All around the country, politically motivated challenges to library patrons’ freedom to read and library staff members’ ability to do their jobs are increasing. Many of these challenges have moved from simple complaints and removal requests to abusive, sometimes dangerous behavior.
YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) is hosting a free webinar, Under Scrutiny: Helping Staff Feel Safe and Empowered in the Face of Book Challenges, presented by Darcy Lipp-Acord, Youth Services Librarian at Campbell County Public Library in Gillette, Wyoming. The webinar is sponsored by AASL (American Association of School Librarians), PLA (Public Library Association), and ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children).
The webinar will be held on April 11, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. MDT. Learn more and register.
Darcy’s presentation will be an updated version of the information she covered at the 2022 Wyoming Library Association conference. As someone who has been on the front lines of this harassment, she’ll present information linking strategies of book challenging groups with abusive behaviors typically found in domestic relationships and offer strategies for dealing with those behaviors as front-facing library staff.
Participants will also learn about common strategies used by political groups in their efforts to censor youth materials, how to identify and name these behaviors, and how doing so can empower library staff to develop proactive strategies for responding in ways that protect their safety and integrity.