The Progressive Librarians Guild (PLG) condemns in the strongest
possible terms the blocking of Wikileaks by the Library of Congress
and rejects on all grounds their arguments in defense of this move.
The action is a violation of American librarianship’s historic commitments
to the public’s right to know, to freedom of the press and to the very essence
of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. It is also
in violation of the American Library Association’s most fundamental
commitments to intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of
Rights.
We call on the American Library Association (ALA) to condemn
unequivocally this move by the Library of Congress to actively conspire in
preventing access to information in the public interest. Blocking access to
this published information is censorship, plain and simple, and supporting
sanctions against reading is endorsing abridgment of intellectual freedom.
The documentation’s open publication by an agency of the free press,
Wikileaks, renders its government classification status irrelevant.
For the Library of Congress, blocking access and rationalizing censorship
is an unacceptable acquiescence to the government’s abusive attempt
to put the genie back in the bottle with regards to
leaked documents which, among other things, expose
the government’s own malfeasance, malevolence
and even criminality in the conduct of the people’s
affairs. In matters of vital public concern, citizens’
fullest knowledge and discussion are in the interest
of democracy, freedom, peace, rule of law and good
governance here and around the world.
We also call on ALA to oppose the government’s
directives barring individuals in other Federal
agencies, the armed forces and working for
government contractors from viewing published
material discomfiting to the authorities.
We call on ALA as well to join us in condemning the
ongoing and escalating US government-led witch-hunt
against Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange.
PLG Coordinating Committee , December 4, 2010
=====
Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. Resolutions 2011:
Resolution in Support of WikiLeaks
Adopted by SRRT Action Council, January 8, 2011
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization that publishes submissions of secret documents from anonymous sources and news leaks;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks has recently made available thousands of important documents concerning United States foreign and military policy;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks is performing a vital watchdog role by expanding citizens' knowledge on matters of vital public concern following in the steps of Daniel Ellsberg who courageously made the Pentagon Papers available to the public;
WHEREAS, Support for WikiLeaks should be a concern for all those who believe in the right to know and intellectual freedom, and most especially librarians;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks and its founder and volunteers are under tremendous pressure to stop publishing leaked documents by many governments, elected officials, and prominent personalities;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks spokesperson, Julian Assange, has not received equitable due process under the laws of the United Kingdom; having been briefly detained, and his movements are currently restricted due to supposedly unrelated matters; and,
WHEREAS, The American Library Association has signed a joint letter with many other organizations asking the United States government to reverse its order to US government agencies blocking access to WikiLeaks, in support of publishers' and citizens' first amendment rights, and against the possible application of the Espionage Act against WikiLeaks; therefore be it
RESOLVED that the American Library Association
Supports the rights of WikiLeaks to publish leaked government documents;
Commends the efforts of WikiLeaks to expunge from documents names and other material deemed potentially harmful to innocent people;
Commends WikiLeaks for performing a public service by making available important documents related to foreign and military policy;
Urges libraries to link their websites to the WikiLeaks website; and
Condemns the harassment of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and other volunteers.
SRRT Newsletter Issue 174
========
2010-2011 ALA CD#38 Rev. 1/10/11
ALA Midwinter Meeting
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF WIKILEAKS
Whereas WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization that publishes on its websites submissions of
secret documents from anonymous sources and news leaks;
Whereas WikiLeaks has recently made available thousands of important documents concerning
United States foreign and military policy;
Whereas WikiLeaks is performing a vital watchdog role comparable to the courageous
publication of the Pentagon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg;
Whereas support for WikiLeaks should be a concern for all those who believe in the right to
know, government transparency, intellectual freedom, and most especially librarians;
Whereas WikiLeaks and its founder and volunteers are under tremendous pressure to stop
publishing leaked documents by many governments, elected officials, and prominent
personalities;
Whereas the American Library Association has signed a joint letter with many other
organizations asking the United States government to reverse its order to US
government agencies blocking access to WikiLeaks, in support of publishers’ and
citizens’ first amendment rights, and against the possible application of the Espionage
Act against WikiLeaks, now, therefore, be it
Resolved that the American Library Association (ALA)
(1) Supports the rights of WikiLeaks to publish leaked government documents;
(2) Commends the efforts of WikiLeaks to expunge from documents names and other
material deemed potentially harmful to innocent people;
(3) Commends WikiLeaks for performing a public service by making available important
documents related to foreign and military policy;
(4) urges libraries to link their websites to the WikiLeaks websites; and
(5) condemns the harassment of WikiLeaks volunteers.
