Which Is It? Selection, Censorship, or Collection Development
The recent discussion on the listserv has prompted this posting. What is your definition of selection, censorship or collection development?
Last year, Gail Dickinson from ODU wrote a wonderful explanation of the difference. I am going to ask her for permission to reprint it. And Carrie Gardner from Catholic University serves on the Intellectual Freedom committee for ALA. I hope that she will give us some insight as well.
One of the interesting points that was raised during the discussion was that librarians thought they were being censors if they removed materials they had found and felt were inappropriate.
Here is your opportunity to sound off!
November 15th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Since it was my initial reply that helped set off the decate, let me clarify: I believe it is incumbent upon us all to use the selection criteria as the basis for the removal of any material from a collection - whether it’s an informal thing done personally, or after a formal challenge has been decided. Yes, it is well within the purvue of the librarian to “filter” the materials in a collection. However, this cannot and should not be done merely “on a whim” or simply because one parent said “Remove this.” Standards/criteria are there for a reason. No, it’s not censorship; it’s careful and thoughtful selection. The point is, though, the decision is based on objective facts and NOT on subjective personal bias or whims.
November 15th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
I am full agreement with all of those who talk about moving the book from lower grade school to upper grade.
I am in a very small school with a limited budget. Because of that, there are certain books I simply will not buy. Is this censorship? If I’m honest, I’m sure that does play into my decision. But, mostly, I know that students have many other places available to them to get books that I may be uncomfortable with (buy it themselves, borrow from a friend, etc.)
Is it the wisest use of my funds to spend money on any book that I know the student has access to elsewhere? I think not. Harry Potter comes to mind in this category. Most of my students have these books at home. The ones who really want to check them out are the 1st and 2nd graders who just want a thick book.
Is it my business whether they read the books that make me uncomfortable? Nope. That’s their parents’ job. Mine is to make available materials that will augment the curriculum here at school.
My job is also to provide materials that will help them develop into lifelong readers. Yes, I know Harry Potter will probably do this the way Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys did for my generation. Again, the matter of cost effectiveness still comes into play.
I’m sure as my career goes on, other books will come up that I question and that a parent may question. I hope to handle those situations with courtesy and professionalism. Wouldn’t it be nice if that always happens?
November 15th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Thanks to both of you for posting comments. Let’s hope others will do so as well.
November 15th, 2006 at 6:15 pm
I teach that when dealing with challenges a librarian is not defending the book or video, whatever. We are defending the process by which the book was selected and by which it will be determined its final disposition. We embed the book into the selection principles and provide the facts (gleaned from reviews and other research about the book) to the committee. It stays or it goes. If a librarian agrees to remove a resource that a previous librarian selected, then he or she should be prepared to defend that action for all eternity. You removed one resource, so why won’t you remove the next one? Was the parent a little more politically connected? Was the book or resource more in line with your political, social, or religious views? Note: It doesn’t matter if the answer to these questions is a resounding NO. You will still get the questions. If we suspend the challenged materials process for one resource, then we will have trouble trying to keep it in place for the next one. The quote that I think Charlie is referring to is from Lester Asheim, which I cited in the Tough Choices column in the last edition of KQ. Censors look for what is bad about a book. Selectors look for what is good.
In this case of this particular book, when one embeds it into the selection principles, it sounds to me from the comments (without reading it or knowing anything about it) that the book stands a fair chance of being removed by the committee and possibly sent to the middle or high school. Challenges do not have to be emotional upheavals to the school and community. It is a process, and in this case, there is at least a slim chance that it could be handled quickly and quietly. A chance….anyway
Gail Dickinson
Old Dominion University
November 15th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
Thank you Gail, that is the quote I was looking for.
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