Freedom to Read
Freedom to Read Week 2012 (Feb 26 to Mar 3)
Freedom to Read Week is an annual national event that celebrates intellectual freedom in Canada and raises awareness about the challenges to our freedom to read. EPL and libraries across the country play an important role in protecting your intellectual freedom, ensuring everyone has uncensored access to materials of varying topics, beliefs and opinions.
Each year, EPL hosts events at different branches across the city to celebrate Freedom to Read Week and a main event to close out the festivities. This year EPL presents David Barsamian who will speak on the use of words as a powerful tool in shaping public opinion.
War of the Words: Language and Politics
Reports in the corporate media reveal another victim of U.S. imperial policy: language. The use of words is a powerful tool in shaping public opinion. In military briefings repeated by the media, we have "collateral damage" instead of civilian deaths. Designated enemies are ruled by "hardliners" while we have leaders. They launch "aggressive" wars while we "defend" ourselves. Euphemisms make the bloody reality of war a more palatable sell to the public.
Join EPL in welcoming David Barsamian – award-winning founder, director and host of Alternative Radio, the independent weekly talk radio series heard around the world – to close out Freedom to Read Week 2012.
| When: | Saturday, March 3, 2012 | 7:00pm |
| Where: | Stanley A. Milner Library Theatre (basement level) 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square |
| More: | Visit our Facebook event page - let us know if you're coming and share it with your friends! |
| Cost: | FREE |
About David Barsamian (Find David Barsamian in EPL's collection)
One of America’s most tireless and wide-ranging investigative journalists, David Barsamian has altered the independent media landscape, both with his weekly radio show Alternative Radio—now in its 26th year—and with his books with Noam Chomsky, Eqbal Ahmad, Howard Zinn, Tariq Ali, Arundhati Roy and Edward Said. His latest book of interviews with Noam Chomsky is How the World Works. Barsamian, who was deported from India a few months ago due to his work on Kashmir and other revolts, discusses world affairs, the state of journalism, censorship, the economic crisis and global rebellions.
Media Sponsor
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Intellectual Freedom and EPL
<<< Download EPL's new Intellectual Freedom brochure >>>
With over 260,000 Edmontonians enjoying our services regularly, our customers come from a rich mixture of cultures, representing over 36 countries from around the world, each holding a diversity of opinions and beliefs. One of the vital community roles the library plays is to protect the Intellectual Freedom of our many customers, including yours.
"It is the responsibility of libraries to guarantee and facilitate access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity, including those which some elements of society may consider to be unconventional, unpopular, or unacceptable. To this end, libraries shall acquire and make available the widest variety of materials." - Canadian Library Association
EPL strongly supports this statement and supplies a wide range of materials allowing for individuals to use them without obstruction and to develop their own informed opinions and ideas.
"Intellectual Freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause, or movement may be explored. Intellectual freedom encompasses the freedom to hold, receive, and disseminate ideas."
- American Library Association
Challenged materials from around the world
Books, magazines, newspapers and other materials are challenged and banned in Canada and around the world all the time. Each challenge has sought to limit public access to materials in schools, libraries or bookstores.
Take a look at why they were challenged and what the results were.
- Challenged materials from the 21st Century
- Challenged materials from the 1990s
- Challenged materials from the 60s, 70s and 80s
What will I find at EPL?
Walk into any branch and you'll find a wide range of books, CDs, DVDs and other materials. We don't condemn, endorse or advocate controversial materials on our shelves. Nor do we mark or identify materials to show approval or disapproval of the contents. Why? Because it's your "right to know". It's your right to use these materials freely and to develop your own informed thoughts and opinions.
How does EPL select books and other materials?
All materials at EPL are selected based on the following criteria:
- Relevance to our community's needs
- Importance as a historical document or as a current event
- Relation to the existing collection and other materials on the subject
- Popularity and local demand
We also take into account the expertise, comprehensive treatment of a subject, clarity and representation of different points of view (including extreme or miniority points of view). >> Complete Materials Selection Policy.
What if there are materials in the library I don't like?
If you think we should not have a particular item on our shelves, or that an item should be relocated within the collection, you can request reconsideration of materials by filling out forms available at every branch. All requests from customers are taken seriously and will be answered. If you believe there are better materials available expressing certain viewpoints, you can make suggestions for new items at any branch or on our website.
Do my kids have access to all library materials?
Yes, your child's card provides access to all material in our library, however, children under the age of 18 must have permission from their parents or guardians to get a library card. Parents and guardians are the best judge of what their children should or should not read and can regularly review their borrowing activity. We recommend that you have discussions with your children about what is appropriate for them to read, listen, view, and play.
<<< Download EPL's new Intellectual Freedom brochure >>>
“The right to know is a requirement for freedom of thought and conscience; freedom of thought and freedom of expression are necessary conditions for freedom of access to information.”
- International Federation of Library Associations
<<< Download EPL's new Intellectual Freedom brochure >>>
Help spread the word about David Barsamian's visit to Edmonton!
Share our Facebook event page with your friends (http://www.facebook.com/events/315415731827939/)
Display our poster
(Click image to view the full-sized, printable poster)
Add these to your website
(right-click and choose "Save picture as" - link to http://www.epl.ca/freedomtoread)
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