WLA & WEMTA Intellectual Freedom Award
Award Purpose & Criteria
The WLA/WEMTA Intellectual Freedom Award is administered jointly by the Wisconsin Library Association (WLA) through its Intellectual Freedom Committee and the Wisconsin Educational Education and Technology Association (WEMTA) through its Intellectual Freedom Committee. Up to two WLA/WEMTA Intellectual Freedom Awards can be administered each year: one to a recipient whose work and advocacy encompasses the school setting and one recipient whose work and advocacy encompasses public, academic, or special libraries.
Criteria
Nominee's leadership in actively promoting intellectual freedom
Nominee's role in defending the principles of intellectual freedom
Nominee's demonstrated courage by resisting and opposing censorship or other violations of intellectual freedom
Eligibility
Nominations may be made by personal members of WLA or WEMTA
Criteria achievement was accomplished in Wisconsin
Both individuals and groups (including subgroups of larger associations) are eligible and may nominate themselves
Activities within the past five years are eligible for consideration
This is not an annual award; a recipient is selected only in those years when the committee believes it is merited.
The award is presented at the awards ceremony of either the WLA Annual Conference in the fall or the WEMTA conference in the spring depending upon the recipient's affiliation and/or preference. An announcement of the award or brief formal recognition will be given to the award recipient at the non-presenting conference.
Nomination
Submit the nomination form along with the supporting documentation to the WLA MemberClicks system by September 1, 2025, using the following link: https://wla.memberclicks.net/intellectualfreedomaward25. Note that although you will be required to provide your email address and create an account, you do not need to be a member of WLA to access the nomination form.
