Self-Censorship in Libraries Across America
The history of censorship within the American public library often focuses closely on the library reacting to outside attacks to intellectual freedom from parents or concerned citizens with an agenda. The Freedom to Read movement, Banned Books Week, and other programs, events, and policies that protect intellectual freedom anticipate censorship from outside the library. Yet as American library history has shown us, censorship can come from within the library institution and from its librarians, the very people who we believe protect patrons’ right to read on principle. Self-censorship is not a new concept. It is as old as the library itself, but it is in recent decades that self-censorship has switched from an expected part of the librarian's job description to a quiet and invisible threat to intellectual freedom.
Personal Observation
As a side note and personal observation, self-censorship in modern day libraries more often than not targets books for children and teens. The American Library Association acknowledges that "books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information" (American Library Association, n.d., n.p.). One of the top three reasons a book is even challenged includes its unsuitability to a particular age group. Due to this fact, I decided to still look at the research available on self-censorship in school libraries despite my project focusing on public libraries. I figured that given the data on what types of books get challenged or banned its safe to say if a public librarian did self-censor a particular title it would more likely be one for children or teens. Additionally, information collected on self-censorship in school librarians may also give cause for further research into public libraries and self-censorship, especially in children and teen book selection.
Personal Observation
As a side note and personal observation, self-censorship in modern day libraries more often than not targets books for children and teens. The American Library Association acknowledges that "books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information" (American Library Association, n.d., n.p.). One of the top three reasons a book is even challenged includes its unsuitability to a particular age group. Due to this fact, I decided to still look at the research available on self-censorship in school libraries despite my project focusing on public libraries. I figured that given the data on what types of books get challenged or banned its safe to say if a public librarian did self-censor a particular title it would more likely be one for children or teens. Additionally, information collected on self-censorship in school librarians may also give cause for further research into public libraries and self-censorship, especially in children and teen book selection.
What Is Self-Censorship?Self-censorship in the 21st century American library is defined by “libraries and librarians [attempting] to avoid censorship battles with the general public or with organization wishing to control what reading material is available to whom” (Sloan, 2012, p. 184). Alternately, self-censorship is censorship employed by a librarian or library in anticipation of censorship attacks from outside forces. Self-censorship can include not purchasing a certain book for the library collection because of the fear of patron backlash, but it can also be because of the librarian’s own unconscious bias. Another form of self-censorship in contemporary public libraries may include simply moving a controversial book from the children or teen section of the library to the adult section. Self-censorship can also include placing a controversial book in a glass case or behind a counter indefinitely. These acts may not even register as self-censorship because the librarian reasons that these books are still in the library and therefore available to patrons in some form. While this type of self-censorship is clearly rooted more in the fear of reaction from patrons, we can see similarities between it and the self-censorship of the past. Librarians of the 19th century censored books that were found to be immoral, pulling them off the shelf or refusing to carry them in the collection. However, this form of self-censorship was condoned by the society of the day. Today's librarian self-censors because they fear what parents and the community might say. More or less the censorship is still influenced by society as well.
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Studies on Self-Censorship: What’s Happening?In recent years there have been a few studies conducted on the topic of self-censorship in American school libraries. As mentioned in the personal observation section above, it seems children and teen books are often the ones hit hardest when it comes to self-censorship in the library. As such it doesn’t seem unreasonable that the studies conducted on self-censorship have focused overwhelmingly on schools as well as children and young adult materials.
One such survey conducted on self-censorship was by the School Library Journal on November 18, 2008 to December 2, 2008. They surveyed their SJL’s Extra Helping subscribers with results “based on 654 school librarians” (SLJ Self-Censorship Survey, 2009). Based on the data collected there are book topics that many school librarians pass when creating their collections including books with sexual content (87%), language (61%), violence (51%), and homosexuality (47%). Furthermore, this survey found that “70 percent of librarians […] won’t by certain controversial titles simply because they’re terrified of how parents will respond” (Whelan, 2009, p. 28). To see the full results of the survey click the photo on the right. In addition to the School Library Journal survey, other studies have included Ken P. Coley’s “Moving toward a Method to Test for Self-Censorship by School Library Media Specialists” from December 2002 and Wendy Rickman’s “A Study of Self-Censorship by School Librarians” from October 2010. Coley’s study found Based on the data concerning the fifty percent ownership criteria for avoiding an allegation of self-censorship, it would seem that self-censorship is in fact practiced by a large majority of Texas public high SLMSs in this study. Eighty-two percent of the high schools investigated engaged in the practice of self-censorship, based on the 50 percent ownership requirement. Eighteen percent of the schools owned none of titles on the sample list. (Coley, 2002, p. 11). Meanwhile, Rickman’s study looked more at what type of school librarian may be more prone to practice self-censorship, finding that Four factors were associated with self-censoring practices: (1) being of the age 60–69, (2) holding no formal collegiate education degree (BSE or MS/MSE) with library media certification or licensure, (3) being at the secondary level school library, and (4) having 15 or fewer years of educational experience. (Rickman, 2010, p. 15). Rickman’s results also note that self-censorship was not common among school librarians. However it is interesting to note that her study focused on surveying librarians while Coley’s study looked at whether or not certain book titles were in school libraries. Does this mean Coley’s book list may have been too narrow or does it show that school librarians believe they aren’t self-censoring, as Rickman’s study shows, when in reality they are, but not realizing it? These questions and more could just mean that much more research is required. |
What’s Being Done About Self-Censorship?
Self-censorship is difficult to fight given its invisible nature. It is often something that librarians and library staff aren’t even aware of or too ashamed of admitting when they do recognize it. While there is no sweeping decisions on what should be done about self-censorship throughout United States libraries, there have been different methods on curtailing it. For example, education appears to be key on whether or not one self-censors. Wendy Rickman’s (2010) study on self-censorship appears to indicate that more and more library studies graduates are aware of self-censorship. The results of Rickman’s study found that school library staff were more likely to self-censor when they did not have any “formal collegiate education degree [...] with library media certification or licensure” (Rickman, 2010, p. 15).
Another method of fighting self-censorship is reining in the fear of retaliation by parents and community. Debra Lau Whelan (2009) who conducted the School Library Journal survey on self-censorship focused on eliminating that fear by explaining that schools have "a written selection policy and reconsideration policy that addresses written challenges to books" (p. 30). Whelan discusses the very real fear some librarians have about losing their jobs if they choose to fight back against book challenges. She notes that the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund is available to “help pay for fees and expenses associated with these First Amendment clashes” (p. 29). The fact that this fund exists does reveal that there is a very real likelihood librarians and library staff may face job problems if they take a stance on intellectual freedom. However, knowing that the fund is available may also give librarians and staff a bit more courage knowing they are not alone in their fight. Some state library associations have made guides for librarians, staff, and trustees on intellectual freedom like in the case of the Intellectual Freedom Committee of the New York Library Association. The image to the left shows a Self-Censorship Quiz that asks librarians about their process on book selection. It covers questions from asking if a book wasn’t purchased because it was unpopular with parents to asking if a title concerning minorities wasn’t purchased because of the belief that no one in the surrounding community was like that. Lastly, understanding the history of United States libraries may also help fight self-censorship. The past can be connected to what is happening today, the 19th century’s paternalistic view on book selection can be compared to the fear that drives self-censorship in modern libraries. Fighting for intellectual freedom is a conscious choice made by the people who make up libraries. The library as institution is only as strong as its people. The library itself cannot advocate for intellectual freedom, but its librarians, staff members, and patrons can. Understanding the choices people made, both past and present, can help curtail self-censorship and shape the library to be the best it can for the community it serves. |