Library Policy – Argyle Public Library

Library Policy For Argyle Public Library

Second Edition-

Updates to each section noted within each policy

Table of Contents

I. Mission and Goal Statements

II. Who May Use the Library

III. Patron Responsibilities and Conduct

IV. Services of the Library

V. Responsibilities and Authorities of the Library Board

VI. Personnel Policy

VII. Materials Selection/Collection Development Policy

VIII. Circulation Policy

IX. Reference Service Policy

X. Programming Policy

XI. Public Relations Policy

XII. Meeting Room Policy

XIII. Disasters Policy

XIV. Revision of Library Policies

XV. Appendices

a. Form: Statement of Concern About Library Resources

b. Form: Internet Use Agreement

c. Library Bill of Rights

d. The Freedom to Read Statement

Library Policies of the Argyle Public Library

I. Mission and Goal Statements

a. The mission of the Argyle Public Library is to provide quality materials and services which fulfill educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the entire community in an atmosphere that is welcoming, respectful, and businesslike.

b. The general library goals of the Argyle Public Library shall be:

i. To serve all residents of the community and the surrounding region.

ii. To acquire and make available to all residents of the above area such books, periodicals, pamphlets, and other services as will address their needs to a) become well informed, b) locate answers to important questions, c) cultivate the imagination and creative expression, d) develop skills for career and vocational advancement, and e) enjoy leisure by means of reading and other media services.

c. To acquire the means to provide the most frequently requested material locally and upon demand.

d. To maintain a program of service which locates information, guides reading, organizes and interprets material for people of various backgrounds, and stimulates thinking and intellectual development in individuals of any age.

e. To strive consistently to discover new methods and improvements for better service for the library’s customers.

f. To review regularly these goals of the Argyle Public Library and, if necessary, revise them in the light of new developments.

II. Who May Use the Library

a. The library will serve all residents of the community and the public library system area. Service will not be denied or abridged because of religious, racial, social, economic, or political status; or because of mental, emotional, or physical condition; age; or sexual orientation.

b. The use of the library may be denied for due cause. Such cause may be failure to return library materials or to pay penalties, destruction of library property, disturbance of other patrons, or any other illegal, disruptive, or objectionable conduct on library premises.

III. Patron Responsibilities and Conduct

a. It is a patron’s responsibility to maintain necessary and proper standards of behavior in order to protect his/her individual rights and the rights and privileges of other patrons. If a patron creates a public nuisance, that patron may be restricted from the library and from the use of the library facilities. Those who are unwilling to leave or do not leave within a reasonable amount of time, after being instructed to do so by the staff, will be subject to the law.

b. Children

i. The Argyle Public Library encourages visits by young children and it is our desire to make this important visit both memorable and enjoyable for the child. Library staff is not expected to assume responsibility for the care of unsupervised children in the library.

ii. Children of all ages are encouraged to use the library for homework, recreational reading, and program attendance. The library staff realizes that the library will be noisier at busy times and that children by nature can cause more commotion. However, children (whether with parents or not) who are being continually disruptive will be given a warning that he/she must settle down or will be asked to leave the library. If after a second warning the child continues to be disruptive, he/she will be asked to leave the library. If the child needs to contact a parent, they may do so and then wait with a staff person until the parent arrives.

IV. Services of the Library

a. The library provides materials and resources for information, entertainment, intellectual development, and enrichment of the people of the community. The library should endeavor to:

i. Select, organize, and make available necessary books and materials.

ii. Provide guidance and assistance to patrons.

iii. Sponsor and implement programs, exhibits, displays, book lists, etc., which would appeal to children and adults

iv. Cooperate with other community agencies and organizations.

v. Secure information beyond its own resources when requested (i.e. Using Interlibrary Loan and other resource sharing methods provided through the system and state.)

vi. Lend to other libraries upon request.

vii. Develop and provide services to patrons with special needs.

viii. Maintain a balance in its services to various age groups.

ix. Cooperate with, but not perform the functions of, school or other institutional libraries.

x. Provide service during hours which best meet the needs of the community, including evening and weekend hours.

xi. Regularly review library services being offered.

xii. Use media and other public relations mechanisms to promote the full range of available library services.

