The Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) and Longwood University announced today that they will collaborate on offering an intellectual freedom course for school librarians during the Fall 2024 term. It is the first time the Freedom to Read Foundation and an accredited LIS program have collaborated on an intellectual freedom course specifically for school library media specialists.
Carl A. Harvey II, an associate professor of school librarianship at Longwood, will teach the course, Intellectual Freedom and the School Library.
“Intellectual Freedom is a core value of the profession, and I’m excited with this course that we will spend the semester looking at it through the perspective of school librarians,” said Harvey.
Intellectual Freedom and the School Library will examine intellectual freedom using the core values of librarianship with a focus on the school library. The course will be an online course with four synchronous sessions via Zoom on 8/27, 9/24, 10/29, and 11/19 from 7pm-9pm EST. In addition to being available for Longwood students, this and future sessions of the course will be open to library and information science (LIS) graduate students from other LIS programs. LIS students with an interest in taking the course can email [email protected] for directions on registering, or those with questions about the course can inquire with Carl Harvey at [email protected] .
“School library media specialists are addressing an increasing number of challenges. Courses on intellectual freedom that draw on professional values, the unique environment of the school library, and the law this will equip them with tools to educate and advocate for students, families, and colleagues in their district,” said Deborah Caldwell-Stone, executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation. “We deeply appreciate that the LIS educators at Longwood understand the need for intellectual freedom education for LIS students and are committed to addressing that need by adding this course to their curriculum.”
Prior to his role at Longwood, Carl Harvey spent 17 years as an elementary school librarian in Indiana. He is a Past-President of the Association for Indiana Media Educators, Indiana Library Federation, and the American Association of School Librarians. Currently he serves as president-elect of the Virginia Association of School Librarians. He has published seven professional books for school librarians and authored countless articles. He also served as editor of School Library Connection from 2015-2023.
The Freedom to Read Foundation also collaborates on courses at the University of Illinois iSchool (UIUC), the San Jose State University School of Information (SJSU) and Emporia State University, in addition to its collaboration with Longwood University. For more information on intellectual freedom courses for LIS students and professionals offered by UIUC, SJSU, and Emporia State, please email [email protected].
The Freedom to Read Foundation is a non-profit organization established to promote and defend First Amendment rights, foster libraries as institutions that fulfill the promise of the First Amendment, support the right of libraries to include in their collections and make available to the public any work they may legally acquire, and establish legal precedent for the freedom to read of all citizens. For over 50 years FTRF staff, volunteers, members, and supporters have achieved this work through First Amendment education, litigation, and advocacy. For information on other FTRF news and initiatives, visit FTRF.org or email [email protected].