ALAAC26! w/ @sagepub.com @ifrt-ala.bsky.social @uabookbans.bsky.social @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social cdmcd.co/qdYxMp

Last chance for discounted Chicago White Sox tickets! A portion of ticket sales will go to The #MerrittFund. Get your tickets by June 13! The game will be Sunday, June 28, 1:10PM CST at Rate Field. www.gofevo.com/event/ALA26

The Library Bill of Rights Interpretations and the Intellectual Freedom Manual are essential resources that are regularly updated to reflect the evolving challenges of the library profession. Learn about the process that keeps these resources current and relevant. Register: bit.ly/4nzNx5w

We're looking for volunteers to go busking at ALA Annual 2026! 100% of donations raised go to The #MerrittFund, directly supporting library workers facing discrimination or who have been threatened for defending intellectual freedom. #alaac26 Show your interest with this form: bit.ly/3QrYjOT!

Congratulations to our 2026 #IFRT Award Winners! Read more about them below! www.ala.org/news/2026/05...

Join ALA colleagues for an afternoon ballgame! Get discounted tickets by June 13! The Chicago White Sox will make a donation to The Merritt Fund for every ticket purchased. When: Jun 28, 2026 @ 1:10 PM CDT Where: Rate Field, 333 W. 35th Street Purchase tickets at www.gofevo.com/event/ALA26

We want you to know, you are not alone in your fight to protect students’ right to read. Reach out to us, to @penamerica.bsky.social, to @ifrt-ala.bsky.social, to @everylibrary.bsky.social , to @ncacensorship.bsky.social, to @authorsabb.bsky.social - and ask for help. We are here for you.

Curious about the Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) and how it operates? Want to help choose IFRT award winners, organize events, or join one of our other awesome committees? Come to this informal session to learn more about our mission, activities, and ways to get involved! bit.ly/4cN01lk

It's nearly time for our next session of "Where Do You Stand? Academic Freedom and Library Worker Protections." Our May session is a follow up to the April session to discus findings. Register now: bit.ly/3PESsFr

Ready... Set... Take Action for Libraries! To celebrate #TakeActionForLibrariesDay, we're making our voices heard in Congress. Join us by telling your House Rep to OPPOSE censorship legislation like HR 7661 & PROTECT the right to read. Take action: www.ala.org/conferencese... #NationalLibraryWeek

The list of 2025's most challenged books was release this morning as part of ALA's State of America's Libraries Report. Of the 4,235 unique titles that were challenged or banned in 2025, these were the top 11 most frequently targeted for censorship: https://bit.ly/3TE4cHi #NationalLibraryWeek

Kicking off National Library Week is The Right to Read Day! It's a day for readers, advocates, and library lovers to take action to protect, defend, and celebrate the right to read. Stay tuned for ALA's State of Libraries Report and the most challenged books from last year.

Some of our colleagues are going through difficult times as they battle censorship and discrimination. Your donation supports library workers who have been threatened for defending intellectual freedom. Note: Because the Merritt Fund donations are not tax-deductible. Learn more at merrittfund.org

NEW! The American Library Association has settled its lawsuit against the Trump administration in their dismantling of the IMLS. This is the second win in federal court for the IMLS this week. bookriot.com/ala-v-sonder...

FYI! We are pushing back our first session by a week! Please share and encourage others to register today! bit.ly/3PESsFr

Many library workers believe they understand their academic freedom status, but institutional policies and employment classifications can make those protections more complex than they first appear. These sessions will help participants clarify what applies to their work. bit.ly/3PESsFr

Your donation directly supports library workers facing discrimination or who have been threatened for defending intellectual freedom. Note: Because the Merritt Fund is a charitable trust and not a 501(c)(3), donations are not tax-deductible. Learn more at www.merrittfund.org

Our candidates for Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect and Secretary will share their perspectives on the landscape of intellectual freedom, discuss the role of IFRT, and outline their vision for their term in office. This event will be held via Zoom. To participate, please register at: bit.ly/4rnaB85

A nationwide book ban bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives. Here's what you need to know about HR7661, including who is behind it, the history behind such bills, and what you need to do to stop it. bookriot.com/hr7661-book-...

A Nationwide Book Ban Bill Has Been Introduced in the House of Representatives

Hours after the State of the Union address, House republicans introduced legislation banning LGBTQ+ books from public schools nationwide.

bookriot.com

Show love with the Merritt Fund! Donate to the #MerrittFund and help a librarian defending intellectual freedom or facing discrimination. Note: Because the Merritt Fund is a charitable trust and not a 501(c)(3), donations are not tax-deductible. bit.ly/3OoybDl

Did You Watch THE LIBRARIANS Last Night? THE LIBRARIANS is now streaming on @pbs.org. If you didn't get to watch it yesterday, please carve out a couple hours to do so. And please encourage as many people as you can to watch this important documentary. www.pbs.org/video/the-li...

Independent Lens | The Librarians | Season 27 | Episode 5

Librarians across the U.S. examine how restrictions on library content are shaping communities.

pbs.org

These are the book censorship court cases to keep an eye on in 2026. They will impact *your* rights to use libraries and access a wide range of materials that reflect our diverse world. bookriot.com/court-cases-...

7+ Court Cases About Book Bans to Watch in 2026: Book Censorship News, January 16, 2026

Are library books considered "government speech?" Can a public library ban LGBTQ+ books? Seven book censorship court cases to watch in 2026.

bookriot.com

Know an organization working to support intellectual freedom, patron privacy, and anti-censorship efforts?This award includes a citation, $1,000 and honors groups with ongoing or standout coalition-building and advocacy work in intellectual freedom. Deadline: February 1, 2026 www.ala.org/ifrt/hodges

Stand with librarians in their time of need. Whether they applied for assistance as they faced discrimination, defended library material, or fought to protect intellectual freedom, the Merritt Fund was there. Show love to librarians with THE MERRITT FUND and make a contribution today. bit.ly/49iDJY8

Check this out!!!!! You can follow this bot on Bluesky to receive updates whenever something new happens in these censorship cases. There’re also posted at bots.law/little-cases.... @ifrt-ala.bsky.social @uabookbans.bsky.social @la-cac.org @amlibraryassoc.bsky.social @heykellyjensen.bsky.social

Censorship Cases Bot@censorship.bots.law · 8mo ago

I'm now following Parnell v. School Board of Lake County, Florida (Florida - Book removal/HB 1069 - school libraries): Filed: Sept. 19, 2023 View Full Case | Background Info | Complaint #CL67814861

Happy holidays from your friends at the IFRT Round Table. Savor this time of the year, and your freedom to read freely.

a greeting card that says happy holidays

ALT: a greeting card that says happy holidays

media.tenor.com

“Authoritarians gain power when citizens stop paying attention. Visit your local library, check out books, and keep reading. If we stay unified and informed, we can ensure reading w/out restriction remains the foundation of our democracy and a fundamental freedom for all.” time.com/7341120/book...

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, the federal agency that provides funding for America's libraries, has announced it is reinstating all grants it had previously terminated, including those to libraries and library organizations across the U.S. Read more: https://bit.ly/4496W4V

Reminder tomorrow! Register today!

ALA Intellectual Freedom Round Table@ifrt-ala.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Join IFRT for a virtual author talk and Q&A with Adam Szetela, author of That Book Is Dangerous!. He explores the impacts on literary freedom, the techniques used to mitigate controversy, and the broader cultural forces driving censorship. Excerpt: bit.ly/4oSjt59 Register: bit.ly/4pea4UY