Intellectual Freedom Manual

September 15, 2015

The ninth edition of ALA's Intellectual Freedom Manual is almost half the size of the 2010 edition but covers much of the same ground: the Library Bill of Rights, access to digital resources and meeting rooms, access issues for the disabled and minors, the freedom to read, and guidelines on policy development. New topics include copyright, laws on labeling and rating systems, greater coverage of Internet filtering, and an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights concerning prisoners' right to read. Magi's and Garner's supplement, A History of ALA Policy on Intellectual Freedom, now contains the historical essays about policy statements. Magi (library science, Univ. of Vermont; Protecting 'our Precious Liberties') and Garnar (library science, Regis Univ.) used their intellectual freedom advocacy expertise to shape a thought-provoking guide to current issues about information access, censorship, and the legalities facing librarians as they serve diverse patrons. Mark Alfino's and Laura Koltutsky's The Library Juice Press Handbook of Intellectual Freedom explores philosophical concepts and contemporary controversies for those seeking further reading. VERDICT Administrators, reference librarians, and library school students can all benefit from this convenient, recommended overview of intellectual freedom and the ongoing need to protect information access.--Betty J. Glass, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno

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