To: Andrew Breidenbaugh, Director of Library Services
Maintain Membership in the American Library Association
We ask that Director Breidenbaugh renews the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library's membership in the American Library Association before the current membership expires on June 30, 2023, and that Director Briedenbaugh makes a public commitment to the library as an open space that supports the intellectual freedom of all people.
Why is this important?
Library Director Andrew Breidenbaugh has decided not to renew the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library's membership in the American Library Association. The decision to end membership in the ALA, a decision made with minimal consultation from staff, not only prevents the library from accessing the benefits that membership in the ALA provides, but also sends the message that our library will no longer uphold the professional standards that the ALA represents.
The library's existence as a participant in the national librarian profession, and existence as a bastion of First Amendment rights are at risk. Leaving the ALA will have a negative effect on the library's ability to provide resources to users as we lose national support, and the library's reputation as a free and open space will be negatively affected.
