The academic librarian’s crusade against censorship
By Amanda Bosch, director of digital pedagogy and scholarship, Catawba College
What are your concerns related to book bans and censorship in higher education and for librarianship? Why is academic freedom so important? What do you want your colleagues in higher ed to know and what can they do to help?
As an academic librarian in a small, private liberal arts college, I find myself at a crossroads of knowledge and censorship. I am often kept awake at night contemplating the book bans that threaten to eclipse our intellectual horizons. At my institution academic freedom is not just a buzzword but our lifeblood that we champion, but I can see other institutions -- whether they be public schools, community libraries or public university and community college libraries -- that are bearing the brunt of attacks on their collections, online resources and the very policies and workflows that allow the community to voice concerns over library materials.
Amanda Bosch, director of digital pedagogy and scholarship, Catawba College
Having academic freedom allows both students and faculty to build upon current scholarship wherever it may lead, possibly challenging long-held beliefs or ideals. Students and faculty can venture beyond the familiar, challenge convictions and explore new intellectual territories. Having the space and freedom to review resources, discover thoughts and ideas from others, evaluate the validity of source materials and refine critical thinking skills is a foundational component of a well-rounded education. Reactive responses are not helpful – we must have proactive strategies. A well-rounded collection, crafted with care by academic librarians, is critical.
Many of our students may not have used their local library and increasingly have not had the experience of having a library media center in their K-12 school, especially as more and more schools face budget cuts and have to make devastating decisions which limit access to both library materials and to the expertise of a library educator who can empower students to find, evaluate and use information effectively. For these reasons, our college library resources and collections are the one place on campus where every patron has equal access to print books, electronic database resources and emerging technology and digital tools. This carefully curated collection is a mosaic of diverse voices - a collection of wide-ranging ideas.
“A truly great library contains something in it to offend everyone.” This quote, though it may be provocative, has been attributed to librarian Jo Godwin and is one of my favorites. As libraries are responding to book challenges as well as attacks on the very structures in place to handle those material challenges, it becomes critical for academic libraries to continue to fight censorship and build diverse and engaging collections to support and affirm all people. Libraries are a bridge between ignorance and enlightenment, empowering our community to obtain greater knowledge.
Fellow academics, rally and support academic freedom and library initiatives! Use and promote library resources. Bring students to the library for classes and encourage them to use a wide variety of library resources. Challenge students to read banned books that may relate to your content area and discuss them. Foster self-directed learners, champions of empathy and seekers of truth. So, let the books clash, the ideas collide, and the minds expand.
About
As Director of Digital Pedagogy and Scholarship for her institution, Amanda Bosch specializes in merging traditional educational approaches with cutting-edge digital technologies, pedagogical methods, and scholarly endeavors. Amanda’s role encompasses spearheading initiatives to seamlessly integrate digital tools, resources, and methodologies across our academic landscape, supporting both faculty and students in their scholarly pursuits. As a former high school English teacher and School Media Specialist in K-12 education, Amanda made the transition to working in academic libraries and has served in a variety of roles including curriculum materials center director in the School of Education and Digital Pedagogy and Scholarship librarian. In addition to her K-12 licensure areas in Secondary English and K-12 School Media, Amanda also holds state certification in Public Librarianship and serves as a substitute reference librarian in her local public library which allows her to continue my librarian service across the community.
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This blog post is part of a series from academic librarian thought leaders sharing insights into the challenges and opportunities their profession faces. Read more.