Arizona Librarian Fired for Push to Keep Politics Out of Libraries
'Our job as librarians is to provide access to information from all points of view'
Chrissy Clark • January 11, 2021 4:20 pm
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An Arizona librarian was fired after he called for libraries to be apolitical spaces.
In July, Arizona librarian Ron Kelley received an email from the American Library Association—the largest librarian association in the world—soliciting individuals to join the Black Lives Matter movement. Kelley, who had served in his position for nine years, replied to the list-serve with an email titled "Keep Politics Off This Discussion Group," in which he argued that libraries should remain neutral and apolitical. Following two complaints to the Flagstaff Library regarding his email, Kelley was fired from his job.