On School librarianship

Everyone, no matter what their background, experience, or socioeconomic status is entitled to access to information and resources. Every person is entitled to exposure to different perspectives of the world. Every person is entitled to seeing books that are a reflection of themselves and their experience. The library can be that place for all.

Commitment to intellectual freedom

Before I began my Master’s, I had never heard of intellectual freedom. However, soon into my program, IF because one of my biggest reasons to seek a position as a school librarian. I now understand that the library is a fundamental and crucial aspect of a democratic society.

As a school librarian I pledge my to adhere and stand by the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read. For example, students need many things for the library to truly serve them. Their circulation records must remain private and confidential, they must be offered “all points of view on current and historical issues,” and most importantly, the library must provide books and resources that meet the needs of every student in the school (American Library Association, 2019).

While I have not yet had the honor of having my own library, I have cultivated a Professional Learning Network of school librarians who are the front lines of protecting the freedom for students to read. In addition to receiving weekly Information Freedom News from ALA’s OIF, I actively follow #FReadom and some of its members on Twitter, and which is a grassroots organization fighting for the students’ right to read with advocacy, resources for letter writing to library stakeholders and much more. I look forward to joining other librarians in this journey and advocating for the needs and rights of young people.

References

American Library Association. (2019, January 29). The library bill of rights. https://www.ala.org/aboutala/sites/ala.org.aboutala/files/content/LBOR_FTR%20statement_print%20ready_NEW_0.pdf

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay