Other Intellectual Freedom Resources

For comprehensive information about Intellectual Freedom issues see Office for Intellectual Freedom, American Library Association

Preface

This is the first online edition of the Kansas Library Association (KLA) Intellectual Freedom Handbook. It is designed to serve librarians in a variety of settings as they strive to provide public access to the information necessary to enable the citizens of their communities to benefit from participation in a democratic society.

Intellectual Freedom Statement

The Kansas Library Association upholds the constitutional right to free expression and the freedom to read as a corollary of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of the press. We believe that free, unrestricted access to information, even if that information is not commonly accepted or popular, is vital in a democracy. We believe Kansans have the right to form their own opinions based upon their free inquiries and interpretations of intellectual materials. We believe it is the responsibility of Kansas libraries to uphold intellectual freedom by selecting and making available a wide range of materials for their communities, by protecting the privacy of their users, by defending users' constitutional rights to access, and by challenging restrictions that limit access.

The Kansas Library Association subscribes in full to the principles set forth in the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read Statement, Freedom to View Statement, and subsequent interpretative statements.

Adopted by KLA Council, October 28, 2005.