Intellectual Freedom: Practical Tools Series

In response to needs identified by a recent survey done in collaboration with Courthouse Libraries BC (February 2024), BCLA is offering a series that highlights practical resources and tools related to intellectual freedom, including public challenges to library collections and library programming that may result in public protest.

These sessions are intended to provide practical tools from leading experts for our intended audience, which is anyone who works in a library setting and would like to develop confidence when handling challenging situations with patrons of diverse views through an awareness of vetted resources. We anticipate future opportunities for dialogue through the work of BCLA’s Intellectual Freedom Committee, but these sessions will be focused on the practical, to bolster your library with consistent practices.

• Session 1: Practical Tools & Resources for Intellectual Freedom, offered in partnership with the Centre for Free Expression
• Session 2: From Hate to Hope, offered in partnership with the Office of the BC Human Rights Commissioner
• Session 3: Legal Resources for Libraries Facing Public Challenges, offered in partnership with Courthouse Libraries BC and Lawyer Adrienne Smith

If you have any accessibility needs to attend these sessions, please contact Natalie Porter, BCLA Professional Development Coordinator in advance and BCLA will do our best to support you.

This session was offered in partnership with the Centre for Free Expression

• Thursday, June 27th at 1pm-2:30pm on Zoom.
• Dr. James Turk provided a walk through and demonstration of the Centre for Free Expression databases, including the Canadian Library Challenges database and Library Policies database, among other resources to build our collective knowledge and operate as a library community when facing public challenges to our collections and programs.

Thank you for attending.

This session was offered in partnership with the BC Human Rights Commissioner

• Thursday, July 4th at 3:00-3:45pm
• BC’s Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender provided an informational session to learn more about human rights in BC and the Office’s ongoing From Hate to Hope campaign. This is a learning session open specifically to those working in libraries across the province and will include time for questions and answers. Please explore the Hate Speech Q&A webpage for further detail, consider ordering their colouring book to distribute at your library, and check out the “I Love My Human Rights” video series on empathy.

Thank you for attending!

This session is offered in partnership with Courthouse Libraries BC and Lawyer Adrienne Smith

• Thursday, July 11th at 3pm-4:30pm (90 minutes) on Zoom
• Adrienne Smith (they/them/lel) is a transgender human rights activist and social justice lawyer who will provide practical legal resources for BC libraries as they manage challenges from within their community.
• The session will address deciphering “legal-eze” that certain groups use to bolster their views, an understanding of legal boundaries around scenes of protest and how to address them, and a basic awareness of job protection rights and resources.
• In addition, staff from Courthouse Libraries BC are developing a LibGuide to further solidify these law-related resources.