For immediate release | March 20, 2017

Robert P. Doyle is granted the 2017 John Philip Immroth Memorial Award

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The (IFRT) of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ (ALA) announces that Robert P. Doyle is the recipient of the 2017 John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award.

The Immroth Award recognizes Doyle’s defense of intellectual freedom in a library career spanning more than 30 years.

Doyle has been the editor of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ and its supplemental since 1982. Doyle served as the deputy director of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½Office for Intellectual Freedom under Judith Krug’s tenure.

Doyle served two terms as a member of the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF) Board of Directors and received the .

Doyle is the executive director of the (ILA) and has defeated 18 attempts that would have mandated filtering legislation in Illinois. He tirelessly advocated for local control and built an impressive statewide infrastructure to support intellectual freedom utilizing the Intellectual Freedom Committee, Public Policy Committee and Advocacy Committee within the ILA. He also supported an annual to recognize outstanding contributions in defending intellectual freedom.

Doyle’s steadfast service exemplifies the fight against censorship and the importance of maintaining intellectual freedom. For these reasons, Robert P. Doyle is the 2017 recipient of ALA’s John Phillip Immroth Memorial Award. The award will be presented at the at the IFRT Awards Reception and Member Social.

The Immroth Award honors the courage, dedication and contribution of a person who has set the finest kind of example for the defense and furtherance of the principles of intellectual freedom. The award consists of a citation and $500. John Phillip Immroth was a teacher, author, scholar, advocate and defender of First Amendment rights. He was the founder and first chair of the Intellectual Freedom Round Table in 1973.

The Intellectual Freedom Round Table provides a forum for the discussion of activities, programs and problems in intellectual freedom of libraries and librarians; serves as a channel of communications on intellectual freedom matters; promotes a greater opportunity for involvement among the members of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½in defense of intellectual freedom; and promotes a greater feeling of responsibility in the implementation of ¾«¶«´«Ã½policies on intellectual freedom.

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Contact:

Kristin Pekoll

Assistant Director

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Office for Intellectual Freedom

kpekoll@ala.org

312-280-4221