Judith Krug

Judith Fingeret Krug (March 15, 1940 – April 11, 2009) was an American librarian, freedom of speech proponent, and critic of censorship. Krug became director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom at the American Library Association in 1967. In 1969, she joined the Freedom to Read Foundation as its executive director. Krug co-founded Banned Books Week in 1982.

She coordinated the effort against the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which was the first attempt by the United States Congress to introduce a form of censorship of speech on the Internet. Krug strongly opposed the notion that libraries should censor the material that they provide to patrons. She supported laws and policies protecting the confidentiality of library use records. When the United States Department of Justice used the authority of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 to conduct searches of what once were confidential library databases, Krug raised a public outcry against this activity by the government.

In 2003, she was the leader of the initiative to challenge the constitutionality of the Children's Internet Protection Act. Her efforts led to a partial victory for anti-censorship campaigners; the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the law was constitutional, but that filtering software on computers in public libraries could be turned off if so requested by an adult guardian. Krug warned that the filters used to censor Internet pornography from children were not perfect and risked blocking educational information about social matters, sexuality, and healthcare.

Early life and education Krug was born Judith Fingeret in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on March 15, 1940. She received a Master of Arts degree in library science from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago. She married Herbert Krug in 1964; they had two children and five grandchildren. Krug described the role of the OIF as protection of the right of individuals in the U.S. to have comprehensive availability of information, regardless of those who disapprove of the material itself.

As director of the OIF, Krug organized publication of a newsletter which recounted instances of censorship in the U.S. and suggested ways to deal with these attempts to limit free speech. She supervised publication of the , the , and the events of Banned Books Week.

The Freedom to Read Foundation was formed to uphold the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and assist with legal defense. She coordinated opposition to the Communications Decency Act of 1996, which was the first attempt by the United States Congress to introduce a form of censorship of speech on the Internet.

Opposition to library censorship

Krug strongly opposed the notion that libraries ought to censor the material that they provide to patrons. She supported laws and policies protecting the confidentiality of library use records.

In 2003, Krug led the challenge to the constitutionality of the Children's Internet Protection Act.

Krug served as chair of the board of directors of the Center for Democracy and Technology, chair of the Media Coalition, vice-chair of the Internet Education Foundation and was a member of the advisory board of GetNetWise. Krug also served on the Boards of Directors of the Fund for Free Expression, the Illinois Division of the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Bar Association's Commission on Public Understanding About the Law, and the Advisory Council of the Illinois State Justice Commission.

Death and memorial After being afflicted with stomach cancer for over a year, Krug died of her illness aged 69 on April 11, 2009, at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois. The Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund was founded by the American Library Association to ensure that Banned Books Week would remain active after her death.