[Libs-Or] REQUEST - Seeking nominations for Intellectual Freedom Champion Award, DEADLINE: 2/21/22

Thu Feb 10 16:07:07 PST 2022

Library Colleagues,

A fist bump of thanks to those who have participated in our Barriers to
Challenge Reporting Survey <https://forms.gle/pQhaEFn9ZaDFRJry7>  to date.
We have about 30 submissions so far, many with new helpful ideas.  

If you haven't gotten to the survey yet, there is still time. Maybe take the
quick 5 minutes today? 

Or mark your calendars for these two upcoming due dates.

DEADLINES:

Feb 21 2022 (Monday)  - Nominations close for Intellectual Freedom Champion
Award <https://www.olaweb.org/if-champion>  (form attached)

Feb 25 2022 (Friday)       - Last day to participate in OLA IFC Barriers to
Challenge Reporting Survey <https://forms.gle/pQhaEFn9ZaDFRJry7>  

Also, check out and bookmark our freshly updated Oregon Intellectual Freedom
Toolkit <https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/iftoolkit/home> . Filled with
guidance and resources to help you prepare and respond to challenges. 

NOT-SO-FUN FACT: 

Between Sept. 1 and Dec. 1 of 2021, the American Library Association
received 330 reports of requests to remove books, according to Deborah
Caldwell-Stone, director of the Office for Intellectual Freedom for ALA. In
all of 2019, there were 377 reports, she said. Most books being challenged
involve issues of race or LGBTQIA-related topics.

With the current political climate, the wildfire of challenges is expected
to grow nationwide with increasing intensity until the November 2022
elections at least.  Consider the wise practical advice below from a
challenge veteran.

What's It Like to Be the Target of A Book Banning Effort? School Librarian
Martha Hickson Tells Her Story.

by Martha Hickson. School Library Journal. Feb 03, 2022.
<https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=from-the-breaking-point-to-fighting-anew-s
chool-librarian-martha-hickson-shares-her-story-of-battling-book-banning-cen
sorship>
https://www.slj.com/?detailStory=from-the-breaking-point-to-fighting-anew-sc
hool-librarian-martha-hickson-shares-her-story-of-battling-book-banning-cens
orship 

EXCERPT:

The road ahead

As of this writing, the challenges are ongoing. Regardless of the outcome,
the process has revealed opportunities for improvement:

1. Pay attention: The September challenge shouldn't have come as a surprise.
Had I been keeping up with the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom's weekly
newsletter [blog] <https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/> , I could have spotted
earlier challenges to Gender Queer and Lawn Boy in Texas and Virginia.
Reading that newsletter and looking for patterns and trends is now part of
my routine.

2. Strengthen criteria for challenge initiation: Our materials
reconsideration request form requires little effort to complete and does not
capture sufficient information from the challenger, making it too easy for
people to raise an objection based on hearsay. A form that requires the
complainant to read the entirety of the work and consult professional
reviews (such as this <http://bit.ly/3twuKyc>  from Fairfax, VA), as well as
identify specific passages that violate selection criteria and state
requirements (such as this <http://bit.ly/3rk2V9q>  from South
Orange-Maplewood, NJ), would educate potential challengers and encourage
them to think twice.

3. Revise the policy: Our district's reconsideration policy has never been
used or tested to this extent. Recommended revisions include:

Review composition of the reconsideration committee: As currently written,
the policy makes it possible to "stack the deck" to achieve a desired
outcome. For example, the policy does not specify inclusion of a student on
the committee or the exclusion of participants who have stated prior
opposition to the challenged title. The credentials of the proposed
committee members should be vetted and approved by district administration,
the teacher's union, and student government.

Require deadlines, communication, and transparency: In the nearly four
months since the current challenges began, there have been no status reports
from the reconsideration committee, making it impossible for observers to
determine compliance with policies and timelines. Just as the school board
agenda includes monthly reports on the number and status of campus bullying
incidents, it should also include a public report on the receipt and status
of book challenges.

Prevent nuisance challenges: To prevent repeated challenges against the same
book after a reconsideration decision is made, the policy should include a
provision similar to that stipulated by the Lexington (MA) Public Schools
(LPS): "... the District will not convene a Review Committee relative to the
same complaint for a period of [three] years."

Enforce return of challenged materials: Some of the book banners directed
their children to check out the challenged books. Long overdue, those books
have yet to be returned. A policy provision can restore access. "If an
individual or a group undertakes action to keep material from the shelves by
checking it out and failing to return it . the Superintendent shall request,
in writing, the return of the material. If it is not returned within [30]
days, a bill for the current replacement cost of the item shall be rendered
to the party holding the item," reads the LPS policy
<https://z2policy.ctspublish.com/masc/browse/lexingtonset/lexington/IJ-R> .

