This quick guide is not necessarily in any order and is not extensive. Not every suggestion needs to be completed for each book challenge. Read the entire page and check out the websites below for further information about related topics. This guide was created in response to a number of requests on various listservs regarding a loss of what to do about a book challenge in their library. It seems much of the literature available on the Internet regarding book challenges and censorship is geared towards preventing or preparing for book challenges. This webpage will hopefully be used in addition to those webpages.

This guide was created with a general audience in mind; any librarian working with children will find this relevant. This includes school librarians and public librarians working with children.

Familiarize yourself with the concept of Intellectual Freedom, the First Ammendment, and Censorship.

• Visit these websites:
  American Library Association (ALA) and the Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF)
  National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
  For specific information from this organization regarding this topic, see here.
  National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
  For specific information from this organization regarding this topic, see here.
  The First Ammendment First Aid Kit (Random House)
  The Internet School Library Media Center (ISLMC) Intellectual Freedom
  PEN American Center
  First Ammendment Center
  Free Expression Network
  Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) Intellectual Freedom
  And poke around the links on all these websites!

Create/Review/Ask for support of your Selection policy

• For the definition of a selection policy and advice on how what to include, click here.

Create/Review/Ask for support of your Procedure for Handling Complaints

• For a sample "Request for Reconsideration of Library Resources" form, click here and scroll down

Top

Form a committee of at least three people

• If you are in a public library, your committee should include the librarian, the library director, a board member, and a community representative.
• If you are in a school library, your committee should include the librarian, the principal, a teacher, and a parent.

Read the entire book

• If possible, have the principal or a board member read the entire book.

Create a list of why this book falls under your selection policy

• Bring this list and a copy of your selection policy to any meetings you may have regarding the book challenge.
• NCTE sells a CD with rationales for over 200 books and offers advice on how to write a rationale on their website.

Get support from colleagues

• ALA, NCTE, and your state library association offer some services to librarians who are facing book challenges.
• Talk to people who have successfully faced challenges.
  To see examples of people who have successfully faced challenges, see the winners of the PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award.
  
• The National Coalition Against Censorship has more suggestions on how to get board members, other organizations, librarians, and teachers to support you.
• Discuss the situation with your staff and the Board of Education or the Library Board of Trustees.

Get support for the book

• Email a listserv (see a list of potential listservs here) to find out which other libraries carry the book.
• Is the book on any Best Book lists? The Cooperative Children's Book Center has links to Best Book lists sites.
• Did it receive any awards?
• Is the book on any standard bibliography list?
• Is it part of a program such as Accelerated Reader?
• Have students write statements in support of the book.
• If your library is part of a consortium or state-wide catalog, check that catalog and count how many schools of your level (elementary, middle, junior high, high school, etc) have the questioned title in their collection.
• Collect reviews from...
  Respected Review Journals (some will send their review for the challenged book for free if contacted)
  Follett's Titlewave
  B & T's Title Source II
  Amazon.com
  For more places to look for reviews, see this list posted by the librarians at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Please note you need to be a UIUC student to access some of the databases mentioned in this list.

Consider the situation

• Did the student choose to read this book, or was it required?
• Did the student read the entire book?
• Did the parent/guardian who is challenging the book read the entire book?
• Is the parent/guardian bringing attention to the situation by the media, does the parent have a large number of supporters, or is the situation staying between the library and the parent/guardian?
• Review the complaint.

Report the situation to ALA and NCTE

• Report a book challenge to ALA.
• Report a book challenge to NCTE

General Reading

Asheim, Lester. "Not Censorship but Selection." Wilson Library Bulletin, 1953.

For School Librarians

"What You Should Know about Challenges to School Library Materials." School Library Journal, January 1993, vol. 39, no.1, pp. 26-30.

Reichman, Henry. Censorship and Selection: Issues and Answers for Schools. American Library Association & American Association of School Administrators, 2001

Top