Day of Connection
Day of Connection is an online mini-conference crafted to foster community and share ideas across TRAILS libraries. We hope to encourage discussion between attendees on topics relevant to us locally, institutionally, and in the context of the state of Montana.
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Our in-person Academic Library Symposium will return in 2026.
9:00am – 10:30am
Keynote: Emily Knox, Foundations of Intellectual Freedom
Emily Knox, PhD, MSLIS, (she/her) is the Interim Dean Designate and a professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her most recent book, Foundations of Intellectual Freedom (ALA Neal-Schuman), won the 2023 Eli M. Oboler Prize for best published work in the area of intellectual freedom. Emily's articles have been published in Library Quarterly, Library and Information Science Research, and Open Information Science. Her research interests include information access, intellectual freedom and censorship, information ethics and policy, and the intersection of print culture and reading practices.
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Session Description—
​Intellectual freedom is a core value of librarianship and a core human right. however, it can often be difficult to support in professional practice. Where does the value of intellectual freedom come from? Why does it matter in librarianship? How does it inform library policies and services? This talk and discussion will tackle how to make decisions about information access and freedom of expression in the library.
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3:15pm – 4:15pm
Panel: Collection Development Policies
How are libraries crafting collection development policies in light of current technological, legal, and financial climates? | Facilitated by Bobbi Otte (Rocky Mountain College), Kris Goss (Helena College), and John Baken (Little Big Horn College).