Deborah Caldwell-Stone

The Office for Intellectual Freedom is charged with implementing ALA policies concerning the concept of intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights, the Association's basic policy on free access to libraries and library materials. The goal of the office is to educate librarians and the general public about the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in libraries. To effect this goal, the office undertakes information, support, and coordination activities. These include distributing materials and information, preparing regular and special publications, supervising liaison with the Freedom to Read Foundation (a separate corporation) and the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund (a trust), serving as liaison to the Intellectual Freedom Committee, coordinating activities of state intellectual freedom committees, monitoring state legislation affecting intellectual freedom, and cooperating with other organizations whose purposes are similar to ALA's regarding intellectual freedom. All of these activities are carried on in accordance with the responsibility of the office to recommend, develop, implement, and maintain a total intellectual freedom program for ALA.