Library Policies

(Approved by the Library Board on 9/20/2023)

The mission of the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library is to provide quality materials and services which fulfill educational, informational, cultural, and recreational needs of the entire community in an atmosphere that is welcoming, respectful, and efficient.

Our Mission Statement is: Bayfield Carnegie Library: A Compass for Curious Minds

The general goals of the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library are:

Link to this policy

(Policy approved by Library Board on 9/20/2023)

It is a patron’s responsibility to maintain necessary and proper standards of behavior to protect their individual rights and the rights and privileges of other patrons. The Bayfield Carnegie Public Library supports the rights of individuals to:

• Use the library without discrimination
• Receive friendly, courteous and respectful service
• Have free and equal access to information
• Use the library without a threat to privacy

Who May Use the Library

A. The library will serve all residents of the community and the library’s service area. Service will not be denied or abridged because of religious, racial, social, economic, or political status; or because of mental, emotional, or physical condition; age; gender; or sexual orientation.

B. Library materials may be freely checked out if the patron possesses a valid Bayfield Carnegie Library or Northern Waters Library member library card and is in good standing.

C. The use of the library may be denied for due cause. Such causes may include, but are not limited to, failure to return library materials or to pay fines and fees, destruction of library property, disturbance of other patrons, or any other illegal, disruptive, or objectionable conduct on library premises.

Who May Get a Library Card

A library card is available to any area resident age six or older. Children under 16 require a parent or guardian’s signature to obtain a card.

If a person loses their library card, they should notify the library as soon as possible and request a replacement. It is encouraged that all patrons bring their library card with them if they intend to check out items.

A short-term visitor card is available with proper photo identification and contact information.

Unaccompanied Minors

The Bayfield Carnegie Public Library encourages visits by young children, and it is our desire to make this important visit both memorable and enjoyable for the child. However, library staff will not assume responsibility for the care of unsupervised children in the library.

Therefore, it is library policy that all children under the age of six must be accompanied by a parent or designated responsible person while in the library. Also, if the young child is attending a library program, we require the parent/responsible person to remain in the library throughout the program.

Youth Behavior

Children of all ages are encouraged to use the library for homework, recreational reading, and program attendance. Library staff realizes that the library will be noisier at busy times and that children by nature are active. However, children (whether with parents or not) who are being continually disruptive will be given a warning that they must settle down or will be asked to leave the library. If after a second warning the child continues to be disruptive, they will be asked to leave the library. If the child needs to contact a parent, they may do so and then wait with a staff person until the parent arrives.

Adult/ Young Adult Behavior

Patrons of the Bayfield Carnegie Library Public Library have the right to use library materials and services without being unduly disturbed or impeded by other library users, and both patrons and staff have the right to a secure and congenial environment. If a patron creates a public nuisance, that patron may be restricted from the library and from the use of the library facilities. Those who are unwilling to leave or do not leave within a reasonable amount of time, after being instructed to do so by the staff, will be subject to law enforcement involvement.

1. Any behavior that disrupts or hinders public use of the library is prohibited on library property. This includes, but is not limited to, loud or boisterous behavior, verbal or physical harassment, running, and fighting.
2. Seating at library tables and chairs is limited to the number of persons for whom the furniture was designed. Sitting on tables is not allowed.
3. Smoking, chewing tobacco, and vaping are not permitted in the library.
4. Food and beverages are not allowed at the computer terminals.
5. Bicycles are not permitted in any library public area or entryway. Bicycles must be parked in a bike rack when available. Roller-skating and skateboarding are not permitted in the library or its entryway. Wagons and strollers may not be left obstructing a corridor, hallway, aisle, entry, or exit.
6. Selling non-library related products or services, or soliciting donations is not permitted in the library unless authorized by the Library Director.
7. Taking surveys, circulating petitions, distributing leaflets, and other similar activities are permitted in the library only when authorized by the Library Director.
8. Service animals are permitted in the library. All other animals are not permitted except as part of a library-sponsored program. Animals may not be left unattended outside on library property.
9. Parents or other legal guardians are responsible for the behavior of their minor children on library property.
10. The violation of federal or state laws or local ordinances will not be permitted on library property. Theft, vandalism, and mutilation of library property are criminal offenses and may be prosecuted.
11. Consumption of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs is not permitted on library property. Exceptions may be made for a library-sponsored program authorized by the Library Director.
12. Patrons may silently use cell phones, but not take or make voice calls.
13. Library telephones should not be considered for personal calls.
14. Up to two people may use a computer station simultaneously.
15. Sleeping on the library premises is not permitted.
16. Patrons whose bodily hygiene is offensive to constitute a nuisance to other persons shall be required to leave the building.
17. Modifications to library property and space, including moving furniture and shelving, and changing illumination may not be done without the consent of library staff.
18. Personal items left unattended on the library premises may be removed if they appear to be abandoned.
19. Failure to comply with these rules may result in the loss of library use privileges on a temporary or permanent basis.

