On November 30 Vancouver Rape Relief is hosting a Montreal Massacre Memorial program. One of the speakers they’re hosting is Janice Raymond, and she is a controversial figure, due to her past statements about transgender people (including a 1979 book, The Transsexual Empire, which has been called a justification for anti-transsexual prejudice). This event is…
On November 8 and 9 Media Democracy Days were happening at Vancouver Public Library (& The Cinematheque), and I headed into the city to see what was happening. One of the events was a keynote by Elizabeth Denham and showing of the movie Terms & Conditions May Apply, which I blogged about for the Info…
Avi Silberstein, the Outreach Librarian for Greater Victoria Regional Library describes their provocative and engaging Freedom to Read Week display. We thought it would be fun to have a mannequin – blindfolded – at the entrance to the library. So we made a few phone calls and visited a few stores, and after some persistence…
Faith Jones wrote about New Westminster Public Library’s Free a Book initiative to celebrate Freedom to Read Week. We’re encouraging patrons to release their own books, using the Book Crossing project. We’ve put up a display from our collection and are giving out the attached flyer (made by two of our artistically talented staffers). I’m…
This year’s Freedom to Read Week takes place from February 21 to February 27. Freedom to Read Week is our chance to highlight issues of censorship and start conversations about intellectual freedom with our patrons and public. Ideas for celebrating Freedom to Read Week at your library include: – Giant “checklist” of banned & challenged…
Monica Finn, Customer Services Librarian at the Vancouver Island Regional Library, wrote to us about the Freedom to Read Week displays she’s organizing for the VIRL: I’m arranging a Freedom to Read Week display in each of the 39 branches of Vancouver Island Regional Library so I’ve already photographed a display which will be sent…
Genny Bourdages has an interesting New Year resolution for 2010. She’s going to read banned or challenged books. Lots of them. She’s also created a facebook group to start discussion about banned books and to track her progress and thoughts about reading banned and challenged book titles. The group is open to anyone. Full details…
Last month a high school in Shelby, Michigan ordered an English teacher to stop teaching students about Toni Morrison’s novel, “Song of Solomon.” Yesterday, Morrison helped the National Coalition Against Censorship launch the Free Speech Leadership Council, a collection of community leaders working together to combat censorship around the country. At the event, Morrison spoke…
On Saturday, February 28, the BCLA Intellectual Freedom Committee hosted an evening of discussion, socializing, button-making and readings of controversial materials. Penny Goldsmith read from her friend Jane Rule’s testimony at the Little Sister’s v Canada Customs trial, Michelle Miller read from a book of sex advice by and for teenage girls, Jon Scop read…
Happy Freedom to Read Week! This Sunday marks the start of the 25th annual Freedom to Read Week, which runs from February 22-28 2009. VANCOUVER EVENT! Come join the B.C. Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee as we make buttons, discuss current events, have a drink, and listen to local authors read from some challenged and…
intellectual freedom committee - bcla 
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