Intellectual Freedom and the Collection Development Process

Shauna Bailey

 

Reference:

 

Costello, L. (2020). Survey Applies Public Collection Development Librarians’ Support for Intellectual Freedom to Collection Process. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 15(1), 245–247. https://doi.org/10.18438/eblip29686

 

 

Summary: 

This study used an online survey to explore how 645 Midwestern public librarians’ attitudes around intellectual freedom and demographics influenced decisions concerning collection development. Intellectual freedom around the management of collections was the focus of the survey. It was found that the participants used many tools in the selection of collection materials. Just less than half indicated their library had a policy to assess collection balance, while just over half indicated their libraries did not have a policy in place to ensure a balanced collection. Almost ¾ of respondents felt local communities should influence collection development. Communities' political leanings did not have an impact on participants’ alignment with the intellectual freedom stance of the American Library Association (ALA), though holding an MLS degree did significantly affect respondents' stance and alignment with the ALA. Almost ¾ of the participants felt that collection development should be influenced by the government library funding leadership. A small number of respondents encountered pressure from their coworkers or communities to either purchase or restrict collection materials. Interestingly, almost 40% of respondents felt torn between their professional views on intellectual freedom and their personal values, though, there was support for intellectual freedom and alignment with the principles of the ALA in general.

 Evaluation:

 This article focuses on the implications of intellectual freedom around collection development in public libraries. I found it interesting that most of the participants indicated that their libraries did not have a collection development process in place to ensure a balanced collection. This article suggests collection development without a structured plan will stray off course, something we have also been learning in INFO 266. This article highlights public collection development librarians and their efforts to follow the guidance of the ALA intellectual freedom standards. Continued education for information professionals around intellectual freedom, and the importance of developing guidelines and policies to ensure a balanced collection development process cannot be stressed enough. Maintaining balanced collections, developed while following the principles of intellectual freedom, will ensure that public libraries remain vibrant, inclusive spaces for the communities that they serve.

ALA's Web Resources and Wiki

ALA. (2019, June 26). Resources for Library Collections. Retrieved May 10, 2020, from http://www.ala.org/alcts/resources/collect

§  ALA’s collection development resources published on their website

o   Dated but useful

§  Most recent articles appear to be 2015

o   Challenging librarians to assume more risk

§ http://www.ala.org/alcts/sites/ala.org.alcts/files/content/resources/papers/risk_ogburn.pdf

§  Challenges libraries to assume more risk to keep up with tech and connect with patrons

ALA. (2014, August 6). Collection Development Wiki. Retrieved May 10, 2020, from https://wikis.ala.org/professionaltips/index.php?title=Collection_Development

§  ALA wiki with resources on collection development

§  Once again dated, but a great web 2.0 idea

§  Useful resources and links still here

o   General Guidelines

o   Collection Development Policy Examples

o   Tips on collaboration with community

o   Tips on ciriculum development

o   Guideline for reference collections

I wanted to share these resources as I found it very interesting the way that ALA is handling sharing information on this subject. The first thing of note, is there are a plethora of useful resources here for all level of collection development. The second thing I like about these resources is the choice to hare these online, and create a Web2.0 functional wiki page to encourage collaboration from librarians in sharing what they know about the subject. This is where the good aspects of this service end, as both of these resources have not been updated for the last five years or so. Something I see too often in every industry, an overzealous attempt to create social media accounts, websites, or Web2.0 features, and then let them die from some combination of a lack of regular updates and content, a lack of marketing, or someone leaving and having he account go dark. I wanted to share these resources as there is good stuff here, but also as a warning on how not to handle collaborative content like this.

"Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff" -- Keep this handy!

Snow, Elizabeth (Betsy)

"Teen Services Competencies for Library Staff", American Library Association, March 1, 2010.

http://www.ala.org/yalsa/guidelines/yacompetencies (Accessed November 27, 2018)

Document ID: 622a3066-43b3-d3e4-a9a8-fdd45987d59e

Summary:
The competencies for teen services are very helpful for librarians to understand what teens need in a public library setting, but are also a cogent justification for high school teacher librarians as they plan. From finding ways to engage youth and their families along with the community to reflecting teens and their interests, this article includes handy printouts to post in your space or to give to administrators.

Evaluation:
The standout competencies are "Equity of Acess" and "Continuous Learning" as our role in teen lives cannot be underestimated. Librarians are often the frontline to providing services and outreach, academic or otherwise. Teachers can get bogged down by classroom logistics and this serves as a holistic approach to teen education.

Downloads are here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/zo306yughdta5xr/Screenshot%202018-11-27%2011.31.32.png?dl=0

Outstanding Books for the College Bound and School Libraries

Amy Jessica McMillan

INFO 266

April 24, 2016

Dando, P. (2011). Outstanding books in school libraries. Carstensen, A. (Ed.). In Outstanding books for the college bound: Titles and programs for a new generation (pp. 21 - 28). Chicago, IL, USA: ALA Editions. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com

While many public and school librarians are acquainted with the Young Adult Library Association's online list Outstanding Books for the College Bound, they may not know there is a book by the same title. The book version expands on what is available online by describing how librarians can use the Outstanding Books list in different library settings, including public, academic and school libraries. In the chapter "Outstanding Books for School Libraries," Dando gives an overview for why school librarians should use this list when considering what to stock on their shelves. According to Dando, the Outstanding Book list helps librarians find the perfect match between "classics, YA literature, and resources to support the curriculum" (p. 21). She also gives advice for how to incorporate the list into a school library program through summer reading, curriculum connections, and teacher or classroom collaborations. There are sections about marketing the Outstanding Books list, which books are best for book talks, and which to use with book clubs.

