Intellectual Freedom Committee – February 2019 Report


The group met 4+ times this quarter.

Recent Activities

First Activity
Intellectual Freedom manual updates – We have been working on updating the interpretations to the Library Bill of Rights for the Intellectual freedom manual.
Meets LITA’s strategic goals for Advocacy and Information Policy, Education and Professional Development

Second Activity
Interpretations working groups – I am the chair of the Access to Digital Information, Resources, and Networks interpretation working group which has met twice. I am also on the working groups for the Privacy interpretation and the minors and internet activity. The work on these interpretations will continue through spring and will be presented to Council at Annual. I am also signed up to work on several FAQ’s related to the interpretations.
Meets LITA’s strategic goals for Advocacy and Information Policy, Education and Professional Development

Third Activity
IFC meeting – I attended the Intellectual Freedom Committee meeting in Chicago March 22-24. During this meeting, we reviewed all the comments from the working groups for the interpretations, and FAQ documents in preparation for widespread ALA review and a council vote at Annual.
Meets LITA’s strategic goals for Advocacy and Information Policy

What will your group be working on for the next three months?
Over the next three months, work will continue on several of the interpretations, and FAQ documents in preparation for the annual conference. I am leading several of the working groups, and I am a member of several others that all have planned online meetings during the next few months.

Is there anything LITA could have provided during this time that would have helped your group with its work?
No.

What support would be needed to make that member engagement happen?
{Not sure at this time.}

Submitted by Matt Beckstrom on 03/29/2019

Intellectual Freedom Committee – September 2018 Report


The group met 1 time this quarter.

Recent Activities

First Activity
The IFC has created a series of working groups to work on interpretations of the library bill of rights. I am on two of the working groups – Access to Digital Info, Services, and Networks working group, and Minors and Internet Activity Interpretation working group. I am leading the working group on Access to digital info, services, and networks. The working groups have been formed, and will begin work after the midwinter conference.
Meets LITA’s strategic goals for Advocacy and Information Policy

Second Activity
I am a member of the IFC Library Bill of Rights working group to work on a proposed article to the bill of rights on privacy. The working group has met several times, and has come up with some proposed language for the new article which will be forwarded to the full IFC for comment. The hope is that this draft article will be taken to Council at Midwinter.
Meets LITA’s strategic goals for Advocacy and Information Policy

Third Activity
Meeting rooms Interpretation Revision – the IFC has been working on the updated interpretation on meeting rooms. The group has made several revisions to the document, and hopes to have it presented to council at midwinter.
Meets LITA’s strategic goals for Advocacy and Information Policy

What will your group be working on for the next three months?
For the next three months, we will continue to work on the Library Bill of Rights article, and the working groups for the interpretations.

Submitted by Matt Beckstrom on 11/01/2018