Supporting documents (CD #38 - RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF WIKILEAKS)
1. ALA Policy Manual 53.1 Library Bill of Rights:
a. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information,
and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should
not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to
their creation.
b. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on
current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because
of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
c. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to
provide information and enlightenment.
d. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting
abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
2. Daniel Ellsberg’s Website
a. “EVERY attack now made on WikiLeaks and Julian Assange was made against me
and the release of the Pentagon Papers at the time” by Michael Ellsberg (Dec. 8,
At the annual ALA conference in San Francisco in 2015, journalist, constitutional law-yer, and bestselling author Glenn Greenwald spoke via Skype about the impact of the revelations of Edward Snowden, the failure of the media to actively investigate U.S. government surveillance programs, and the need to safeguard whistleblowers. Glenn Greenwald speaking via Skype at ALA annual conference, 2015. Photo source: American Libraries.
For an article on this program, see Phil Morehart, “No Place to Hide: Glenn Greenwald warns librarians about unchecked surveillance,” American Libraries, June 30, 2015.
That intersectional poker bit reminds me. I have an old board game from I think the 70’s called, ‘Blacks & Whites: The Role Identity & Neighborhood Action Game.’ Maybe we should update it to make it intersectional.
Some work done by librarians in support of Wikileaks & Julian Assange.
The Progressive Librarians Guild is a small independent group of librarians--but in 2010 we did put out this statement:
http://www.progressivelibrariansguild.org/PL/PL34_35/075.pdf
Progressive Librarian #34-35 Page 75
December 4, 2010
Wikileaks logo
On Wikileaks and the Library of Congress:
A Statement by the
Progressive Librarians Guild
The Progressive Librarians Guild (PLG) condemns in the strongest
possible terms the blocking of Wikileaks by the Library of Congress
and rejects on all grounds their arguments in defense of this move.
The action is a violation of American librarianship’s historic commitments
to the public’s right to know, to freedom of the press and to the very essence
of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. It is also
in violation of the American Library Association’s most fundamental
commitments to intellectual freedom as embodied in the Library Bill of
Rights.
We call on the American Library Association (ALA) to condemn
unequivocally this move by the Library of Congress to actively conspire in
preventing access to information in the public interest. Blocking access to
this published information is censorship, plain and simple, and supporting
sanctions against reading is endorsing abridgment of intellectual freedom.
The documentation’s open publication by an agency of the free press,
Wikileaks, renders its government classification status irrelevant.
For the Library of Congress, blocking access and rationalizing censorship
is an unacceptable acquiescence to the government’s abusive attempt
to put the genie back in the bottle with regards to
leaked documents which, among other things, expose
the government’s own malfeasance, malevolence
and even criminality in the conduct of the people’s
affairs. In matters of vital public concern, citizens’
fullest knowledge and discussion are in the interest
of democracy, freedom, peace, rule of law and good
governance here and around the world.
We also call on ALA to oppose the government’s
directives barring individuals in other Federal
agencies, the armed forces and working for
government contractors from viewing published
material discomfiting to the authorities.
We call on ALA as well to join us in condemning the
ongoing and escalating US government-led witch-hunt
against Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange.
PLG Coordinating Committee , December 4, 2010
=====
Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. Resolutions 2011:
Resolution in Support of WikiLeaks
Adopted by SRRT Action Council, January 8, 2011
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization that publishes submissions of secret documents from anonymous sources and news leaks;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks has recently made available thousands of important documents concerning United States foreign and military policy;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks is performing a vital watchdog role by expanding citizens' knowledge on matters of vital public concern following in the steps of Daniel Ellsberg who courageously made the Pentagon Papers available to the public;
WHEREAS, Support for WikiLeaks should be a concern for all those who believe in the right to know and intellectual freedom, and most especially librarians;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks and its founder and volunteers are under tremendous pressure to stop publishing leaked documents by many governments, elected officials, and prominent personalities;
WHEREAS, WikiLeaks spokesperson, Julian Assange, has not received equitable due process under the laws of the United Kingdom; having been briefly detained, and his movements are currently restricted due to supposedly unrelated matters; and,
WHEREAS, The American Library Association has signed a joint letter with many other organizations asking the United States government to reverse its order to US government agencies blocking access to WikiLeaks, in support of publishers' and citizens' first amendment rights, and against the possible application of the Espionage Act against WikiLeaks; therefore be it
RESOLVED that the American Library Association
Supports the rights of WikiLeaks to publish leaked government documents;
Commends the efforts of WikiLeaks to expunge from documents names and other material deemed potentially harmful to innocent people;
Commends WikiLeaks for performing a public service by making available important documents related to foreign and military policy;
Urges libraries to link their websites to the WikiLeaks website; and
Condemns the harassment of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and other volunteers.
