[Publib] Censorship

[Epling, Jimmie (KDLA)]

When I read a recent editorial entitled "Open books, open minds," I
found it's content to be nothing unusual.  What I did find unusual was a
reader's response.  The writer expressed the perception that librarians
censor through their purchasing, cataloging, and arrangement practices.


 

The writer has a point.  In a very real sense, librarians do filter the
content of the library.  Librarians use of descriptions, promotions,
reviews, and collection development policies based on customer demand to
decide what will be included in the collection and where.  Librarians
see their job as developing a collection based on a set of criteria.
>From the writer's point of view, the same criteria it could be argued is
itself a form of censorship.  

 

Library professionals must realize this perception exists.  Care must be
taken when responding to those holding this perception that we as
professionals do not appear smug, arrogant, or self-important.  We do
not want to be labeled that which we are against.

 

Jimmie      

 

 

Open books, open minds 

Editorial. Next week is Banned Books Week. It is the week set aside each
year by the American Library Association to bring attention to attempts
by some of us to regulate what others of us may read. The ALA's Office
for Intellectual Freedom reports that it has seen 9,700 "challenges" --
a challenge is defined as a formal written request to remove a book from
a library because the content offends or is deemed inappropriate --
since 1990. Chillingly, the office suggests that's probably an
undercount. It estimates that for every challenge reported, four or five
are not.

Louisville Courier Journal. Sep. 23, 2008 

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080923/OPINI
ON04/809230339/1016/OPINION 

 

Comments for Open books, open minds 

Before you all go over board on the book banners remember librarians
routinely influence what books are and what books are not in libraries
everyday. When they filter purchases and how books are arranged in the
library to their tastes no one says anything. However let one other
person express any opinion then it's a federal crime. Go to your local
library and ask for the porn section or if they have Hustler magazine in
the periodicals. These are just as protected by the first amendment as
the gay dad book but you won't find them in the library. Because the
library censors what books they have. Furthermore if you want to ask
questions about Palin's beliefs then Obama needs to explain if he
believes in the Bible or what parts he thinks are not true. I'm sure
that will produce just as many gotcha moments as the one you think you
are going to get on Palin.)

Louisville Courier Journal. Sep. 23, 2008

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=pluckcomme
nts&key=20080923.courier-journal.B2809230339.article.OPINION04&s=d 

 

Jimmie Epling

Regional Library Consultant

Region 8 Field Office

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

P.O. Box 370, 122 South Main Cross St. 

Louisa, KY 41230-0370

O: 606.638.4797 / C: 606.521.0107 / F: 606.638.0586

jimmie.epling at ky.gov

 

 

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