CLIENT OP-ED: Students best served, freedom protected when librarians, parents are on same page

Originally Appeared in The Oklahoman:
Cherity Pennington - Guest Columnist

As president of the Oklahoma Library Association and as a school librarian, I am well aware of the increase in calls for book censorship in our school libraries. This increase is disturbing because it violates the democratic ideals our society is built upon. Oklahomans of all ages deserve freedom, including the freedom to read and the freedom to access information. When a single person or group demands that information be restricted from others, our democracy and our freedom are threatened. 

While I abhor any attempt to thwart these essential freedoms, I am encouraged by the opportunity to have discussions on what school librarians do and how essential they are for our Oklahoma students. I firmly believe that when librarians and those who are concerned about library materials have civil conversations, both groups will find they share a common goal: doing what is best for all learners.  

Let’s begin this conversation by dispelling some myths currently circulating about school libraries. First, when selecting items for their school libraries, the librarians’ goal is to purchase high-quality materials that are age and developmentally appropriate for the students they serve. Next, parents have a voice in what their child reads and in school library collections. Every public school in Oklahoma is required to have school-board-approved policies guiding how library materials should be selected and how a parent may request reconsideration of a title from the library. When schools follow these procedures for requesting reconsideration of a library resource, parents have a voice and schools protect the intellectual freedom of all students. 

Librarians are highly trained teachers and experts in collection development. In Oklahoma, school librarians must possess a master’s degree and must have training in evaluating literature for children and young adults. Developing a library collection is a serious, time-consuming practice. School librarians read widely and voraciously. They study the curricula and learning standards of all subjects within their buildings so they can best select materials to support the entire school community. They scour professional review resources so they can find books recommended by library experts. School librarians constantly evaluate the materials their students access to ensure they have literary excellence, are suitable for the students’ age and abilities, present accurate information, and represent many perspectives and points of view.  

I encourage parents who are concerned about books in their students’ library to have a conversation with the librarian about how they choose these materials. If the school does not have a certified school librarian, parents should ask their school administrator why not. (Research supports that students attending schools with a fully staffed and funded library have greater achievement in reading and writing, but many Oklahoma districts are receiving waivers of the accreditation requirement to have a certified librarian.) Finally, parents should talk to their children about what they like to read and then read a book with them. Our students are best served and their freedom is protected when school librarians and parents communicate and work together. 

Cherity Pennington is president of The Oklahoma Library Association.

(NOTE: McSpadden Milner Rott proudly represents the Oklahoma Library Association)