Statement on Intellectual Freedom and the Intellectual Rights of the Individual

Recognizing that the board has a fundamental responsibility for upholding the principles of, as well as advocating for, intellectual freedom, this policy ensures the rights of individuals to access information. 

1. Without reservation, the board adopts the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA) Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries, approved originally June 1974; reviewed as recently as April 2019. 
2. Without reservation, the board adopts the Ontario Library Association (OLA) Statement on Intellectual Freedom and the Intellectual Rights of the Individual, adopted originally June 2010; amended as recently as January 2020. 
3. It is the responsibility of the board, and those who work or volunteer at Idea Exchange, to: 
   1. ensure that all library and gallery users have the fundamental right to have access to all expressions of knowledge, creativity and intellectual activity, and to express their thoughts publicly; 
   2. guarantee and facilitate access to all constitutionally protected expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity, including those which some individuals and groups may consider to be unconventional, unpopular, or unacceptable; 
   3. provide, defend, and promote equitable access to the widest possible variety of expressive content and resist calls for censorship and the adoption of systems that deny or restrict access to resources;  
   4. make available all the Idea Exchange’s public facilities and services to all individuals and groups without discrimination; 
   5. safeguard and foster free expression and the right to safe and welcoming places and conditions; 
   6. resist all efforts to limit the exercise of these responsibilities, while recognizing the right of criticism by individuals and groups; and 
   7. meet its obligations under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Ontario Human Rights Code that guarantee everyone the fundamental freedoms of freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication, within the limits prescribed by law. 
4. The board directs the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that the principles of intellectual freedom are integrated into all organizational policies, procedures, and practices.  

Related Documents 

• Canadian Federation of Library Associations’ Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries 
• Ontario Library Association’s Statement on Intellectual Freedom and the Intellectual Rights of the Individual 
• The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms 
• The Ontario Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19 
• Ontario Public Libraries Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.44 

Approved by Executive Council ~ June 27, 1974
Amended November 17, 1983; November 18, 1985; September 27, 2015; February 24, 2016

Revised Policy: Approved May 2023 (Board Motion 23.38)