Preconference
Tackling Censorship: Building Knowledge and Strategies for Communications Success
by Joyce McIntosh, Program Officer with the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom (ALA) and the Assistant Program Director for the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF)
Registration rate $159
November 10, 2026
Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch
1:00 - 4:00 pm CT
Whether you have faced pushback to programs, experienced protestors, seen negative headlines, or had First Amendment auditors drop in at your library, chances are you have experienced, or you know someone who has been through, a challenge. And chances are, regardless of where you work, you may be the person navigating both the challenge as well as the crisis or crisis communication.
In this workshop, library communications professionals from academic, school library and public library backgrounds will gain foundational knowledge surrounding the relationship between libraries, censorship, the First Amendment and the Law. Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from others, share their experiences, and leave with advocacy tools and a plan for building, sharing, or if a situation arises, implementing a strategy.
We will review the importance of having sound policies in place, and participants are encouraged to bring a copy of, or have digital access to, their library policies.
The session will be divided into three sections:
- an overview of libraries and intellectual freedom including foundational intellectual freedom documents and the ways the law and First Amendment are intertwined with these rights
- a time for hearing what people have experienced and discussion of scenarios and
- an overview of library policies including time for participants to review their policies.
The theme of identifying resources and tools for advocacy will be shared throughout our time together.
Presented by:
Joyce McIntosh is a Program Officer with the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom (ALA) and the Assistant Program Director for the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF), an organization dedicated to First Amendment education, litigation, and advocacy. She has worked at the intersection of intellectual freedom, communication, and the First Amendment for three decades. Her background and education in journalism and library and information science have led her to work for newspapers, non-profits, and for the last two decades in libraries. Before working with the Foundation and ALA, she worked in a public library outside of Chicago, IL providing reference, programming, outreach, and assistive technology. Her current work is centered on intellectual freedom education and helping library workers and community members, navigate challenges through increased knowledge and tools for advocacy in their communities. Joyce received her undergraduate degree in Journalism at Michigan State University and her MLS in Library and Information Science from Wayne State University.
Registration Deadline: October 23, 2026
All payments for registration must be received and processed by the registration deadline for the registration to be complete
Accepted forms of payment include credit card through Affinipay or check. Make checks payable to:
Library Marketing Conference Group
13610 Barrett Office Dr., Suite 108
Ballwin, MO 63021
Contact LMC@amigos.org, or call 972-851-8000 with questions.
A separate registration is required to attend the Library Marketing and Communications Conference 2026. Use this form to register for the conference.
Cancellation and Refund Policy:
Cancellations received by October 23, 2026, will receive a full refund minus a $25.00 processing fee. Cancellations received after this date will only be granted a refund in the case of a medical emergency, which is defined as an event necessitating a visit to the emergency room and/or a hospital stay, or a death in the immediate family. Registrations are transferrable to other staff within the same organization. Cancellation requests should be submitted in writing to LCC@amigos.org
A separate registration is required to attend the Library Marketing and Communications Conference 2026. Use this form to register for the conference.
The LMCG Code of Conduct applies to this event.
