Preparing for the Worst but Hoping for the Best: Censorship, Academic Libraries, and Reconsideration Policies

Abstract

Libraries in the United States have received the highest number of book challenges on record in recent years. Although the vast majority of these challenges happened at school or public libraries, we sought to assess how academic libraries are prepared to face such challenges, especially with the rise of state laws seeking to limit what subjects can be taught. To answer this question, we analyzed American members of the Association of Research Libraries’ reconsideration policies. Our analysis found that a minority of these libraries had a reconsideration policy.