Handling Challenges in Libraries

1
Handling Challengesin Libraries

• Jack MontgomeryCollection Services Coordinator
• Roxanne SpencerEducational Resources Center
  Coordinator
• Western Kentucky University Libraries
• OVGTSL, May 17, 2007

2
So Much to Consider!

• What are the values and beliefs of the larger
  library community?
• How much self-censoring occurs in materials
  selection?
• How should librarians best respond if their
  personal views differ or are similar to the
  beliefs of the person challenging the item?
• Is challenge the same as censorship?

3

• What type of material is being challenged?
• What about the material is being challenged?
• Who is challenging the material, and how can
  library staff respond appropriately to patrons
  concerns?
• What is the right response to a challenge? The
  wrong response?

4

• How are library staff affected by challenges?
• How can staff training help with highly-charged
  patrons concerns?
• What about Intellectual Freedom, Freedom to View,
  Freedom to Read, and First Amendment rights?
• What about protecting children from
  inappropriate material?

5
Policies and Procedures

• How important are written policies and
  procedures?
• How do we know what kind of policies and
  procedures are best for our library and our
  community?
• Where can we find up-to-date, useful information
  on protecting our library, our staff, our
  collection, and our relationship and
  responsibilities to the community we serve?

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Questions to AskPurpose Use?Whats the
overall goal? Why are we writing this document?
CD Planning SectionMission StatementPurpose
of Collection Development Plan
Elements of a Good Collection Development Plan
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Background about the Library

• Questions to Ask
• Who are we?
• What is this for?
• What kind of collection is it?
• CD Planning Section
• Library Overview
• Community/Users Profile
• Collections Overview

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How Is the Collection Built and Maintained?

• Questions to Ask
• Whos responsible for what?
• How do we select the content?
• How can the public request/protest?
• How can the public donate?
• How do we maintain the collection?
• How do we evaluate the collection?
• How do we allocate our materials budget?
• How do we revise this plan?

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• CD Planning Section
• Selection Criteria and Tools
• Selection Responsibilities
• Procedures for Public Input
• Gifts (monetary material)
• Collection Maintenance
• Collection Evaluation
• Budget Allocation
• Procedure for CD Policy Review

Source Using the Web for Collection Development
March-June, 2002. This material has been
created by Laura Lent and Cathy Nyhan for the
InFoPeople Project http//www.infopeople.org/,
supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and
Library Services under the provisions of the
Library Services and Technology Act, administered
in California by the State Librarian. Any use of
this material should credit the author and
funding source.
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How Do We Find More Information?

• We are fortunate to have many tools available to
  us
• Collection Development Policies from other
  libraries are online for us to evaluate and adapt
• Articles in professional library journals can
  assist us in our own policy and procedures
  development
• Conferences, colleagues, and open dialogue with
  our community all contribute to better
  understanding and mutual respect
• Professional association guidelines, such as the
  extensive material on banned books and challenged
  materials on the American Library Association
  website (www.ala.org also see Webliography
  handout)

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Share Experiences Information

• From our exhibit posters, you can see how we
  handled our own challenge situation
• We conducted a survey to get ideas and input from
  colleagues in all types of libraries
• Librarians are educators, whether in the
  traditional sense or informally, so never miss a
  chance for that teachable moment!

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Final Words of Encouragement

• When a challenge arises, as it almost inevitably
  will, remember to
• the panic before it starts!
• ? Remain Calm ? Listen Respectfully ? Be
  Understanding ? Take all Challenges Seriously ?
  Clearly Explain Policies and Procedures ?
  Communicate Honestly ?