Link to this policy

(Policy approved by Library Board on 10/18/2023)

Confidentiality of Library Records

Under Wisconsin Statutes Section 43.30, library records that indicate the identity of any individual who borrows or uses a library’s documents or other materials, resources or services may only be disclosed:

• With written consent of the library user
• By court order
• To the custodial parent or guardian of a child who is under the age of 16 who requests such library records
• To persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library
• Under certain circumstances, to other libraries for interlibrary loan purposes.

Confidentiality Statement

The Bayfield Carnegie Public Library protects the privacy of library records and the confidentiality of library users of services and materials by relevant laws. In addition, the Library Board supports the principle of freedom of inquiry for library users and protects against the unwarranted invasion of the personal privacy of library users.

Therefore, the following information will not be disclosed:

• A patron’s name, address, telephone number, email address, or any other personally identifiable information.
• A patron’s borrowing record and its contents
• The number and character of questions asked by a patron
• The frequency or content of a patron’s lawful visits to the library
• The information supplied to a patron.

The library’s circulation records, and their contents, will not be released without presentation of a court order unless the cardholder provides written consent to library personnel (Wis. Stats. 43.30).

As specified in Wisconsin Statutes Section 43.30, “records of any library which is in whole or in part supported by public funds, including the records of a public library system, indicating the identity of any individual who borrows or uses the library’s documents or other materials, resources or services may not be disclosed except by court order or to persons acting within the scope of their duties in the administration of the library or library system, to persons authorized by the individual to inspect such records, or to libraries authorized under subs. (2) and (3).”

The Bayfield Carnegie Public Library adheres strictly to all sections of this Statute regarding the protection of the confidentiality of its users.

Link to this policy

(Policy approved by Library Board on 09/20/2023)

Objectives

The purpose of the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library is to provide all individuals in the community with carefully selected books and other materials to aid the individual in the pursuit of education, information, research, pleasure, and the creative use of leisure time.

The Library Director and the Board of Trustees believe that a well-rounded collection should include diverse voices and experiences. This policy has been developed to support the mission statement of the library.

Because of the volume of publishing, as well as the limitations of budget and space, the library must have a selection policy with which to meet community interests and needs. The Collection Development Policy is used by the Library Director and staff in the selection of materials and serves to acquaint the general public with the principles of selection.

The First Amendment of the Constitution, The Library Bill of Rights, and The Freedom to Read Statement have been endorsed by the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees and are integral parts of the policy. They are printed in the Appendix.

The Collection Development Policy, like all other policies, will be reviewed and/or revised as the need arises.

Responsibility for Selection

The ultimate responsibility for selection of library materials rests with the Library Director who operates within the framework of the policies determined by the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library Board of Trustees. This responsibility may be shared with other members of the library staff; however, because the director must be available to answer to the library board and the general public for actual selections made, the director has the authority to reject or select any item contrary to the recommendations of the staff.

 Criteria Used for Selection 

The points considered in the selection of materials are:

• Individual merit of each item

• Popular appeal

• Suitability for clientele

• Availability of funding

• Existing library holdings

• Availability of shelf space

• Diversity

Sources used in seeking information about new material include but are not limited to:

• NY Times Best Seller lists

• Baker & Taylor and Ingram catalogs

• Online book distributors

• Staff and patron suggestions

• Annual awards summaries

• CCBC Book List

• Goodreads.com

• Booklist magazine of the ALA

The lack of a review or an unfavorable review shall not be the sole reason for rejecting a title that is in demand. Materials are judged on the basis of work as a whole and not on a part taken out of context.

Interlibrary Loan

Because of limited budget and space, the library cannot provide all materials that are requested. Therefore, interlibrary loan is used to obtain from other libraries those materials that are beyond the scope of this library’s collection.

