Judith Krug

Judith Fingeret Krug (March 15, 1940 – April 11, 2009) was an American librarian and anti-censorship activist. She was appointed as the Director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom in 1967 and Executive Director of the Freedom to Read Foundation in 1969. She cofounded Banned Books Week in 1982.

Judith Krug held positions in various Chicago libraries-including Reference Librarian at the John Crerar Library and Head Cataloguer at the Northwestern University Dental School Library. Before assuming her duties in the Office for Intellectual Freedom Krug was the research analyst for the American Library Association. In addition, she sat on the 2006 panel of judges for the PEN/Newman's Own Award, which recognizes those who defend the First Amendment's right to freedom of expression in writing.

Biography

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Krug earned her B.A. in 1962 from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied political theory. In 1964, she earned her M.A. at the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago.

In addition to her professional responsibilities, Krug was Vice-President of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, chair of the Board of Directors of the Center for Democracy and Technology, chair of the Media Coalition, vice-chair of the Internet Education Foundation and a member of the Advisory Board of GetNetWise. She previously served on the Board of Directors of the Fund for Free Expression, the Board of Directors of the Illinois Division of the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Bar Association's Commission on Public Understanding About the Law, and the Advisory Council of the Illinois State Justice Commission.

Krug died on April 11, 2009 in Evanston, Illinois, aged 69, from stomach cancer.

Public policy positions

Krug strongly opposed the notion that libraries ought to censor the material that they provide to patrons. She has said:

"We know that there are children out there whose parents do not take the kind of interest in their upbringing and in their existence that we would wish, but I don't think censorship is ever the solution to any problem, be it societal or be it the kind of information or ideas that you have access to."

She had supported laws and policies protecting the confidentiality of library use records. When a Florida librarian reported to the police, shortly after the 11 September 2001 attacks, that one of the attackers had been using the Delray Beach public library (although Florida law guarantees confidentiality to library patrons), Krug criticized the action, saying "I would have felt better if she had followed the Florida law. I suspect most people faced with the same situation would have done what she did."

Critical responses

Groups that favor restricting access to pornography and content they deem inappropriate have strongly criticised Krug's stands on these issues. For example, in The Internet and the Seduction of the American Public Library Helen Chaffee Biehle criticized Krug and the ALA for their positions that librarians should not act as the representatives of parents and society by restricting access to content, particularly for children.

Awards and honors

• 1976 Irita Van Doren Award, presented by the American Booksellers Association for her many contributions to the cause of the book as an instrument of culture in American life;
• 1976 Harry Kalven Freedom of Expression Award, presented by the American Civil Liberties Union to the Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association;
• 1978 Robert B. Downs Award for her outstanding contribution to the cause of intellectual freedom in libraries;
• 1983 Carl Sandburg "Freedom to Read" Award, presented by the Friends of the Chicago Public Library;
• 1984 Open Book Award, presented by the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union;
• 1985 President’s Award of the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union;
• 1990 Intellectual Freedom Award of the Illinois Library Association;
• 1994 Ohio Educational Library Media Association/SIRS Award for Intellectual Freedom;
• 1995 Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor Award;
• 1998 Joseph W. Lippincott Award for distinguished service to the library profession.
• In May 2005, Krug received an honorary doctorate, Doctor of Humane Letters, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• 2009 William J. Brennan Award, presented posthumously by the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression. She was only the fifth person selected to receive this award since the award was initiated in 1993.William J. Brennan Award
• In 2009, the State of the Net conference initiated the annual Judith Krug Memorial Intellectual Freedom Panel.

External links

• American Library Association profile of Krug
• Phi Beta Kappa Society: News View
• Chicago Tribune obituary
• "Intellectual Freedom 2002: Living the Chinese Curse" - Library of Congress' "Luminary Lecture" (Lecture presented by Krug on May 23, 2002).
• Judith Krug's Testimony before the "National Research Council Committee to Study Tools and Strategies for Protecting Children from Pornography" on the subject of Internet filters in libraries
• Judith Krug's Testimony before the Commission on Child Online Protection in August 2000
• A film clip "The Open Mind - A Bill of Rights for Libraries (September 27, 2007)" is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]