OLA Les Fowlie Intellectual Freedom Award

The Ontario Library Association Board of Directors established the Award for Intellectual Freedom in 1997 to recognize the courage shown by individuals and organizations in defending the rights of library patrons to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. Intellectual freedom provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.
In 2000, the Award was renamed the Les Fowlie Intellectual Freedom Award in memory of the former Chief Librarian of Toronto Public Library, whose efforts on behalf of intellectual freedom in Canada are legendary.

Criteria/Eligibility

The successful nominee(s) will possess tangible evidence of courage in defending the rights of library patrons to full access to information. This may include overcoming barriers such as censorship, lack of access to accessible formats, or the absence of library services in a community.
This award is open to individuals and organizations, and is not restricted to OLA members.

Nomination Procedure

The nominator must be a member in good standing of OLA.
The nomination form can be completed by visiting: https://accessola.com/membership-information/awards/
The nominator must provide sufficient documented evidence of the nominee’s contribution.
Nominations will be accepted between: September – November.
The closing date for nominations in any given year is: 15 November.
Once the winner has been chosen, the OLA President, or designate will contact the successful nominator.
o The OLA office will contact all unsuccessful nominators.
Unless otherwise arranged, the OLA President, or designate will also contact the successful nominee and request a photo for promotion purposes.
o The OLA office will later connect with the nominator and the winner for award presentation logistics.
If desired, nominators may be involved in the award presentation such as creating and/or writing the presentation speech. Please indicate your interest to do so in the nomination form.

Selection Process

The process for this award is stewarded by the OLA Awards Committee, which is a subcommittee of the OLA Board of Directors.
The presentation of the award is at the discretion of the OLA Board and is not necessarily presented on an annual basis.
The OLA Awards Committee will review all of the applications and assess candidates’ eligibility.
The OLA Awards Committee will present all qualified candidates to the OLA Board for consideration. The Board will consider all potential candidates, including those nominated from the membership.

Award Presentation Information

This award is presented at the OLA annual Super Conference.
The winner will be notified in advance of the award presentation.
At the presentation, an introductory speech will be delivered outlining the achievements of the award winner.
The recipient will prepare a short acceptance speech.
Guests of award winners are welcome to attend the award presentation, however, they must be registered conference attendees or registered guests. All attendees must have a conference badge to be onsite. Further information will be provided to the recipient.

Past Recipients

2025 Annie McClelland, Book and Periodical Council

2019 James Turk, Centre for Free Expression, Ryerson University

2018 Vickery Bowles, Toronto Public Library

2017 Graduate Resource Centre, Faculty of Information and Media Studies, Western University

2016 Dorothy Mcnaughton

2015 Kathy Scardellato, Ontario Council of University Libraries

2014 Progressive Librarians Guild – Greater Toronto Area

2013 No recipient

2012 Margaret Ann Wilkinson, University of Western Ontario

2011 Patricia Aldana, Groundwood Books

2010 The Book & Periodical Council, Freedom to Read Expression Committee

2009 Dr. Michael Geist, Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law, University of Ottawa.

2008 Bernard Katz, now retired, former senior director at the University of Guelph McLaughlin Library and a deep contributor to the OLA’s work on intellectual freedom and copyright, both areas in which he has deep and abiding wisdom.

2000 Toronto Public Library for publication and distribution of “Young Voices from the Street”

1998 The Halton Board of Education

1997 Burlington Public Library Staff and Board