In return for utilizing interlibrary loan to satisfy the needs of our patrons, the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library agrees to lend its materials to other libraries through the same interlibrary loan network, and to make an effort to have its current holdings listed in a tool that is accessible by other libraries across the state. 

To participate in the interlibrary loan services, the patron must comply with the following conditions:

• Have a valid Bayfield Carnegie Library or Northern Waters Library card, with current information

• Have no outstanding fees for lost or damaged items

• Adhere to the conditions and due dates set forth by the lending library

• Understand that renewals are on a case by case basis and must be requested within the ILL system by the librarian

Gifts and Donations

The library accepts gifts of books and other materials with the understanding that they will be added to the collection only if appropriate and needed. If they are not needed because of duplication, condition, or dated information the director can dispose of them as they see fit. The same criteria of selection which are applied to purchased materials are applied to gifts. Memorial gifts of books or money are also accepted with suitable bookplates placed in the book at the patron’s request. Specific memorial books can be ordered for the library on request of a patron if the request meets the criteria established by the Board. It is desirable for gifts of or for specific titles to be offered after consultation with the library director. Book selection will be made by the director if no specific book is requested. The Bayfield Carnegie Public Library encourages and appreciates gifts and donations.

By law, the library is not allowed to appraise the value of donated materials, though it can provide an acknowledgment of receipt of the items if requested by the donor.

Weeding

An up-to-date, attractive and useful collection is maintained through a continual withdrawal and replacement process. Replacement of worn volumes is dependent upon current demand, usefulness, more recent acquisitions, availability of space, and availability of newer editions.

This ongoing process of weeding is the responsibility of the Library Director and/or staff members under the supervision of the director, and is authorized by the Board of Trustees. Withdrawn materials will be handled in a similar manner and under the same authority as donated materials.

Statement of Concern

The Bayfield Carnegie Library Public Library assures free access to both physical and virtual programs and materials that reflect diverse community interests and multiple points of view. Library users are free to select or reject materials and programs for themselves. Responsibility for the material read by children rests with their parents or legal guardians. Selection of library materials will not be inhibited by the possibility that materials may come into the possession of children.

Library users may express concerns to the staff about library programs and materials in the library collection. Library staff will attempt to resolve concerns as they occur.

If requested, staff will proceed with a formal process by giving the concerned individual a Statement of Concern form. Completed Statement of Concern forms are submitted to the Library Director for review. The director will investigate statements of concern from individuals who are both Bayfield Carnegie Public Library cardholders and members of the Bayfield Library service area.

The Library Director reviews the Statement of Concern form, then contacts the individual with a proposed resolution. If the situation remains unresolved, it may be appealed to the Library Board. Library board decisions are final.

The Bayfield Carnegie Public Library does not withdraw or restrict access to materials or cancel programs without following the Statement of Concern process.

Click here to download/print Statement of Concern

Link to this policy

(Policy approved by the Library Board on 10/18/2023)

Registration

All borrowers must be registered and must have a valid patron card to borrow library materials.

Patrons must fill out an application form to register for a new library card. Identification is required. A driver’s license is preferred; however, any other official ID or recent non-personal piece of mail may be acceptable.

Applicants under 16 years of age must have a parent or guardian give their consent on the application form before a new card can be issued. This parental signature is not required for children who are renewing cards.

Materials cannot be checked out until a library card is issued.

All library cards expire after one year. To renew a library card, patrons must come into the library  and make sure all information is current. The patron should clear all outstanding fines and bills.

If a patron loses their library card, they should notify the library as soon as possible and request a replacement.

Circulation of materials

Loan periods are as follows:

• 2 weeks for DVDs

• 4 weeks for new adult/young adult books

• 4 weeks for children’s books

• 2 weeks for hand puppets

• 2 weeks for music CDs

• 2 weeks for audio recordings

• 2 weeks for periodicals (current periodicals do not circulate)

Generally, reference does not circulate. Upon request, some reference may be checked out overnight. InterLibrary Loan materials are due on the date indicated by the lending library. If no waiting list exists materials may be renewed twice either online, by phone, or in person.

Cardholders may have a maximum of 100 items out at one time although some formats may have smaller limits. Library borrowing privileges are withheld when more than $50.00 is owed on the account.

