Accessing without Restriction
Intellectual freedom is your right to read, watch, listen, and explore ideas without barriers. Every book, every film, every voice is yours to discover.
Public libraries stand firmly against censorship and have a professional and legal responsibility to ensure free access to information, support critical thinking, and make space for diverse perspectives.
They do not endorse every idea in their collection. They do, however, protect the public’s right to access those ideas. Intellectual freedom applies to all materials, including those some may consider unconventional, unpopular, or unacceptable.
CAP Libraries
A Strong Alberta Begins at the Library
Public libraries are foundational public infrastructure in Alberta. They support learning, employment, digital access, and social connection for people of all ages.
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By the numbers
Libraries reach nearly every Albertan.
CAP Libraries represents a province-wide network of 324 service points across regional, medium-sized, and large urban public libraries.
Access without restriction
Libraries protect the right to explore ideas.
Public libraries stand against censorship. They do not need to agree with every idea in a collection to defend the public’s right to access it.
That includes books, films, and voices that some may find unconventional or unpopular.
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Families and young readers
Libraries support parents and caregivers.
Public libraries aim to serve the whole community while recognizing that parents and guardians remain the primary decision-makers for their children.
- Collections are organized by age and subject
- Families can review borrowing activity through shared access
- Staff can help identify age-appropriate materials
- Concerns are handled thoughtfully and respectfully
Public trust
Albertans trust their libraries.
Research commissioned in January 2026 found that public libraries remain among Alberta’s most trusted and widely used public institutions.