What You Can Do and How to Organize

What You Can Do

"There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn't matter who gets the credit."—Ralph Waldo Emerson

What You Can Do to Oppose Censorship - ALA Office for Intellectual

What You Can Do - Bill of Rights Defense Committee

What You Can Do - ALA OIF

What You Can Do - Youth Free Expression Network

What You Can Do to Celebrate Your Freedom to Read - ALA OIF

What You Can Do - National Coalition Against Censorship

What You Can Do - Youth for Human Rights International

Art Now - National Coalition Against Censorship

How to Organize

"To stand together is going to be hard. Our movement is composed of all kinds of groups and all kinds of individuals. It is certain that many of us will make all kinds of mistakes. It will become very tempting to wish that this group or that group, this individual or that individual, were simply not among us. My particular plea is that we not surrender to this temptation. We must certainly be frank with each other when we disagree, but my plea is that we not begin to be afraid of any of us and, in a panic, try to wish any of us out of the picture. We will need every one of us. We are all part of one another."—Barbara Deming

411 on Youth Organizing

Tips and Tools for Organizing Resolutions in Defense of the Bill of Rights

Mobilize.org

YouthAction

Coalitions Against Censorship

Organizing A Local Coalition Against Censorship

Ways to Get Involved - ACLU

Know Your Rights - ACLU

Kidspeak!: Learn how kids can help oppose censorship.

Study the issues.

Learn about who else cares about the First Amendment and intellectual freedom.

Counter censorship in your community.

Learn about the Freedom of Information Act.

Celebrate your freedom to read.

Find sensible and reliable information about safety and security for political activists.

Subscribe to various news and discussion e-lists.

Join or donate to the Freedom to Read Foundation.

Join the Intellectual Freedom Round Table.

Subscribe to the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.

Read other news sources.

Join the Freedom to Read Foundation or donate to the Merritt Humanitarian Fund.

Make intellectual freedom in all of its forms a central part of your library’s mission.

Advocate support for the library’s role in preserving intellectual freedom. Talk to local library and school boards, the media and elected officials at all levels of government.

Monitor the news and your community for incidents of censorship in your area and report them to the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom.

Lend your support to others who are facing censorship challenges.

Stay up-to-date on legislation and court cases that could effect intellectual freedom in libraries.

Network with civil liberties groups and other organizations in your area that are dedicated to intellectual freedom principles. Your support for them will mean increased support for libraries.

Be a leader. Start a local group dedicated to ensuring that intellectual freedom in libraries is preserved.

Learn how other intellectual freedom advocates organize to help ensure that intellectual freedom is protected.

Coping with Challenges: Kids and Libraries: What You Should Know

Handling Tough Questions

Sample Answers to Tough Questions

ACLU Forums

Contact Elected Officials about Issues/Legislation related to Intellectual Freedom.

Soul of a Citizen by Paul Rogat Loeb

Teaching for Engagement by Paul Rogat Loeb

Time to Act by Paul Rogat Loeb

The Hundredth Volunteer by Paul Rogat Loeb

Simple Framing by George Lakoff

Don't Think of an Elephant by George Lakoff

The Activist's Handbook: A Primer by Randy Shaw

Organizing for Social Change by Kimberley A. Bobo

Roots to Power : A Manual for Grassroots Organizing

Campaigning for Free Expression: A Handbook for Advocates (PDF)

Books on Community Organizing

Send suggestions for this Web site to nperez@ala.org.