Current Relevance

"There are several current public policies that are implied in the American Library Association’s code of ethics such as education and civil liberties. ALA is committed to providing equal access to all users and in supporting the rights of the patrons. The freedom of information and protection of patron privacy is a fact that members of the community look to in a library and it should be protected in the association."

The fact that provisions in the ALA Code of Ethics implicitly address issues of current relevance related to freedom of access and intellectual freedom, is a primary reason for the ALA's intense focus on public policies that may jeopardize the very principles that the association is committed to upholding. The association's stated mission, policies, and code of ethics all affirm the resolve of the association's members to protect the Constitutional and civil rights of library-information patrons. This resolve is reflected in the fierce stance the ALA has assummed in opposition of the Patriot Act and its renewal.