And what then should parents do if they think librarians haven’t been doing a good enough job? Convince them all one by one until the librarians all agree with the parents? Or simply pass a law making sure the librarians follow the guidelines the majority has agreed upon?
If we’re talking about a public library, they should find the form to reconsider having the book in the library. They typically ask why you think it should be removed, other materials that would be more appropriate, etc.
In the public libraries I know, that goes to their admin department to be re-evaluated. In mine, it’s done by the director and head librarian. It’s not a majority vote by all the librarians, and the librarian who purchased it doesn’t have the final say. All public libraries have a reconsideration policy/collection guidelines. If they review it and find that the book violates those, they’ll get rid of it.
Then you can present your case to the Library Board of Directors, a group of local civilians appointed by the local government to oversee the library and it’s operations, at one of their regularly scheduled public meetings.
Present your case and if they board believes that there may be validity to your case they will launch an investigation. If the investigation finds that the librarians are not properly following the library’s collection polices, the librarians responsible will be reprimanded, or in extreme or repeat cases they can recommend the local government fire the offending librarian. Or if they find the librarians were following the library’s collection policy correctly, but the policy is flawed then the board can rewrite the appropriate sections of the policy.
It is unfathomable that there is ever an actual case where this is appropriate. Unless the librarian is putting Madonna’s “Sex” in the children’s section nobody’s idiosyncrasies should rule the day. Those parents who have that inclination should reassess or at the least just focus on sheltering their own children rather than rabble-rousing
I agree, but the procedure is in place and they have a right to access it.
I’m the Library Director at my library, and if after talking to me about their issue they are still unhappy and want to take their complaint to the next level, I tell them the time and date of the next Board meeting and tell them that I will make sure they are on the agenda.
I’ve only had 1 person actually show up to the meeting. And in that case the Board determined that we had followed the library collection policy accurately, that the policy was sound, and that no further action would be taken. (It was Harry Potter btw, way back in the “These books promote witchcraft” days).
But honestly the vast majority of the time I’m able to resolve the issue just by talking to them. Most people just want to be heard and validated so telling them they we will be reevaluating the book, and if appropriate we will relabel it and move it to a more appropriate location is enough to put an end to it.
I’m confused, because in a majority of your comments it sounds like you read “parents pushing government to dictate what books are allowed in libraries” and translate it into “the public managing a public resource.” The assumption it sounds like your making is that those parents represent the interests of the public at large. That’s a shaky assumption at the best of times; you have to realize that a vocal minority like that isn’t just trying to manage the public resource for themselves, but also to manage it for everyone else, determining what the rest of the public has access to. So it’s more than likely the rest of the public ain’t really cool with that, which is why a lot of people here are telling them to piss off. If you’re advocating for the public to manage its own resources, then you can’t just blot out sections of the public you don’t like.
Learn how to parent instead of expecting the library to do it for you. If you don’t like the library’s recommendations, do a better job helping your child pick books. It doesn’t need a drastic overhaul because you personally didn’t like their book choices.
You are responsible for what your child has access to, whether that is junk food, the internet, books, toys, what have you. The librarians are catering to the requests and needs of every part of their community. If you believe a mistake has been made in curation or cataloging (it happens,large libraries intake thousands of titles each year) then go through the appropriate channels.
Wouldn’t this entire discussion be negated if the parents actually took an interest in raising their child and asked them about what books they are reading rather than expecting librarians to police children’s reading habits? Librarians categorise books according to genres and categories, and obviously the ‘kid’s corner’ or what the equivalent name is in the library will be the children’s section with the books aimed at children. Librarians provide the books, but they can’t be expected to know your specific child’s reading habits or whether a book is good for them or not. This really comes down to parents both being too controlling and also too uninvolved in their child’s lives. They want librarians to police their reading habits, but then also bemoan the fact they don’t know what their little Timmy will read because they can’t be bothered to ask.
And what then should parents do if they think librarians haven’t been doing a good enough job? Convince them all one by one until the librarians all agree with the parents? Or simply pass a law making sure the librarians follow the guidelines the majority has agreed upon?