V. Responsibilities and Authorities of the Library Board

a. Refer to Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 43 (particularly section 43.58), the Wisconsin Public Library Trustee Manual, and individual library bylaws to provide basis and framework for the responsibilities and authority of the library board and individual trustees.

b. The Argyle Public Library encourages each library trustee to take advantage of the training opportunities for trustees offered by the public library system or statewide agencies and organizations. Likewise, the Library encourages trustees to be active in the state library organization and its efforts to inform the governor and legislature of the benefits and needs of public libraries.

VI. Personnel Policy

a. Management Policy: The duly appointed library board shall have all management rights, authorities, and responsibilities as stated in Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 43.

i. The library board shall select, appoint, and when necessary for valid reasons, dismiss the director of the library.

Ii. The board shall establish all other positions and all wage and benefit levels for all library staff.

Iii. The library board shall provide an effective orientation for new directors to assure that the director understands a) the policies and processes related to the daily operation of the library, b) reporting and budgetary requirements that assure accountability and compliance with the law, c) the expectations of the board in regard to administrative processes and protocol, particularly as they relate to conducting effective and efficient board meetings, and d) rules and requirements for state certification and any assistance which is provided by the Library to acquire and maintain appropriate certification.

iv. The library board shall conduct annual appraisals of the library director’s performance at which time personal and management goals can be discussed and negotiated.

b. Administrative Policy

The person appointed as library director shall be charged with the sole administration of the library.

1. The director shall be responsible to the library board in matters pertaining to and concerning the library; be present at monthly board meetings and prepare and present such reports and meeting documents as requested.

2. The director shall maintain financial records in an efficient manner; present periodic reports to the library board and to the municipal governing body; prepare the draft of the annual budget to be presented to the library board, and assist trustees with presentation of the adopted request for appropriation to the municipal governing body.

3. The director shall hold regular meetings with staff and/or volunteers for training and interpreting board policy.

4. The director will be responsible for preparing annual performance assessments for the library staff and volunteers.

5. The director shall have the responsibility for collection development for all materials in the library; this includes selection, ordering, processing, weeding, and inventory of the collections according to the guidelines in the policy.

6. The director will recommend changes in or additions to library policies as needed.

7. The director will perform preparatory work to assist the board with regular library planning.

j. Meetings, Conventions, and Workshops

The director, staff, and trustees attending continuing education opportunities to aid the library shall be allowed expenses at the discretion of the library board according to the amount appropriated in budget for such. The director, staff, and trustees are encouraged to attend and participate in continuing education activities.

k. Disciplinary Policy

An employee of the Argyle Public Library may be dismissed for any action or behavior that causes the library’s image or operation to be diminished. This includes but is not limited to: incompetence, misconduct, inattention to assigned duties, or unapproved absences from assigned duties.

Normally termination would be a final step which would follow:

1. A substandard performance appraisal

2. Verbal and/or written warnings

3. Suspension and/or

4. Extended probation.

It is important that complete and clear records be maintained of all disciplinary processes for the protection of the employee and the library.

The library wants each employee to be successful in his/her job and will work with employees to eliminate deficiencies.

While notice of intent to terminate can be expected, the Argyle Public Library reserves the right to dismiss an employee without notice in cases involving theft, drug or alcohol abuse, criminal activity, or in instances of significant misconduct.

l. Resignation or Retirement Policy

A library employee wishing to resign or retire from employment must notify the director or the library board as soon as practicable. The library requires a minimum notice of two weeks. For the library director a notice of at least one month is required.

The employee must submit a formal written resignation statement giving the exact date that employment is to be terminated.

m. Grievance Procedure

Every employee shall have the opportunity to express concerns relating to the physical surroundings in which the employee works, procedures and conditions of the specific position, relationships with fellow workers or supervisors, and rules as they apply to staff. A concern or grievance should follow the procedure below:

1. If possible, discuss the problem with the director. In the case of the director having a concern, this should be discussed with the board president.

