Intellectual Freedom

What is Intellectual Freedom?

Intellectual Freedom is the right to access information from all points of view without restriction, allowing us to think and express ourselves without censorship. Intellectual Freedom is a protected human right by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Lambton County Library strives to provide a balanced collection of materials that meets the cultural, recreational, educational and informational needs of the community. Guided by its Collection Development Policy, Lambton County Library will provide equitable access to ideas and knowledge and will make its collections widely accessible to the community. Lambton County Library endorses the Ontario Library Association Statement on the Intellectual Rights of the Individual.

Freedom to Read

Freedom to Read is an initiative that encourages Canadians to remember and exercise their intellectual freedom. This is celebrated with Freedom to Read Week, an event that takes place at the end of February each year.

Freedom to Read Week: February 22 - 28, 2026

Challenged Materials

Books, magazines, newspapers, and other materials are often challenged or banned in Canada and around the world. These challenges aim to limit access to certain materials in schools, libraries, or bookstores. The Freedom to Read initiative has compiled a list of challenged works that have been called into question internationally in past decades. 

Check out these challenged works in our library collection: