Dear Readers,
If any of you grew up going to libraries, reading books that some people might have thought were “too old” for you, or celebrating or otherwise appreciating “Banned Books Week,” you probably owe a debt of gratitude to Judith Krug, who passed away on Saturday.
Likewise, if in the last 10 years you went to a library and used the Internet, you probably owe thanks to Judith. She and her colleagues, especially in the Washington Office and the Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, worked hard to get funding to wire schools and libraries for Internet access.
If your Internet use at the library was frustrated by the content having been overblocked by overzealous filtering software, know that Judith Krug fought against the mandatory use of that software in your library. She fought tooth and nail, but Senator McCain won that battle. (He once asked her what he should do if he found a web site about bestiality on the Internet. She memorably responded, “Don’t look at it!”)
I was lucky enough to know Judith personally. She was a sharp, witty, outspoken defender of free expression and especially the freedom of information — that anyone should be able to go into a library and look up/read information on any topic. Regardless of age. Or parental permission. Or social approval.
Judith also gave me — and my co-authors — a great honor, by agreeing to write the Forward to our book, Privacy in the 21st Century: Issues for Public, School, and Academic Libraries.
There are lots of places to read more about Judith Krug and her contributions, but let me recommend two, a personal blog post by my friend Cindy Samuels, and another by my friend Jessamyn West.
Thank you, Judith, for everything you have done to protect our freedom to read and learn. You leave behind very big shoes to fill.
If anyone would like to honor her memory, her family has asked that donations be made to the Freedom to Read Foundation. The American Library Association has also created an email address where you can send your memories: rememberingjudith (at) ala (dot) org .
