CLA Challenged Materials & Policies in Canadian Libraries Survey

1. CLA Challenged Materials & Policies in Canadian Libraries Survey 2011 Results and Analysis Donna Bowman and Alvin M Schrader Canadian Library Association, Ottawa June 1, 2012

2. What this talk will cover • A definition & brief discussion of “challenge” vs. banning/removal • The survey as it appeared on Survey Monkey (free version) • Analysis of the 2011 results • Some of the challenged titles & policies

3. ALA’s definition of “challenge” “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. 1997-2012, ALA website http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials

4. Number of challenges that go unreported: • for each challenge reported, 4 or 5 are not reported - ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, “Frequently Challenged Books,” c. 1997-2011, ALA website, http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged • results of a small survey in the U.S. support this estimate (thanks to Angela Maycock, Ass’t. Dir. of ALA’s OIF for this information) • probably very similar or even worse for Canada, due in part to youth of this Survey

5. 2011 CLA Challenged Materials and Policies in Canadian Libraries Survey The Survey Instrument (Survey Monkey free version)

9. http://www.surveymonkey.com/MySurvey_EditorFull.aspx?sm=dgRfmrtcFNGbYfDj7gIJu_2BzV1R/zJgXP4ziEDzHCsvM_3D_0Ahttp://www.surveymonkey.com/MySurvey_EditorFull.aspx?sm=dgRfmrtcFNGbYfDj7gIJu_2BzV1R/zJgXP4ziEDzHCsvM_3D_0A

13. Analysis of 2011 Survey Results Summary

14. Number of challenges to materials & policies in 2011 • Overall number of challenges: 101 • Challenges to materials: 93 • Challenges to 4 series, both book and TV, counted as one challenge per book title/episode in the series or season of the series • Policy challenges: 8

15. For comparison’s sake... • 326 challenges were reported to the ALA OIF in 2011 - ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom, “Frequently challenged books of the 21st century,” c. 1997-2012, ALA website http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/21stcenturychallenged

16. Series challenges • Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, vol. 2: The War Years, starring Sean Patrick Flanery - 9 titles/episodes (DVDs) • His Dark Materials, by Philip Pullman - 3 titles • Love and Rockets, titles by Jaime Hernandez in graphic novel series - 16 titles with JH as author/ illustrator or co-author/co-illustrator • Trial and Retribution – 4 titles/episodes (DVDs of the ITV drama)

17. Most challenged author • Jaime Hernandez, for his work on the graphic novel series, Love and Rockets Cover of Maggie the Mechanic, one of the Love and Rockets titles by Jaime Hernandez

18. Highest number of challenges in one library • 19, in an Ontario public library where the Love and Rockets series and several other items were challenged

19. Challenges by material format Books: 52% DVDs: 34% Magazines/journals: 4% Sound recordings: 3% Newspapers: 0% + Policies: 8%

20. Book challenges by category

21. DVD challenges by category

22. Challenges by type of library Public: 92% K-12 School: 6% Academic: 2% Government: 0% Special: 0%

23. Most frequent reasons for challenges

24. Results of challenges

25. Some of the titles challenged

26. First ever challenge to an entire genre: • “Graphic novels in general” – exemplified by Jaime Hernandez’s titles in the Love and Rocketsseries • Reasons: nudity; sexually explicit; age inappropriate • In our survey, counted as a (collection) policy challenge (In 2008, all “adult-rated” graphic novels were challenged in a public library in Alberta when a patron found her child reading them in the adult section.)

27. Repeat challenges from other years (1) • Now Magazine, a free Toronto current events magazine - only title challenged 2 times in 2011

28. Repeat challenges from other years (2) • Angels in America, movie directed by Mike Nichols and starring Meryl Streep

29. Repeat challenges from other years (3) • Beyond the Dark, a fantasy romance short story collection by Angela Knight, Lora Leigh, Emma Holly, & Diane Whiteside

30. Repeat challenges from other years (4) • Brüno, movie by Sacha Baron Cohen

31. Repeat challenges from other years (5) • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, movie

32. Repeat challenges from other years (6) • His Dark Materialstrilogy, by Philip Pullman

33. Repeat challenges from other years (7) • Rolling Stone magazine

34. Challenged in every survey so far • At least one LGBTQ-positive children’s picture book • In 2011, The Sissy Duckling,by Harvey Fierstein

35. Challenges unique to 2011

36. Picture books (1) • The Story of the Little Mole Who Knew it was None of his Business, by Werner Holzwarth

37. Picture books (2) • Two Dumb Ducks, by Maxwell Eaton

38. Children’s literature (1) • Groovy Girls Sleepover Party #2: Pranks a Lot: The Girls vs. the Boys, by Robin Epstein

39. Children’s literature (2) • Boy O'Boy, by Brian Doyle (children’s novel ages 11-13)

40. Nature of thepolicy challenges

41. Policy of collecting graphic novels • Policy of not labelling materials “restricted” • Policy of not labelling materials for explicit content • Policy of not labelling materials with “explicit content” warning • Policy of not restricting borrowing by age • Policy of allowing those with a children’s card to borrow 18A rated movies or TV shows • Policy of restricting movies rated “restricted” to patrons 18+ • Policy of allowing only 2 of 4 school library computers to have e-book download software

42. Questions?

43. 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 CLA/ACB Intellectual Freedom Advisory Committee

44. 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 continued

45. Challenges by reason 1

46. Challenges by reason 2

47. Challenges by reason 3