The Library Director may establish the loan period for special collections, materials which are temporarily in great demand, items for student projects, or materials added to the collection which are in a new or different format, e.g., Library of Things.

Holds

Holds may be placed by patrons either in person, by email, or online to reserve materials. Patrons will be notified when the materials are available. There is no charge to the patron for placing a hold or for interlibrary loan services. Items will remain available for 3 weeks. 

Lost Items

The list price will be charged for all lost items. Refunds will be issued if a paid item is returned with the receipt within one (1) month of payment.

Damaged Materials

If materials are damaged so as to be judged by the library as being unsuitable for the collection, the patron must pay the replacement cost. The patron must pay for the replacement cost of damaged items. Replacement of items will be at the discretion of the Library Director.

Link to this policy

(Policy approved by Library Board on 10/18/2023)

The Bayfield Carnegie Library is providing access to the internet as a means to enhance the information and learning opportunities for the citizens of the library’s service area. The Board of Trustees has established the internet use policy to ensure appropriate and effective use of this resource. Access to the internet is available to all patrons; however, this service may be restricted at any time for use not consistent with the guidelines. In supervising children’s use of the internet, parents or legal guardians must assume responsibility for deciding what materials are appropriate for their children. Restriction of a child’s access to the internet is the parents’ or guardians’ responsibility. Parents or guardians are responsible for supervising their children’s internet sessions and for letting their children know if there are materials they don’t want their children to use.  All patrons should check in at the front desk before beginning internet use.

Expectations

All users are expected to use the internet appropriately.  The user will be held responsible for his/her actions using the internet. Users are expected to abide by the policies below which include generally accepted rules of network etiquette. Unacceptable uses of the service will result in the suspension or revocation of internet use privileges.

Warnings

The internet is a decentralized, unmoderated global network; the Bayfield Carnegie Library has no control over the content found there. Users should be aware that the internet contains material, messages and/or graphics that may be offensive to a user.  The library will not censor access to material nor protect users from offensive information, and it is not responsible for the availability and accuracy of information found on the internet.  The library is not responsible for damages to equipment or data on a user’s personal computer from the use of data downloaded from the library’s internet service.  The use of the internet and email is not guaranteed to be private.

Guidelines

• What we expect of you:

• Users may use the internet for research and the acquisition of information to address their educational, vocational, cultural, and recreational needs.

• Users may use the internet for the receipt and transmission of email as long as they use a free service which will establish and maintain an account for them. The library is unable to manage email accounts for any organization or individuals.

• Users are limited to one hour of use per day. Exceptions may be made.

• Users will respect and uphold copyright laws and regulations.

• Users will respect the rights and privacy of others by not accessing private files.

• Users shall not deliberately or willfully cause damage to computer equipment,  programs, or settings.

• Users will not use the public computers to look up pornographic materials. Any person searching for sexually graphic websites with children will be reported to law enforcement immediately.

Violation of these rules may result in suspension of internet access privileges, library borrowing privileges and appropriate legal action.

Use of Wi-Fi (Wireless Access to the Internet)

The library provides free public access to the internet via a Wi-Fi network. It is required that patrons who use the internet via the library’s network will do so in a responsible and legal way. The purpose of this policy is to ensure appropriate use of the library’s Wi-Fi network.

1. 1. The library provides free public access to the internet as an informational, educational and recreational resource. Use of the internet via the library’s Wi-Fi network via mobile devices (e.g. laptops, netbooks, iPads, smart phones, etc.) is bound by this Internet Use Policy.
   2. Users must not engage in any illegal activities (e.g. hacking, pirating, downloading illegal materials, etc.) or in any activities inconsistent with this Internet Use Policy. Wireless users attest that they have read and will adhere to these policies.
   3. Printing is not available on the wireless network, but users may save their work to a USB drive, use the library’s public internet computers to print, or make use of the Princh option for wireless printing..
   4. Users of the wireless network may plug their mobile devices into electrical outlets provided the power cords do not extend into aisles or walkways.
   5. Users of laptops, notebooks, and other related devices must be considerate of patrons nearby and are required to use headphones/earbuds when playing movies, music and games or when any other software program generates sound.
   6. Very limited technical support is available through library personnel. The library cannot guarantee that all hardware will work with the wireless connection, and the library is not responsible for any changes users make to their device settings.
   7. The library reserves the right to limit the amount of bandwidth in use by any user of the wireless network, particularly if there are multiple users of Wi-Fi at the same time. The library also reserves the right to end wireless sessions of anyone in violation of the Internet Use Policy.
   8. The library shall not have any responsibility or liability for any claims relating to the loss, damage, or interception of any information, data, work product, or other materials viewed, searched, or stored on users’ mobile devices. Antivirus and security protection are the responsibility of the user.
   9. Wireless users should be certain that their laptops and other devices are always secure and should never be left unattended in the library, even for brief periods of time. Theft of such devices is not the responsibility of the library.
   10. Patrons should be advised that they use the library’s wireless network at their own risk. The wireless network is not secure, as it is not encrypted using WEP, WPA, etc. Unless additional precautions are taken, any information sent to or from a device could potentially be intercepted by a third party who might be within range and using the appropriate hardware/software.
   11. While respecting individual users’ right to privacy, the library staff reserves the right to monitor the use of personal computers to ensure compliance with this policy.

