American Library Association

Intellectual Freedom Round Table

Executive Committee Minutes

2006 Midwinter Conference

San Antonio, TX

IFRT I

January 21, 2006 1:30-3:30 PM

Present:

Officers:

Pam Klipsch                       Chair

Rosanne Cordell                Chair-Elect

J. Douglas Archer              Director

Robert P. Holley                 Director

Sylvia Jayne Turchyn         Director

Carolyn Caywood              Councilor

Julia Glynn                         Treasurer

Carol Gulyas                      Secretary

Committees/Liaisons:

Margaret Rohdy                 IFC liaison from IFRT

Melora Ranney Norman     Chair, Membership Promotion Committee

Lauren Christos                 Chair, Program Committee

Fred Stielow                       Oboler Memorial Award Committee

Elizabeth Dailey                 Oboler Memorial Award Committee

Christopher Bowen            ProQuest/SIRS State/Regional Achievement Award Committee

Joan Beam                         Bylaws and Organization Committee

Nanette Perez                    IFRT Staff Liaison

Jonathan Kelley                 OIF Staff 

Members/Guests: Xima Avalos, Keith Michael Fiels, Melanie Hetrick, Janice Rice, Joel Robinson, Michael Santangelo, Kristl Torres, Janice Tsai, Malis Wendt

Call to Order:

Klipsch called the meeting to order at 1:35 pm.

Review and Approval of Agenda:

Klipsch indicated that Jones’ Nominating Committee Report would be moved to Monday. Turchyn moved, Glynn seconded, that the agenda be approved as amended. The motion was approved by acclimation.

Review of the 2005 Annual Conference Minutes:

The minutes were reviewed and approved as distributed.

Announcements:

Klipsch announced that several Open Hearings would be held at Midwinter, as follows: “Code of Ethics,” “Guidelines for Implementing RFID Technologies in Libraries,” and “Q&A on Labels and Rating Systems.”

Program Planning Committee:

Christos reported that 7 out of 8 speakers have confirmed their participation in the IFRT ALA Annual program entitled “Acknowledging the Native Perspective on the American Experience.” She will be meeting with the Program Chair of the American Indian Library Association to determine the final speaker. There will be a responder panel and a Q&A opportunity at the event. Christos is developing a “webliography” to accompany the event and plans to have it accessible some time after Midwinter and will solicit input on the site before finalizing. Klipsch expressed hope that the program will draw in additional people not usually attending IFRT programs.

Co-sponsoring Other Intellectual Freedom-related Programs:

The International Relations Round Table asked IFRT to co-sponsor their program entitled “Cross-cultural Perspectives on Intellectual Freedom” which will feature speakers from China, the Middle East, and Africa, on Monday, June 26, 2006 from1:30 to 3:30. Stielow moved, Cordell seconded, and it was

VOTED, that IFRT co-sponsor the program.

IFRT will co-sponsor with SRRT and EMIERT a program at ALA Annual entitled “The Ethnic Press, Libraries, and Community: How We Can Strengthen the Ties,” featuring Nancy Kranich, George Curry (NNPA), and Juana Ponce de Leon (IPA-NY), as well as a local speaker still TBD, on Sunday, June 25, 2006, from 1:30 to 3:30pm.

Another request for co-sponsorship came from REFORMA’s Committee on Children and Young Adult Services. The program is called “English Only: Censorship in School and Public Libraries Serving Children and Young Adults,” and it would be scheduled for ALA Annual 2007. Stielow moved, Caywood seconded, and it was

VOTED, to co-sponsor the REFORMA program. Klipsch requested an update from REFORMA on planning for this program at ALA Annual 2006.

Law for Librarians:

Kelley shared information on the planned ALA seminar called "Law for Librarians."  OIF state chairs will come to Chicago for 2.5-day training covering cases that helped make up the intellectual basis of IF. ALA will pay for housing and travel. State chapter officers are also invited. Holley, Klipsch and Stielow suggested more collaborative programming with school librarians in future, as school librarians face many legal issues related to IF.

Merritt Fund:

Wendt announced that Jim Kuhn will lead a conversation on IF, Discrimination and the Library Workplace on Sunday at this conference. The goal is to let people know about ALA and Merritt Fund resources to assist people regarding these issues. This is the first attempt to hold such a conversation and it may be repeated in other venues in future.

Preconference Planning:

Norman proposed a Preconference on Fair Use. Discussion centered on how important it is to make a preconference vital to librarians in order to justify the extra cost and time involved in attending. Klipsch suggested a group convene online to help clarify the topic for a possible 2008 program. Glynn, Stielow, Dailey, Rohdy and Holley volunteered to participate. Norman will report on progress at ALA Annual in New Orleans.

Dues Increase:

ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels spoke on salary increases and asked for IFRT support of a dues increase.

Publications:

Archer reported that the last issue of IFRT Report was published just in time for the conference. Archer will be converting to using style sheets so that it will be easier to update copy. He also plans to split up some of the tasks so that another person can concentrate on copy generation while he can edit and publish. Next issue planned for publication in mid-March, for which copy is needed by February 24^th.

IFRT Preliminary Budget:

Projected budget for FY 2007 was reviewed, and the following amendment was made: the IFRT Report is published 4 times a year, so that line item needs to change from $400 per year to $800 per year. Holley moved, Beam seconded, and it was

VOTED, to approve the budget as amended.

