Intellectual Freedom

Regina Public Library supports intellectual freedom and endorses the Canadian Federation of Library Association (CFLA)’s Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries. This is of such significant importance that it is included in RPL’s Values statement.

Updated February 13, 2026
S
Saskatchewan Information & Library Services Consortium Regina Public Library
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Free speech : a global history from Socrates to social media
Mchangama, Jacob
Paper Book
A global history of free speech, from the ancient world to today. Hailed as the "first freedom," free speech is the bedrock of democracy. But it is a challenging principle, subject to erosion in times of upheaval. Today, in democracies and authoritarian states around the world...
What is free speech? : the history of a dangerous idea
Dabhoiwala, Faramerz
Paper Book
'Free Speech!' is a clarion call all over the world, yet what it means today is more contested than ever. Many cultures regard it as dangerous- in China, India, and across the Islamic world, unorthodox views about politics, sex, and religion are repressed and people are often punished for expressing...
Banned books
Heyworth-Dunne, Victoria
Paper Book
Discover the stories behind the most shocking and infamous books ever published. Censorship of one form or another has existed almost as long as the written word, while definitions of what is "acceptable" in published works have shifted over the centuries, and from culture to...
Burning the books : a history of knowledge under attack
Ovenden, Richard
Paper Book
An unforgettable 3,000-year-old journey - from Mesopotamian clay tablets trying to predict the future, to Tudor book-hunters and Nazi bonfires, and on into the dangers of our increasingly digital existence, Burning the Books shows how the preservation of knowledge is vital for the survival...
How to stand up to a dictator : the fight for our future
Ressa, Maria
Paper Book
"In this impassioned warning and inspirational call to arms, Ressa identifies and illuminates her core values of empathy, honesty, and faith in humanity to illustrate how a strong commitment to such foundational beliefs can provide the key to democracy''s survival. . . . Searing and electrifying....
https://saskatchewan.overdrive.com/saskatchewan-regina/bestbooks/collection/1524784
Freedom to Read Week was founded in 1984 to defend against censorship and create a broader awareness of ongoing challenges to creative works. It is a call to action for all Canadians to consider and defend their right to publish, read and write freely. To find out more go to: freedomtoread.ca
https://www.freedomtoread.ca/

For 40 years, the Book and Periodical Council (BPC) was the driving force behind Freedom to Read Week. The BPC brings together a diverse range of organizations that support the written-word sector in Canada. It provides members with opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building that will strengthen their individual and collective impact on the industry.

https://cfe.torontomu.ca/

The Centre for Free Expression, launched in 2015, is a non-partisan platform focused on freedom of expression – the human right to hold opinions and to seek, receive, and share information and ideas. It works in collaboration with academic and civil society organizations across Canada and internationally and is based in the Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). Through public education and engagement, commentaries, legal analysis, research, and advocacy, the CFE attempts to deepen the understanding of freedom of expression rights and the relationship of freedom of expression to individual development, advancement of knowledge, democracy, and social justice.

https://cfe.torontomu.ca/databases/canadian-library-challenges-database
The CFE-CFLA/FCAB Canadian Library Challenges Database provides access to challenges libraries have faced to items in their collection, and to displays, programs, room usage, and computer access.
https://www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/top10

Every year, the American Library Association\'s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list of the Top 10 Most Challenged Books in order to inform the public about censorship in libraries and schools.

https://cfla-fcab.ca/en/guidelines-and-position-papers/statement-on-intellectual-freedom-and-libraries/
The Canadian Federation of Library Associations recognizes and values the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as the guarantor of the fundamental freedoms in Canada of conscience and religion; of thought, belief, opinion, and expression; of peaceful assembly; and of association. The Canadian Federation of Library Associations supports and promotes the universal principles of intellectual
https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship/faq
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.

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