<div dir="ltr"><font face="arial, sans-serif">Hi all,</font><div><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-44ac6d4f-7fff-8a15-32b3-fabb65fdf1ce"><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:392px;height:156px"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/W6b4URGTkqfHYMtcTzt8TUGBXSD3sfgUQXvk1ggYX7kqHRlxi0q7D7BumP8Zplv5fYrcl34cbYY6OuahZyGC3mNy2YDovWlgesNxgiJQMmcx6h9pgdSKPcvwXkqGtxOaFwfyHK-8Q_zBOGZjKfj5VQ" width="392" height="156" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></span></span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">SEPTEMBER 2023</span></p><br><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Welcome to Tuesday Topics, a monthly series covering topics with intellectual freedom implications for libraries of all types. Each message is prepared by a member of OLA's Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) or a guest writer. Questions can be directed to the author of the topic or to the IFC.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:12pt;margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Published “IFC Policy Brief” with </span><span style="font-weight:700;font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Oregon Business online magazine</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">As a library community, the very best steps any one individual or organization can take to be proactive and protect intellectual freedom is to stay informed of the issues and advocate for the importance of protecting rights to information. Perry Stokes, member of the Intellectual Freedom Committee, demonstrates this community awareness and activism with the recently published piece in </span><a href="https://oregonbusiness.com/policy-brief-the-business-case-for-protecting-youth-access-to-diverse-literature/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Oregon Business </span><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">online magazine</span></a><span style="font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">: Policy Brief: The Business Case for Protecting Access to Diverse Literature.</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Please take time to read this article:</span></p><br><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-weight:700;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Policy Brief: The Business Case for Protecting Youth Access to Diverse Literature</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;text-align:center;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">September 22, 2023, Written by Perry Stokes</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:12pt 0pt 18pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">In today’s rapidly changing world, the cultivation of critical thinking, empathy and adaptability is essential for building a future workforce capable of thriving in an increasingly interconnected business landscape. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Yet American schools and libraries — including those in Oregon — are facing an intense culture war that jeopardizes this progress. The debate centers around protecting and serving youth while upholding constitutional rights and promoting high-quality literature and fresh, independent voices. In recent years, a political movement has emerged to challenge and cancel books, displays and events in schools and public libraries ostensibly on grounds of child welfare and parental rights. Last year the number of attempts to ban or restrict books in the U.S. reached a </span><a href="https://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/presskits/surge-book-challenges-press-kit" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">20-year high</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">. While challenges are lobbed from </span><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/when-it-comes-banning-books-both-right-left-are-guilty-opinion-1696045" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">different political sides</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">, </span><a href="https://pen.org/report/banned-usa-growing-movement-to-censor-books-in-schools/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">PEN America reports</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> that the vast majority of materials targeted for removal feature LGBTQ+ characters and/or characters of color, or they cover sensitive topics like race, racism, LGBTQ+ identities or sex education. Some groups fueling the censorship crusade have been associated with </span><a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/z34y8y/new-report-links-rise-in-book-bans-to-anti-lgbtq-groups" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">extremist organizations</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> and </span><a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/4083602-conservative-women-are-embracing-extremism-under-the-guise-of-motherhood/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">anti-government groups</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">. Conservative legislators in various states have enacted measures to make it easier to restrict access to content and even impose criminal penalties on library staff. Thankfully, recent federal court rulings have overturned and blocked censorship attempts in </span><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3931733-texas-judge-orders-banned-books-returned-to-library-shelves/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Texas</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">, </span><a href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2022/08/31/book-ban-virginia-tim-anderson" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Virginia</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> and </span><a href="https://lawandcrime.com/first-amendment/federal-judge-blocks-effort-to-jail-librarians-who-loan-out-harmful-books-to-kids/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Arkansas</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">, emphasizing the significant First Amendment protection to which all are entitled — including minors. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Yet, while the core principles of free expression that define our nation have strong protection in the legal system, we must not take them for granted. Proactive awareness, resistance and rejection of censorship are imperative both for our individual liberty and economic future. In today’s marketplace, forward-thinking business leaders recognize that a diverse and inclusive workplace is not just a moral imperative but also a strategic advantage. </span><a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/odep/publications/fact-sheets/soft-skills-the-competitive-edge" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Soft skills</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> like teamwork, emotional intelligence and crosscultural understanding are now </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrobinson/2023/02/03/5-pivotal-soft-skills-essential-for-success-in-todays-global-market/?sh=7ec4b27450f0" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">reported by Forbes</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> to be more valuable to employers than technical expertise alone. </span><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2022/03/03/harnessing-the-power-of-diversity-for-profitability/?sh=30c8e50f459a" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Studies show</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> that companies with diverse teams outperform their competitors financially.