The 1999 IFLA Statement on Libraries and Intellectual Freedom has recently marked its 21st anniversary. The Statement highlights that a commitment to intellectual freedom - including access to information, freedom of expression and privacy - is key to the work of libraries.
It calls on libraries and library staff actively to promote and protect these principles, and outlines the key elements of this commitment - from ensuring a wide availability of materials to user privacy and beyond.

The FAIFE committee is examining how trends and developments that have emerged since 1999 have impacted the ability and role of libraries in promoting these principles. To inform the review, this survey invites libraries and library associations from around the world to share their experiences with defending and delivering on intellectual freedom commitments.

You are welcome to fill out this survey in its entirety, or to skip some questions and focus on those most relevant for your experiences and interests.

Please share your responses by 31 January. If you need more time, please contact valensiya.dresvyannikova@ifla.org. Your responses are anonymous, and will be aggregated and used to produce a report, drawing on aggregated data, with no personally identifiable data shared. All data submitted will be handled in line with IFLA's Data Protection Policy.

You can also download the survey as a .docx file.

Please note that the IFLA Journal and the FAIFE Committee announced a separate call for abstracts for an upcoming Special Issue of the Journal. This calls for articles, essays and case studies examining the impacts of the Statement, and changes to the state of intellectual freedom and librarianship over the past 20 years. If you’d like to prepare a submission drawing on your insights and experiences, we encourage you to respond to the call!

Thank you!