Edit
#critlib 2016-07-26: "offensive" items
Archive of the July 26, 2016 #critlib chat on "offensive" items in the collection, moderated by @zoh_zoh. For more info about #critlib, including past and future chats, visit critlib dot org.
- for those following #critlib chats, I am excited to moderate Tuesday's chat at 6pm Pacific http://critlib.org/twitter-chats/upcoming-twitter-chats/ …
- helpful background reading for Tuesday's #critlib chat: "A Library's Approach to Books That Offend" http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/19/a-librarys-approach-to-books-that-offend/?_r=0 …
- another helpful reading for Tuesday's #critlib chat: "Diversity in Collection Development" http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/diversitycollection …
- & this might be behind a paywall for you, but I highly recommend anything by Emily Knox for Tuesday's #critlib chat http://muse.jhu.edu/article/552025
- Feel free to DM me is you need a copy, #critlib. https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/756614575311556608 …
- How do we deal with "offensive" materials, censorship, & user involvement in #collectiondevelopment? #critlib https://twitter.com/zinelib/status/757601537929670658 …
- #critlib confession in adv of "offensive" items chat: I weeded some 90's Trump / real estate propagandaesq titles this yr #theywereoutofdate
- Introductions
- good evening & welcome to #critlib. let's start with introductions! if you're just joining us, readings etc here: http://critlib.org/offensive-items/ …
- full disclosure: I work with @kevinseeber and it's pretty rad #critlib
- Hi, #critlib! Systems/metadata librarian in NYC. I wanna toss something into the ring about "offensive": https://finenessandaccuracy.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/i-dont-care-if-youre-offended/ …
- Hi #critlib - Lisa, infolit coord at R1 in Illinois. Confessing up front ... also watching the #DemsInPhilly
- Q1. What kinds of materials in your library have offended your users?
- @metageeky That's real. I think it's more likely at my institution to get that kind of challenge than one based on explicit content.
- A2 Vampire romances, that we don't have maps of hell (or heaven, I forget which) #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758106649013780481 …
- A1: Never had materials challenged at one of my libraries?! Instead, had users protest *removal* of materials. #weedingsucks #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian absolutely, I like to read such materials like a sociologist would, only prob is when people see me with the title...#critlib
- Another example of censorship direct action, which is kinda fascist. https://twitter.com/foureyedsoul/status/758108832862130176 …
- Plus, if I recall correctly, it was a non-humanities scholar imposing *~his~* "community" standards #critlib https://twitter.com/zinelib/status/758109360123969536 …
- Q2. What kinds of materials in your library have you & your staff found offensive?
- A2 I also do video cataloging and have to do original records on women's studies videos that were upsetting #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758108448298901504 …
- I try to basically add them as subject headings when cataloging. I'll also mention stuff in linguistics BIs #critlib https://twitter.com/nancyeadams/status/758109440675545088 …
- Can be hard to figure out, also for acad libs maybe diff between undergrad only & research-intensive? #critlib @nancyeadams @Gaymerbrarian
- @rowmyboat to paraphrase if I might, the offensive /rhetoric/ is undistinguished from offensive /content/? #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian how do you mean? #critlib
- @rowmyboat that potentially objectionable materials are objected to basd on prsence of rhetoric not necessarily racist content #critlib
- @rowmyboat A2. Absolutely at FPOW, which had a history as a Bible college. #critlib
- A2 Circ staffperson came across this https://mplus.mnpals.net/vufind/Record/008438427/Description#tabnav … in "Juv" collection & we were concerned. (you can see the recat I did) #critlib
- Impressed by this ex from @aboutness - adding "abuse" to subject headings for book about conversion therapy https://mplus.mnpals.net/vufind/Record/008438427/Description#tabnav … #critlib
- @aboutness beautiful example. this is complicated stuff! #critlib
- No, bad, no. That is horrific. Like seriously harmful. wtf #critlib https://twitter.com/marccold/status/758109309691686912 …
- A2: Found this while shifting a govdocs collection: http://www.worldcat.org/title/oriental-in-minnesota-a-report-to-governor-luther-w-youngdahl-of-minnesota/oclc/49972927 … #critlib
- Yo #critlib - eating dinner, finishing up work and watching #DemsInPhilly so I'll probably be pretty quiet. (academic archivist in Denver).