2. If the director is part of the problem, or if the board president is part of the director’s problem, the concern/grievance should be submitted in writing for the library board and be delivered to the director, who will deliver the statement to the board president. The board president will in turn, present the concern, during closed session, to the full board at the next or special board meeting.

3. The board’s representative will respond to the employee within five (5) days of the board meeting at which the issue is discussed, either providing a determination, solution, or a strategy for how the board will address the issue over time.

n. Equal Opportunity Employment Policy

It is the policy of the Argyle Public Library to provide an equal employment opportunity for all qualified and qualifiable persons. Equal employment opportunity shall be according to the provisions of State and Federal laws and regulations.

o. Drug-Free Workplace Policy

In compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited while performing work for the Argyle Public Library, whether that work is carried out in the workplace building or not. All employees shall abide, as a condition of employment, by the receipt of this notice and shall notify the library director or board within (5) days of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace.

Failure to comply with the above requirements shall be grounds for appropriate personnel action against such employee up to and including termination, or such employee may be required to satisfactorily participate in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program.

p. Sexual Harassment Policy

Harassment on the basis of sex is a violation of Title VII (federal law) and Statute 111.36(b) (state law). Sexual harassment, either verbal or physical, is an unlawful employment practice and will not be tolerated by the Argyle Public Library.

The Argyle Public Library accepts and adheres to all definitions and procedures outlined in the law as regards sexual harassment. Any employee who engages in sexual harassment will subject themselves to disciplinary action up to and including discharge.

VIII. Materials Selection/Collection Development Policy

Objectives and Goals

The objective of the Argyle Public Library’s Collection Policy is to clearly define who, how; and why the public collection is curated and for whom it is curated. The policy will provide the framework for the growth and development of the collection, which is designed to provide all individuals in the community with materials that aid in the pursuit of education, information, research, pleasure, recreation, leisure, and cultural awareness.

The Argyle Public Libraries’s goal is to be a diverse source of information and to represent as many viewpoints, expressions, opinions, and interests as possible within our space and budget limits. To fulfill our goal to provide diverse materials some items may be controversial, unorthodox, or of unpopular opinion.

The Argyle Public Library provides access to a variety of materials and formats to all its users. Library materials will not be restricted. Patrons are free to select or reject materials for themselves or their own minor children. The Library staff cannot act in place of a parent in guiding the use of materials. Children of the same age often vary in their maturity, reading levels or learning interests and assignments; because of this, children will be allowed access to all collections available.

The Library Bill of Rights adopted by the American Library Association, the Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights polices of the American Library Association, the Freedom to Read Statement, and the Freedom to View Statement are all endorsed by the Argyle Public Library Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the collection policy. Copies of these documents can be found through the links provided, at the end of this policy, or in the Argyle Public Library.

Responsibility of Selection

The Argyle Public Library’s Director operates within the framework of the policies determined by the Argyle Public Library Board of Trustees and is responsible for the materials in the Library. The Director must be available to answer to the Library Board and the public for actual selections made. The Director encourages input from staff or community members and will give suggestions serious consideration. The Director has the authority to select or reject any item recommended based on the selection criteria stated in the selection criteria below.

Selection Criteria

The main criteria for selecting materials are listed below. An item need not meet all the points to be added to the collection:

Individual merit and quality
Public demand, interest, or need
Community relevance
Timeliness of material
Existing Library holdings or availability through ILL
Existing subject matter in collection
Recommended reviews or current trends
Special collection relevance
Format
Budget
Space
Materials that provide variety in viewpoints

Gifts and Donations

The Argyle Public Library encourages and appreciates gifts and donations. Physical gifts or donated items will be reviewed using the selection criteria listed above. Items that do not meet the selection criteria or are not in condition to be circulated the Director will display, store, share with Friends of the Library or dispose of as they see fit.

Collection Maintenance and Withdrawals

The Argyle Public Library is proud to offer the most up-to-date, factual, reliable, useful, and usable collection. To continue to offer this the Library Director will routinely replace or withdraw items. The Library Director will replace, store, or dispose of materials as they see fit. When reviewing the collection, the Argyle Public Library follows the guidelines of the CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries developed by the Texas State Library and Archives Department. A copy of the CREW manual can be found through the link provided or at Argyle Public Library.

