To Add or Not to Add: An Examination of Self-Censoring Behaviors among School Librarians
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| Title: | To Add or Not to Add: An Examination of Self-Censoring Behaviors among School Librarians |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Jennifer Moore, Alissa Tudor |
| Source: | School Library Research. 2024 27. |
| Availability: | American Association of School Librarians. Available from: American Library Association. 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Tel: 800-545-2433; Web site: http://www.ala.org/aasl/slmr |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 39 |
| Publication Date: | 2024 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research Tests/Questionnaires |
| Descriptors: | School Libraries, Librarians, Library Services, Library Policy, Selection Criteria, Censorship, Academic Freedom, Moral Values, Personal Autonomy |
| ISSN: | 2165-1019 |
| Abstract: | The American Library Association (ALA) reported an "unprecedented" number of book challenges in 2022 (ALA, 2022b), resulting in nationwide media coverage and increased awareness of censorship attempts. However, these numbers represent only censorship attempts from external entities, such as parents and the general public; some librarians engage in censorship themselves in the form of self-censorship. This mixed-methods study examined the extent to which the recent increase in book challenges and bans has influenced the self-censoring behaviors of school librarians when selecting books for their collections and the controversial topics they are most hesitant to include in their library collections. Findings indicate that although the majority had never experienced a challenge, participants expressed increased hesitancy to add books potentially perceived to contain controversial material and that they weighed the effects of controversial subject matter more often in the most recent year compared to previous years. Despite the nationwide increase in challenges, few had revised their collection development policies. Topics and book characteristics they are most hesitant to add to their collections include sexual content, abortion, profanity, and self-harm/suicide. Participants who had not experienced a challenge were less likely than those who had experienced a challenge to purchase materials with potentially controversial topics, particularly books with sexual content or LGBTQIA+ characters. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1455308 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwE0F3_Uh9tAOZ60gInGLTCqAAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDIzOHSA9fjsfzdqggAIBEICBm7Zdv0O2l4bNYLyMmiYGewi0E5qnzPZe226VWhN-x-i9ZYNVgEN_nd6whJewlc05h4gohxSDz0es4pXguvParNlYcc4677v033x0u6iKftem95HANe9VWwDywyWNY0PNy1vETic9sYoWaee3QqumtU1iFv0vrWUySMgUTqvMCUY24ctVQefZjEn9GnvyMee352c8iZdIC22LK4M6 Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1455308 Name: ERIC Full Text Category: fullText Text: Full Text from ERIC |
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| Header | DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1455308 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: To Add or Not to Add: An Examination of Self-Censoring Behaviors among School Librarians – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jennifer+Moore%22">Jennifer Moore</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alissa+Tudor%22">Alissa Tudor</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22School+Library+Research%22"><i>School Library Research</i></searchLink>. 2024 27. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: American Association of School Librarians. Available from: American Library Association. 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611. Tel: 800-545-2433; Web site: http://www.ala.org/aasl/slmr – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 39 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2024 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Libraries%22">School Libraries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Librarians%22">Librarians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Services%22">Library Services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Library+Policy%22">Library Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Selection+Criteria%22">Selection Criteria</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Censorship%22">Censorship</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Academic+Freedom%22">Academic Freedom</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Moral+Values%22">Moral Values</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Personal+Autonomy%22">Personal Autonomy</searchLink> – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 2165-1019 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The American Library Association (ALA) reported an "unprecedented" number of book challenges in 2022 (ALA, 2022b), resulting in nationwide media coverage and increased awareness of censorship attempts. However, these numbers represent only censorship attempts from external entities, such as parents and the general public; some librarians engage in censorship themselves in the form of self-censorship. This mixed-methods study examined the extent to which the recent increase in book challenges and bans has influenced the self-censoring behaviors of school librarians when selecting books for their collections and the controversial topics they are most hesitant to include in their library collections. Findings indicate that although the majority had never experienced a challenge, participants expressed increased hesitancy to add books potentially perceived to contain controversial material and that they weighed the effects of controversial subject matter more often in the most recent year compared to previous years. Despite the nationwide increase in challenges, few had revised their collection development policies. Topics and book characteristics they are most hesitant to add to their collections include sexual content, abortion, profanity, and self-harm/suicide. Participants who had not experienced a challenge were less likely than those who had experienced a challenge to purchase materials with potentially controversial topics, particularly books with sexual content or LGBTQIA+ characters. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2025 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1455308 |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 39 Subjects: – SubjectFull: School Libraries Type: general – SubjectFull: Librarians Type: general – SubjectFull: Library Services Type: general – SubjectFull: Library Policy Type: general – SubjectFull: Selection Criteria Type: general – SubjectFull: Censorship Type: general – SubjectFull: Academic Freedom Type: general – SubjectFull: Moral Values Type: general – SubjectFull: Personal Autonomy Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: To Add or Not to Add: An Examination of Self-Censoring Behaviors among School Librarians Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Jennifer Moore – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Alissa Tudor IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2024 Identifiers: – Type: issn-electronic Value: 2165-1019 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 27 Titles: – TitleFull: School Library Research Type: main |
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