Iain Sinclair banned from Hackney Library event - CILIP response
Many of you will have been following the thread in Communities and on lis-profession about Iain Sinclair having the invitation to launch his forthcoming book at Hackney Library withdrawn. The story was picked up in the Guardian and the Times, as well as the Bookseller. The reason behind the ban appears to be an article he wrote which was critical of the Olympics - nothing to do with the book he is about to have published.
As Leader of CILIP Council I sent letters to both the Guardian and the Times last week, deploring the decision to ban Iain Sinclair for being 'off-message' about the Olympics, and the implications for freedom of expression (within the law) in the neutral space that the physical library has always been.
The Guardian has published the letter today:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/oct/27/olympics-2012-iain-sinclair
The Times hasn't yet, but Ridgmount Street staff have sent it on Council's behalf to the paper's 'comment' pages, so hopefully it'll be published soon.
Best regards,
Caroline (Moss-Gibbons)