Appendix K

Intellectual Freedom Statement

The Washington Library Association supports the principle of free, open, and unrestricted access to information and ideas regardless of the medium in which they exist.

A democracy can only succeed if citizens have access to the information necessary to form opinions and make decisions on issues affecting their lives. Libraries play a key role in providing access to this information.
The Association regards this access as a right of all citizens. Therefore the Association believes that libraries have a responsibility to provide access to a wide range of perspectives and viewpoints.
The Association believes that parents and legal guardians have the responsibility to guide their own children in the exercise of their rights of access.

The Association recognizes privacy and confidentiality as essential components of intellectual freedom.

The Association supports local community involvement in developing policies that uphold the United States and Washington State constitutional guarantees of free speech and intellectual freedom.

The Washington Library Association endorses the American Library Association's Code of Ethics, Freedom to Read Statement, and Library Bill of Rights and its interpretations.

Therefore, the Washington Library Association opposes censorship and restrictions on access to the full range of constitutionally protected materials.

Ratified at the WLA Conference in Spokane, WA – 4/6/01