What's at stake?
What’s at stake when voices are silenced, civil discourse erodes and access to information is narrowed? How are challenges to intellectual freedom shaping and impacting our way of life? How can we protect free thought and ideas?
Freedom of expression and information are being threatened in Canada and worldwide. Now is the time to have open, meaningful and respectful dialogue and debate about what’s at stake.
This fall, we’re starting these critical conversations with events, civil forums and installations. We invite you to challenge your perspectives, engage with new ideas, learn from one another and – most importantly – join the conversation.
Events and civil forums are part of our On Civil Society programming and generously funded in part by the Toronto Public Library Foundation.
Events and civil forums
Hear from thought-provoking guests — from global activists to warrior librarians and big tech whistleblowers to human rights leaders — who are defending intellectual freedom in the face of war, legal harassment, misinformation and censorship.
Want to delve deeper into the conversation? Participate in a civil forum. Held before select events, these moderated gatherings provide a space to ask questions, share opinions and experiences, and hear and learn from others.
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A Prisoner's Right to Information
Wed Nov 01, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto Reference LibraryWhat's at stake when states, provinces or even prison officials ban books or limit prisoners' communication with the outside world? Is it morally right to prevent prisoners from accessing certain information and prevent them...
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The Warrior Librarians of Ukraine
Mon Nov 06, 2023 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location: OnlineWhat's at stake when a country's cultural heritage and structures are threatened with destruction? Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, hundreds of libraries have been damaged or completely destroyed by inva...
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Generation of Lost Causes
Wed Nov 22, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto Reference LibraryWhat's at stake when polarized generations allow media outlets to frame their understanding of the world? As our global population faces increasing threats from climate change, political divisions and other existe...
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Who Is Watching Big Tech?
Mon Nov 27, 2023 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Toronto Reference LibraryWhat's at stake when corporations dictate the information we see and don't see? Like never before, our access to information has been radically altered and put into the hands of a small group of powerful companies that claim...
Past events and civil forums
Stream recordings of past events and civil forums on demand.
Reflections from the City Librarian
A message from Vickery Bowles about the importance of our new series and how libraries are uniquely positioned to host and facilitate these conversations.
Installations
Experience installations that explore what’s at stake when books are challenged or banned, and libraries are forced to limit their access to information, ideas and diversity of thought.
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The Book Sanctuary Collection
These 50 adult, teen and children’s books from across our collections represent titles that have been challenged, censored or removed from a public library or school in North America. Explore the collection, either at Toronto Reference Library or online, to learn why these books were challenged.
Fourth floor, Toronto Reference Library
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Tower of Banned Books – coming soon
Canadian artist Kelly McCray’s six-foot-tall sculpture considers the effects of Big Brother exercising control of bookshelves and the repercussions of literary censorship, particularly of already-underrepresented voices.
Main floor, Toronto Reference Library
Reading lists
Delve deeper into what’s at stake when intellectual freedom is challenged with materials selected by our librarians.
What is intellectual freedom?
According to the American Library Association, intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both seek and receive information from all points of view without restriction. It provides for free access to all expressions of ideas through which any and all sides of a question, cause or movement may be explored.
Additional resources
Learn how we’re protecting and defending intellectual freedom across our collections, programs and spaces.