Library Material Review and Reconsideration Policy and Form

 

1. Purpose and Scope

   The Oliver Wolcott Library Board of Trustees recognizes the importance of hearing from the public regarding material selection. The Library seriously considers suggestions made by residents of the Town of Litchfield.

   The completion of the Request for Reconsideration form does not guarantee either accession to the collection or removal from the collection but does ensure the attention of Library to user opinion, interests, and concerns.

   The Library limits consideration of requests to reconsider materials, displays or programs to residents of the Town of Litchfield. 

   The Library makes every effort to provide library materials for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all residents. Library materials should represent a wide range of varied and diverging viewpoints in the collection as a whole. The Library recognizes the importance of the public library as a place for voluntary inquiry, the dissemination of information and ideas, and promotion of free expression and free access to ideas by residents. 

   The Library evaluates and makes accessible materials in accordance with the protections against discrimination set form in section 46a- 64 of the general statutes. The Library supports intellectual freedom and subscribes to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, and The Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statements.

    

   In accordance with Public Act 25-168 Sec 322, 323, the Oliver Wolcott Library abides by the following statutory requirements:

    

2. Process

   Any resident of the Town of Litchfield may complete the Reconsideration Form for the Library to reconsider material, programs, or displays.

   The Library Director and the Board of Trustees’ Reconsideration Committee are to use this policy including the Reconsideration Committee Process and Reconsideration Committee Report Form, the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, and The Freedom to Read and The Freedom to View Statement to guide their decisions.

   Within sixty (60) days, the Library Director will read the challenged material in its entirety, evaluate the challenged material against the Collection Development and Maintenance Policy, Display Policy or Program Policy and make a written decision on whether or not to remove the challenged material not later than sixty (60) days from the date of receiving such request. The Library Director shall provide a copy of the report to the individual who submitted the form by postal mail.  The same process will take place for reconsideration of a library display or library program.

    

3. Appeal Process

   The individual who submitted the request for reconsideration form may appeal, in writing, the Library Director’s decision to the Library Board of Trustees.  To do so, the individual needs to make their decision to appeal to one of the officers of the Library Board or to the Library Director

   .

   The entire Board of Trustees shall comprise the Board of Trustees’ Reconsideration Committee. The Board of Trustees’ Reconsideration Committee will evaluate the challenged material, program or display by first reviewing the Collection Development and Maintenance Policy, Display Policy or Program Policy. They will also review and read in its entirety the Library Director’s report.

    

   The Board of Trustees’ Reconsideration Committee shall then consult the following sources who will deliberate on such a request for reconsideration:

    

   The Board of Trustees’ Reconsideration Committee will provide a written report of the reasons for the reconsideration or refusal to reconsider the library material, display or program and provide any final decision that is contrary to the decision of the Library Director.

   The Board of Trustees’ Reconsideration Committee’s decision will be final. 

    

4. Duplicate and Additional Requests

   Once a decision has been made about any library material, display or program by the Library Director or the Board of Trustees’ Reconsideration Committee, such material, program or display cannot be subject to a new request for reconsideration for a period of three years.

   The Library Director is permitted to consolidate any requests for reconsideration of the same challenged library material.

    

5. Immunity

• No library material, display or program shall be removed, or programs be cancelled, because of the origin, background or viewpoints expressed in such material, display or program or because of the origin, background or viewpoints of the creator of such material, display or program.
• Library materials, displays and programs shall only be excluded for legitimate pedagogical purposes or for professionally accepted standards of collection maintenance practices as adopted in the Collection Development and Maintenance Policy or the Display and Program Policies.
• The materials review and reconsideration process for town residents to challenge any library material, display or program shall neither favor nor disfavor any group based on protected characteristics.
• The individual completing a reconsideration form must include specific information about which portion or portions of such material they object to and provide an explanation of the reasons for such objection. The Request for Reconsideration Form must include the individual's full legal name, address and telephone number.
• Reconsideration requests are not confidential patron records under section 11-25 of the general statutes.
• Library materials being challenged will remain available in the Library according to its catalog record and be available for a resident to reserve, check out or access until a final decision is made by the Library Director.
• The Act prohibits the removal, exclusion or censoring of any book on the sole basis that an individual finds such book offensive.

• The Library Director
• The State Librarian or State Librarian’s designee
• A representative of the cooperating library service unit as defined in section 11-9e of the general statutes
• The president of the Connecticut Library Association, or the president’s designee
• The president of the Association of Connecticut Library Boards, or the president’s designee

Any librarian, library staff member or board trustee of the Oliver Wolcott Library who, in good faith, implements the policies described in this section shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have the same immunity with respect to any judicial proceeding that results from such implementation.

 

Resource on which you are commenting:

 

Book or E-Book:         DVD:         Magazine or Newspaper:         Music CD:    

 

Audio Recording:        Streaming/Digital Media:     Library Display:     Library Program

 

For Library materials, include the following:

Author/Producer: _________________________________________________________

 

Title: ___________________________________________________________________

 

Publisher: ___________________         Date of Publication: _______________________

 

For Library programs, include the following:

Title of the Library Progam: ________________________________________________

Date of the Library Program: _______________________________________________

Presenter’s Name of the Library Program:______________________________________

 

For Library displays, include the following:

Library Display: __________________________________________________________

General Location in the Library of the display: __________________________________

 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Your Full Legal Name  ____________________________________________________

 

Telephone: ______________________________________________________________

 

 

Physical Address. if different from mailing address:

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Please use back of paper or another sheet if needed:

1. What concerns you about the material in question? Be specific.

 

 

2. What brought this resource to your attention?

 

3. What do you believe would be a fair action for the Library to take regarding the material?

 

 

4. Have you examined the entire resource? If not, what sections did you review?

 

 

Signature: _______________________                                 Date:_____   ___  _______

 

Staff Signature:_____________________                             Date:______  _   ________

 

Library Director Signature:_______________                      Received on: __________

For materials: provide title, author or publisher, and date of publication

 

For programs: provide title of the event, name of presenter, and date of the program

 

For displays: provide description and general location of display

 

Please use back of paper or another sheet(s) if needed:

1. Has the material been read or watched the material entirely?  If not, why and how many did not?
2. Resources consulted: (include policies, articles, reviews etc.)

 

3. Reconsideration committee recommends:

 

4. Justification and comments: (include majority and minority positions)

 

Date and Signatures of Library Director or Reconsideration Committee Members (all members)

Submitted September 3, 2025
Approved October 30, 2025