Immigrant Rights to Access to Information. A Librarian at the Kitchen Table. No.436.

ALA Council passes resolution in support of immigrant rights to access to information

(CHICAGO) At the American Library Association (ALA) 2007 Midwinter Meeting in Seattle, January 19 - 24, the ALA Council adopted a resolution in support of immigrant rights to access to information. The resolution states that: "America's immigrants are a strong and valuable part of the social fabric of this nation. The library community opposes all attempts at the local, state and federal level to restrict access to information by immigrants."

The resolution:

* supports the protection of each person's civil liberties, regardless of that individual's nationality, residency, or status; and

* opposes any legislation that infringes on the rights of anyone in the USA or its territories, citizens or otherwise, to use library resources, programs, and services on national, state, and local levels.

The 182-member ALA governing body passed ALA CD#20.2 on January 22, 2007.

Here is the ENTIRE DOCUMENT:
2006-2007 ALA CD#20.2
2007 ALA Midwinter Meeting


Resolution in Support of Immigrant Rights

WHEREAS, America’s immigrants are a strong and valuable part of the social fabric of this nation; and

WHEREAS, The ALA Library Bill of Rights states that the person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views; and

WHEREAS, The library community opposes all attempts at the local, state and
federal level to restrict access to information by immigrants; and

WHEREAS, Restriction of access is a direct violation of the ALA Library Bill of Rights and Policy #60, Diversity, which states that “The American Library Association (ALA) promotes equal access to information for all persons and recognizes the ongoing need to increase awareness of and responsiveness to the diversity of the communities we serve”; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That ALA strongly supports the protection of each person’s civil liberties, regardless of that individual’s nationality, residency, or status; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That ALA opposes any legislation that infringes on the rights of anyone in the USA or its territories, citizens or otherwise, to use library resources, programs, and services on national, state, and local levels.”






Adopted by the American Library Association Council
Wednesday, January 22, 2007
Seattle, Washington




Source: ALA Web site: http://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governanceb/council/councildocuments/mwmtg2007.htm.