   Violation of any of the above conditions may result in suspension of wireless access as determined by the Library Director.

Link to this policy

(Policy approved by the Library Board on 7/19/2023)

The library meeting rooms are available for use by all, including educational, cultural, civic and non profit groups, as long as this use does not interfere with the normal functions and regular programs of the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library.

Guidelines for Use:

1. Meeting rooms will be made available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use. Meetings are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Library programming will have priority when scheduling room use.
2. The rooms may be reserved no more than ninety (90) days in advance, and no single group may have more than three (3) meetings reserved at one time. Regular monthly meetings are permitted, but regular daily or weekly meetings are not permitted. Weekly meetings may be approved by the Library Director if the meetings are in keeping with the mission of the library. (tutoring and literacy sessions).
3. Meeting room reservations will be confirmed when approval is granted by a library employee.
4. The room shall be scheduled and used during regular library hours only.
5. The library will charge no fee for the use of the meeting rooms.
6. Rooms may be used for:
   1. Meetings which are open to the public
   2. Presentations, group discussions, workshops, and other functions
   3. Organizations engaged in educational, cultural, intellectual, governmental or charitable activities.
   4. Individuals (or formal or informal) for purposes of studying, researching, planning, employment searches, job interviews, telehealth appointments, and/or court appearances.
7. Rooms may NOT be used for:
   1. Any purpose which may interfere with the regular operation of the library
   2. Commercial events (where products, services, or membership are advertised, solicited, or sold), including educational classes or seminars which charge a fee (library sponsored performers may sell merchandise related to their performance).
   3. Purely social events, including company or family parties or receptions
   4. Individuals, businesses, or civic groups to conduct regularly scheduled office hours, classes, workshops, or seminars
   5. gambling, in any form or any illegal activity.
8. No admission fee, registration fee, nor donations may be sought from meeting attendees, except by local non-profit educational, social service or cultural organizations with specific permission of the Library Director.
9. No materials (brochures, flyers, bookmarks, etc.) may be distributed to other patrons using the library without the specific permission of the Library Director.
10. There shall be no posters, signs, etc. attached to the walls, curtains, windows or any other parts of the library.
11. Users must abide by the library’s behavior policies.
12. The library cannot accept calls or relay messages to persons attending meetings, except in emergencies.
13. The rooms shall be left in a neat, clean, and orderly condition; if not, the responsible group/individual will be given notice that continued offense will result in denied access to the meeting room.
14. Users agree to abide by all regulations of the library relating to the use of the facilities and accept responsibility for all damages caused to the building and/or equipment beyond normal wear. Maximum capacity for the meeting room is 30 people.
15. Events or meetings will not be publicized in a manner which suggests library sponsorship or affiliation. Use of the library meeting rooms does not imply endorsement by the library staff or library board of viewpoints presented.
16. The Library Board and staff do not assume any liability for groups or individuals attending a meeting in the library. The library is not responsible for any equipment, supplies, materials, clothing, or items brought to the library by any group or individual attending a meeting.
17. The library staff has the authority to issue reasonable meeting room rules and to revoke permission for use of the meeting room if policies and rules are n ot followed and has authority to interpret minor variations from this policy. Any person or group may appeal the director’s decision to the Library Board.

Any exception to these rules must be authorized by the Board of trustees of the Bayfield Carnegie Public Library.

Link to this policy

(Approved by the Library Board on 9/20/2023)

Words of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the  United States of America

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Library Bill of Rights

The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their services.

