Purpose:

To provide guidance if needed to state library associations, libraries, and librarians in the area of intellectual freedom.

Duties:

• To protect freedom of access and inquiry in libraries of the Southeast.
• To contact the intellectual freedom committees of the state associations represented in the Southeastern Library Association in order to explain the purpose and role of SELA and to obtain information on intellectual freedom issues that have arisen within the states.
• To plan regional workshops on alternate years from the biennial meeting of SELA.
• To plan conference programming for the biennial meeting of SELA.

History:

This committee was appointed by Hoyt Galvin in 1964. It undertook immediately to see that each state represented in the Southeastern Library Association had a corresponding intellectual freedom committee. In 1967-68 the committee concentrated on getting school and public libraries to adopt a book selection policy approved by the respective governing boards. The committee has conducted some regional workshops on intellectual freedom and has offered conference programs on the intellectual freedom and censorship issues. The committee stands ready to assist the Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association and the intellectual freedom committees of the state associations.