School libraries are no longer solely repositories for the information that has traditionally been published in books. School library professionals are providing education and access to information in many different formats and technologies. The role of the school librarian is much more than just literacy; it is about visibility, culture, and…

Selection policies are practical tools used by school librarians to guide them in their collection development plans. This investigation into district-level selection policies examined policies from 80 school districts across the United States. The policies were examined to determine the status of selection policies in school libraries and if the…

Libraries still stand as a source of knowledge that can guide us to make informed decisions through the use of credible sources. A balanced collection that provides access to all points of view empowers a community to use information responsibly and make decisions independently. Intellectual freedom and equity of access are still important issues…

School librarians regularly face difficult intellectual freedom questions. Is it a good idea to put grade- or reading-level labels on the outside of books or use labels to determine what students should read? Do children have First Amendment rights? The ALA "Intellectual Freedom Manual" provides answers and guidance. The…

School librarians often wonder whether school superintendents and school board members understand and support intellectual freedom for students in K-12 schools. In this article, an administrator and a school board member discuss their thoughts and the actions they took to support access to information in the face of formal challenges to school…

What do school librarians fear most? Hands down, their biggest fear is a formal challenge to a resource in the school library. There are no accurate statistics about the number of challenges to school library resources. The staff of ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom estimates that only about 20 percent are reported to ALA annually. For the…

The article is divided into three sections. The main section, "Filtering beyond CIPA: Consequences of and Alternatives to Overfiltering in Schools" (Kristen Batch) describes factors that contribute to the overimplementation of CIPA. Internet filtering is a routine practice in public schools and libraries. The Children's Internet…

This article talks about selection policy and provides suggestions on how library media specialists can update their selection policies to provide an atmosphere that facilitate inquiry. The selection policy is meant to ensure that the collection meets the needs of the school community as comprehensively and effectively as possible. Instead of…

Access to information is an essential art of the educational system. The reality is, however, that there are laws and policies in effect that can restrict what information is available to students and teachers in K-12 schools. Selection policies, Acceptable Use Policies, Circulation Policies, as well as federal laws and acts, all place…

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…

Reviews the literature in library and information science to identify factors that influence the outcome of challenges to school library materials. A conceptual model is developed that encompasses district selection policy, librarian characteristics, school environment, community environment, and initiator of the challenge, and tentative…

Discusses how to, or whether to, limit access to objectionable material available through the Internet in public and school libraries. Topics include the American Library Association's position; intellectual freedom; filters; personal responsibility; parental responsibility; censorship; creating choices; and policies and staff training to help…

This book discusses censorship as it affects schools and school library media centers. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 describes who and why some people and organizations object so strongly to some school materials, as well as those organizations that support intellectual freedom. Chapter 3 provides a historical perspective on censorship…

Discusses issues of censorship and intellectual freedom that affect library media specialists and librarians. An annotated list of relevant resource materials is included, and suggestions for further action are given, including examining the library's material selection policy statement and involving students and teachers. (LRW)

This manual discusses the issue of intellectual freedom as it pertains to library policy and practice and offers guidelines for ensuring the right to read. It is intended for the public librarian or school library media specialist who needs to develop new policies or update existing policies. The book is divided into 10 chapters. Chapter 1 looks…