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  1. Home
  2. What IF ... Forum

What IF … Forum

How can I build bridges or find common ground with someone who has a materials concern?

Posted on May 6, 2025

Q:  It’s important to me to try to build a bridge when someone comes to me with a concern about library materials. Currently, complaints seem more focused on eliminating certain types of content from libraries …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Communication and Advocacy, Materials Concerns/Challenges, Public Libraries, School Libraries

Is there a way to make sure reconsideration requests are authentic?

Posted on April 4, 2025

Q:  Recently, my district received a series of reconsideration requests consisting of information copied from websites featuring book reviews from sources intended to cast the books in a negative light. It seems like these requests …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Communication and Advocacy, Materials Concerns/Challenges, Policies and Procedures, School Libraries

How can I feel more confident that I’m ready to handle a complaint?

Posted on February 3, 2025

Q:  I am graduating with my library degree soon.  The many challenges around the country over the past few years have come up in my classes. I feel great about other aspects of librarianship, but …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Communication and Advocacy, Materials Concerns/Challenges, Policies and Procedures, Public Libraries, School Libraries

What can I expect if I reach out to you at the time of a materials concern?

Posted on November 14, 2024

Q:  I’m not clear what you provide if I contact you at the time of a materials concern. What will happen if I reach out to you for assistance? The CCBC’s Intellectual Freedom Information Services …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Classrooms/Curriculum, Materials Concerns/Challenges, Public Libraries, School Libraries

Worried about District Support for Classroom Books

Posted on May 9, 2024

Q:  I’m a classroom teacher and I feel like my district administration has become fearful of the potential for complaints from parents about what we’re teaching, especially with all the attempts around the country to …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Classrooms/Curriculum, Communication and Advocacy, Policies and Procedures

Preparing for a Complaint

Posted on April 10, 2024

Q:  I read your advice on preparing in advance to respond to a concern or complaint. It all makes sense but I feel like I should be doing more, given everything that’s been happening over …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Communication and Advocacy, Materials Concerns/Challenges, Policies and Procedures, Public Libraries, School Libraries

Restrictions on Books and Access to Materials in the School Library

Posted on March 15, 2024

Q:  I’ve seen several news stories recently in which districts have “restricted” some titles and students must get permission to check them out, and/or parents have the option of prohibiting their children from checking anything …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Censorship and Self-Censorship, Collection Development, Policies and Procedures, School Libraries

Updating the Request for Reconsideration Form

Posted on November 10, 2023

Q: Do you have suggestions for changes we might make to our public library’s reconsideration process to discourage challenges from people who haven’t even looked at the materials they are challenging firsthand? It’s so frustrating …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Communication and Advocacy, Materials Concerns/Challenges, Policies and Procedures, Public Libraries

Requests to Purchase “Propaganda”

Posted on October 27, 2023

Q: My public library has received several requests to purchase books that are outside the scope of what we would typically collect. The request is for a subscription book series designed for the consumer (home) …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Collection Development, Policies and Procedures, Public Libraries

Want to Avoid Self-Censorship

Posted on October 3, 2023

Q: With the threat of a challenges feeling constant, I’m finding it hard not to second-guess myself with selection decisions. The fear of a complaint, or of an administrator questioning my choices, is making it …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged Censorship and Self-Censorship, Collection Development, Policies and Procedures, Public Libraries, School Libraries
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