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

VII. All people, regardless of origin, age, background, or views, possess a right to privacy and confidentiality in their library use. Libraries should advocate for, educate about, and protect people’s privacy, safeguarding all library use data, including personally identifiable information.

Adopted June 19, 1939, by the ALA Council; amended October 14, 1944; June 18, 1948; February 2, 1961; June 27, 1967; January 23, 1980; January 29, 2019.

The Freedom to Read

The freedom to read is essential to our democracy. It is continuously under attack. Private groups and public authorities in various parts of the country are working to remove or limit access to reading materials, to censor content in schools, to label “controversial” views, to distribute lists of “objectionable” books or authors, and to purge libraries. These actions apparently arise from a view that our national tradition of free expression is no longer valid; that censorship and suppression are needed to counter threats to safety or national security, as well as to avoid the subversion of politics and the corruption of morals. We, as individuals devoted to reading and as librarians and publishers responsible for disseminating ideas, wish to assert the public interest in the preservation of the freedom to read.

Most attempts at suppression rest on a denial of the fundamental premise of democracy: that the ordinary individual, by exercising critical judgment, will select the good and reject the bad. We trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation, and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe. We do not believe they are prepared to sacrifice their heritage of a free press in order to be “protected” against what others think may be bad for them. We believe they still favor free enterprise in ideas and expression.

These efforts at suppression are related to a larger pattern of pressures being brought against education, the press, art and images, films, broadcast media, and the Internet. The problem is not only one of actual censorship. The shadow of fear cast by these pressures leads, we suspect, to an even larger voluntary curtailment of expression by those who seek to avoid controversy or unwelcome scrutiny by government officials.

Such pressure toward conformity is perhaps natural to a time of accelerated change. And yet suppression is never more dangerous than in such a time of social tension. Freedom has given the United States the elasticity to endure strain. Freedom keeps open the path of novel and creative solutions, and enables change to come by choice. Every silencing of a heresy, every enforcement of an orthodoxy, diminishes the toughness and resilience of our society and leaves it less able to deal with controversy and difference.

Now as always in our history, reading is among our greatest freedoms. The freedom to read and write is almost the only means for making generally available ideas or manners of expression that can initially command only a small audience. The written word is the natural medium for the new idea and the untried voice from which come the original contributions to social growth. It is essential to the extended discussion that serious thought requires, and to the accumulation of knowledge and ideas into organized collections.

We believe that free communication is essential to the preservation of a free society and a creative culture. We believe that these pressures toward conformity present the danger of limiting the range and variety of inquiry and expression on which our democracy and our culture depend. We believe that every American community must jealously guard the freedom to publish and to circulate, in order to preserve its own freedom to read. We believe that publishers and librarians have a profound responsibility to give validity to that freedom to read by making it possible for the readers to choose freely from a variety of offerings.

The freedom to read is guaranteed by the Constitution. Those with faith in free people will stand firm on these constitutional guarantees of essential rights and will exercise the responsibilities that accompany these rights.

We therefore affirm these propositions:

