[LM_NET] HIT - long - part 2 - book challenge responses

[Amy Ball <amyoball03@YAHOO.COM>]

I know that hardcore Freedom Of Speech supporters may
disagree, BUT I do remove books that come to my
attention that I feel are not appropriate.   I use my
own judgment, reviews, age-recommendations, and
community atmosphere as a judge.  I am in a
conservative, rural community, and therefore, avoid
some topics.  My thinking is that there are enough
good, non-controversial material out there that it's
unnecessary to "go looking for trouble".  I refer
students who want items that are not appropriate for
the general student population of my school to the
public library.  I feel that this is an important role
of the public library-to fill needs of students who
may want things that are outside the general norm of
my student population either in terms of difficulty,
age-appropriateness, or content.  

There are times when I've had a parent question books.
 Sometimes, upon reading them myself (if I'm not
familiar w/ it), I've removed it myself.  In the
instances when I have not removed them, I talked to
the parent (or through my principal) and passed along
reviews, etc.  I haven always (fingers-crossed) been
able to keep materials that I felt were appropriate by
explaining them clearly and indicating that the child
(at this age) is able to know what is and is not
acceptable in the parents view point.  I do not
monitor their check-outs but instead place that
responsibility on the student (middle school) to not
choose titles that they or their parents may not feel
are appropriate for them.  I have so far been able to
avoid an actual challenge by doing this.

This happened to me my first year.  The principal
called me into his office and showed me a book a
parent had given him from the school library with a
complaint.  It was a cartoonish book about horoscopes
and the cartoons showed naked adults.  I took one look
at it and agreed it did not belong in our K-8 library,
both because of the cartoons and the horoscope aspect
since it was a Catholic school and the Catholic church
disapproves of horoscopes (though if it had had a more
scholarly approach I might have argued differently) 
and I immediately pulled it.  I did not then nor do I
now consider that censorship but de-selection.  Had it
been a different book, one that had literary and/or
curriculum value, I would have responded differently. 
I have also been known to purchase the occasional book
based on reviews and then found it to be inappropriate
for our collection for what I considered valid reasons
and not added it or pulled it if it had already been
added.  Sometimes we make mistakes and we have to
correct them.  We do have to be careful not to let our
own prejudices influence our selections but we also
have to know our school community and its values.  The
most important thing is to have a
selection/deselection policy in place.

I will probably get blasted by some for my comments -
but I believe you have every right to question what is
in your library. I don't recommend wholesale purging
but if you find materials that you honestly believe
would be of better use at a different age level. I
would pull them - read them - and carefully question 
your decisions. You will be responsible for all titles
in the collection - whether you purchased them or not.
I have pulled books from shelves without going through
the process - but this was years after much
experience. Perhaps a teacher might be using a lower
level title to make a point. One never knows until one
has been in the library for  several years. For
example, I have many children's books in the high
school collection - especially picture books - we use
them in Religion classes as one assignment is to write
a children's book about a Saint. I use them as
examples.

You would also need to know, of course, the standards
of your community, building, curriculum, etc. Also,
you will have to determine what about the title is age
appropriate or not - is it curricular? language?
themes? sexist? racist? homophobic? character? Be very
careful - because the curriculum could also change   -
an AP course might get added,  a new teacher might
decide  the titles are exactly what s/he needs.
 In my library, language is always questioned - but we
do have Catcher in the Rye and others. The decision is
a tough one - and one that must be thoroughly thought
and, in my case, prayed over.

I think the first response would be to say that you
are unfamiliar that that particular book.  Tell the
person that you will read (or reread the book), look
for any reviews, awards and etc., ask LM_NET or your
school system librarians what they think.  Formulate
your own professional opinion.  Write a letter to the
person, copied to the principal or run it by him
first, stating your professional views and what you
plan to do about it.  Remind them nicely that they
have the right to deny their child to read certain
books, but not the right to deny other people's
children.  Most reports end there.  If not follow your
systems challenged book policy for a formal more
indepth report and action.
A few years ago I had a kindergarten teacher complain
about the book Rumpelstilskin, the girl had a baby out
of wedlock and that is an inappropriate story for
Kinders.  Well, first that is the folk tale.  Second
it was a Caldecott award winner.  Third, she should of
read it before reading it out loud to her class. 
Fourth, it may not be appropriate to read out loud to
a class, but it is OK for a parent to read to their
child. The book is still in the library. Then she
moved, Thank goodness.

When I moved from one elementary library to another
one in a different district, I was surprised to find
some titles on the shelves – several Stephen King
novels, for example.  I was concerned, so I reread a
couple & took them off the shelves immediately.  In my
opinion, it’s the librarian that ends up taking the
heat.  While I’m usually very liberal about selection,
especially now that I’m at a high school, my final
criteria is whether or not I believe the book is
suitable – would I allow my own children to read it? 
Would I be willing to defend the book if it is
challenged?  I always read reviews and rely on
reliable recommendations, but my final decision is
based on those two questions.
This is not to say that I don’t have some books that
“edgy” or adult and some content offends even me ( I
have books on both sides of the gun issue, evolution,
abortion, etc.).  We do need to provide a wide variety
of literature and information.  I try to read anything
that I think might be questioned, but you can’t always
predict that.  I distinctly remember one parent coming
in my elementary library in Texas and perusing the
shelves for anything that had the word “devil” in the
title.  Then we were told one Halloween to be careful
not to read anything scary – only smiling witches. 
That still offended some of the deeply religious
students.  Sometimes I think being in a high school is
more difficult that an elementary because there’s a
wider variety of ages and experiences.  We frequently
have students who are parents themselves, some married
for several years.  I always tell the freshmen that
this is “not their elementary school library” and that
they can expect to find some books with profanity and
sexual situations, but they should be mature enough to
select carefully and stop reading and return anything
they do not like.
Good luck in your studies.  I think material selection
is one of the most challenging parts of the job, but
it can also be the most fun!


Amy Ball, USC MLIS student
Charleston, SC
amyoball03@yahoo.com


                
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