New guidelines designed for libraries in the UK urge staff to provide materials that “illuminate” different views on controversial topics.
The 52-page document, released by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (Cilip), states that a “good library” should “encompass controversial issues” and that material should not be rejected solely on the basis that it is considered contentious.
Cilip also encourages librarians to “place principle above personal opinion, and reason above prejudice” when selecting library materials and says that staff should never act as a censor. It adds that rather than being neutral, librarians should be “aware of their biases”.
The set of guidelines, released on Wednesday, renews those contained in a 2008 document, Guidance on the Management of Controversial Materials in Public Libraries, published by the Museums, Libraries and Archives council “against a backdrop of public concern about radicalisation and extremism”.
The new document comes as book bans in the United States reach a record high. Cilip acknowledges the US bans and says that the incidence of “official” book banning in the UK is relatively low. However, it adds that if librarians are asked to remove titles by local councillors or the governors of their school, for example, they should resist “as far as reasonably possible” and make Cilip aware of the situation.
Asked for examples of books that might be considered controversial, Cilip told the Guardian that “no UK authority maintains a formal list of books that library users have requested should be banned from library collections. Some local library services may maintain lists of requests, but there is no official source of this data and the information is not collated at a national level”.
“This is an important piece of research which offers valuable guidance to the library sector,” said Luke Burton, director of libraries at Arts Council England, which funded the report. “I’m sure that library colleagues will find it helpful when planning how to deal with complex issues so all library users and staff can enjoy libraries as safe, welcoming and inclusive spaces.”
The report states that the “challenges of misinformation and hate speech” mean that library staff are operating in a “more challenging” and “more exposed” environment than ever before. Much of the guidance draws on the Equality Act 2010, which made discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics against the law.
“Libraries exist to ensure that everyone everywhere enjoys the freedom to read, to ask questions and to learn, without fear or favour,” said Nick Poole, CEO of Cilip. “In today’s increasingly polarised world, it is more important than ever to ensure that our sector is clear in its opposition to censorship.” He advocated “the promotion of the intellectual freedom of our users” and said: “Libraries should not be a place to hide from difficult ideas, but to ensure that difficult ideas can be critiqued in their proper context.”
The document also provides a framework to help libraries deal with “complex and challenging issues” including the provision of publicly accessible events and activities, the development of library stock, the appropriate use of public spaces and the provision of public internet access.
