Noting that a deep concern about the suppression of ideas in the public schools of the United States is very much a part of the collective consciousness of the school library profession, the implications of intellectual freedom for school library personnel and for library collection development are explored. The position of the school library in the legal framework, with particular emphasis on the state of Maryland, is followed by a discussion of the significance of the Library Bill of Rights and of legal cases that apply to the freedom to read and to the rights of students to access information and ideas. It is argued that the role of parents in educating children should not be diminished nor their concerns taken lightly; the procedures of a school library must accommodate each parents' rights and beliefs. Finally, it is argued that the library collection must support the curriculum and provide for a diverse population with varying learning styles. Six guidelines are provided for taking censorship issues into account when developing library collections. The appendixes include the Library Bill of Rights and a list of eight selected cases related to intellectual freedom. A bibliography of books, articles, films, and video programs on intellectual freedom is also provided. (GL)