Theoretical+Concerns+or+Problems

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=**__Theoretical concerns or problems__**=

Here are some problems that are fairly common when materials are challenged. If you are thinking a particular book may be an issue (say the town over had it challenged and now you are afraid your library will also see it challenged) looking at that material from a variety of angles may help you build a defense for that material.

- Legal
 * There is an argument of the legalities of censoring and whether it violates the First Amendment of the US Constitution (Freedom of Speech, which is generally interpreted as freedom to express an opinion, even when others deem it morally or ethically unsound). There is also the problem of misinterpretation of what you can or cannot do according to the constitution, and what that enables patrons to do (remove items, because they have the freedom of speaking their mind about a particular work).
 * Sometimes there are laws that require censorship in order to obtain funding. While working to dissolve these laws, this is a long battle. Creating awareness of these laws is also important so that patrons are informed that their product is in some way limited. One upcoming issue is the SOPA law, so tracking current legislation is just as important as knowing how current laws affect the library.

- Policy not in place
 * If there is not a policy that covers all aspects of the library- print, audio/visual works, internet aspects- then working with a challenge becomes much more difficult. It is like attempting to go to a completely new place without a map and being forced to guess how to get there. This can also lead to confusion on how to handle a censorship issue, who has the authority to make decisions about challenges, and how to proceed through the steps of a challenge (does the challenged material stay on the shelf, does it immediately get removed from the collection, etc.).

-Councils/boards not supportive of intellectual freedom response
 * Not all boards agree with the values of intellectual freedom or the Right to Read. Whether or not you have the authority to choose the members of the board, understanding their perspective on sensitive topics will be useful in knowing how to shape your argument if/when they play a role in intellectual freedom topics. If there is not a requirement for the board to read challenged material, try to encourage such an addendum.

-Repercussions- angering the wrong person when an influential person wants a specific outcome that does not happen
 * Being familiar with those who have power within their niches can help spread a message- for good or bad. Every patron and their concern should be treated with the utmost respect and integrity, but it never hurts to be aware of the movers and shakers in the community. If the head of the home schooling community feels that their concerns are not being treated seriously, that can expand to the home schooling community at large feeling like they are not being taken seriously. Being aware and showing respect can go a long way to creating relationships and not incidents.

-Mishandling by staff- things don't go smoothly
 * If a member of the staff is approached with a concern that may involve a question of intellectual freedom, it is imperative they know how to handle the situation. If they are not equipped with either knowledge or the power to handle the situation, a staff member who is capable of resolving the situation should be brought in. Floundering around the topic- or worse, misinforming the patron- could make the patron annoyed and angrier at the process than the initial problem would have otherwise. Just think- how would you feel if a retail store did this to you, and understand why the patron might be reacting in a certain manner.

-Community disagrees
 * Sometimes the many overwhelm the voices of the few. The pressure that can be brought to bear may difficult for any one individual or institution to bear. Just remember some of the key points of the Right to Read- each reader has a right to the information they desire, but not all books will be a good fit for all readers.

-Staff put bias on the collection
 * Librarians are human, and may put a bias on the collection through the materials selected. Simply acknowledging that this bias will almost certainly exist can help create awareness to prevent a collection from trending too much to one particular attitude or style. Ensure that there are collection policies in place, encourage staff to browse through other collections besides their specialty (put a fresh pair of eyes on it to spot holes that might need to be filled), and treat all patron requests equally according to the collection policy.

-What constitutes "appropriate" materials
 * The unending question is what is appropriate material to put in front of a child that is 6 years old, for 12 years old, for 17 years old? Being able to point out that it is generally a library's practice to not restrict patrons from materials is all grand, but making this point without offending patrons (some may take this as implying the parents are not being good parents) is another skill entirely. Practice this with coworkers, in your head, or put it on paper. Know how your library categorizes materials and why. Have statistics, journal articles, or other evidence to back this up. Be prepared!