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5/13/2010 Welcome! From your hosts… Collection Development, Diversity, and Self-Censorship in Libraries Angela Maycock Office for Intellectual Freedom Sara McFarland Angela Maycock Cindi Hickey Library Development Assistant Director, WebJunction American Library Association Coordinator/Bibliographic Office for Intellectual Kansas Coordinator, Service Manager, Freedom, State Library of Kansas Southwest Kansas Library American Library System Association Goals for Today Our Areas of Focus • Understand key concepts of intellectual • Intellectual freedom: what it is and how it freedom and collection diversity affects your library • Consider difficult issues of self-censorship in • Selection policies: key considerations and selecting materials sample policies • Discuss gray areas and ethical dilemmas • Controversial materials: selection vs. around collection development censorship • Take away information to help evaluate • Recent issues, events, and resources potentially controversial library materials What is Intellectual Freedom? What is Intellectual Freedom? • The freedom of individuals to seek, receive, and disseminate information from all points of view without restriction • Provides free access to all expressions of ideas so any and all sides of a question, cause, or movement may be explored • Necessary for informed citizenry and civic participation; basis of our democratic system 1

5/13/2010 Intellectual Freedom Library Bill of Rights The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information • Library Bill of Rights and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services. – Basic ALA policy on free access to libraries I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or – http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/ views of those contributing to their creation. librarybill (and Interpretations) II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed • ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to – Established 1967 to support Library Bill of Rights provide information and enlightenment. IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting – Goal: educate librarians and the general public about abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas. the nature and importance of intellectual freedom in V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views. libraries VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public – www.ala.org/oif they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use. How IF Issues Can Affect Libraries • Internet access and filtering • Privacy and confidentiality Questions? • Restrictions on access based on age, sex, etc. • Access to meeting rooms and displays • Our focus today : Collection development decisions and requests for reconsideration (challenges) How Do Libraries Choose? Selection Policy Components • Selection (or collection development) policies • Objectives (why do we select?) – Policies must be written, not informal • Responsibility for selection (who selects?) – Approved or endorsed by Library Board • Criteria (how do we select?) – Ensures that work is done consistently, according • Procedures (what steps do we take to select?) to professional standards • Special areas (how do we handle gifts, etc?) – Provides a mechanism for voices to be heard and • Intellectual freedom and reconsideration considered when concerns arise policies (how do we handle concerns?) 2

5/13/2010 Sample Policies Why Controversial Material? • http://stevenscountylibrary.com/SCLPolicyMa • Libraries strive to meet the information needs nual.htm of everyone in the community • http://iola.mykansaslibrary.org/?page_id=74 • Our communities are increasingly diverse • http://www.nortonvillelibrary.org/?page_id=9 • What one person finds objectionable or offensive may be invaluable to another • http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/kckpl/cdpolicy.html • Libraries provide choice: individuals choose • http://www.kclibrary.org/200-collection- for themselves and their own families development Selection vs. Censorship What About the Gray Areas? • “Selection's approach to the book is positive, • We don’t have any gay parents in our seeking its values in the book as a book, and in community, so why should I buy And Tango the book as a whole. Censorship's approach is Makes Three ? negative, seeking for vulnerable characteristics wherever they can be found—anywhere within • Is it censorship if I don’t select Twilight for my the book, or even outside it. Selection seeks to elementary school library? protect the right of the reader to read; censorship seeks to protect—not the right—but the reader • If I personally disagree with homosexuality or himself from the fancied effects of his reading. abortion, why should I promote those issues The selector has faith in the intelligence of the reader; the censor has faith only in his own.” in my library collection? – Lester Asheim, “Not Censorship but Selection,” 1953 What About the Gray Areas? • If I know a book will be controversial in my community, why should I risk ruffling Questions? feathers? • What if I agree that a book is sexually or racially offensive? • Can’t I just argue that those books are low quality and don’t meet our standards? 3

5/13/2010 Ethical Dilemmas Collection Diversity “Library collections must represent the diversity of people and • Ethical dilemmas occur when values are in • ideas in our society.” conflict, e.g. personal vs. professional “Librarians have a professional responsibility to be inclusive, not • exclusive, in collection development and in the provision of • ALA Code of Ethics states the values to which interlibrary loan.” we are committed “Examples of censorship may include removing or not selecting • materials because they are considered by some as racist or – Article VII: We distinguish between our personal sexist; not purchasing conservative religious materials; not convictions and professional duties and do not selecting resources about or by minorities because it is thought these groups or interests are not represented in a community; or allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair not providing information or materials from or about non- representation of the aims of our institutions or mainstream political entities.” the provision of access to their information http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/diversitycollection.cfm resources. What is a Challenge? What Does OIF Do? • A formal, written complaint filed with a library • Track challenges to library materials or school about the content or – Over 11,000 challenges recorded since 1990 appropriateness of material – Average: more than 1 challenge every single day • Request for materials to be removed or – 513 challenges recorded in 2008 alone restricted – impacting the rights and access of – 60% of challenges are brought by parents others in the community – Most challenges take place in school libraries or around materials for young people What Does OIF Do? Banned Books Week • Challenge support: provide information and • Ongoing initiative, started in 1982 guidance to librarians • Observed during the – Book reviews, advice, support, contacts last week of September • Design educational programs, publications, • Highlights censorship and awareness campaigns efforts and harms – Training, newsletter, monographs, website • Celebrates the freedom – National advocacy campaigns to read 4