When it comes to teens, the line between providing protection and offering freedom can become blurry. If an individual is under the age of 18, does that mean that he or she is not entitled to privacy? How much should a library acquiesce to a concerned parent? Intellectual Freedom for Teens addresses many of the complex issues that arise when dealing with teen library users.
The editors of this resource, Kristin Fletcher-Spear and Kelly Tyler (who each also wrote a chapter) are both experienced, working in public library environments with teen users. The credentials of the other chapter authors, Linda Braun and Karen Jensen, as well as those of Mary K. Chelton (the author of the foreword), are not outlined in the volume. The first chapter does not list an author at all, although there is a “Stevie” thanked alongside the chapter authors in the foreword who I could not find attributed to any of the text. That said, the content of this volume is well organized and clear.
In the library world, censorship can be equivalent to a four-letter word. Librarians generally support freedom of information, patron privacy and first amendment rights whenever possible. However, reading Intellectual Freedom for Teens reinforces the fact that it is not always so simple, especially when dealing with minors. Much of the discussion is based on research from the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, which tracks challenges to library materials. The data indicate that young adult (YA) materials regularly find a spot among the most challenged books. Many of these challenges take place in the school library setting and are initiated by parents. The authors further explain that having materials challenged could attract unwanted publicity, start emotionally charged political conversations or even call into question the competency of individual librarians. In consequence, fear of these reactions could lead librarians to self-censor by avoiding the purchasing or marketing of certain YA materials.
Much of this book consists of practical, step-by-step instructions on how to manage your library materials, challenges and even disgruntled patrons. Planning ahead and creating written policies enables consistency in the library’s response to patrons while eliminating some of the emotion that could impact the interaction. Training sessions can be offered, so that staff members are prepared and confident when dealing with YA materials. One suggestion is that the library could create a written materials selection policy. Policy criteria could include selecting materials based on professional reviews and literary criticism as opposed to personal bias. This, in turn, may help eliminate staff fears of future backlash. If a challenge does occur, Intellectual Freedom for Teens has clear advice for every step of the process. The library can create a “Statement of Concern” form, which patrons could fill out if they object to the content of a library book. Once this concern has been expressed, library staff can refer to a response procedure, which would instruct library staff in the appropriate way to respond to a complaint and even on how to hold a challenge hearing. It is also important not only to educate staff, but to educate the library community. An entire chapter is devoted to ideas related to programming and marketing the tenants of intellectual freedom and potentially banned library materials. If patrons have a better understanding of the mission of the library, some of their concerns may be alleviated.
This book also discusses intellectual freedom, as it applies to teens in general, so the content goes beyond the potential challenge to print resources. It further discusses how to deal with Internet access and electronic library privileges. For example, we are asked to consider if it is better to protect teens from ever viewing questionable material or is it more important to teach teens how to use the Internet responsibly. In the age of smart phones and tablets, it is also unrealistic to expect that blocking access to social media or YouTube in a school or public library actually limits the teen’s exposure to those and other websites.
When considering restricting electronic access to teens, the authors remind us that many websites and online applications are potentially useful as teaching tools. Information is provided about the use of specific websites and social media platforms, including Twitter, Pinterest, Google Docs and Xtranormal. It is suggested that Twitter can be a quick way to discuss books and homework, while also providing opportunities to teach teens about online privacy. As with any information of this nature, it is difficult to remain current, so I found it less helpful than the general policy and procedure advice. For example, Xtranormal, which is an animation tool, has been defunct and unavailable, and while it has recently been acquired by a new company, it is likely that it will not be identical to the original.
Internet content especially becomes a grey area when dealing with school and public libraries because, if they receive affordable Internet access under the E-rate support service, they are then under the auspices of CIPA, or the Children’s Internet Protection Act (FCC.gov). Intellectual Freedom for Teens provides a helpful explanation of how libraries can comply with the guidelines while still providing electronic access. For example, libraries could consider instituting a social media acceptable use policy instead of banning access altogether.
Overall, I found this book to be thorough and thought-provoking. It will be very useful to librarians working with teen patrons, including those in public library and school media settings. Academic librarians working with teacher preparation programmes and library schools will also find this book relevant. I recommend Intellectual Freedom for Teens for anyone looking to explore the myriad issues that must be considered when working with teen library users, as well as those who are looking for guidance in creating policies and procedures for their own library.
