Concerns rarely raised regarding materials in CKPL collection

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There won’t be any controversy at the Chatham-Kent Public Library about the six Dr. Seuss books that Dr. Seuss Enterprises stopped publishing for having racist images because those volumes are not part of its collection.

The local library doesn’t often have to deal with the issue of banning books and other materials, CEO and chief librarian Tania Sharpe said.

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Concerns rarely raised regarding materials in CKPL collection Back to video

“We usually just try to have a very balanced collection,” she said.

If there is a book or other material that supports a certain disputable issue, the library aims to provide another source of information with a different viewpoint, she added.

“Unless it violates the Canadian Charter of Human Rights, we’re going to have it if somebody requests it,” Sharpe said.

In fact, the library has had a copy of Mein Kampf, the controversial manifesto written by Adolf Hitler, as part of its collection for decades.

If a member of the public has an issue with a book, video or other materials carried by the Chatham-Kent library, there’s a simple process available to make that concern known.

“We ask people to fill out our request-for-reconsideration form,” Sharpe said, which asks them to provide their viewpoint.

She said library staff will do some research on the request and provide a response for the reason it’s part of the collection.

It’s not a matter of library staff agreeing with a viewpoint being expressed in a book or other material,  she added.

“The key is to have different perspectives,” Sharpe said. “If the person is still not happy with our viewpoint … then we would forward it up to the (library) board with a report and relevant research.”

Usually, the reasons provided by staff for having the material in the collection is accepted by the person who raised a concern, she said.

During her seven years as chief librarian in Chatham-Kent, Sharpe said she’s never had to bring a report regarding a reconsideration request to the board.

She added she will sometimes “chat” with the board to tell them about an issue that was raised and resolved.

The last request for reconsideration the library received was regarding the Feminist Baby series of children’s books being in the library’s collection, Sharpe said.

Being a public library, she said people have a choice of what materials they want to read or watch from among what is available in the collection.

eshreve@postmedia.com