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
- Nominations will be accepted between: September – November.
- The nominator must be a member in good standing of OLA.
- The nominator must provide sufficient documented evidence of the nominee’s contribution
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 OLA Awards Committee will review all of the applications and assess candidates’ eligibility.
- Once the winner has been chosen, the OLA Office and OLA President, or designate will contact the successful nominator.
- The OLA office will contact all unsuccessful nominators.
- The OLA office will connect with the winner for award presentation logistics.
- 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.
- The presentation of the award is at the discretion of the OLA Board and is not necessarily presented on an annual basis.
Award Presentation Information
- This award is presented at the OLA annual Super Conference.
- At the presentation, an introductory speech will be delivered outlining the achievements of the award winner.
- The recipient will prepare a short acceptance speech.
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
