Donna Bowman and Alvin Schrader Canadian Library Association National Conference

1. Intellectual Freedom Questioned: Highlights from the Annual Survey of Challenges to Library Resources and Policies in Publicly Funded Canadian Libraries, 2012 Donna Bowman and Alvin Schrader Canadian Library Association National Conference Winnipeg, May 31, 2013

2. Outline of talk • Definitions of “challenge” vs. “banning” • The 2012 CLA Survey on SurveyMonkey • Analysis of the 2012 results • Some challenged titles

3. “Challenge” vs. “banning” • According to the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, “A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others” (ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, “About Banned and Challenged Books,” c. 1997-2013, ALA website http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials ).

4. Challenges going unreported • The ALA OIF also states that “... research suggests that for each challenge reported there are as many as four or five that go unreported” (ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, “Frequently Challenged Books,” c. 1997-2011, ALA website, http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged ) • This is no doubt even worse in this country, given the youth of this Survey, and recent changes to the organization of CLA • Reports down considerably from last year – from 101 to 73 challenges

5. The 2012 Survey on SurveyMonkey

13. Analysis of 2012 results

14. General data • 73 challenges reported • All were in public libraries, though one academic library did report not receiving any challenges • The majority were to DVDs for the first time in the 7 years of the Survey, not to books • The overwhelming majority were challenged by patrons, then parents/guardians, then library staff

15. General data continued • 63 challenges were to materials • 10 to policies, which were often linked to specific titles • Only 1 series challenged this year, a British TV comedy series called Little Britain USA, with 6 episodes • For comparison’s sake, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom reported 464 challenges, only to materials

16. General data continued • Mostly adult titles were challenged, in both books and DVDs • Only 1 General DVD was challenged, for instance • Most challenged DVDs were adult/Rated R, with PG13/14A following • Most challenged books were adult non-fiction • More library staff members challenged various titles in 2012 than before

17. Most challenged author • Jason d’Aquino, for Circus ABC, challenged 3x in same library

18. Things challenged

19. Materials listed but not challenged • Magazine/Journal • Newspaper • Pamphlet/Other ephemera • Government document • Artwork • Photograph/Image • Video game • Software • Online resource • Exhibit/Exhibition • Performance • Speech

20. Books breakdown

21. Film/DVD breakdown

22. Policies challenged • Policy on Internet access for children: unfiltered (challenged several times, counted once) • Policy on R-rated DVD circulation (which implied that they are not circulated to children) • Policy on 14A DVDs – patron wanted an additional label for a DVD labelled 14A (liked to challenge of Fast Food Nation DVD) • Policy on rating DVDs according to Canadian Home Video rating system – linked to 14A rating for DVD Feast of Love • Library policy that allows children to take out adult materials, linked to a trailer for a porn movie on the DVD Raid on Entebbe

23. Policies challenged continued • Library policy that allows children to take out adult materials, linked to parent`s 15-year-old daughter being able to reserve 50 Shades of Grey • Library policy that allows children to take out adult materials, linked to I Love You, Phillip Morris • Youth access policy, linked to challenge to Tintin in the Congo • Policy on rating DVDs according to Canadian Home Video rating system – linked to 14A rating for DVD, lined to challenge of DVD I Love You, Phillip Morris • Policy rating DVDs according to the Ontario Film Board Ratings, linked to challenge of PG-rated movie, Coraline

24. Reasons for challenges

25. Reasons for challenges cont’d

26. Reasons not selected in challenges • Anti-family • Occult • Satanism • Abortion • Drugs/drug use • Suicide • Does not support curriculum

27. Challengers

28. Types of challengers not selected • Postsecondary student • School administrator • Superintendent • Teacher • Library administrator • Library board trustee • Elected official • Religious organization • Interest group • Other

29. Libraries’ responses

30. Responses not selected • Material restricted • Policy revised • Policy dropped

31. DVDs, books, and comics/manga/graphic novels Some challenged titles

32. Whole collection • For second year in a row, a whole collection was challenged • One Ontario public library received a challenge to all “Adult DVDs that contain graphic horror and adult images” • Patron wanted them moved from near the Circulation desk, as being in view of children • All adult DVDs were displayed so that they did not face the Circulation desk

33. Not challenged for first time • No picture book having LGBTQ content was challenged this past year • Every other year of the Survey has seen at least one • However, DVD I Love You, Phillip Morris was challenged this year for homosexuality

34. From previous years • DVD Hobo with a Shotgun, starring RutgerHauer

35. From previous years, cont’d • Tintin in the Congo, by Herge

36. Most challenged DVD • Goat Story, rated PG 13 • Challenged 4 times

37. Muslim content • Three titles were challenged due to racism, religious viewpoint • Book: The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades, by Robert Spencer • Two DVDs: Lost Book Of Nostradamus [History Channel, 2008], and Nostradamus 2012 [2009, A&E HOME VIDEO, History Television]

38. Some adult books challenged • Full frontal nudity : the making of an accidental actor, by Harry Hamlin

39. Adult books cont’d • Fifty Shades of Grey, by E.L. James

40. Some kids’ books challenged • Cool Pro-Wrestling Facts by Angie Peterson Kaelberer • G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,by Donald Capone

41. Kids’ books cont’d • Amazing You! Getting Smart About Your Private Parts by Dr. Gail Saltz, illustrated by Lynne Cravath

42. Some other challenged DVDs • That Touch of Mink, starring Cary Grant and Doris Day

43. Challenged DVDs cont’d • Woman, directed by Lucky McKee (2011)

44. Only challenged series this year • Little Britain USA, a part of the Little Britain series

45. For the first time ever… • A challenge to a trailer on a DVD! • Trailer was on DVD of Raid on Entebbe, a classic • Reasons: [Sexually explicit], [Violence], [Age inappropriate]

46. And the most bizarre challenge goes to... • Luminaria, by Jackie Morris

47. Questions?

48. CLA/ACB Intellectual Freedom Advisory Committee • To advise Executive Council with respect to • - the status of IF in Canada, including pending legislation • - the need for media statements re IF issues especially affecting libraries & the information professions • - the content of the IF Position Statement & the Code of Ethics • To promote & actively encourage IF as a prime responsibility of the library profession in Canada. • To gather & disseminate Canadian information about IF violations & censorship

49. continued • To gather & disseminate Canadian information about IF threats, such as new legislation • To maintain effective liaison with other IF-related organizations & groups in Canada & around the world • To provide moral support to a librarian, library, or other individual or group - such as teacher or publisher - threatened by a censorship attack or other IF violation , & recommend monetary support from CLA/ACB • To promote awareness about the Award for the Advancement of Intellectual Freedom in Canada & to administer it annually • To collaborate with any Networks related to IF issues