<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">Hi all,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">One aspect of this recurring conversation that I find intensely frustrating is that it sidesteps the even more basic criteria of <b>accuracy</b>.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large">To a certain extent, this is a question of <b>classification</b> as much as <b>selection</b>. No responsible librarian would purchase a book on creationism and shelve it in the evolutionary biology or geology sections. It would go in theology, where it is appropriate within the conventions of that discipline.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:large"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large">This conversation also sidesteps the basic criteria of <b>authority</b>. No responsible librarian would use their limited evolutionary biology or geology budgets to purchase a book on those subjects by <i>me</i>, a person who has no scholarly expertise in this area, unless maybe I did a really good job of packaging authoritative sources in an accessible way.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large">From the reviews of <i>Irreversible Damage</i> that I have read, it is neither accurate nor authoritative. It is, instead, speculative and irresponsible in its methodology, <b><i>regardless of whether one is sympathetic to its basic argument or not</i></b>. (Which, to be 100% clear, I am not.)</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large">On "social issues" or "political questions" that impact marginalized communities, mainstream society still accepts that individuals with dominant identities have <b>right</b> or even an <b>obligation</b> to be equal participants in the conversation, no matter what their actual training or expertise is. <b>This is ridiculous and antithetical to core values of librarianship.</b></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large">I've been out of cataloging for many years, so I am not sure where <i>Irreversible Damage</i> belongs on the shelf, exactly. But it doesn't belong anywhere near where people are going for good-faith information on the science or life experiences of transgender folks. For me, though, I wouldn't bother purchasing it at all, unless receiving direct patron purchase suggestions or large numbers of interlibrary loan requests.</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large"><br></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large">The same goes for other works that that harm any marginalized community by being inaccurate and/or poorly informed. They are low-value resources, even if there weren't the negative impact. <b>Which there undeniably is.</b> Any librarian who selects them anyway should have a very persuasive and specific rationale for how each one serves the mission of their collection, beyond "Some people will find it gratifying to read it" or "But what about...?"</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large">Regards,</span></div><div class="gmail_default" style=""><span style="font-size:large">Mark</span></div><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><br></div><div></div><div><b><font size="4">Mark Kille</font></b><div><b><font size="4">Department of County Human Services - Human Resources</font></b></div><div><font size="4">503-988-7527</font></div><div><font size="4"><a href="mailto:mark.kille@multco.us" target="_blank">mark.kille@multco.us</a></font></div></div><div><font size="4"><br></font></div><div><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Gender-Inclusive Workplace</span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">:</span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><a href="https://multco.us/assertive-engagement/lgbtq-justice-further-learning-resources" target="_blank">My pronouns are</a></span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> he/him/his.</span></font></p><font size="4"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font size="4"><a href="https://multco.us/safety-trust-and-belonging-workforce-equity-initiative/why-we-lead-race" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Leading with Race</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">:</span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> I am white and Southern.</span></font></p><font size="4"><br></font><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Accessibility Statement</span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">:</span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> I use a </span><a href="http://createsend.com/t/d-ABFFF5F25EC93A19" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">large sans-serif font</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> in my emails to improve accessibility. Please let me know if phone, video, specific file format, or any other medium would be better for communicating with you. You do not need to disclose any disability you may have.</span></font></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></font></p></span><span><font size="4"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><a href="https://edmethods.com/student-posts/whose-lands-are-we-on-recognizing-original-peoples-lands-and-history/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Land and Governance Acknowledgment</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">: </span><span style="font-size:small"><font size="4"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Multnomah County sets policy, enforces laws, and provides services on the land of traditional village sites of </span><a href="https://native-land.ca/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">many Indigenous peoples</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. White settlers took this land with government support through </span><a href="https://ctgr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=2ba01436bde9445786f0c2a0a669f82d" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">coercion</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> and </span><a href="https://www.opb.org/article/2020/09/27/the-us-government-took-the-land-of-oregons-native-people-170-years-ago-this-week/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">outright theft</span></a><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, built </span></font></span><font size="4"><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">cities and towns with </span><a href="https://www.vox.com/identities/2019/8/16/20806069/slavery-economy-capitalism-violence-cotton-edward-baptist" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">wealth derived from centuries of forced labor</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> by enslaved Africans and their descendants, and protected white dominance through </span><a href="https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/blacks_in_oregon/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">exclusionary laws and policies</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. Engaging with t</span><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">he </span><a href="https://landback.org/manifesto/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Land Back</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> conversation and </span><a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2021/01/portland-to-lobby-feds-on-reparations-for-black-indigenous-communities.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">taking action on reparations</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> are urgent and necessary, as are stronger institutional relationships with the </span><a href="https://www.grandronde.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, the </span><a href="http://www.ctsi.nsn.us/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians</span></a><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, </span></font><font color="#000000" face="Arial" size="4"><span style="white-space:pre-wrap">the <a href="http://clatsop-nehalem.com/" target="_blank">Clatsop-Nehalem Confederated Tribes</a>, and the <a href="https://www.chinooknation.org/" target="_blank">Chinook Nation</a>.</span></font></p></font></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Tue, Feb 23, 2021 at 9:21 AM Steve Silver via Libs-Or <<a href="mailto:libs-or@omls.oregon.gov">libs-or@omls.oregon.gov</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div style="display:none">External -</div>
