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  1. Home
  2. Tag: School Libraries

School Libraries

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

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

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

Request for Additional Selection Criteria

Posted on September 20, 2023

Q: Our selection criteria require we look at professional reviews, recommended lists, and other sources to select materials recommended for the ages/grades we serve in my high school library, with the goal of building a …

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

Policy and Procedure Best Practices in School Libraries

Posted on March 22, 2023

Q: Our school district recently went through a book challenge in the library and questions came up about ways we might strengthen our policies and procedures to make them clearer.  We’re going to be reviewing, …

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

The Importance of Considering Content in Context

Posted on February 21, 2023

Q: I’m struggling with how to explain why words or a scene or images in a book taken out of context should not be used to discount the book as a whole.  Can you offer …

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