For translating her research on censorship and intellectual freedom into practical guidance for library workers, Shannon M. Oltmann, associate professor in the School of Information Science at the University of Kentucky (UK), has been named the 2024 recipient of the Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award. The award is given annually by the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is co-sponsored by Sage, a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources.
A self-described "free speech maximalist," Oltmann is passionate about intellectual freedom, freedom of speech, libraries, and information ethics. She is the author of Practicing Intellectual Freedom in Libraries and editor of The Fight Against Book Bans: Perspectives from the Field. Her work has been funded by the American Library Association (ALA) and Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).
Oltmann has presented practitioner-focused webinars and conference presentations to national and regional audiences, including the ABC-CLIO, Alabama School Library Association, Texas Library Association, and Kentucky Public Library Association. She has also given invited talks related to intellectual freedom to the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives, Pierce County Library System, Illinois Reaching Across Illinois Library System, and ALA.
At UK, Oltmann has taught special topics courses in Master of Science in Library Science program focused on intellectual freedom, information ethics, and the core values of librarianship, and she has supervised independent studies and given guest lectures in other courses on these topics.
"Dr. Oltmann actively promotes and embodies the spirit of intellectual freedom through her research and teaching, offering guidance and an increased understanding of this principle of librarianship not only to her students and academic colleagues but also to library workers across Kentucky and the United States," wrote Sarah Barriage, associate professor in UK's School of Information, in her letter of nomination.
Oltmann will be honored at the Intellectual Freedom Awards reception held during the 2025 American Library Association Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The reception will be held on June 27 from 7:30–9:00 p.m. in Philadelphia Marriott Salon E.
The Robert B. Downs Intellectual Freedom Award is presented annually to individuals or groups who have furthered the cause of intellectual freedom, particularly as it affects libraries and information centers and the dissemination of ideas. It was established in 1969 by the iSchool's faculty to honor Robert Downs, a champion of intellectual freedom, on his twenty-fifth anniversary as director of the School.