If we’re talking about a public library, they should find the form to reconsider having the book in the library. They typically ask why you think it should be removed, other materials that would be more appropriate, etc.
In the public libraries I know, that goes to their admin department to be re-evaluated. In mine, it’s done by the director and head librarian. It’s not a majority vote by all the librarians, and the librarian who purchased it doesn’t have the final say. All public libraries have a reconsideration policy/collection guidelines. If they review it and find that the book violates those, they’ll get rid of it.
There are ways to appeal their decision as well.
Then you can present your case to the Library Board of Directors, a group of local civilians appointed by the local government to oversee the library and it’s operations, at one of their regularly scheduled public meetings.
Present your case and if they board believes that there may be validity to your case they will launch an investigation. If the investigation finds that the librarians are not properly following the library’s collection polices, the librarians responsible will be reprimanded, or in extreme or repeat cases they can recommend the local government fire the offending librarian. Or if they find the librarians were following the library’s collection policy correctly, but the policy is flawed then the board can rewrite the appropriate sections of the policy.
It is unfathomable that there is ever an actual case where this is appropriate. Unless the librarian is putting Madonna’s “Sex” in the children’s section nobody’s idiosyncrasies should rule the day. Those parents who have that inclination should reassess or at the least just focus on sheltering their own children rather than rabble-rousing
I agree, but the procedure is in place and they have a right to access it.
I’m the Library Director at my library, and if after talking to me about their issue they are still unhappy and want to take their complaint to the next level, I tell them the time and date of the next Board meeting and tell them that I will make sure they are on the agenda.
I’ve only had 1 person actually show up to the meeting. And in that case the Board determined that we had followed the library collection policy accurately, that the policy was sound, and that no further action would be taken. (It was Harry Potter btw, way back in the “These books promote witchcraft” days).
But honestly the vast majority of the time I’m able to resolve the issue just by talking to them. Most people just want to be heard and validated so telling them they we will be reevaluating the book, and if appropriate we will relabel it and move it to a more appropriate location is enough to put an end to it.
Just stay away from the library snowflake. Things sure are scary out there for you far right conservatives.
maintain better control over their kids instead of trying to trash a public resource??
The public managing a public resource in the way they see fit is not trashing it. That’s how it’s supposed to work.
I’m confused, because in a majority of your comments it sounds like you read “parents pushing government to dictate what books are allowed in libraries” and translate it into “the public managing a public resource.” The assumption it sounds like your making is that those parents represent the interests of the public at large. That’s a shaky assumption at the best of times; you have to realize that a vocal minority like that isn’t just trying to manage the public resource for themselves, but also to manage it for everyone else, determining what the rest of the public has access to. So it’s more than likely the rest of the public ain’t really cool with that, which is why a lot of people here are telling them to piss off. If you’re advocating for the public to manage its own resources, then you can’t just blot out sections of the public you don’t like.
Censorship of all families’ choices because you are too inept to manage your own child is not actually how “it” is supposed to work
Learn how to parent instead of expecting the library to do it for you. If you don’t like the library’s recommendations, do a better job helping your child pick books. It doesn’t need a drastic overhaul because you personally didn’t like their book choices.
You are responsible for what your child has access to, whether that is junk food, the internet, books, toys, what have you. The librarians are catering to the requests and needs of every part of their community. If you believe a mistake has been made in curation or cataloging (it happens,large libraries intake thousands of titles each year) then go through the appropriate channels.
Wouldn’t this entire discussion be negated if the parents actually took an interest in raising their child and asked them about what books they are reading rather than expecting librarians to police children’s reading habits? Librarians categorise books according to genres and categories, and obviously the ‘kid’s corner’ or what the equivalent name is in the library will be the children’s section with the books aimed at children. Librarians provide the books, but they can’t be expected to know your specific child’s reading habits or whether a book is good for them or not. This really comes down to parents both being too controlling and also too uninvolved in their child’s lives. They want librarians to police their reading habits, but then also bemoan the fact they don’t know what their little Timmy will read because they can’t be bothered to ask.