2026 ASIS&T President's Lecture: Information Access & Freedom of Expression

Featuring Emily J. M. Knox, PhD, MSLIS, interim dean and professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This talk will argue that information access and intellectual freedom should be understood as fundamental human rights that are rooted in freedom of expression and communication. It explains how censorship limits access to knowledge, autonomy, and human flourishing. Situating recent book challenges in the U.S. within broader social upheaval and institutional distrust, the talk will argue that freedom of expression remains essential to dignity, democratic life, and meaningful self-determination.