Tools for Intellectual Freedom Training
Description
Librarians and library staff attend staff in-service days, conference programs, webinars, and library onboarding sessions to learn basics, or sometimes take a deep dive, into the topics of intellectual freedom.
Michelle Reed and Jennie Halperin from Library Futures, along with ALA’s Immediate Past President Sam Helmick, will share the tools they have found useful to ensure that library workers at all levels understand this topic, including an engaging online game! They will also provide tips on how to provide staff with the information they need to meet library standards and ethics for intellectual freedom.
About our co-sponsor: Library Futures is a project of NYU Law's Engelberg Center on Innovation Law & Policy. Library Futures emerged in 2020 to confront the enclosure of digital public resources and help institutions meet new technological demands. Library Futures project staff give organizers, community members, policymakers, and knowledge stewards the information and resources they need to protect, advocate for, and advance an open future for the communities they serve. Their work spans professional education, public research, policy and advocacy, internships, and free and low-cost legal resources for the public good. Find them on the web at https://libraryfutures.net
About the Presenters
Jennie Rose Halperin (she/her/hers) is a digital strategist, librarian, and community builder who co-founded Library Futures in 2020 and serves as its Executive Director. She leads the organization's growth and its work on equitable library policy, technology, research, and advocacy. Before Library Futures, Jennie held positions at Harvard Law School Library, Creative Commons, O'Reilly Media, and Mozilla. She received her MLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a Carolina Academic Library Associate, her MPA from NYU's Wagner School of Public Service as a Global Policy Leader, and her BA from Barnard College of Columbia University.
Michelle Reed is the Director of Programs for Library Futures. Michelle oversees the organization’s education and community programs, project activities, and research portfolio in support of libraries’ digital rights and equitable access to knowledge. Prior to joining Library Futures, Michelle worked in academic libraries at the intersections of technology, education, and intellectual property. She serves on the Board of Trustees at her local library.
Sam Helmick is a dedicated library leader and the Immediate Past President of the American Library Association (ALA). During their presidency, Sam championed intellectual freedom, community engagement, and innovative professional development. Drawing on their extensive experience, including roles as President of the Iowa Library Association, Chair for the Iowa Governor's Commission of Libraries, and Community & Access Services Coordinator at the Iowa City Public Library, Sam is a visionary in the field. Sam created a unique approach to training frontline library staff. Library Futures gamified this method to create "IMAGINE IF THE GAME: An Intellectual Freedom Adventure," an interactive experience that helps library workers navigate complex intellectual freedom challenges. Sam continues to advocate for a future where libraries are central to institutional trust and shared knowledge.
This event will be hosted in Zoom. Automatic captions will be enabled for this event. This event will be recorded, and registrants will receive access to the recording within a day after the event ends.
If you have questions or requests regarding accessibility, contact us at ce@ala.org or at 312-280-5100.