Libraries:
An American Value
Libraries
in America are cornerstones of the communities they serve. Free
access to the books, ideas, resources, and information in America’s
libraries is imperative for education, employment, enjoyment, and
self-government.
Libraries are a legacy to each generation, offering the heritage
of the past and the promise of the future. To ensure that libraries
flourish and have the freedom to promote and protect the public
good in the 21st century, we believe certain principles must be
guaranteed.
To that end, we affirm this contract with the people we serve:
- We defend the constitutional rights of all individuals, including
children and teenagers, to use the library’s resources and
services;
- We value our nation’s diversity and strive to reflect
that diversity by providing a full spectrum of resources and services
to the communities we serve;
- We affirm the responsibility and the right of all parents and
guardians to guide their own children’s use of the library
and its resources and services;
- We connect people and ideas by helping each person select from
and effectively use the library’s resources;
- We protect each individual’s privacy and confidentiality
in the use of library resources and services;
- We protect the rights of individuals to express their opinions
about library resources and services;
- We celebrate and preserve our democratic society by making available
the widest possible range of viewpoints, opinions and ideas, so
that all individuals have the opportunity to become lifelong learners
- informed, literate, educated, and culturally enriched.
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Change
is constant, but these principles transcend change and endure in a
dynamic technological, social, and political environment.
By embracing these principles, libraries in the United States can
contribute to a future that values and protects freedom of speech
in a world that celebrates both our similarities and our differences,
respects individuals and their beliefs, and holds all persons truly
equal and free.
Adopted by the
Council of the American Library Association
February 3, 1999
Adopted
by the Rockford Public Library Board of Trustees January 14, 2003
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