Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC)

Protecting your right to read

Intellectual Freedom Committee Purpose Statement:

The Intellectual Freedom Committee is concerned with protecting New Hampshire Libraries’ rights of freedom of expression as guaranteed by the United States Constitution and American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights. Challenges to freedom of expression can include objections to materials, programs and events as well as attempts at censorship.

Intellectual Freedom Committee Mission & Responsibilities:

The mission of the Intellectual Freedom Committee of the New Hampshire Library Association is to uphold principles of intellectual freedom in New Hampshire by offering resources and professional development to New Hampshire libraries.

The Committee offers information to librarians in the areas of intellectual freedom principles, censorship, patron privacy and confidentiality, and policy development by working to:

• Share nation-wide information related to intellectual freedom and open access.
• Maintain updated library professional development resources.
• Offer materials for libraries to mitigate challenges and promote intellectual freedom.
• Provide resources for censorship guidance and policy recommendations. 
• Offer professional development opportunities.
• Publicize and promote American Library Association initiatives.
• Create awareness and understanding of censorship.

Intellectual freedom principles: 

Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.

Source: ALA Intellectual Freedom and Censorship Q & A