Intellectual freedom is the most fundamental of our personal liberties.
As expressed in the First Amendment, and as manifested in the freedoms of speech, press, and peaceable assembly, it is one of the cornerstones of our republic. While many social institutions have embraced the cause of intellectual freedom, the library's role in this venture has been unique. Through the collections they build and the services they provide, librarians transform the First Amendment into an agenda for action. The American Library Association, in particular, has promoted intellectual freedom through a number of its bodies and programs. Nevertheless, the interpretation of intellectual freedom issues by librarians has been far from static.