Call for Nominations: CFLA Intellectual Freedom Award

April 5, 2023

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations’ Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) is seeking nominations for its Intellectual Freedom Award, intended to recognize those Canadian libraries, individuals or library-related organizations that have best upheld and defended the principle of intellectual freedom in 2022. By Intellectual Freedom the CFLA refers to the belief that

all persons in Canada have a fundamental right, subject only to the Constitution and the law, to have access to the full range of knowledge, imagination, ideas, and opinion, and to express their thoughts publicly (“Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries”).

The CFLA further holds that Canadian libraries play a fundamental role in enabling Canadians’ right to intellectual freedom.

The IFC welcomes nominations representing a diverse range of IF-related activities. Possible eligible activities could include but not be limited to:

• Facing and responding to challenges or censorship over materials;
• Collections projects to achieve better balance regarding controversial issues, (these projects need not themselves have generated controversy);
• Programming or events regarding controversial issues, and which reflect multiple perspectives;
• Advocacy or education efforts regarding intellectual freedom;
• Innovative IF policy statements; and
• Conflict mediation: instances in which a library was able to work to resolve conflict between stakeholders in the community, each of whom had competing interests regarding the content of collections or programs.

Please submit your nomination with a brief 200-500 word description and any supporting documents by May 15th, 2023 to:

Michael Dudley
m.dudley@uwinnipeg.ca

or

Robert Thomas
Robert.Thomas@uregina.ca