- A2: people are offended/shocked/intrigued/all of the above by the electric chair replica in our collection #critlib http://minsky.com/choice.htm
- Q3. Is it censorship to relocate/reclassify items?
- A3. I strongly recommend the Emily Knox reading as it relates to this question: http://muse.jhu.edu/article/552025 #critlib
- A3 I think this depends on intent. I often do this to make sthing MORE accessible (update SHs, fresher LCC) #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758111038256533506 …
- A3 #critlib this is the critical juncture for me: how is that accessibility changing and who does it help or harm? https://twitter.com/rowmyboat/status/758111542625828864 …
A3. This part of the Knox reading really resonates with me. #critlib pic.twitter.com/alnVLNyG4u- Not using the word "trigger warning" but using the content as a subject heading. Violence or abuse mostly #critlib https://twitter.com/nancyeadams/status/758111543347257344 …
- Q3 I wrote, way back when, about reclassifying what is basically erotica in YA. https://peopleslibrary.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/librarianing-theory/ … #critlib
- @metageeky If I knew that that was part of the story, yes. (And if I were doing original, which is sadly rare now) #critlib
- I'm really curious if others see this as a form of censorship. This is very similar to the NYT reading #critlib https://twitter.com/montserratlj/status/758112291191558146 …
- #critlib A1 bit of a kerfuffle: Frankenstein exhibit, someone wanted to use real human brains in a display (med lib) https://twitter.com/nancyeadams/status/758112341074538496 …
- @foureyedsoul We re-keyed a whole sub-library because of that #critlib
- @montserratlj my coworkers agreed with me, and we quietly made it disappear. he had retired & didn't ask about it. #critlib
- Anyone know the history of "urban fiction?" #critlib #critlibchat
- @benhimmelfarb The history of it as a genre? People like to put The Coldest Winter Ever as the start of this modern Urban Fiction movement
- Depends on the context. #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758111038256533506 …
- What is information without uninhibited access? #critlib https://twitter.com/LNBel/status/758113256355557376 …
- The larger the library, the more "locations" in which to hide materials, maybe? #critlib https://twitter.com/metageeky/status/758113862797238272 …
- I think this group of students wanted these materials more prominently displayed and more browsable #critlib https://twitter.com/metageeky/status/758113862797238272 …
- A3.2 At college level—all patrons presumed to be adult—that very "specoll" move had very censorship effect #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758112812967133185 …
- #critlib @benhimmelfarb Nope. Met alternative HS librarian who kept it on a locked shelf and circulated only as a reward for good behavior.
- Good gravy, I'd say no. See @justbilley's excellent work on F2659.N4 - https://inevermetadataididntlike.wordpress.com/2016/03/25/every-occurrence-of-n4-in-the-library-of-congress-classification-scheme/ … #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758111038256533506 …
- Keeping books locked up and only circulating for good behavior? *cries* #critlib https://twitter.com/lisahubbell/status/758114187805532160 …
- I think it's censorship if by relocating an item you restrict access to said item. #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758111038256533506 …
- check down the list...someone mentioned harmful health recommdtions, for ex #critlib https://twitter.com/montserratlj/status/758114052274925569 …
- @nancyeadams Although, this could be tricky in academic libraries if you want to keep them for historical/scholarly analysis #critlib
- @montserratlj Not just that we found it offensive, but that it could also help us find items with outdated language. #critlib
- @montserratlj I have coll policy that I will not represent all views in health collections for med education #critlib
- @montserratlj what would #critlib be censoring? (not a challenge, looking to understand more)
- @zoh_zoh @montserratlj YUP definitely restricts access - @99piorg had interesting episode on giftschranks: http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-giftschrank/ … #critlib
- @montserratlj For example I will not collect books treating discredited vaccine/autism or abortion/breast cancer theorize as fact #critlib
- @montserratlj *theories, not theorize #critlib
- Great example of curating for the needs of your users. #critlib https://twitter.com/rachel_w/status/758115228978651136 …
- Hey, #critlib! I'm Callie, a librarian in LA, currently participating in #acrlimm16 in VT, mostly lurking and trying to catch up on work
- @metageeky @nancyeadams what's the saying about Special Collections? Bibles and porn (or something of the like) #critlib
- Wow, great question for tech services folks... #critlib https://twitter.com/metageeky/status/758115802159517696 …
- @metageeky @nancyeadams Maybe, if it aligns with curricular needs. Otherwise the potential harm is too big an ethical risk (for me) #critlib
- I once had a chat patron wondering whether the ncsu bookbot was human-mediated. #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758111038256533506 …
- when 50 shades of grey was popular and a patron told me to pull it from the shelf because #pornography #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758106649013780481 …
- This q is made for spec coll - some libs have WHOLE colls of "offensive" mats-see: Wilcox Coll@kulibraries. #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758106649013780481 …
- Also the @WisHistory with materials many #critlib-bers may find offensive: right wing, libertarian, etc. #Danky4Ever https://twitter.com/kcrowe/status/758115986297925632 …
- @foureyedsoul Agree, although the line is often blurry - more so with history of med materials #critlib
- Q4. How do you empower your users to be directly involved in collection development and maintenance?