IX. Circulation Policy

a. Registration

All borrowers must be registered and must have a valid local or system patron card to borrow library materials.

Patrons must fill out an application form to register for a new library card. The following statement will be printed on the registration form for the patron’s information and acceptance: “I agree to be responsible for all items borrowed with the library card issued in the above name, including items borrowed with it by others with or without my consent unless I have previously reported the loss of my card. I promise to comply with all library rules and policies both present and future, and to give prompt notice of change of address or loss of library card. Signature_______________________________”

Identification is required. A driver’s license or a student ID is preferred, however, any other official ID or recent nonpersonal piece of mail may be acceptable.

Applicants under 13 years of age must have a parent or guardian give their consent on the application form before a new card can be issued. This parental signature is not required for children who are renewing cards.

Materials cannot be checked out until a library card is issued.

All library cards expire after 5 years. In order to renew a library card, patrons must produce identification and must clear all outstanding fines and bills.

b. Lost or Forgotten Cards

If a patron loses his/her library card, the patron should notify the library as soon as possible and request a replacement. Replacement costs are $3.00 per card.

All patrons, adult and juvenile, are expected to bring their library cards with them if they intend to check out items. An individual who repeatedly ignores this expectation may be denied the privilege of checking out materials until they present their card at the library.

c. Loan Periods

i. Three (3) weeks for books. Can be renewed.

ii. Generally, reference books do not circulate. Upon request, some reference materials may be checked out until the library is next open.

iii. Interlibrary loans are due the date indicated by the lending library.

iv. Books may be renewed twice if there is not a waiting list for the title.

v. Current issues of periodicals circulate for one week.

vi. Non-current periodicals may be checked out for a period of two (2) weeks.

vii. Two weeks for DVDs.

viii. No bound issues of Argyle Atlas, Blade Atlas or Argyle Agenda may leave the library unless by permission of the Library Board. They may be taken to the village clerk’s office to be copied.

ix. Audio Visual materials are nonrenewable.

The director may establish the loan period for special collections, materials which are temporarily in great demand, such as for student projects, or materials added to the collection which are in a new format, e.g. computer software.

xi. There is no limit on the number of items a patron can borrow at one time, with one exception – two items on a subject is the limit for a known school assignment.

d. Reserves

i. Reserves may be placed by patrons either in person, over the phone, or using their account online. Patrons will be notified by phone call or email when the materials are available. There is no charge to the patron for placing a reserve or for interlibrary loan services.

e. Fines

i. Currently, the Argyle Library does not charge fines for overdue materials. However, if an item is lost or damaged, the patron is responsible for replacement costs.

f. Confidentiality

i. As specified in Wisconsin Statutes 43.30, “records of any library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds, including the records of a public library system, indicating the identity of any individual who borrows or uses the library’s documents or other materials, resources or services may not be disclosed except by court order or to persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library or library system, to persons authorized by the individual to inspect such records, or to libraries authorized under subs. (2) and (3).”

ii. The Argyle Public Library adheres strictly to all sections of this Statute regarding the protection of the confidentiality of its users.

IX. Reference Service Policy

a. The Argyle Public Library:

i. Will provide information in the form of short answers to specific questions and guidance in locating material for patrons who appear in person, call on the telephone, or request information through correspondence;

ii. Will assist patrons in the use of the Library and teach basic research methodology, when appropriate (this includes providing help in developing a research strategy and advice on whether a trip to the library would be worthwhile for individuals who telephone);

iii. Will provide bibliographic verification of items both in the Library and not owned by the library and will assist patrons in obtaining materials through interlibrary loan, when appropriate;

iv. May refer library users to other agencies and libraries in pursuit of needed information;

v. May use not only the library’s resources in printed form, but consult appropriate digital resources as well as the regional resource library and other agencies by telephone in pursuit of “ready reference” information.

