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What IF … Forum

What IF is a question-and-answer forum for teachers, school and public librarians and others in the library and education fields. We all have questions about intellectual freedom and challenges to materials. The What IF forum is a place to turn to ask these questions before a challenge occurs, and to help think through what the principles of intellectual freedom look like in practice.

Ask us a What IF question: ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu

Small Press Books

Posted on December 27, 2016

Q: How can I support the inclusion of small press books in the school library and curriculum when there are not professional reviews? We are making an effort to purchase more diverse materials, but the …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged collection development, public libraries, school libraries

Administrator Wants to Avoid Controversy

Posted on March 13, 2013

Q: A parent came and talked to me about a book their child checked out. They are upset it was available in the school library. My administrator thinks it’s better to make the book go away …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged advocacy, policies, school libraries

Censorship vs. Selection in the Curriculum

Posted on November 10, 2012

Q: The English department at my high school has been discussing removing several titles from the summer reading list and curriculum and replacing them with less controversial novels. Is there anything that can be done …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged classrooms, school libraries, self-censorship

Educating Parents about Intellectual Freedom

Posted on January 21, 2012

Q: How can I educate parents and members of the community about intellectual freedom and the negative effects of censorship? (Especially when all they are doing in their minds is trying to protect their/our children?) …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged advocacy, school libraries

Reassuring Teachers Concerned about What I’m Ordering

Posted on December 7, 2011

Q:  Some teachers have complained to me that the DVD’s I recently ordered are “too liberal.” They haven’t asked for them to be removed, but I am not sure how to deal with this. I …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged advocacy, policies, school libraries

Respecting the Right to Challenge Materials

Posted on October 4, 2011

Q: Sometimes when I read about why someone complained about a book, I want to roll my eyes. Obviously, I won’t do this if I’m faced with a challenge, yet moving from understanding that someone …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged advocacy, public libraries, school libraries

Collection Development by Committee?

Posted on August 24, 2011

Q: What do you think of collection development by committee? With the elimination of library media specialist positions in our district, the principal at my school wants book selection for each school to be done by …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged advocacy, classrooms

Talking to Students about “Bad” Language in Books

Posted on August 4, 2011

Q: I’m not sure how to respond when students point out swear words in books. I’m not sure myself why authors put some words in children’s novels. I struggle with what to say when this …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged school libraries

LGBTQ Materials in Small Public Library

Posted on September 27, 2010

Q: I work in a small public library. I feel that I should be including books with gay, lesbian and transgender content in our collection, but I’m afraid of the possible repercussions. I’m not certain the …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged policies, public libraries

Educating Library Aides and Teachers

Posted on May 10, 2010

Q: I haven’t done an adequate job preparing my aide and classroom teachers in readers’ advisory during checkout time.  How should I start addressing not only this but intellectual freedom issues? What a great question. …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged advocacy, policies, school libraries
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