Anytime censorship and attacks on intellectual freedom are discussed, it is important to also talk about what can be done to combat censorship and support intellectual freedom. First, the American Library Association's code of ethics should be noted. Particularly relevant to the language learning community are points 2, "we uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources," and 9:

We affirm the inherent dignity and rights of every person. We work to recognize and dismantle systemic and individual biases; to confront inequity and oppression; to enhance diversity and inclusion; and to advance racial and social justice in our libraries, communities, profession, and associations through awareness, advocacy, education, collaboration, services, and allocation of resources and spaces (2023)

While all nine elements are important, these two stand out for their specific relevance to supporting freedom of information and treating everyone equally. Library staff should learn this code of ethics and strive to achive it in order to better support the mission, vission, and goals of libraries everywhere. Similarly, if your organization has their own mission, vision, and values, I highly reccommend learning these as well. By learning your individual organization's goals, you can be better poised to advocate for the library and the people the library serves.

There are many things that library staff can do to better support the intellectual freedom of language learners. First, Brutt-Griffler (2020) notes that there is a need to "shift from a too-frequent focus on how to best promote learning in the target language to how to best promote multilingual proficiency," and, "it is time to demystify the 'mother tongue' or 'native' or 'first' language" (p. 162). Even if someone grew up speaking a language, they may not be able to speak it now, or may prefer a different language over the one traditionally called their "first language." Allow people the opportunity to decide which language they would like to receive service in, and make every effort to have that option available to them. This could look like hiring staff who speak key languages, utilizing a phone interpretation service such as Language Now, recruiting volunteers who speak multiple languages, learning how to use machine translation software like Google Translate, or translating signage into multiple languages, just to name a few options.

When it comes to censorship, there are many different actions librarians can take. Davis particularly recommends staff understand the book challenging process, document decisions, engage all stakeholders, offer choices of books, facilitate dialogue about the challenged materials and topics, respect diverse perspectives, and stay informed (2024). It is not enough to meerly think about censorship, but to actually understand what and who is causing it, as well as how it affects people in their daily lives. By keeping up to date with new book releases, library staff can help provide alternatives to books that are censored, in addition to maintaining their readers' advisory skills. 

Libraries are vital community resources, for language learners and the general public alike. "Historically revered as repositories of knowledge, libraries have evolved into dynamic institutions that actively safeguard and celebrate cultural heritage" (Gundakanal & Kaddipujar, 2024, p. 233). By keeping langauge learners in mind, libraries can better serve their community by advocating against censorship, protecting intellectual freedom, and considering professional ethics. As Cooper (2008) says, "many of these services safeguard and promote the so called vehicles of intangible cultural heritage for future generations" (p. 28).