Full text of ALA statement (6/24):

In response to the alarming increase in acts of aggression against library employees and patrons reported by the press across the country, the Board of Directors of the American Library Association issued the following statement:

The American Library Association condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the violence, threats of violence, and other acts of intimidation that increasingly occur in American libraries, especially acts that seek to erase stories and identities of gay, queer, transgender, black, Indigenous, people of color, people with disabilities and religious minorities.

The ALA stands with our members, all library workers and those who lead libraries who bravely face threats to their personal and professional well-being as a result of their efforts to celebrate diversity and foster diversity. inclusion in their communities, in the belief that every human being deserves respect and dignity. ALA stands with our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and other library workers who are disproportionately affected by these attacks. The ALA calls on all library workers to support their colleagues and reaffirm our shared commitment to equitable access to information for all communities.

The ALA stands with members of the community, whom local libraries exist to serve, especially library users whose hate stories would like to erase. The message from Libraries and ALA is a message of welcome to people around the world who believe in the peaceful exchange of ideas. Libraries are committed to upholding and defending the core values ​​of inclusion and free and equal access to ideas and information, which are essential to an informed democratic society. Threats of physical violence and harassment are not, and never have been, safe speech.

American libraries are there for communities: communities should be there for libraries. ALA calls on community leaders and elected officials to stand with libraries and others who promote the free and democratic exchange of ideas and to stand up to those who would undermine it.

Filed under: Associations and Organizations, Libraries, News, Patrons and Users

About Gary Price

Gary Price ([email protected]) is a librarian, writer, consultant and frequent speaker based in the Washington DC metro area. Prior to starting INFOdocket, Price and Shirl Kennedy were the founders and editors of ResourceShelf and DocuTicker for 10 years. From 2006 to 2009, he was director of online news services at Ask.com and is currently an editor at Search Engine Land.