For immediate release | February 20, 2017

Oregon Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee receives the 2017 Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations Award

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The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ (ALA) announces that the Oregon Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee is the recipient of the

The (IFC) of the (OLA) launched an ongoing program in 2014 to keep Oregon library staff informed about intellectual freedom news, legislation, issues, and resources available. Called “” it is distributed to the Oregon Library Association listserv, the Oregon Association of School libraries listserv, and the Retirees Newsletter. Topics address a wide variety of issues, include links to resources and policies and are written for all types of libraries. They include examples, case studies and ideas for implementation. This has offered the IFC an opportunity to explore issues they were previously unaware of and allows them to be informed and in contact with all librarians in the state of Oregon. This regular communication keeps intellectual freedom fresh in the minds of the library community and helps them feel supported when confronted with questions and challenges.

The Hodges Award recognizes an organization, an ¾«¶«´«Ã½chapter or other qualified organization that has done an exemplary PR task in promoting awareness of intellectual freedom issues at the national, state, or region level. The award is named after Gerald Hodges, an ¾«¶«´«Ã½staff member from 1989 to 2006. Chapter relations and intellectual freedom were his passions and he willed a portion of his estate to support those efforts. The award consists of $1,000 and a citation and has been given since 2013.

The award will be presented to OLA IFC co-chairs Ross Betzer and Krista Reynolds and OLA President Elsa Loftis at the at the IFRT Reception.

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Contact:

Kristin Pekoll

Assistant Director

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Office for Intellectual Freedom

kpekoll@ala.org

3122804221