NCompass Live: First Amendment Audits: What You Need to Know

Have you heard about ‘First Amendment Audits’? Learn how to deal with these visits at your library on next week’s NCompass Live webinar on Wednesday, January 18 at 10am CT.

A loosely organized social media campaign to “audit” government spaces and agencies for alleged First Amendment violations has begun to target public libraries. Individuals and groups claim a right to film in any space, arguing that they’re entitled to do so as taxpayers and citizen journalists. A growing number of public libraries are reporting these types of visits, even in Nebraska. Library users and staff are being targeted as subjects of these videos. This session will share what a First Amendment Audit is, what the related laws are, how to protect both the public and library staff, and what to do when and after it happens.

Presenters: Jessica Chamberlain, Director, Norfolk (NE) Public Library; Laura England-Biggs, Director, Keene Memorial Library (Fremont, NE); Sky Seery, Director, North Platte (NE) Public Library.

Upcoming NCompass Live shows:

  • Jan. 25 – Pretty Sweet Tech: Learn About TechGirlz & Inspire Girls in Your Community Today!
  • Feb. 1 – A New Partnership to Provide Tax Preparation Services to Hard-to-Reach Taxpayers
  • Feb. 8 – Accessibility Isn’t Just for Patrons! Internal Documentation for Everyone
  • Feb. 15 – Digital Libraries as Digital Third Place: Virtual Library Programming
  • Feb. 22 – Pretty Sweet Tech
  • March 1 – 2023 One Book One Nebraska: ‘The Mystery of Hunting’s End’
  • March 8 – Read the Rainbow: Serving the LGBTQ+ Community in Your Library

For more information, to register for NCompass Live, or to listen to recordings of past events, go to the NCompass Live webpage.

NCompass Live is broadcast live every Wednesday from 10am – 11am Central Time. Convert to your time zone on the Official U.S. Time website. The show is presented online using the GoToWebinar online meeting service. Before you attend a session, please see the NLC Online Sessions webpage for detailed information about GoToWebinar, including system requirements, firewall permissions, and equipment requirements for computer speakers and microphones.

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