In the summer of 2012, Edwin Mellen Press filed a legal claim against a fellow librarian at McMaster University, Dale Askey, along with the University itself. In the lawsuit, Edwin Mellen Press is suing both parties for defamation, and is seeking over three million dollars in damages. The suit is in regards to a blog post Dale Askey wrote in 2010, while working at Kansas State University, expressing his professional opinion on the Press. There is, additionally, a second suit filed by the Press founder against Dale alone.

We believe that Dale, and every other academic librarian, has the right to express their opinion about publishers and other professional matters without fear of reprisals. Further, we recognize that this case represents a serious threat to the academic freedom of librarians, archivists, faculty, and academic staff alike.

MUALA stands alongside our many colleagues locally, nationally and internationally in supporting academic freedom, and Dale Askey.

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For McMaster University’s statement: https://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/worth-mentioning/mcmasters-commitment-to-ac…

For a statement from the McMaster University Faculty Association: https://www.mcmaster.ca/mufa/AskeyStatementFeb11-13.pdf

A collection of relevant links on the lawsuit and its implications: https://scienceblogs.com/confessions/2013/02/09/publisher-hits-new-low-su…