Round Table Coordinating Assembly (RTCA):

Caywood reported the ALA is starting a new publication called ALDirect. The RTCA is lobbying for the inclusion in the publication of features, opinion columns, and a monthly profile of a different Round Table in each issue. Caywood suggested that IFRT prepare an article on what IFRT is and why one should become a member. Caywood also indicated that IFRT needs to appoint a member to represent IFRT on the RTCA, from which key appointments are made at each conference. Caywood will write a report on this to present at Annual 2006. Caywood suggested that IFRT support the resolution calling for each Round Table with at least 1% of membership to have a Councilor. Archer moved, Christos seconded, and it was

VOTED, that IFRT would support the resolution in principle.

Closed Session. Sirs/Proquest and Oboler Award awards were discussed.

Adjournment. Klipsch adjourned the meeting at 3:33pm.

American Library Association

Intellectual Freedom Round Table

Executive Committee Minutes

2006 Midwinter Conference

San Antonio, TX

IFRT II

January 23, 8:00 to 10:00 AM

Present:

Officers:

Pam Klipsch                       President

Rosanne Cordell                Chair-Elect

J. Douglas Archer              Director

Robert P. Holley                 Director

Sylvia Jayne Turchyn         Director

Carolyn Caywood              Councilor

Julia Glynn                         Treasurer

Carol Gulyas                      Secretary

Committees/Liaisons:

Barbara Jones                   Past Chair, IFRT; Chair, Nominating Committee

Carrie Gardner                   Nominating Committee

Margaret Rohdy                 IFC liaison from IFRT

Martin Garnar                     GLBTRT Liaison

Melora Ranney Norman     Chair, Membership Promotion Committee

Lauren Christos                 Chair, Program Committee

Jim Teliha                          Program Committee

Laura Koltutsky                  Chair, John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award Comm.

Nanette Perez                    IFRT Staff Liaison

Members/Guests: Loida Garcia-Febo, Peg Oettinger, Janice Rice

Call to Order: Klipsch called the meeting to order at 8:06am.

GLBTRT Liaison Report:

Garnar reported that people from various round tables had met to propose ideas on what should be included in an IFRT/GLBTRT TOOLKIT and a report will be issued in time for ALA Annual 2006. Their goal is to utilize existing materials where possible. It is their intention to also include opposition viewpoints and a FAQ sheet for librarians and trustees. The kit will not be an “online only” resource; where print resources are more appropriate, those will be included. In response to Garnar’s question regarding the issue of storing GLBTRT materials in adult sections, much discussion ensued.

Though normally it would not be considered appropriate to store such materials in the adult section, some exceptions were noted. Caywood observed that the most important consideration is ease of access. As small children like to reshelve books themselves, many stories with relevant subject matter may be mis-shelved. An option might be to shelve books on “real life” topics in the Parenting section. In some libraries it makes sense to shelve duplicate copies: one in the adult section and one in the children’s section. The librarian may also want to avoid the situation in which the child picks out a book dealing with a GLBTRT issue in the storybook section and the parent is not aware of the topic until she/he gets home, and feels duped. Librarians must also be aware of patrons’ sensitivity. Klipsch related the story of a person who waited until everyone left the library to ask the librarian if she had a book about same-sex parents for children. The patron had been told at her home library that “we don’t carry that kind of book.” In this case the librarian was able to go directly to the children’s nonfiction area and find several books on the topic. It was agreed that it is not only where the book is on the shelf, but how the librarian responds when asked, and how the book is catalogued in the library, that affect access. One solution is to have multiple copies and use multiple call numbers. Cordell stated that the issue that should concern the GLBTRT is when the only copy of a children’s book is stored in the adult section, so that children can’t find it. Garnar acknowledged that this input was very helpful and will take to the Toolkit committee.

Membership Promotion:

Norman reported that the Membership Survey will be posted to the list and will appear in the next issue of the IFRT Report. Norman plans to have results to share at ALA Annual. Klipsch will send a letter to the membership via the list and IFRT Report to encourage participation.

Councilor’s Report: Caywood moved, Turchyn seconded, and it was

VOTED, that IFRT endorse in principle the Resolution on the Reauthorization of the Patriot Act.

Caywood moved, Turchyn seconded, and it was

VOTED, that we endorse in principle the Resolution on the Academic Bill of Rights. Caywood moved, Glynn seconded, and it was

VOTED, that IFRT endorse the Resolution in Memorial to Gerald Hodges.

Nominating Committee:

Jones reported that progress continued on developing a slate of candidates. Still needed are candidates for Chair, Chair-Elect, Councilor, and four directors, and Secretary. The slate will be published in the newsletter.

Gordon Conable Festschrift:

Gardner encouraged those present to consider contributing the Festschrift; scholarly articles are needed. The publication will be juried by a committee of anonymous reviewers who have agreed not to submit anything

Pamela Bonnell-Mihalis:

Klipsch announced that Pamela Bonnell-Mihalis has retired and resigned all postings in ALA. A greeting card was circulated.

National Patriot Act Call-in Day:

Caywood noted that Wednesday, January 25^th is National Patriot Act Call-in Day and encouraged all to call government representatives to inform them how to vote on the reauthorization of the Patriot Act. Turchyn noted that even if you know that your congressperson is unsympathetic it is important that they understand the volume of resistance, and to generate publicity.

RTCA Representative from IFRT:

Caywood requested that IFRT formally appoint a liaison to the RTCA.

Publications Committee:

Archer requested copy for the IFRT Report. Christos agreed to help solicit articles and Archer will concentrate on copy editing and publishing.

RFID Hearing:

Concern was expressed that work on the RFID issue is proceeding on parallel tracks and the main and subcommittees are creating redundancy. Gardner cautioned that this is understandable given the complexity of RFIDs and that this issue will take a lot of time to resolve, much as it took a lot of time to work through issues surrounding internet usage in libraries, filtering, etc.

Closed Session:

Koltutsky reported on the activities of the Immroth Memorial Award Committee.

Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 9:50am.