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.
Krug was born Judith Fingeret in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on March 15, 1940.[1][2] Her interest in freedom of speech was fostered from an early age.[1][3] She recalled reading a book about sex education under the covers in her bedroom with a flashlight at the age of 12.[1] Her mother found her and asked what she was doing.[1] When she held up the book, her mother allowed her to continue reading and told her to turn on the bedroom light so she could read properly and avoid damage to her eyes.[1]
Krug began her library career in 1962 when she began working as a reference librarian at the John Crerar Library in Chicago.[6][7] In 1963, she became a cataloguer for the Northwestern University Dental School.[6][7] She became a research analyst for the American Library Association in 1965, and in 1967 she became director of its Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) upon its foundation.[6][7][8] 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.[3]
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.[9] She supervised publication of the Intellectual Freedom Manual, the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom, and the events of Banned Books Week.[10] Krug also helped lead the Intellectual Freedom Round Table, the Committee on Professional Ethics, the Freedom to Read Foundation, and the Intellectual Freedom Committee.[10] In 1969, Krug became the first head of the Freedom to Read Foundation, a sister organization to the OIF.[8][11][12]
Krug strongly opposed the notion that libraries ought to censor the material that they provide to patrons.[14] She supported laws and policies protecting the confidentiality of library use records.[14] When the United States Department of Justice used the authority of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 to conduct searches of once-confidential library databases, Krug raised a public outcry against this government action.[2] When shortly after the September 11 attacks a Florida librarian told police that one of the attackers had been using the Delray Beach public library—although Florida law guarantees confidentiality to library patrons—Krug criticized the action.[15] She stated she wished the librarian had adhered to Florida law, but empathized with the situation and said that most individuals would likely have done the same thing.[15]
In 2003, Krug led the challenge to the constitutionality of the Children's Internet Protection Act.[2] Her efforts led to a partial victory for the Act's opponents; the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the law was constitutional, but that internet filtering software on computers in public libraries could be turned off if so requested by an adult guardian.[2] She said that filters used to censor Internet pornography from children were not perfect and risked blocking educational information about social matters, sexuality, and healthcare.[2] She emphasized the need to educate children about morality instead of using online filters to block information from them.[2] In 2006, she was elected vice-president of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.[16]
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.[17] She sat on the 2006 panel of judges for the PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award, which recognizes those who defend the right to freedom of expression in writing enshrined in the First Amendment.[18] 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.[19]
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.[20] 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.[12] The eighth edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual published in 2010 by the Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association was dedicated to Krug's memory.[10]
Krug, Judith F. (1964). A comparison of the uniterm, descriptor, and role-indicator methods of encoding literature for information retrieval (Thesis). Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago. OCLC33214992.
Krug, Judith F. (January 1966). "ALA Library Research Clearinghouse". ALA Bulletin. 60 (1). Database: Arts & Sciences VI: 72. ISSN0364-4006. OCLC4896237150.
Krug, Judith F. (December 1967). "Writing Research Proposals". ALA Bulletin. 61 (11). American Library Association; Database: Arts & Sciences VI: 1314–1318. ISSN0364-4006. OCLC4896242960.
Krug, Judith F. (1967). Pilot project to develop requirements for establishing an information system for research activities in the field of librarianship and information science. Chicago, Illinois. OCLC229105196. ((cite book)): Unknown parameter |agency= ignored (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Krug, Judith F.; Stuart M Kaminsky (1969). Memorandum to state intellectual freedom committee chairmen : the Evergreen review controversy at the Los Angeles Public Library. Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association; Office for Intellectual Freedom. OCLC82265476.
Krug, Judith F.; Edwin Castagna (1970). The challenges of intellectual freedom and censorship. Carson City, Nevada: Nevada Library Association. OCLC58876562.
Krug, Judith F. (1979). "Chelsea Case Decided: Judge Reverses Censorship of School Library". School Media Quarterly. 7 (2). Database: ERIC; United States Department of Education: 115–18, 123. OCLC425808810.
Krug, Judith F. (1989). Libraries and intellectual freedom. Columbia, South Carolina: South Carolina State Library; South Carolina Educational Television Network; (VHS video). OCLC20054792.
Krug, Judith F. (October 1991). "The Latest on IF Policies". American Libraries. 22 (9). Database: Arts & Sciences VI: 841. ISSN0002-9769. OCLC4895751495.
Krug, Judith F.; Karen Nussbaum; Gary T Marx; David H Flaherty (1991). Computer-based surveillance of individuals. Topanga, California: Freedom & Privacy Video Library Project (VHS video). OCLC25623462.
Krug, Judith F. (April 1992). "Applying Intellectual Freedom Principles". American Libraries. 23 (4). Database: Arts & Sciences VI: 279. ISSN0002-9769. OCLC4895752909.
Krug, Judith F. (1995). Political correctness meets netiquette : new frontiers for intellectual freedom in the academic setting. Garden Grove, California: InfoMedix; Association of College and Research Libraries. National Conference; (Audiocassette). OCLC37541937.
Krug, Judith F.; David Horowitz (2000). Getting a grip on internet law. Chicago, Illinois: Public Library Association; (Audiocassette). OCLC45133416.