- A4 We have liaison programs with faculty. We also POD ILL requests that are new releases. #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758116458937196544 …
- @benhimmelfarb but collections by nature are assembled (they're not numbered Pokemon) so if we're providing context i.e scope notes #critlib
- Thanks for this example. Sounds tricky to keep folks happy! #critlib https://twitter.com/rowmyboat/status/758117025294192640 …
- @kevinseeber wait, really? Intent over impact?? #critlib
- A4: Friends! How do you do this? #pleaseandthankyou #critlib
- @foureyedsoul @rachel_w I say to @kevinseeber at least once a day, "Wouldn't it be boring if our jobs were EASY?" #critlib
- @foureyedsoul thanks! I hope we get it right most of the time, but reasonable ppl could disagree #critlib
- Misuse of spec coll, based solely on that art. Def have stuff in our colls bc of that way of thinking tho #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758116133022994432 …
- it can be interp. that way, @Gaymerbrarian & critical librarianship is realizing that we are ALWAYS biased #critlib https://twitter.com/Gaymerbrarian/status/758117321554718720 …
- Awesomeness in action #critlib https://twitter.com/marccold/status/758117722790236160 …
- @foureyedsoul do students know they can / believe they should ? #critlib
- @foureyedsoul I mean, listening to students is why Rutgers has a recreational reading section in multiple libs, but academically? #critlib
- A4 I love/hate forms. Works for some people but putting names on a form that might ID private info is 😕 #critlib https://twitter.com/kellymce/status/758117932060651520 …
- Love this. Because I love parties. And libraries. LIBRARY PARTY #critlib https://twitter.com/foureyedsoul/status/758118534819958784 …
- @kevinseeber but if the effect on the user is the same...does it matter? No one will know! #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian @schomj There's also the issue that the ILS might capture names without telling the user. #badILSNocookie #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian They certainly seem to believe? Hard to judge though; same form is used for ILL as for purchase. But requests daily. #critlib
- @kevinseeber and what about all the unconscious bias? I'm sure that happens with this stuff, and the *intent* isn't there then. #critlib
- Yes - if it's "hide this stuff" not "protect this valuable, rare thing" ur doin spec coll wrong. #critlib https://twitter.com/kevinseeber/status/758117884518281216 …
- @aboutness But now the budget has been so dramatically cut that we can't do it anymore. #critlib
- We need a "UR DOING IT WRONG" spine label #critlib https://twitter.com/kcrowe/status/758119348011540480 …
- Conclusions
- We invited the head of uni LGBT group to talk and that's one thing she warned about. Even checkout is iffy #critlib https://twitter.com/rachel_w/status/758119299886223360 …
- @kevinseeber I guess my point is, access isn't linear -- different restrictions affect different ppl differently. #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian But I'm not sure how often we get/approve requests for more recreations reading material, now that I think about it. #critlib
- @montserratlj "representing all views" = way easier said than done #critlib
- @montserratlj In fiction, of course. #critlib
- @Gaymerbrarian I've been pondering this since an earlier tweet of yours. Are you thinking it's more "for whom, in what ways"? #critlib
- @foureyedsoul hrm, I can see wherefrom that conclusion. More that the very concept of censorship isn't a straightforward thing #critlib
- @foureyedsoul that "always against it" is oversimplifying and not precisely "am for it", for the sake of slogans #critlib
- A1 Going back to the beginning in reflection: for me there's a big difference between offensive+oppressive #critlib https://twitter.com/zoh_zoh/status/758106649013780481 …
- Stumbled upon #mashcat as a thing while catching up on #critlib posts - @theFordon check it out! https://twitter.com/erinaleach/status/758017709066055680 …