X. Programming Policy

a. A “program” is a planned interaction between the library staff and the program participants for the purpose of promoting library materials, facilities, or services, as well as offering the community an information, entertaining or cultural experience.

b. Programming includes such activities as story time, films, and activities on no-school days, summer library program for children, speakers for young adults, and book or author discussion groups for adults.

c. The board, in conjunction with the library director, will establish a budget and goals for programming to facilitate the effective implementation of this service.

XI. Public Relations Policy

a. Public relations goals of the Argyle Public Library are:

i. To promote a good understanding of the Library’s objectives and services among governing officials, civic leaders, and the general public;

ii. To promote active participation in the varied services offered by the library to people of all ages.

b. The Board recognizes that public relations involves every person who has connection with the Library. The Board urges its own members and every staff member to realize that he or she represents the library in every public contact. Good service supports good public relations.

c. The director will be expected to make presentations and to participate in community activities to promote library services. A reasonable amount of library time will be allowed for preparation and speaking. Materials to be used by press, radio, or television will be approved by the director.

d. The board will establish a publications budget to cover costs related to printing, publication, supplies, and miscellaneous needs related to the public relations effort.

XIII. Equipment Use Policy

A microcomputer is available to patrons on a first-come, first-served basis. Instructions for operating hardware are displayed near the computer. There is no charge for use of the microcomputer; however, in order to make the service available to as many patrons as possible, a time limit for usage has been imposed. That time limit is ? minutes. Library staff are available for general assistance in using the computer. However, staff are not expected to train patrons in the use of application programs. Tutorial manuals will be provided when available.
A printer is available. Printer paper will cost $ .15 per sheet and must be paid for at the conclusion of the session.
A photocopy machine is available to patrons who wish to copy materials at the rate of $.15 per page.
Copy machine users are advised that there are restrictions on copyrighted materials. Any violation of copyright is the responsibility of the copy machine user.

XIV. Internet Use Policy

The Argyle Public Library endeavors to develop collections, resources and services that meet the informational, recreational and educational needs of Argyle’s diverse community. It is in this context that the Argyle Public Library offers access to the internet.

The Argyle Public Library does not monitor and has no control over the information accessed through the internet and cannot be held responsible for its content. Library patrons use it at their own risk. At the same time, all internet resources available throughout the library are provided equally to all library users, many of whom are children. When the number of patrons exceed the availability of computers, use is limited to 30 minutes.

Therefore, it becomes necessary for every individual using the public internet service at the library to respect the sensibility of other library patrons and the family environment here. There are sexually explicit materials and other information resources which some may find controversial or inappropriate. Parents are encouraged to supervise their children’s internet sessions. All those under the age of 16 who use these services at the library “on their own” must have a consent form on file signed by their parent or guardian.

Patrons with a library card can sign into library-owned computers, using the last four digits of their library card as identification. Guest passes are also available and can be used 5 times before needing to acquire a card.

WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS FOR PATRON-OWNED DEVICES

Wireless internet access is available throughout the library for patrons using their own devices. The name of the wireless network is “library”. No password is required. The security of user information transmitted over the wireless network cannot be guaranteed.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTERNET USE BY MINORS

The library does not filter content on any of its computers. Although the use of the internet within the library by minors is permitted and encouraged, the library cannot guarantee that minors’ internet use will be supervised. Parents & guardians should discuss safe and appropriate internet use with their children. Library staff members’ are happy to help parents find recommended guidelines to share with their children.

PROHIBITED CONTENT

The library does not filter internet content on any of its computers. However for the enjoyment of all library users, the display of certain content within the library is strictly prohibited. This prohibition applies regardless of whether the content appears on library-owned computers or patron-owned devices.