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Reading widely and thoughtfully cultivates those invaluable character traits that are essential for </span><a href="https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/emotional-intelligence-in-leadership" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">leadership roles</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">. A study in the journal Reading Research Quarterly (2014) found that students who read diverse literature were more likely to demonstrate increased empathy and perspective-taking abilities compared to a control group. The American Library Association’s report, “Why Diversity Matters,” highlights the positive impact of varied literature on youth’s cognitive and affective development and how it fosters empathy, understanding and critical thinking.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">A </span><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/when-it-comes-banning-books-both-right-left-are-guilty-opinion-1696045" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">Puritanical restriction</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> of </span><a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/history-of-book-bans-in-the-united-states" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">reading choices</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> risks hindering the development of these essential soft skills in students by instilling fear of reading and of challenging ideas. Literature that tackles sensitive topics encourages open dialogue and helps students become well-rounded individuals with the capacity to embrace different viewpoints. By nurturing empathetic and culturally competent individuals, </span><a href="https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2022/11/03/Why-Soft-Skills-and-DEI.aspx?Page=1" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">businesses ultimately gain</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> a labor pool with a deeper understanding of the world, greater flexibility and adaptability.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Rather than retreating from challenging conversations, a more productive approach lies in providing diverse reading options. A robust selection of classic, contemporary, popular and emergent literature allows students to explore different narratives with guidance from parents and educators, promoting an appreciation of language and storytelling and a love of reading, ultimately increasing resilience and competence in their interactions and relationships. One argument being made is that the materials being challenged are considered “pornography,” and therefore, this content is harmful to minors. But that characterization — and reader maturity — are highly subjective. These are assessments best left to individuals and their parents — not the government. Societal standards and norms change over time, often led by artistic expression in the marketplace. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Just as Elvis’ then-outrageous dancing now looks innocuous, classic books by writers such as Chaucer, Hemingway, Steinbeck and Vonnegut — that were once considered scandalous — are today known as important pieces of literature. And the Constitution requires that works are evaluated on literary merit as a whole, not merely by provocative passages taken out of context. Furthermore, respected therapists contend that the moral panic associated with children and awareness of sexuality is unfounded — </span><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263175821_Innocence_knowledge_and_the_construction_of_childhood_The_contradictory_nature_of_sexuality_and_censorship_in_children's_contemporary_lives" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">and actually may increase children’s vulnerabilities</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"> to exploitation and abuse. For example, denying youth the pursuit of factual knowledge about their bodies discourages them from seeking professional and researched materials on the topic, or from discussions with parents and trustworthy adults. As Bronwyn Davies of the University of Melbourne has said, “What is dangerous, more than anything else, is the withholding of knowledge from children — the deliberate construction not of innocence but of ignorance.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">The battle for youth access to diverse literature in schools and libraries has profound implications for the future of our workforce and society. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">We invite business leaders to join us, along with supporters such as Parents Defending Schools & Libraries (</span><a href="http://www.pdsal.org/" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="color:rgb(235,30,0);font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline">PDSAL.org</span></a><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">), to champion the preservation of freedom of expression and advocate for nurturing a generation of employees equipped with empathy, critical thinking and adaptability. By protecting the sovereign right to read, together we can shape a more inclusive and prosperous future.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:18pt"><span style="font-style:italic;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;vertical-align:baseline">Perry Stokes is [former] co-chair of the Oregon Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee (OLA IFC), a standing committee empowered by the OLA Board to educate and support the value of intellectual freedom, and to help provide public oversight of any potential violations of the First Amendment in Oregon libraries.</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></font><div><font face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></div><font face="arial, sans-serif"><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br></font><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><font face="arial, sans-serif">Chair - <a href="mailto:ifc.chair@olaweb.org" target="_blank">ifc.chair@olaweb.org</a></font><div><font face="arial, sans-serif">Intellectual Freedom Committee <a href="https://www.olaweb.org/if-home" target="_blank">https://www.olaweb.org/if-home</a></font></div><div><font face="arial, sans-serif">Oregon Library Association <a href="https://www.olaweb.org/" target="_blank">https://www.olaweb.org/</a></font></div></div></div></div></div>