LFI 2025

Library Freedom Institute

Library Freedom Institute (LFI) is a training program for library workers focused on privacy, intellectual freedom, and critical technology. We teach librarians the skills necessary to support information democracy in the 21st Century; from educating community members, to installing privacy software, to influencing local policy.

General course information and resources

• [NEED LINK] Lecture video links]
• Code of Conduct
• Discord: A discussion platform that cohort members get invited to when LFI begins.
• Zoom video conference room: A private Zoom room that cohort members get the address to when LFI begins.

Schedule and curriculum

Schedule overview

Week	Date and time	Topic	Lecturer
1	Wednesday May 7th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Introduction to this course and each other
2	Wednesday May 14th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Foundations in information democracy and the problems we face: Threats to speech and privacy in libraries (and their origins), the tech landscape, and threat modeling
3	Wednesday May 21st, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Threat modeling continued. Plus, what are we fighting for? Messaging and talking points to convince others what's at stake
4	Wednesday May 28th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Intellectual freedom in an environment of increasing repression (or off week for Memorial Day)
5	Wednesday June 4th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Responsible data policies and privacy practices
6	Wednesday June 11th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Technology for liberation, or at least just better passwords
7	Wednesday June 18th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Tech for liberation part two: threat models we encounter every day
8	Wednesday June 25th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Vendor issues and data brokers
9	Week of June 30th	Off for July 4th week
10	Wednesday July 9th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	The AI hellscape
11	Wednesday July 16th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	TBD based on what we have covered, maybe IF defense, or AI part two, or social media/platformization/enshittification of everything
12	July 25 - 27 (please note - there is no meeting on Wednesday, July 23rd)	In-person weekend, Philadelphia, PA
13	Week of July 28th	Off week following in-person weekend
14	Wednesday August 6th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Did we miss anything? IF defense, Policing, reproductive health and privacy, anti-doxxing, immigrant threat models? We may need this week if we end up skipping memorial day week
15	Wednesday August 13th, 12-2 pacific/ 1-3 mountain/ 2-4 central/ 3-5 eastern	Closing week, and making information democracy into a sustainable long term practice

In-person weekend subjects

• Powermapping
• Teaching and training others (staff and patrons)
• Building coalitions for support
• Group or individual presentations