good thing in its own right) may lead us to condemn material that posits a less liberal perspective than we ourselves hold.” These changes are not always easy to navigate and there are no shortcuts. Louise says: “Sadly, there is no simple answer here, other than to reiterate the professional duty to undertake regular CPD to ensure that knowledge is current and up-to-date; to review library policies
on a frequent and regular basis, and to seek relevant professional guidance as required when doing so; and above all, to engage with professional bodies such as CILIP and the MLA Guidance on the Management of Controversial Materials in Libraries (https://
bit.ly/3YigkNC ) that are able to provide a more holistic (and perhaps, more neutral) over- view of the current landscape. This can also protect individual professionals when facing
difficult decisions regarding controversial materials, and experiencing coercive pressure from vocal and/or opinionated individuals or groups.” With CILIP Conference focusing on top-of-mind issues for library leaders, Louise’s appearance at the July event will give leaders the opportunity to improve their own understanding of the issues. The ever-changing landscape means that “there are a number of very important reasons why service leaders need to be considering these issues. Firstly, and perhaps most obviously, to avoid and/or deal with any legal challenges faced by their service. Having well-crafted, relevant and prominently displayed service policies with regard to controversial materials (and I include here other controversial ‘speech’ issues, such as author invitations to speak and the holding of ‘controversial’ events) offers a level of protection for users, service staff, and service leaders alike. “Being aware of policy statements from professional organisations such as CILIP can also offer a high level of guidance and protection in the event of controversy. It is undoubtedly the duty of any information service leader to equip staff with the capabilities required to implement such policies, even in the face of local resistance.” IP
18 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
March 2023
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