From what I read, the Outstanding Book list is perfect for high school readers who want to challenge themselves and widen their interests. For those who work with junior high students, there are still many titles appropriate for early adolescent readers. The ones that jump out to me from the English list are The Curious Incident of the Dog at Nighttime by Mark Haddon and The Book Thief by Mark Zusak. I recommend that junior high school librarians do a little more research on the titles before providing a revised Outstanding Book list to their patrons. Still, Outstanding Books could help all educators interested in vertical articulation between grade levels because it provides clues as to what students will be expected to read in high school and beyond. In fact, I liked this list so much I added the following titles to my own Goodreads "want to read" list: Bill Bryson's Shakespeare: The World as a Stage; an anthology of literature titled Rotten English, edited by Dora Ahmand; and Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design by Deborah Nadoolman Landis. If Outstanding Books made me want to stretch myself as a reader, I imagine it will inspire younger readers in the same way.

As an English teacher (and aspiring school librarian), I generally like to have students read whatever they want, provided they read widely and consistently. However, I agree with Dando when she says, "...teachers have an obligation to ensure that the reading relates to their curriculum and is substantial enough to merit study and analysis" (p. 221). The lists and annotations provide by Outstanding Books for the College Bound does just that. I not only recommend this book, but I think it a must-have for all librarians who work with young adults.

Preserving Cultural Heritage: Considerations for Librarians & Information Professionals

Unger, Amy

Roy, L. l. (2015). Indigenous cultural heritage preservation. IFLA Journal, 41(3), 192-203.

Summary:

Author, Loriene Roy, is herself a member of the White Earth Reservation, a member of the Minnesota (USA) Chipewa Tribe; she is Anishinabe.  Her experience as an Indigenous person contributes to her literature review of  Indigenous cultural heritage preservation, as does her position as faculty at the University of Texas at Austin, USA.  Her review provides summary of the current literature (found to be "still rather sparse and underdeveloped"), albeit still emerging in the field of Library & Information Science, regarding preservation of cultural heritage, as well as statements of the library professional's place in such work; how to attain guidance (such as from IFLA, the International Federation of Library Associations); policy documents that are adhered to; and research methodologies/theory.  
Regarding collection development, libraries (as information settings) are recognized as connected to the preservation of cultural heritage from several vantage points:

1. They collect (and house) cultural heritage in its many formats, e.g. print, media, and digital.
2. They create and organize records of cultural heritage, i.e. through the processes of cataloging and classification.
3. They assist and shape a user's understanding of a cultural heritage by providing access to records through specific policies, e.g. employing digitization).
4. They provide location for cultural heritage to be expressed.

Perhaps most interesting is the recognition, noted through review of "Access and control of Indigenous knowledge in libraries and archives: Ownership and future use" (Anderson, 2005) in Correcting Course: Rebalancing copyright for libraries in the national and international arena, out of Columbia University, in light of the paradigm shift occurring in libraries: power is being gained by the people as their voices become heard through the library.  What will this mean for people whom have traditionally been subjected to archives, as they now/soon become able to "gain a recognized voice and question not only status within the archive, but the authority of the archive as a centre of interpretation" (Roy, 2015:193).

It is recommended that an adoption of non-western research methodologies is likely necessary for future successes in preserving cultural heritage; there is a concept of the Cultural Interface - written about by M. Nakata (2002) in IFLA Journal 28(5/6): 281-289 - which is constantly negotiated by Indigenous peoples: the place where their Indigenous lifeways and western viewpoints come together" (Roy, 2015: 197).  And yet, barriers that lie in the means for access to digitization/money/reliable and affordable technologies are as much of concern as the development of sensitivities regarding this work.

The author points to several free online resources that primarily highlight children's and youth collection pieces (this also leads to understanding of the absence in publications of the needs of adult library patrons, and is part of the impetus that led to the US campaign, "We Need Diverse Books" in 2015).  Among the resources are two through the ALA (American Library Association) website, i.e. the TRAILS (2008) notebook, and the Guide to Building Support for Your Tribal Library Toolkit.  One of IFLA's key publications on cultural heritage, the IFLA Disaster Preparedness and Planning manual, is also available for free online.

Roy concludes the literature review with recommendations for further work in preparing librarians to, essentially, be more culturally competent, and prepared - through acquiring knowledge of the specific techniques and processes involved in cultural heritage - for when the Indigenous communities reach out to libraries, archives, and museums "as settings with staff knowledgeable in cultural preservation" (Roy, 2015: 199).

Evaluation:

In addition to my affinity for library experiences of my past, I also look to the future through this reading.  Experiences of my past include visits to exhibits such as that of the State Indian Museum in Sacramento, CA and the Yosemite Museum, which:

has displays that interpret the cultural history of Yosemite's native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 to the present. Demonstrations of basket-weaving, beadwork, and traditional games are presented. The reconstructed Indian Village of Ahwahnee behind the museum is always open. The art gallery is open periodically and often exhibits pieces from the Yosemite Museum collection.

It is my humble opinion that through explorations such as this, about the care-taking of cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples, I may become a better librarian in service of any, and all, people in the local community that I may serve.  Nonetheless, it is fun, too, to imagine myself as still possibly able to connect with such valuable work as archiving and curating in the second half of my career.  I find it inspiring any time that I see such works going on in public, K-12, special, or academic libraries.  I look forward to this including more of a community's local peoples, and not just authors of published books.