In Censorship and Banned Books: Tactics for Defending Intellectual Freedom on Wednesday, April 17, you will learn tangible ways to handle censorship, including tips for finding allies and building coalitions, tactics for creating inclusive programs despite censorship issues, and strategies to ensure your library policies are up to date to help proactively defend intellectual freedom. 

Speaker Spotlight 

Cicely Lewis, 2020 SLJ School Librarian of the Year, is the media specialist at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, GA

Lisa R. Varga, MLS (she, her) Executive Director at Virginia Library Association; 2024 Librarian of the Year, Library Journal

Course Program 

Wednesday, April 17, 2024  

Session 1 | 12:00-12:45 pm ET

Proactive Resistance: Policies, Procedures, and Protocols 

Whether you’re preparing for challenges or you’re already dealing with them, this session will give you the practical tools you need to manage censorship. You will learn innovative policy ideas to reduce and resist censorship in your area, as well as strategies for auditing your current practices to ensure they will adequately defend intellectual freedom in your area. You will leave this session with new ideas for streamlined procedures and protocols that you can establish in your library to help you resist book bans and defend the right to read.

Led by: Lori Fisher, State Librarian, Maine

Session 2 | 12:45-1:30 pm ET

Stronger Together: Building Community, Coalitions, and Allies

Defending intellectual freedom can’t be the job of just one person. This session will teach you how to find allies inside and outside of your library or school, build coalitions, gain local legislative support, and work as a community to combat censorship challenges. You will leave with shared resources and tools for how to connect with others to drive change in your community.

Led by: Lisa R. Varga, MLS (she, her) Executive Director at Virginia Library Association; 2024 Librarian of the Year, Library Journal

Session 3 | 1:45-2:30 pm ET

How to Create and Advocate for Inclusivity Despite Censorship 

Book challenges and censorship disproportionately target and affect books by and about LBGTQIA+, BIPOC, and other marginalized identities. As a librarian, how can you continue to create and advocate for inclusive programs and collections even and especially when your organization is facing censorship? Hear from a panel of librarians and join the discussion during a facilitated Q&A. 

Led by: Hal Patnott, Rainbow Services Librarian and Cicely Lewis, 2020 SLJ School Librarian of the Year, is the media specialist at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross, GA

Session 4 | 2:30-3:00 pm ET

External Communications: How to Become FOIA and Media Ready

One challenge of censorship issues is knowing when and how to craft external communications. This session will help you know how to address the media as well as how to create systems in your library to ensure you’re ready to address FOIA requests efficiently and effectively. 

Led by: Julie M. Milavec, (she, her hers) Library Director, Downers Grove Public Library and Cindy Khatri, Marketing & Communications Manager, Downers Grove Public Library

Session 5 | 3:10-3:50 pm ET

How to Talk about Censorship: Effective Messaging and Rhetoric

Learn how to talk about censorship with patrons and your community in a rhetorically and politically effective way. This session will discuss how best to communicate the value of libraries and frame the conversation around censorship in a way that brings people together in common ground. 

Led by: Rory Steele, Executive Director, Freedom to Learn Advocates

Session 6 | 3:50-4:30 pm ET

Protecting Yourself Amid Censorship and Defamation Attacks

Too often, librarians and educators are being publicly targeted by people attempting to advance censorship. This session will teach you how to protect yourself online from doxxing and other harassment. You will also learn strategies for setting and maintaining boundaries, advocating for yourself in the workplace, and prioritizing wellness through rest and connection to others through affinity groups.

Led by: Amanda Jones, Teacher-Librarian,  2021 SLJ Co-Librarian of the Year, a 2021 LJ Mover and Shaker, and the 2020 Louisiana School Librarian of the Year

Join as a Group 

Group Rates

Request a discount for groups of 3 or more and work with your colleagues on a project for your library.

Credit Packages

Purchase packages of course tickets that you can allocate to your staff as needed and apply to our full roster of courses.

Purchase 15 or more registrations and apply them across multiple courses.