Q: WHAT IF… I am having doubts about materials? Is “not purchasing” the same as self-censorship?
Consider this scenario:
You, a youth services librarian working in a public library, are considering potential new purchases. As you’re making selections, a thought arises. A neighboring library recently had a challenge about a book in the YA section that contained descriptions of sex and drug use. Community members complained on social media, the library board didn’t follow formal processes, and the situation became very tense. Back to your list of potential purchases, you see a book that has great reviews but also has descriptions of sex and some violence. You’re scared of dealing with a situation like the other library had. You want to protect your existing collection and save yourself some undue stress. If you decide not to purchase the book, will it matter? Will anyone notice, especially if you have a lot of other new books?
What happened in this situation? The librarian in this scenario, whether consciously or not, participated in “self-censorship,” which is a less-discussed form of censorship. For some librarians it’s a way to counteract a potential challenge in a tenuous environment by not purchasing or hiding a title.
There are many reasons why a librarian might self-censor. Here are five considerations for conquering the fear and doubt.
1.) Consider The Role of Public Libraries
Library collections are a public service. They exist to provide all patrons with information. This includes information that you might find objectionable. There is a common saying that “public libraries offer something to offend everyone,” which is a tongue in cheek way of expressing that the right to read means the right to think.
Access to information is also a state value. Wisconsin Statute § 43.001, which was passed in 1971, says that “The legislature recognizes… the importance of free access to knowledge, information and diversity of ideas by all residents of this state.”
The Wisconsin legislature recognizes the importance of the diversity of ideas and declares libraries a matter of state concern.
We also have librarianship ideals which affirm the importance of diversity in information. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” metaphor affirms that accessing a wide array of materials that affirm children’s identities, especially for children of minoritized identities, is important for fostering self-confidence and sense of place in the world
2.) Consider The Role of Policies and Procedures
According to the American Library Association, self-censorship, also called “quiet censorship” or “soft censorship,” happens “when a library worker strays from the collection development policy to not select certain materials based on personal beliefs or fear of controversy.” (https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/censorship/faq)
Self-censorship can be “stealthy and silent – and it can happen in the shadows of the good work librarians do every day in their collection development activities” (Downey, p.123).
This is more than an issue of selecting items to purchase for the library. Library materials have a normal lifecycle, and self-censorship can arise at multiple points during that lifecycle including:
- when materials are purchased
- during offers of donated materials or gifts to purchase specific materials or materials on specific topics
- when choosing items to use in programs, displays, staff recommendations; etc.
- when weeding the collection
- and really, any other aspect of library service – readers’ advisory, rotating collections and bulk loans, highlighted titles in your newsletters, inviting etc.
Self-censorship is like a personal ghost haunting you with doubts and whispers in your ear.
Talking about the ghost is hard and vulnerable. Everyone has a self-censorship ghost. It’s good to acknowledge your ghost and to talk about it with people you trust.
3.) Consider The Source of Doubt and Fear
During conversations with patrons about material challenges, we often have phrases ready to explain the library’s goals and the purpose of the materials:
- “This is one title, out of many choices, that offers information.”
- “This is one item on a display, out of many displays throughout the year, that offers engagement.”
- “This is one program, out of lots of programs, that offers entertainment.”
We can also use these phrases to remind ourselves during times of doubt.
When we have thoughts like:
- “I can’t believe my coworkers think we should buy this for the library”
- “Am I going to have a job if I put this on display?”
- “Is there a way to make this book more inconspicuous?”
- “Who is going to have my back about this display?”
Or
- Is this offensive to others?
- Is it offensive to me?
- I can’t stop thinking about that one library in the news…
- How can this be justified?
- Is this about my beliefs?
- Is this about the library?
- “I’m just doing my job.”
- “I’m afraid for my job.”
- “I am afraid for my reputation.”
The statements above are legitimate concerns! They are instances of internalized self-censorship, meaning they are thoughts and feelings that we have but keep to ourselves.
When we externalize these feelings by talking with others and/or revisiting our policies and procedures, those internal concerns can be externalized into conversation starters:
- This might not be for me, but it meets the selection criteria
- I need to own my bias on this topic and ask for back-up so I can do my job
- I accept that I simply cannot have a prepared rationale for every single title
- “Can we review our policy about what would happen if…?
- “Can I trust you with a tricky topic? There’s something I’m worried about, and I want to talk it through.”
4.) Consider the Bigger Picture
Censorship efforts of all kinds are at a heightened level in our current landscape, but censorship and book challenges are nothing new for libraries. ALA’s original Library Bill of Rights in 1939 was prefaced by:
“’Today indications in many parts of the world point to growing intolerance, suppression of free speech, and censorship affecting the rights of minorities and individuals,’” [which was] “a reference to the emergence of totalitarian states during that time” (Wikipedia).
Libraries don’t always get it right. U.S. libraries have a history of self-censorship. Censorship kept specific books from reaching soldiers in military camps during WWI and WWII. Recently, we have seen efforts to remove and censor youth access to books in libraries and classrooms at U.S. military instillations.
It might feel like there is a target on libraries/library workers now, but this is not the only institution with foundational ethics in the spotlight. Other professions are facing challenges to long-accepted expertise and pressure: medical professionals; teachers and all professionals at schools, colleges, and universities; scientists of all kinds; even economists and statisticians who report on economic numbers. You belong to a community of people who are trying to uphold the standards of their profession.
5.) Consider Making An Action Plan
Having action plans for dealing with self-censorship will make you feel more secure when those feelings and thoughts arise.
For Yourself:
- Acknowledge the tension you’re experiencing. It’s no good to pretend it’s not happening!
- Name the issue using the lists above. See if you can pinpoint where the issue has occurred in the library, when you noticed a tension arising, and what titles or topics are prompting these feelings. It could be helpful to make a list.
For Your Library:
- Review your policies and procedures.
- Start or renew a conversation with other staff about what to do in these conversations.
- If the book is already in your system, go look at it and see the data surrounding the book. How often is it checked out? How worn or “well-loved” does it seem? Though data may not tell the whole story, it can give you some helpful hints (Barber, 2023).
For Your Network:
Connect with other libraries. Ask:
- Have they experienced similar issues?
- If they have, what did they decide to do?
- How did they come to that conclusion?
Ask for specific support. Consider:
- Do you need additional resources like articles or webpages to recommend to library staff?
- Would support in creating a new workshop in collaboration with other libraries be illuminating?
Fear is stronger in isolation, so remember that you are not alone with your questions, concerns, and commitments. Your worries and wonderings offer an opportunity to connect with library colleagues.
You have people who support you in your library, your system, and the state of Wisconsin. Statewide and national associations like ALA, WLA, ARSL, PLA and others have resources for these situations. In fact, talking with others is a key way to break out of self-censorship cycles and embrace difficult conversations.
The tactics and ideas all contain the same underlying value: you are not alone. You have policies and procedures to know and use to help combat these situations. You can connect with a colleague and dare to be vulnerable in a tricky moment. You can lean into the worry and use it as a learning moment.
This What IF? was developed by CCBC IF Coordinator Caitlin Tobin from content originally presented in a webinar created by Teresa Schmidt, WI DPI Public Library Consultant, and Tessa Schmidt, CCBC Director, for the IFLS Library System in October 2025.
Refences:
Barber, Robbie. “Data-Driven to Avoid Soft Censorship.” Knowledge Quest 52, no. 2 (November 2023): 22–25.
Downey, Jennifer. (2017). “Chapter 7: Self-Censorship and the Importance of Inclusiveness.” In Public library collections in the balance : censorship, inclusivity, and truth. Santa Barbara, California: Libraries Unlimited.