Gadsden County Public Library

Updated "Challenge of Materials" Policy

CHALLENGE TO OR REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF BANNED MATERIALS

The Gadsden County Public Library adheres to the principles adopted by the American Library Association (ALA) with respect to access to library materials, services, and resources. The ALA’s Library Bill of Rights prescribes at a minimum that:

Library materials 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 view of those contributing to their creation.
Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

Libraries should challenge censorship attempts made to restrict them in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background or views.

The Library Commission and/or Library Director shall be responsible for developing materials selection guidelines based on the above principles. In addition, the following factors are to be considered in the evaluation of materials or acquisitions:

Authenticity of the media: accuracy, currency

Authoritativeness

Clarity of presentation and readability

Social significance: for individuals and groups

Importance of the subject matter to the collection

Availability or scarcity of materials on the subject

Timeliness or permanence of the work: its historical value

Appearance of the title in special bibliographies and indexes

Availability of the materials elsewhere in the area

Literary value

Public demand or popular appeal

Professional reputation of the publisher and/or author

Format

Library objectives

Price

Additional factors for non-print media:

- potential utilization: interest level, user appeal
- availability of equipment
- technical quality
-Reviews of materials contained in library professional publications.

The Library Commission and/or Library Director shall also be responsible for implementation of a formal procedure for the general public to request review and evaluation of library materials.

Challenges to or request for reconsideration of books that have been selected or rejected by the Library on the basis of principles set forth in the Selection Policy must be presented in accordance with the procedures described below:

Complaints about library materials must be in writing, using the provided form and the form must be filled out completely.

The complainant must adequately identify the issues before the challenge will be considered.

The complainant must provide reasonable arguments and establish the merits of his/her request.

The complainant must have or be entitled to have, a valid Gadsden County Library card.

A challenged item will be left in the library collection unless it is removed as directed by the Library Commission.

The complainant will be notified in writing one week prior to the Library Commission meeting at which their complaint will be considered and decided upon.

[Form below is an example. Official form may be obtained upon request.]

REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF MATERIALS

TITLE_____________________________________________
BOOK_____________ PERIODICAL___________OTHER________________

AUTHOR_____________________________________________________

PUBLISHER___________________________________________________

REQUEST MADE BY_____________________________________________

ADDRESS____________________________________________________

CITY______________________ZIP___________________

TELEPHONE_________________

DO YOU REPRESENT YOURSELF_____

AN ORGANIZATION OR GROUP (NAME) __________________________________

What are your specific objections to the material? _________________

Did you read, view, or hear the entire work? _______What parts? _________

What negative effect do you feel will result from the reading, viewing, or hearing this work? ____________________________

4. What do you believe is the theme of this work? ____________________


5. Are you aware of judgment of this work by literary or other qualified critics?

____________________________________________________



6. In its place, what work would you recommend that would convey as valuable a picture or perspective of the subject treated? ______________________________

7. Additional comments:

__________________________________________________________________

Signature ___________________________Date _________________

Please return this to library personnel for consideration.

Approved 1/ 29/2008

posted by GCPLStaff @ 10:19 AM