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</div><p></p><div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-m_-1144122954749534668gmail-docs-internal-guid-52d17295-7fff-a408-eec1-b2aadee8c2b1"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(34,34,34);background-color:rgb(255,255,255);font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Welcome to Tuesday Topics, a monthly series covering topics with intellectual freedom implications for libraries of all types. Each message is prepared by a member of OLA's Intellectual Freedom Committee or a guest writer. Questions can be directed to the author of the topic or to the IFC Committee.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal" id="gmail-m_-1144122954749534668gmail-docs-internal-guid-19082a94-7fff-989e-8f6a-136a5f295d53"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(5,99,193);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><span style="border:none;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:392px;height:156px"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/1Ff-UL3kMy0fu75UEsF8NhNhmmdCZdg_j6TV-hx8j_ZJRLQpAOXyYxxcmvpWFSBUhmBbqi0e8y4dRfGSebH5PilbaOC_3RW-O61nJQNLQhHNOZ04Sr3ui-hjYZWMic-lfIKMzRnt" width="392" height="156" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">There has been a great deal of controversy recently concerning the book </span><a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1230543484" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Irreversible damage</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> by Abigail Shrier. To understand the controversy one only has to read the subtitle: </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The transgender craze seducing our daughters</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. One can find a quick overview of the book and links to reviews from various sources, both positive and critical, on its </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreversible_Damage" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Wikipedia page</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. The </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Economist</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> and </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Times</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> of London named it a best book of the year. Jack Turban, a psychiatrist specializing in transgender mental health, writing in </span><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/political-minds/202012/new-book-irreversible-damage-is-full-misinformation" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Psychology Today</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, said the book was “full of misinformation” with the “potential to hurt transgender youth.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Likely spurred by the significant attention the book has received in both conservative and progressive media, public libraries have received patron requests to purchase the book. This has been followed by patron challenges to have the book removed, based on the perceived potential harm to gender-questioning teens. This led at least one library staff member in an Oregon library to question how collection development policies could be written to preclude purchasing such potentially harmful books in the first place, even if requested by patrons.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This, of course, begs the question of whether collection development policies SHOULD be written to exclude purchasing books perceived to be potentially harmful. Longstanding ALA policy as stated in the </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Library Bill of Rights</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> is that “Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation” (Article 1), and “Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval” (Article 2). The first half of each of those articles affirm that libraries should provide resources “...for the interest, information, and enlightenment of </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">all </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">people of the community the library serves” (emphasis added), and “...should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues.” In other words, if the topic is current, and if members of your community are interested in the resource, the library has a certain obligation to acquire the resource. Both questions seem to be a clear ‘yes’ in this instance. The library’s or librarian’s personal views regarding the value - or potential harm - of the resource should not be a factor (see </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/diversecollections" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Diverse collections: an interpretation of the library bill of rights</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> and the ALA </span><a href="http://www.ala.org/tools/ethics" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,2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on to proactively support and even protect marginalized communities, such as transgender folk. Intentionally NOT acquiring books such as </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Irreversible damage</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, despite community requests to do so, is seen as a positive step in dismantling “structural inequalities.” These writers would argue that libraries should not be giving tacit support to racist or transphobic views by acquiring those resources, even if community members are requesting them. Such works, in this view, can do actual harm to these marginalized communities, so for the sake of such communities should not be present in the library.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Predictably, such critical questioning of established core library values has met some pushback. Em Claire Knowles, for example, in a </span><a href="http://slis.simmons.edu/blogs/emclaireknowles-publications/2018/03/26/can-libraries-be-neutral-should-they-strive-to-be-neutral/" style="text-decoration:none" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(17,85,204);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">2018 blog article</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">, posits that “neutrality” is and should be “active,” not “passive,” and that such an understanding and practice of neutrality actually works for social justice, not against it. Whether this view is a doubling down on maintaining an inherently unjust status quo or an honest and nuanced attempt to chart a third path perhaps remains to be seen.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">All of which informs, but perhaps does little to actually answer, our very practical question: Should collection development policies be written in such a way to exclude materials perceived as harmful to marginalized communities? One very real consideration is that doing so in any way that targets specific viewpoints or theories is very likely to be found unconstitutional (private institutions have a bit more leeway here, but as a general principle adhering to First Amendment considerations is probably still ideal). A policy that is general enough to equally apply to any and all viewpoints, and thus could pass constitutional muster, likely leaves itself open to being applied in ways that were not initially intended. As Zimmerman points out, such attempts at censoring are nearly always co-opted by the dominant culture and used against the very minorities the policy was intended to protect. Giving some primacy of consideration to protecting free expression seems prudent.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Critically examining the role of neutrality in upholding unjust systems and finding ways to support and protect marginalized communities are important, even crucial conversations our profession must continue to wrestle with. Those conversations are ongoing, and in very real ways only beginning. Where the profession will eventually land on this intersection of core values is perhaps unclear at present. In the meantime, individual library policy makers will need to think carefully about how their policies can best support the vulnerable among us while still upholding our constitutional imperative to support the free expression of ideas.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Special thanks to OLA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Task Force for very helpful input on this Tuesday Topic).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><b style="font-weight:normal"><br></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Steve Silver</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-weight:400;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Intellectual Freedom Committee member</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><br></p></span><br><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Steve Silver<br><a href="mailto:SteveSilver673@gmail.com" target="_blank">SteveSilver673@gmail.com</a></div></div></div>
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