Formalize reporting requirements: Upon announcement of its decision, the
board should publish a full report from the reconsideration committee,
including the rationale behind the decision. The reports published by the
Fairfax (VA) school district following their reviews of Gender Queer
<https://www.fcps.edu/node/44881>  and Lawn Boy
<https://www.fcps.edu/node/44882>  offer excellent models.

We're grateful for your teamwork and constant vigilance.

 <https://powwowtimes.ca/what-does-skoden-mean-and-how-to-use-it/> Skoden!

---------------------------------

Perry Stokes (he/him), M.L.I.S.

Co-Chair, OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee

Director, Baker County Library District

director at bakerlib.org <mailto:director at bakerlib.org>  | (541) 523-6419 |
www.bakerlib.org <http://www.bakerlib.org>  

Emily O'Neal, M.L.S.

Co-Chair, OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee

Technical Services Manager, Deschutes Public Library

emilyo at deschuteslibrary.org <mailto:emilyo at deschuteslibrary.org>  | (541)
617-7061 | http://www.deschuteslibrary.org
<http://www.deschuteslibrary.org/> 

Tamara Ottum (she/her)

Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse Coordinator

https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/oifc

State Library of Oregon | Library Support & Development Services

tamara.ottum at slo.oregon.gov <mailto:tamara.ottum at slo.oregon.gov>  |
503-378-6506 <tel:%20(503)%20378-6506>  | www.oregon.gov/library
<http://www.oregon.gov/library> 

From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> On Behalf Of Perry Stokes
via Libs-Or
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2022 10:38 AM
To: Libs-OR <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: [Libs-Or] REQUEST - Seeking nominations for Intellectual Freedom
Champion Award, DEADLINE: 2/21/22

Intellectual Freedom Champion Award 2021 - Nominations Open

Do you know an Intellectual Freedom Champion?  Intellectual Freedom
Champions can be in any type of library or they might not work in a library
at all.  IF Champions stand up for the principles of intellectual freedom
and help to protect our rights to read and research, help preserve our
access to information, and maintain our privacy.  The award is given in
recognition of the contribution made by an individual, institution, or group
that has actively promoted or defended intellectual freedom in Oregon. 

The Intellectual Freedom Committee of the Oregon Library Association is now
accepting nominations for the next IF Champion Award.  Nominations are due
no later than Monday, February 21, 2022. Presentation venue and date are to
be determined.

The nomination form is attached, along with more details about the
nomination process (see page 2).  For more information, visit the
Intellectual Freedom Committee IF Champion web page
<http://www.olaweb.org/if-champion> .  If you have questions about the award
or nominations, please contact the co-chairs <mailto:ifc.chair at olaweb.org>
of the OLA Intellectual Freedom Committee.

Thank you!

Perry Stokes & Emily O'Neal, IFC co-chairs

From: Perry Stokes <director at bakerlib.org> 
Sent: Friday, January 21, 2022 4:36 PM
To: Libs-OR (libs-or at omls.oregon.gov) <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: REQUEST - Quick survey about Barriers to Challenge Reporting /
Reminder to Report intellectual freedom challenges

Dear library colleagues,

An "unprecedented" number of challenges were submitted last year, according
to staff at the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom
<https://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/oif> . Even so, we're wondering - are
we missing any? Are there any improvements to be made in the reporting
process? 

Today (or by 2/20/22), please take a few minutes to give us feedback about
the challenge reporting process with this Barriers to Challenge Reporting
Survey <https://forms.gle/pQhaEFn9ZaDFRJry7>  . 

The forecast of challenges this year is for more intensity and frequency
through the 2022 midterm election. So, it's important to us at the OLA
Intellectual Freedom Committee that the information, guidance, resources and
procedures we provide are the best they can be. 

Whether you've had challenges or not, your participation in this brief
survey will help us refine our anti-censorship tools and skills. Thank you
in advance for taking a few minutes to click through it.

ALSO -- In 2021, has your library or school received.

*	A complaint about a display or exhibit? (including virtual ones)
*	A request to cancel a program? (including virtual ones)
*	A book with hateful comments or drawings inside, or profanity marked
out?
*	A complaint or formal challenge seeking restriction or removal of an
item in your library's collection? (including digital items)

There is still time to  <https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/oifc/report>
REPORT such incidents - and any other intellectual freedom challenges - to
the Oregon Intellectual Freedom Clearinghouse
<https://libguides.osl.state.or.us/oifc/home> ! The more information we
have, the better picture we can paint about the intellectual freedom
landscape in Oregon. 

The OIFC will then submit these to ALA
<http://www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport> 's Office for Intellectual
Freedom (OIF) - minus any personal or institutional information - in support
of their effort to raise awareness and respond to censorship threats by
creating resources for libraries.  

Questions? Contact any one of us.

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