A Thought Provoking Discussion

Posted October 14, 2022 by Ivy Noonan

*Please note this post discusses book banning*

I recently attended the event “Not in my Library: Challenges to Library Materials and Public Policy” that was hosted by Simmons. It was a thoughtful and discussion provoking talk surrounding a topic I’m sure has been discussed within most SLIS classes. The presenter talked about statistics concerning book banning and the common locations that they take place. They discussed also how the most common The presenter also discussed how book banning has increased in recent years and how books are the most common media restricted.

It was also discussed about what are our jobs as librarians within this issue. The presenter mentioned how ALA now includes a section within their ethics framework that highlights intellectual freedom. As well as another line that shows the ongoing social justice work librarians must do in order to fight against systems of oppression, since we are often confronted with this issue.

As a budding information professional I want to make sure that everyone has access to to the information we want and need. This was a very engaging event and I walked away from it with new ideas and plans for when I encounter this topic in my professional life. I would absolutely recommend attending this type of event should it cross your path.