Mark Williams Joins CFE Working Group on Intellectual Freedom
Milton Public Library Chief Librarian and CEO Mark Williams is joining the Centre for Free Expression’s Working Group on Intellectual Freedom.
“We are delighted to welcome such a dedicated champion of intellectual freedom to the CFE Working Group,” said James L. Turk, the Centre’s Director.
Mark began his career in Coventry, England, working with disaffected and socially excluded young people in order to break down barriers to public library access, including youth at risk of criminal behaviour, homeless youth, children in residential foster care, and the LGBTQ community. During this time, he won numerous awards for his innovative approach and was also the LGBTQ steward for the West Midlands branch of UNISON.
He subsequently worked in public libraries in Cambridge, England, and at Toronto Public Library. Since coming to the Milton Public Library, Mark has overhauled the traditional public library service model in order to better respond to the evolving needs of the community, one of Canada’s fastest growing. He has won a number of awards, including the John Iliff award for innovation from the American Library Association (ALA) and the ALA’s International Round Table’s Presidential Citation for Innovative International Projects.
