Julie J. Boucher Memorial Award for Intellectual Freedom

Julie J. Boucher & husband, Clive F. Baillie
Julie J. Boucher & husband, Clive F. Baillie

Julie J. Boucher (1963 – 1996) served as Associate Director of the Library Research Service (LRS) at the State Library, Colorado Department of Education from 1991-1996. She died in a mountain-climbing accident on October 12, 1996, together with her husband, Clive F. Baillie, Assistant Professor, College of Engineering, University of Colorado.

During her five-year tenure with the Library Research Service, Julie was responsible for annual surveys and statistical publications for public and academic libraries. A passionate and outspoken opponent of censorship, she also served on the Colorado Library Association Board and chaired its Intellectual Freedom Committee in 1995.

Julie is survived by her parents, Stanley and Virginia Boucher of Boulder; her brother Eric Boucher (a.k.a. Jello Biafra) of San Francisco; and her parents-in-law, William and Anne Baillie of Scotland. Her mother, Virginia Boucher, is the former director of interlibrary loan services at the University of Colorado, past chair of the Colorado Council for Library Development, and a longtime leader in both the American Library Association and the International Federation of Library Associations.

Julie with former LRS Director & founder Keith Curry Lance
Julie with former LRS Director & founder Keith Curry Lance

For more about Julie and her legacy, please see: In Memory of Julie J. BoucherPDF document (PowerPoint).

Intellectual Freedom in Colorado

In 1997, the Colorado Library Association and its Intellectual Freedom Committee renamed the annual Intellectual Freedom Award the Julie J. Boucher Memorial Award for Intellectual Freedom (aka “The Julie”) and established the Julie J. Boucher Memorial Fund for Intellectual Freedom. For more information about “The Julie” visit the CAL IFC page at: https://cal-webs.org/Julie_Boucher_Memorial