Prohibited content includes, but is not limited to:

·Pornography

·Nudity

·Depictions of graphic violence towards humans and/or animals

·Hate propaganda or speech

·Any materials that may be disturbing to others in the considered opinion library staff

Users of both library-owned computers and patron owned devices will be warned if library staff observe prohibited content. Users who fail to cease accessing prohibited content after staff warning or who do so on multiple occasions will face the loss of privileges as follows:

1^st violation Patron will be asked to leave the building for the day

2^nd violation Patron will be barred from entering the library for 7 days

3^rd violation Patron will be barred from entering the library for 1 year

XIII. Meeting Room Policy. The room is available to individuals or organized groups in the Library service area. Exceptions may be made by the Library Board if the Board deems extenuating circumstances are involved.

b. The fact that a group is permitted to meet at the Library does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the group’s policies or beliefs by the library staff or Board.

c. The room may be reserved no more than ninety days in advance

d. It is understood that library programming will have first priority in room use.

e. There will be no charge for using the meeting room.

f. No admission may be charged by the group.

g. Refreshments may be served and shall be provided by the group.

h. The people using the room shall leave it in a neat, clean, orderly condition; if not the group/individual will be given notice that continued offense will result in denied access to the meeting room.

i. The library is not responsible for any equipment, supplies, materials, clothing, or other items brought to the Library by any group or individual attending a meeting.

j. The library Board and staff do not assume any liability for groups or individuals attending a meeting at the library.

XIII. Disasters Policy

a. Snow storms

i. The library will follow the recommendation and actions of the village between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Closing during other days and hours will be at the discretion of the Library Director.

b. Bomb threats

i. Keep the caller on the line as long as possible. Ask the caller to repeat the message and try to write down every word spoken by the person

ii. If the caller does not indicate the location of the bomb or the time of possible detonation, ASK FOR THIS INFORMATION.

iii. Pay particular attention to peculiar background noises such as motors running, background music, and any other sounds which may indicate the location from which the call is originating.

iv. Listen closely to the voice (male, female), voice quality (calm, excited), accents and speech impediments.

v. Immediately after the caller hangs up, call the police. Clear the building. The police will handle the actual bomb search.

XIV. Review and Revision of Library Policies

The preceding statements of Argyle Public Library’s policies shall be subject to review and need revision at least every five years by the Library Board. Individual policies will be reviewed or added as needed.

XV. Appendices

1. Form: “Statement of Concern About Library Resources”

2. Form: “Internet Use Agreement”

3. “Library Bill of Rights”

4. “Freedom to Read Statement”

1. Argyle Public Library

2. Internet Access Policy

WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS FOR PATRON-OWNED DEVICES

RESPONSIBILITY FOR INTERNET USE BY MINORS

PROHIBITED CONTENT

Prohibited content includes, but is not limited to:

· Pornography

· Nudity

· Depictions of graphic violence towards humans and/or animals

· Hate propaganda or speech

· Any materials that may be disturbing to others in the considered opinion library staff

1st violation Patron will be asked to leave the building for the day

2nd violation Patron will be barred from entering the library for 7 days

3rd violation Patron will be barred from entering the library for 1 year

I have read the above information and agree to follow the policy and guidelines explained above.

Patron Name & date____________________________________________________________

Parent signature required to be on file if patron is under 16)____________________________

Approved by the Argyle Public Library Board of Directors on April 23, 2018

Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 23, 1996.

Although the Articles of the Library Bill of Rights are unambiguous statements of basic principles that should govern the service of all libraries, questions do arise concerning application of these principles to specific library practices. See the documents designated by the Intellectual Freedom Committee as Interpretations of the Library Bill of Rights.

4. The Freedom to Read Statement

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, to distribute lists of “objectionable” books or authors, and to purge libraries. These actions apparently rise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to counter threats to safety or national security, as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be “protected” against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the `. The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it the less able to deal with controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings.

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.

Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it.

Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.

Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.

It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.

No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.

There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.

To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.

It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its author as subversive or dangerous.

The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for others. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.

It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people’s freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to public information.

It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further, democratic societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.

It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a “bad” book is a good one, the answer to a “bad” idea is a good one.

The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader’s purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which the intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.

Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004.

A Joint Statement by:

American Library Association

Association of American Publishers

Subsequently endorsed by:

American Booksellers for Free Expression

The Association of American University Presses

The Children’s Book Council

Freedom to Read Foundation

National Association of College Stores

National Coalition Against Censorship

National Council of Teachers of English

The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression