UBC Library supports Dale Askey and McMaster University

UBC Library stands behind Dale Askey and McMaster University in advocating intellectual freedom and the pursuit of knowledge as core values essential to academic research libraries.

In line with the statements of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries, the Canadian Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries and other libraries and library associations, we believe that librarians should be able to express their academic freedom and opinions, and that this freedom be protected and upheld without the fear of intimidation. In a competitive and fluid vendor market, libraries make acquisition decisions that they deem to be the most valuable for their user community. This is the heart of librarianship – our role of evaluating and mediating the connection between the user and the resources at their disposal.

For this reason, we join others in asking Edwin Mellen Press to cease its legal action against Mr. Askey.

Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the Association of Research Libraries statement

Canadian Library Association statement

Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries statement

British Columbia Library Association statement