Intellectual Freedom at OPL

Oakville Public Library is committed to protecting and defending intellectual freedom across our collections, programs and spaces.

Oakville Public Library is committed to protecting and defending intellectual freedom across our collections, programs and spaces. 

Libraries are facing increasing intellectual freedom challenges on a wide range of issues, not just with physical materials like books and movies, but also with programs, e-content, internet access, room bookings and exhibits. Intellectual freedom challenges can limit access to information, suppress civic engagement, and silence voices, especially those of more historically underrepresented communities. As a library, we play a critical role in ensuring that everyone has the right to seek, receive, and share ideas without restriction.  

Our collection includes materials that cover diverse topics, beliefs, and opinions, allowing readers to explore, learn, and grow.  

We also provide use of public computers, laptops, tablets, networks, Creation Zone equipment, digital devices and services to support access to information. Please view OPL’s Internet Access and Acceptable Use Policy here. 

We're giving you more insight 

OPL strives to ensure transparency in everything we do and that we consistently apply the principles of intellectual freedom across all of our collections, programs and spaces. 

Find out more about the basic principles that guide our work around intellectual freedom: 

  • Intellectual Freedom Policy – This policy ensures that the library creates an environment that supports intellectual curiosity and enquiry and champions intellectual freedom as the prerequisite for an informed, democratic society. The library lets each customer decide what they want to borrow, what programs to attend or what services to use. Each customer has the right to freedom of expression, even to ideas that are controversial or challenging. 

  • Inclusion Policy - The purpose of this policy is to provide a framework for fostering diversity and social inclusion at Oakville Public Library (OPL), to create an environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging and is able to participate freely with respect, dignity, and freedom from discrimination. 

  • Collection Development Policy - This policy outlines the principles and criteria used by staff to develop and maintain the library’s collections, while informing the residents of Oakville of the criteria used to select materials for inclusion in the library’s collections. 

  • Program Development and Delivery Policy - This policy guides the development and delivery of inclusive, community-based, high-quality programming; to support Oakville Public Library’s (OPL) mission, vision and values; and to preserve the library’s commitment to providing universal access to lifelong learning opportunities.     

What is intellectual freedom? 

Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored. (American Library Association). 

More information on Intellectual Freedom 

  • Freedom to Read Week - Every year, OPL participates in Freedom to Read Week, a national movement that raises awareness about censorship and the importance of access to diverse perspectives. Resources on censorship and free expression 

Freedom to Read Week

Learn More