Deadline approaching! – Applications due October 2nd. CFLA/ Ex Libris Association – W. Kaye Lamb Award for Service to Seniors Every other year, the Canadian Federation of Library Associations / Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques and ExLibris Association invite Canadian libraries to be considered for the W. Kaye Lamb Award. The award is given to that library which offers innovative and excellent service to their senior population. A list of past winners can be viewed here: https://www.exlibris.ca/doku.php?id=award:wk-lamb-award-winners The 2021 award recipient was the West Vancouver Memorial Library as detailed here: https://www.exlibris.ca/lib/exe/fetch.php?media=wiki:documents:wklamb_award_announcement_2021.pdf Named to commemorate Canada’s first National Librarian, William Kaye Lamb, OC, FRSC, the W. Kaye Lamb Award recognizes outstanding library service to seniors with a $500.00 cash prize and commemorative plaque. For more information on William K. Lamb’s contribution to the development of Canadian library services, visit the Biography page, located on ExLibris Association’s website: https://www.exlibris.ca/doku.php?id=biographies:lamb-william-kaye| To apply, visit: https://cfla-fcab.ca/en/programs/w-kaye-lamb-award/https://cfla-fcab.ca/en/programs/w-kaye-lamb-award/ Completed applications or notification of the intention to apply must be submitted by Monday, October 2, 2023 to: WKLAward@cfla-fcab.ca Use the subject line “W.Kaye Lamb Award Application 2023” and include your library’s name or acronym.

Documented attempts to restrict library materials rose 20% in the first eight months of 2023 On September 19, the American Library Association (ALA) announced findings that challenges to books and other library materials and services are on pace to set a record for the third straight year in 2023. The release reads, in part: ALA has released new preliminary data documenting a continued uptick in attempts to censor books and materials in public, school, and academic libraries during the first eight months in 2023. Between January 1 and August 31, ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) reported 695 attempts to censor library materials and services. Those challenges included 1,915 unique titles—a 20% increase compared with the same reporting period in 2022, the year of the highest number of book challenges documented since ALA began compiling this data more than 20 years ago. The vast majority of challenges were to books written by or about a person of color or a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Challenges to books in public libraries accounted for 49% of those that OIF documented, compared with a share of 16% during the same reporting period in 2022. A growing number of cases involve demands by a person

Over the past year, the Centre for Free Expression (CFE), in conjunction with the Edmonton Public Library (EPL), has developed a course for libraries to use for staff learning and development on intellectual freedom. CFE will provide virtual train-the-trainer sessions for staff whom libraries select to deliver the intellectual freedom course. The train-the-trainer sessions will review the material in the intellectual freedom course, describe the options built into the course so it can be customized for each library’s staff, provide background on issues raised in the course, and discuss questions and issues likely to arise when the course is offered. The first Trainer-the-Trainer session with be offered virtually on Friday, October 6, from 12-3 pm EDT. Registration will be limited to 30 participants who will be offering the intellectual freedom course in their library. The library CEO or designate should complete the online registration form available here. The deadline for submissions is Friday, September 22