The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library Statement of Intellectual Freedom
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Library strives to provide the highest quality biomedical information in order to meet the needs of all within the UT Southwestern Community. Along with this high level of service stands the responsibility of ensuring uncensored access to the Library’s resources. The Library’s selection of resources is based upon meeting the informational needs of its customers.
According to Article I of the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, “Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.” Equal protection is afforded against the expurgation of library resources. Therefore resources that meet the Library’s selection criteria should not be removed under any legal or extra-legal pressure.
The Medical Library Association’s Code of Ethics for Health Sciences Librarianship states the following: “The health sciences librarian believes that knowledge is the sine qua non of informed decisions in health care, education, and research and the health sciences librarian serves society, clients, and the institution, by working to ensure that informed decisions can be made. The health sciences librarian promotes access to health information for all and creates and maintains conditions of freedom of inquiry, thought, and expression that facilitate informed health care decisions.”
These declarations are in accordance with freedom of expression granted by the Constitution of the United States. Customers are encouraged to address their concerns with the Library in the open atmosphere of intellectual freedom.
Approved:
UT Southwestern Library
Library Advisory Committee
February 10, 1999