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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

District Has No Selection/ Reconsideration Policy

Posted on March 5, 2020

Q: My district does not have a materials selection policy. Therefore, there are no official selection criteria, nor is there a process for reconsideration of challenged materials. What steps can I take to remedy this …

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

Cultural Inaccuracies in Books and Intellectual Freedom

Posted on March 5, 2020

Q: I’m unsure how to balance positive professional reviews with criticism elsewhere that points out stereotypes and cultural inaccuracies. It seems important to pay attention to those concerns, but also important not to limit access …

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

Balanced Collection

Posted on October 30, 2019

Q: I’m not sure what to do when I’m considering selecting a book that is clearly about something controversial. What does having a balanced collection mean? Do I need to always provide a book with …

Posted in What IF ... ForumTagged 2019 Books, collection development, public libraries, school libraries

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
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  • Cooperative Children’s Book Center
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