Across the United States, there are increased reports of book challenges from community members, which have led to very public and heated discussions. As public library leaders and staff consider how to prepare for similar local challenges, being proactive about developing and sharing policies and procedures can help to create clarity and establish expectations around responses to book challenges. This preparation may also include engaging stakeholders, partners, and supporters around the value and essential need for intellectual freedom in the library. Join this discussion with panelists who are working through these issues in their communities, to learn about the resources they have found useful, and their suggestions for getting started.

Presented by:

• Amanda Vazquez, Library Director, Dubuque County Library District (IA)
• Amber McLain, Digital Services Specialist, Lakeland Library Cooperative (MI)
• Brianna Hoffman, WebJunction Project Coordinator, OCLC and Executive Director of the Washington Library Association
• Jennifer Pearson, Director, Marshall County Memorial Library (TN)

Access Recording

• View Webinar Recording (You will be prompted to log in to our free Course Catalog.)

Webinar Attachments

• View slides (pdf)
  
• View chat (xls)
• View captions (txt)
• Learner Guide (doc) Use alone or with others to extend your learning. 

Related Resources and Links

Resources on Book Challenges and Intellectual Freedom, a comprehensive resource collection, which includes these resources below, referenced in the webinar:

• American Library Association Challenge Support
• National Coalition Against Censorship
• United Against Book Bans
• Iowa Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Committee
• ALA Library Privacy Checklists
• LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund
• Oklahoma Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Toolkit (pdf)
• Oregon Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Committee, Intellectual Freedom Toolkit
• Texas Library Association, Texans for the Right to Read
• Washington Library Association, Intellectual Freedom Section and School Library Policies
• ALA Chapters Directory, to find contacts for your state association
• EveryLibrary (including Facing a Book Ban or Censorship Legislation? How can we help? and Rapid Response Fund)
• Association for Rural & Small Libraries

Empathetic Listening and De-Escalation Techniques

• Crisis Prevention Institute
• 7 Tips for Empathic Listening, 2016
• Conflict Management Training, 2012
• CPI’s Top 10 De-Escalation Tips Revisited, 2020
• Empathic Listening: Definition, Examples and Tips, Indeed, 2021
• Using Verbal De-Escalation, pdf of slide presentation, Kentucky.gov
• De-escalation techniques and resources, Texas Medical Liability Trust