Episode 24: Weeding: It’s not Just for Gardens. How Public Schools Curate, ‘Weed,’ and Review Library Collections
Canyons School District is updating its library management policy to more clearly define the criteria against which books should be evaluated for acquisition and the regular “weeding” of titles — and for those exceedingly rare instances when titles are challenged by someone. What prompted the review and how do the proposed policy changes align with constitutionally-protected best practices in service of the District’s educational goals?
In this episode of the Connect Canyons podcast, we pose these questions, and more, to Canyons Superintendent Dr. Rick Robins, General Counsel Dan Harper, and the District Library Specialist Gretchen Zaitzeff.
For your ease of listening, we’ve time-blocked the episode so you can rewind or fast-forward to your heart’s content.
1:30: What prompted the library policy review?
3:48: Against the backdrop of a spate of school library challenges throughout the country, Canyons District has received requests to remove books for content parents say is not age-appropriate. How did the District respond to those concerns?
6:07: The American Library Association’s code of ethics defines public librarians as public servants. In other words, they have the responsibility to serve their designated communities and not promote one point of view over another. This means the goals of librarians is to curate materials that represents majority beliefs as well as minority beliefs. School libraries, which serve children ranging in age from 5 to 18, also have a distinct duty under the U.S. Constitution to ensure their collections are age-appropriate.
8:34: CSD has 42 school libraries and about a half-million books on the shelves districtwide. That’s an awful lot of reading. Practically speaking, how to librarians go about adding new titles and updating their collections?
11:40: The proposed policy changes aim to provide more guidance on the acquisition and weeding and review of books. Explain how.
14:17: Who was consulted in the drafting of the updated policy?
15:10: What can parents do now if they want to be more involved in their children’s reading selections?
17:20: What does weeding mean in the world of libraries, and how would a parent officially challenge a title under the proposed policy?
19:30: What comes next as the Canyons Board of Education considers the new policy?
23:03: How can parents, students, patrons, and employees give input?
