Uses national guidelines, collection development texts, and the intellectual freedom literature to assess the practical value of the Library Bill of Rights in school library settings. Discussion focuses on invoking the statement as support when dealing with challenges to the collection. Appendixes include the Library Bill of Rights itself and…

Discusses academic library collection-development theory and policy. Suggests that a standard collection of works specific to each discipline (a canon), is a powerful tool because such canons can censor the works that fall outside of the prevailing norms, the hegemony of the discipline. (LRW)

Discusses libraries and issues relating to censorship, social protest, and First Amendment rights. Topics addressed include materials selection based on objective criteria; removing inappropriate material; intellectual freedom; limited versus absolute censorship; and possible errors in selection decisions. (LRW)

Examines aspects of censorship that professional educators do not usually acknowledge--a silent, self-imposed censorship. Asks at what point book selection policy becomes a means to justify rejecting the purchase or provide for the removal of specific titles from the bookshelves. Suggests a solution: a written selection policy at the school and…

Selection policies, library handbooks, and other documents issued by American bible college libraries were examined to see what commitments they have or have not made to intellectual freedom. Many of the libraries were found to have directly addressed censorship matters. Some libraries took strong stands in support of the freedom to read, but…

Discusses the need for written collection policies in learning resources centers as a defense against censorship and as a collection planning device. A model collection policy is reviewed, with emphasis on the sections and wording that bear directly on censorship and intellectual freedom. (8 references) (CLB)

Discusses changes taking place in the library systems of Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Topics reviewed include the influence of Soviet Russian library theory and practices; decentralization of library administration; library finances; library education; library employment; library technology; and censorship and collection policies.…

For many years, there has been pressure on American schools to restrict or deny students access to books or periodicals deemed objectionable by some individual or group on moral, political, religious, ethnic, racial, or philosophical grounds. Censorship of library books in school media centers is present today. The library media specialist is…

Analyzes a 1993 censorship case involving public protest against the Fairfax County (Virginia) Library System's display of a gay newspaper. The case gave rise to the Family Friendly Libraries movement. The responsible librarian should select to maintain a balanced collection, know the community, educate the library board and develop consensus on…

Presents 11 articles that deal with selection skills and collection development in junior and senior high school libraries. Highlights include censorship concerns, selecting corporate-sponsored materials, written selection policies, budget considerations, sample selection and evaluation forms for print and nonprint materials, reference books, and…

Examines questions of censorship based on a study of the novel "American Psycho" and a survey of Canadian public libraries that investigated selection policies and the circulation of controversial titles. Highlights include previous research, Canadian laws regarding freedom of information, role of the chief librarian, and the role of…

Six articles address issues of censorship and sexuality in libraries. Highlights include: surveys of censorship in North Carolina, acceptable use policies for the Internet, perceptions of librarians' sexuality, the proprietary nature of corporate library holdings, contemporary views and interpretation of First Amendment rights, and collection…

This fourth edition of the standard work on library centers addresses the challenges of electronic publishing, and puts issues of collection development into perspective. It provides students and practitioners with a broad understanding of the collection development process. Each chapter has been expanded and updated. The chapters are: (1)…