Intellectual Freedom Pioneer: Judith F. Krug 1940–2009
Picture courtesy: American Library AssociationJudith F. Krug in 2007
Personal Life and Education
Judith Rose Fingeret was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 15, 1940. As an undergraduate she studied political theory at the University of Pittsburgh and pursued a Master's degree in library studies with the University of Chicago (Martin, 2009). Her thesis was entitled, A Comparison of the Uniterm, Descriptor, and Role-indicator Methods of Encoding Literature for Information Retrieval (Krug, 1964). She married Herbert Krug in 1964. Judith Krug was known as a woman with many vocations, some of which included: wife, mother, librarian, First Amendment champion, advisor, author, book advocate, and public servant.
Career Positions
In a variety of roles early in her career, Mrs. Krug was a librarian at Chicago's John Crerar Library and later Head Cataloger at Northwestern University Dental School Library. By 1965, Judith Krug was a research analyst for the American Library Association. In Dec. 1, 1967 the ALA's Office of Intellectual Freedom (OIF) was founded. Soon after, Mrs. Krug was named Director. She published an article in the ALA Bulletin entitled Intellectual Freedom, which provided members with a three-part plan for implementing the Library Bill of Rights and the related specifics calling for the use of communication, analysis, and education (Krug, 1967). This article was the beginning of her 40 years of work for the OIF where she was steadfast in her focus to protect the public's First Amendment rights. Mrs. Krug advocated for these rights, which included the freedom of inquiry, expression, and the privacy to seek out information. While serving as Director of OIF, she also served as Executive Director for the Freedom to Read Foundation and founded Banned Books Week in 1982.
Awards and Honors
Mrs. Judith Krug's advocacy was widely celebrated, as is evidenced by her many awards. In 1976, the American Civil Liberties Union presented her with the Harry Kalven Freedom of Expression Award. The iSchool at Illinois, Illinois Library Association, and Ohio Educational Library Media Association honored her with a variety of Intellectual Freedom Awards in 1978, 1990, and 1994 respectively. Mrs. Krug was honored for her stand against censorship in 1983 as Friends of the Chicago Public Library honored her with the Carl Sandburg Freedom to Read Award. Minnesota's Civil Liberties Union presented her with both the Open Book Award in 1984, and the President's Award in 1985.
ALA's highest honor was bestowed to Mrs. Krug in 1998 with the Joseph W. Lippincott Award for distinguished service in Librarianship. In 2005 she received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression subsequently presented Mrs. Judith Krug with the William J. Brennan Award in 2009, where she was honored for open-mindedness and free access to books.
Advocacy and Influence on the National and International Scene
Mrs. Krug actively advocated for authors, librarians, teachers and students. She adamantly defended intellectual freedom and advocacy against government censorship of books in libraries. She believed that citizens should be able to create their own ideas and freely read those of others. This philosophical stance brought her involvement to multiple First Amendment cases. Mrs. Krug found herself in front of the U.S. Supreme Court with a victorious overturning of the Communications Decency Act, and she dealt with Internet censorship as she addressed technological filters of the Child Online Protection Act (American Libraries, 2009, p.40).
Many were touched and influenced by Mrs. Judith Krug. Dr. Roger Greer, Library School Dean and Professor Emeritus, remembers, "She had all the earmarks of a leader. She was very bright, had guts, and defended her positions. Judith was indefatigable! She traveled around and talked to a lot of people ... She was well respected, raised awareness and general consciousness on this important issue. Judith made significant strides for intellectual freedom" (personal communication, May 7, 2014).
Her national influence moved onto the international scene when Amnesty International adapted Banned Books Week. The organization notes that Banned Books Week is used to focus on "the plight of individuals who are persecuted because of the writing that they produce, circulate or read" (Amnesty International, 2013). One of the many activities that involve celebrating the right to read banned or challenged books can be found through the Read-Out Videos that are posted to a dedicated YouTube Channel for Banned Books Week.
Thanks a Pioneer
Intellectual freedom has had its ups and downs over the years with McCarthy and other large players in American society. Judith F. Krug's leadership provided the stamina that evoked sustained cultural change. She carried the torch with over 40 years of service as Director, Office of Intellectual Freedom. It was this pioneering dedication to intellectual freedom that has paved the way for the many libraries and information professionals that are working against censorship and advocating for the open movement. This movement supports intellectual freedom through a convergence of open access, open data, and open educational resources. Librarians are actively providing a variety of digital scholarship services and are building open access repositories to disseminate intellectual work with unprecedented freedom. Yes, there are many who are now standing on the shoulders' of this First Amendment Champion. Mrs. Judith Krug, thank you!
Events
Banned Books Week 2014 will take place September 21–27.
Open Access Week 2014 will take place October 20–26.
References
Kniffel, L. (2009, May). Judith Krug 1940-2009: The Freedom to Read. American Libraries, 40(5), 40-43. http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/issue/may-2009
Krug, Judith F. (1964). A comparison of the uniterm, descriptor, and role-indicator methods of encoding literature for information retrieval. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago, Thesis, (M.A.). OCLC 33214992.
Krug, Judith F. (February, 1968). Intellectual Freedom. American Library Association Bulletin 62(2). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25697791
Martin, D. (April 14, 2009). Judith Krug, Who Fought Ban on Books, Dies at 69. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/15/us/15krug.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As%2C{%222%22%3A%22RI%3A17%22}&_r=0
Amnesty International USA. (2013). Web Page. Retrieved from http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/prisoners-and-people-at-risk/censorship-and-free-speech/banned-books-week-2011
About the author
Kelly Visnak is a Scholarly Communication Librarian at University of Wyoming Libraries — Laramie, Wyoming.
E-mail: kvisnak [at] uwyo [dot] edu
© 2014 Kelly Visnak.