The Question of "Questionable" Subjects

Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash

Every library is different- they are set up differently and usually in the ways that best reflect their communities' needs with sections for Youth, Adult, and Non-Fiction.  Inside the doors, the shelves are laid out in the manner thought best by the local powers that be for flow, ease of use, and that important library thing- organization.  But, whatever their layout, some things remain the same.  Mainly, that Libraries are there for everyone, and need to offer multiple perspectives, ideas, and subjects for books.  This inclusivity and diversity is why people off the street can wander in and find something that appeals to them- regardless of their backgrounds.

This diversity of subject, however, can lead to questions.  This is where we talk about the big bad C word- CENSORSHIP.  As long as there have been things to read and write or look at, humankind has found things they disagree with, and sought to censor them- and keep them from the eyes of the innocent (children & women, typically).  Libraries, far from being immune to this, are quite aware of the issue- and, “In 2019, at least 377 challenges were filed seeking to remove 566 books from libraries, schools and universities,” according to CNN and the ALA (2020).  This does not stop libraries or librarians from choosing important, interesting, and diverse books and media for their shelves.  Books that are most frequently banned or challenged are those with “questionable” subject matter.  These “questionable” subjects are 8 out of 10 times, due to the LGBTQIA+ character(s) or identities in the book. The American Library Association notes that, “Failing to provide these resources in ways that can be easily used by vulnerable populations are forms of censorship and discrimination,” (Professional Tools, 2008).

But what should a librarian do if the question was not getting rid of these “questionable” titles- but simply relocating them- giving them their own section so that they were kept separate from the main collection? 

In my library, I would resist moving items or separating them from the rest of the collection for a few reasons:

1.     Segregating titles can lead to patron judgement of other readers, or keep people from accessing certain titles because they fear embarrassment or judgement of their choices.  It is not our place as librarians to place judgement on what people read.  Indeed, people should be free from any pressure as to what or how they read, and the focus should be instead on connecting them with whatever they ask for. 

2.     The deciding factor on what constitutes a “questionable book” is very open to interpretation.  Would only LGBTQIA+ books be moved?  And what puts a book into this category?  Does a secondary gay character give cause for a book to be moved to the special section?  The potential for this open question could lead to a variety of books being miscategorized for small unimportant details.

3.     Who makes these decisions?  Does the librarian decide what is questionable enough to be removed, or are only items that are challenged removed?  This leads to the potential for personal prejudice and bias to impact the library and its collection.

Some people might argue that if all the books in a library were separated by subject matter then it would lead to a different sort of “fairness.”  While I understand the argument, separating books by subject matter has several issues as well: 

1.     Breaking apart books by subject matter can isolate patrons to only certain sections of the library based on their preferences that means they may not stumble across different books or authors than what they typically read.  This could lead to dissatisfaction and lower levels of reading overall.

2.     With the current trends in writing, dividing books by subject and/or genre is a VERY complicated undertaking- particularly in fiction where books can fit multiple subjects.  This would lead overall to confusion for patrons and librarians and provide little user-friendly ability to self-navigate in the stacks.  

Certainly, there are libraries that have chosen, for one reason or another, to segregate their collection, such as the Orange City Public Library in Iowa.  However, I feel that the negatives outweigh the positives in this instance, and that sticking up for all of our patrons means providing the same consideration and care to each title, subject matter, and placement of items in a library’s collection.  

References:

Associated Press. (2018, March 21). Orange City library to change how materials are grouped after complaints on LGBTQ content. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2018/03/21/library-change-lgbtq-content-grouping-change-orange-city-iowa/445970002/

Elassar, A. (2020, April 21). 8 of last year's 10 most challenged books had one thing in common: LGBTQ content. Retrieved April 24, 2020, from https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/us/top-challenged-books-2019-lgbtq-trnd/index.html

"Professional Tools", American Library Association, August 16, 2008. http://www.ala.org/rt/rrt/tools  (Accessed April 25, 2020) Document ID: 7901c0ac-27e6-44d4-6523-79074df908b3