SRRT Newsletter Issue 174
========
2010-2011 ALA CD#38 Rev. 1/10/11
ALA Midwinter Meeting
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF WIKILEAKS
Whereas WikiLeaks is a non-profit organization that publishes on its websites submissions of
secret documents from anonymous sources and news leaks;
Whereas WikiLeaks has recently made available thousands of important documents concerning
United States foreign and military policy;
Whereas WikiLeaks is performing a vital watchdog role comparable to the courageous
publication of the Pentagon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg;
Whereas support for WikiLeaks should be a concern for all those who believe in the right to
know, government transparency, intellectual freedom, and most especially librarians;
Whereas WikiLeaks and its founder and volunteers are under tremendous pressure to stop
publishing leaked documents by many governments, elected officials, and prominent
personalities;
Whereas the American Library Association has signed a joint letter with many other
organizations asking the United States government to reverse its order to US
government agencies blocking access to WikiLeaks, in support of publishers’ and
citizens’ first amendment rights, and against the possible application of the Espionage
Act against WikiLeaks, now, therefore, be it
Resolved that the American Library Association (ALA)
(1) Supports the rights of WikiLeaks to publish leaked government documents;
(2) Commends the efforts of WikiLeaks to expunge from documents names and other
material deemed potentially harmful to innocent people;
(3) Commends WikiLeaks for performing a public service by making available important
documents related to foreign and military policy;
(4) urges libraries to link their websites to the WikiLeaks websites; and
(5) condemns the harassment of WikiLeaks volunteers.
Supporting documents (CD #38 - RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF WIKILEAKS)
1. ALA Policy Manual 53.1 Library Bill of Rights:
a. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information,
and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should
not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to
their creation.
b. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on
current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because
of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
c. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to
provide information and enlightenment.
d. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting
abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
2. Daniel Ellsberg’s Website
a. “EVERY attack now made on WikiLeaks and Julian Assange was made against me
and the release of the Pentagon Papers at the time” by Michael Ellsberg (Dec. 8,
2010), Retrieved from http://www.ellsberg.net/archive/public-accuracy-press-release
3. Democracy: Now. (2010, December 31). Pentagon Whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg: Julian
Assange is Not a Terrorist, Retreived from
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/12/31/pentagon_whistleblower_daniel_ellsberg_julian
assange
4. Burns, John F., & Somaiya, Ravi (2010, Oct. 23). WikiLeaks Founder Gets Support in
Rebuking U.S. on Whistle-Blowers. New York Times Online Edition. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/world/24london.html?_r=1
https://www.ala.org/aboutala/sites/ala.org.aboutala/files/content/governance/council/council_documents/2011mw_council_docus/cd38_supportwikileak.pdf
==
At the annual ALA conference in San Francisco in 2015, journalist, constitutional law-yer, and bestselling author Glenn Greenwald spoke via Skype about the impact of the revelations of Edward Snowden, the failure of the media to actively investigate U.S. government surveillance programs, and the need to safeguard whistleblowers. Glenn Greenwald speaking via Skype at ALA annual conference, 2015. Photo source: American Libraries.
For an article on this program, see Phil Morehart, “No Place to Hide: Glenn Greenwald warns librarians about unchecked surveillance,” American Libraries, June 30, 2015.
=========
That intersectional poker bit reminds me. I have an old board game from I think the 70’s called, ‘Blacks & Whites: The Role Identity & Neighborhood Action Game.’ Maybe we should update it to make it intersectional.