Library Futures | Our Principles

"Our World is Digital

• Learners of all types need access to digital content wherever they are located and without long waiting periods. Libraries must adopt a technology-forward approach that meets the needs of our communities. 

• Protect the Right to Lend

  Library lending is enshrined in the copyright act, and libraries allow broad access to information by lending materials without restriction. We support digital lending that uses technology to mirror the library's right to loan legally acquired books under controlled conditions while respecting copyright. 

• Libraries must own content, not license it

  For libraries to thrive, they must be able to purchase digital content, not "license” it within a twisted maze of terms. Libraries must be able to purchase, preserve, lend, and accept donations of digital materials, just as they do with their print collections. 

• Equitable access is the future of libraries

  Historical preservation, culturally inclusive cataloging, universal broadband, and accessible content should be the norm, not the exception. We believe in ideal, universal access to information for all patrons, regardless of socioeconomic status, identity, or ability. 

• Privacy is not for sale

  Privacy has always been a core component of librarianship, but communities are losing their core privacy rights within digital information systems. Libraries are uniquely positioned to help preserve community privacy, ensuring that borrowing histories, research, interests, and page views are safeguarded, anonymized appropriately, and held to the same high degree of confidentiality that should be afforded to all library records. 

• We are stronger together

  We stand in coalition with individuals and organizations fighting for equity, openness, and collaboration in the knowledge movement. Publishing and corporate enclosures hurt us all. We are in solidarity with authors and content creators. Together we are fighting for a better world."