Free People Read Freely: A National Summit on Democracy, Intellectual Freedom, and Book Censorship
Agenda and Schedule of Events
Monday, September 16, 2024
6:00 PM – Welcome Reception
The Great Hall | Library of Congress
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
A Summit on Democracy, Intellectual Freedom, and Book Censorship
Mumford Room, Madison Building, Library of Congress
Moderator: Martin Garnar
| 8:00 – 9:00 | Continental Breakfast & Registration |
| 9:00 – 9:10 | Welcome: Declaration of Purpose: 2024-2025 ALA President Cindy Hohl Recalling 1953 Westchester Conference and the Freedom to Read Statement |
| 9:10 – 9:15 | Video Greetings from Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress |
| 9:15 – 9:20 | Welcome from Brian Bannon, Merryl and James Tisch Director of the New York Public Library |
| 9:20 – 9:40 | Opening Keynote: Nikole Hannah Jones The Essential Role of Libraries in Successful Participatory Democracies |
| 9:50 – 10:35 | Becky Calzada, Nate Coulter, Sara Paretsky Library Censorship Past and Present: Understanding Campaigns to Ban Books and End the Freedom to Read |
| 10:45 – 11:35 | Sonia Alcántara-Antoine, Stephanie Cole Adams, Will Creeley, Emily Knox The Library as a Public Good for Flourishing in a Democratic Society |
| 11:35 – 12:35 | Lunch – Madison Cafeteria |
| 12:35 – 1:20 | Robert Corn-Revere, Skip Dye, Nadine Farid Johnson, Cameron Samuels Proposed Solutions to Protect Libraries & Library Users’ Freedom to Read |
| 1:20 – 2:20 | Coalition Building Breakout Sessions |
| 2:20 – 2:30 | Breakout Sessions Report Back |
| 2:30 – 3:15 | Martin Garnar, Sam Helmick, David Levithan, Paul Raushenbush The Way Forward: A Playbook to Protect and Preserve the Freedom to Read |
| 3:20 – 3:50 | Closing Keynote: Annalee Newitz The Future of Democracy Needs Libraries |
| 3:50 – 4:00 | Thank You & Closing: 2024-2025 ALA President-Elect Sam Helmick |