1. It is in the public interest for publishers and librarians to make available the widest diversity of views and expressions, including those that are unorthodox, unpopular, or considered dangerous by the majority.
   Creative thought is by definition new, and what is new is different. The bearer of every new thought is a rebel until that idea is refined and tested. Totalitarian systems attempt to maintain themselves in power by the ruthless suppression of any concept that challenges the established orthodoxy. The power of a democratic system to adapt to change is vastly strengthened by the freedom of its citizens to choose widely from among conflicting opinions offered freely to them. To stifle every nonconformist idea at birth would mark the end of the democratic process. Furthermore, only through the constant activity of weighing and selecting can the democratic mind attain the strength demanded by times like these. We need to know not only what we believe but why we believe it.
2. Publishers, librarians, and booksellers do not need to endorse every idea or presentation they make available. It would conflict with the public interest for them to establish their own political, moral, or aesthetic views as a standard for determining what should be published or circulated.
   Publishers and librarians serve the educational process by helping to make available knowledge and ideas required for the growth of the mind and the increase of learning. They do not foster education by imposing as mentors the patterns of their own thought. The people should have the freedom to read and consider a broader range of ideas than those that may be held by any single librarian or publisher or government or church. It is wrong that what one can read should be confined to what another thinks proper.
3. It is contrary to the public interest for publishers or librarians to bar access to writings on the basis of the personal history or political affiliations of the author.
   No art or literature can flourish if it is to be measured by the political views or private lives of its creators. No society of free people can flourish that draws up lists of writers to whom it will not listen, whatever they may have to say.
4. There is no place in our society for efforts to coerce the taste of others, to confine adults to the reading matter deemed suitable for adolescents, or to inhibit the efforts of writers to achieve artistic expression.
   To some, much of modern expression is shocking. But is not much of life itself shocking? We cut off literature at the source if we prevent writers from dealing with the stuff of life. Parents and teachers have a responsibility to prepare the young to meet the diversity of experiences in life to which they will be exposed, as they have a responsibility to help them learn to think critically for themselves. These are affirmative responsibilities, not to be discharged simply by preventing them from reading works for which they are not yet prepared. In these matters values differ, and values cannot be legislated; nor can machinery be devised that will suit the demands of one group without limiting the freedom of others.
5. It is not in the public interest to force a reader to accept the prejudgment of a label characterizing any expression or its author as subversive or dangerous.
   The ideal of labeling presupposes the existence of individuals or groups with wisdom to determine by authority what is good or bad for others. It presupposes that individuals must be directed in making up their minds about the ideas they examine. But Americans do not need others to do their thinking for them.
6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of the people’s freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own standards or tastes upon the community at large; and by the government whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to public information.
   It is inevitable in the give and take of the democratic process that the political, the moral, or the aesthetic concepts of an individual or group will occasionally collide with those of another individual or group. In a free society, individuals are free to determine for themselves what they wish to read, and each group is free to determine what it will recommend to its freely associated members. But no group has the right to take the law into its own hands, and to impose its own concept of politics or morality upon other members of a democratic society. Freedom is no freedom if it is accorded only to the accepted and the inoffensive. Further, democratic societies are more safe, free, and creative when the free flow of public information is not restricted by governmental prerogative or self-censorship.
7. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians to give full meaning to the freedom to read by providing books that enrich the quality and diversity of thought and expression. By the exercise of this affirmative responsibility, they can demonstrate that the answer to a “bad” book is a good one, the answer to a “bad” idea is a good one.
   The freedom to read is of little consequence when the reader cannot obtain matter fit for that reader’s purpose. What is needed is not only the absence of restraint, but the positive provision of opportunity for the people to read the best that has been thought and said. Books are the major channel by which intellectual inheritance is handed down, and the principal means of its testing and growth. The defense of the freedom to read requires of all publishers and librarians the utmost of their faculties, and deserves of all Americans the fullest of their support.

We state these propositions neither lightly nor as easy generalizations. We here stake out a lofty claim for the value of the written word. We do so because we believe that it is possessed of enormous variety and usefulness, worthy of cherishing and keeping free. We realize that the application of these propositions may mean the dissemination of ideas and manners of expression that are repugnant to many persons. We do not state these propositions in the comfortable belief that what people read is unimportant. We believe rather that what people read is deeply important; that ideas can be dangerous; but that the suppression of ideas is fatal to a democratic society. Freedom itself is a dangerous way of life, but it is ours.

This statement was originally issued in May of 1953 by the Westchester Conference of the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers Council, which in 1970 consolidated with the American Educational Publishers Institute to become the Association of American Publishers.

Adopted June 25, 1953, by the ALA Council and the AAP Freedom to Read Committee; amended January 28, 1972; January 16, 1991; July 12, 2000; June 30, 2004.

Core Values of Librarianship

The foundation of modern librarianship rests on an essential set of core values that define, inform, and guide our professional practice. These values reflect the history and ongoing development of the profession and have been advanced, expanded, and refined by numerous policy statements of the American Library Association. Among these are: access, confidentiality/privacy, democracy, diversity, education and lifelong learning, intellectual freedom, preservation, the public good, professionalism, service, social responsibility, and sustainability.

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to express our values more eloquently than ALA already has in the Freedom to Read statement, the Library Bill of Rights, the ALA Mission Statement, Libraries: An American Value, and other documents. These policies have been carefully thought out, articulated, debated, and approved by the ALA Council. They are interpreted, revised or expanded when necessary. Over time, the values embodied in these policies have been embraced by the majority of librarians as the foundations of their practice. These selections are direct quotes from the ALA Policy Manual.

Link to this policy