Krug, Judith F. (2003). "Foreword". Intellectual freedom 2002 : living the Chinese curse. Library of Congress. Office of the Director for Public Service Collections.; American Library Association. Office for Intellectual Freedom. OCLC54024484.
Alifano, Alison; Krug, Judith (2001). Pornography on the Internet : a new reality. Mobiltape; Series: 01AALL-B7; (Audiocassette). OCLC47828690.
Bobker, Lee R. (director); Krug, Judith F. (executive producer) (1977). The Speaker ... a film about freedom. (starring Mildred Dunnock). American Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Committee ; Vision Associates. OCLC5641089. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021.
Choldin, Marianna T; Jonathan D Culler; Judith F Krug; Donné Raffat; Sally Placksin (1997). What's the word? : Censorship : how does literature survive?. New York, New York: Modern Language Association; (Audiocassette). OCLC57705004.
Delzell, Robert F; Judith F Krug (November 1971). "ALA Awards, Citations, Scholarships, and Grants for 1971". American Libraries. 2 (10). ISSN0002-9769. OCLC4895710758.
Goldberg, Beverly; Judith F Krug (September 1995). "On the Line for the First Amendment". American Libraries. 26 (8). Database: Arts & Sciences VI: 774–778. ISSN0002-9769. OCLC4895761179.
Hedlund, Patric; Krug, Judith F. (1991). Computers, freedom, & privacy. / 10, Computer-based surveillance of individuals. Topanga, California: Computers, Freedom & Privacy Video Library Project; (VHS video). OCLC42495790.
Krug, Judith F. (1976). "Intellectual freedom and the rights of children". In Cohen, Monroe D. (ed.). Personal liberty and education. New York: Citation Press. ISBN9780590094061. OCLC565561210.
Krug, Judith F. (1974). "Intellectual freedom. Censorship and an enlightened public". In Cooper, Janet (ed.). Censorship and the schools. Washington, D.C.: National Education Association of the United States (Audiocassette). OCLC2868601.
Lynn, Barry W.; Lowell Weicker; Judith F Krug; Oliver S Thomas; Rudy A Pulido (1997). Mobilize America : a national videoconference to stop the religious right. Washington, D.C.: Americans United for Separation of Church and State (VHS video). ISBN9780961716431. OCLC43639095.
Mach, Daniel; Judith F Krug; Beverley C Becker (2002). Intellectual freedom : it's not just a good idea, it's the law!. Chicago, Illinois: Public Library Association; (Audiocassette). OCLC49848823.
Mach, Daniel; Candace Morgan; Judith F. Krug (2001). Why filtering is unconstitutional : an update on ALA's legal challenge to CIPA. Chicago, Illinois: American Library Association (VHS video). OCLC48403876.
Weibel, Stuart L.; James Miller; Eric Miller; Paul Resnick; Judith F Krug (1997). Content selection, PICS and the Internet : a discussion of technologies, problems and solutions. Dublin, Ohio: American Library Association; Office for Intellectual Freedom (VHS video). OCLC37609333.
The award honors those who take a stand against censorship.[22] Two years after receiving her award, Krug was leader of the committee to select the 1985 recipient.[22]
The Intellectual Freedom Award of the Ohio Educational Library Media Association honors those who support the Ohio library system and American Library Association values of free access to information and freedom to read as protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[24]
She was honored by American Library Association Executive Director Elizabeth Martinez, for time serving as the executive director of the Freedom to Read Foundation.[25]
She was only the fifth person selected to receive this award since the award was initiated in 1993.[7] Krug was recognized for her efforts in support of open-mindedness and free access to books.[2]
^"Literature Legacy". Pitt Magazine. University of Pittsburgh Office of Public Affairs: 7. Fall 2011. Archived from the original on February 10, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
^ abcBerry, III, John N. (June 15, 2005). "The Krug Contribution: She convinced ALA to put its money where its mouth is". Library Journal. 130 (11). Reed Business Information.
^ abcFoerstel, Herbert N. (1997). "Krug, Judith Fingeret". Free Expression and Censorship in America. Greenwood. p. 130. ISBN978-0313292316.
^ ab"Freedom to Read Foundation Opens Applications for 2013 Judith Krug Fund Banned Books Week Event Grants". Targeted News Service (USA). Chicago, Illinois: Targeted News Service; Accessed via: Newsbank. March 27, 2013.
^ ab"Freedom to Read Foundation Announces Eight Judith Krug Fund Grants for Banned Books Week Events". Targeted News Service (USA). Chicago, Illinois: Targeted News Service; Accessed via: Newsbank. June 6, 2012.
Art Institute of Chicago (July 12, 2009). Freedom to Read Foundation celebrating 40 years. Chicago, Illinois: Freedom to Read Foundation. OCLC427639562.
Foerstel, Herbert N. (1997). "Krug, Judith Fingeret". Free Expression and Censorship in America. Greenwood. p. 130. ISBN978-0313292316.
Harer, John B.; Jeanne E. Harrell (2002). "Judith Fingeret Krug". People For and Against Restricted or Unrestricted Expression. Greenwood Press. ISBN978-0313317583.