The IFLA Intellectual Freedom Statement celebrates its 20th birthday in 2019. But how well is it being implemented in countries, library associations and libraries? IFLA’s new Intellectual Freedom Checklist provides a tool for finding out.

The IFLA Statement on Libraries and Intellectual Freedom was agreed by IFLA’s Executive Board on 25 March 1999. 20 years on, it has been the subject of a session at the World Library and Information Congress and a series of blogs from members of IFLA’s Advisory Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression and beyond.

The anniversary has also provided the occasion to publish a statement on censorship, underlining the need for continued vigilance to protect fundamental freedoms.

To mark Human Rights Day 2019, and as the anniversary year comes to a close, IFLA is therefore launching the Intellectual Freedom Checklist. This is made up of a series of questions, looking in turn at countries, associations and individual libraries.  

Based on the Statement, the Checklist is designed to help library associations, libraries, and library and information workers think about the state of intellectual freedom where they are. It can be used by individuals, or be the basis of a group discussion.

We hope that it will lead to useful reflection, and help you prioritise your efforts in favour of intellectual freedom.

Download the Checklist as a PDF or a MS Word document.