Hamilton, New Zealand Stand Against Library Censorship

Hamilton, New Zealand

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Type: Policy

Status: Approved on 4/8/81

Source File: http://hamilton.co.nz/index.aspx?PageID=2145827752

Text:

Library Censorship - Council Policy

Objective
To apply censorship where required by law.

Policy
Hamilton City Council supports the position adopted by the Council of the Library and Information Association New Zealand (March 2002). This being as follows:

1. Society creates libraries as institutions to store and make available knowledge, information and opinions and to facilitate the enjoyment of learning and creativity in every field. Every library has a responsibility to provide its users with the widest range of information materials possible, which are within the constraints of its budget, relevant to its users' requirements, and which represent the spectrum of points of view on the topic held in the community.
2. Librarians have a responsibility to ensure that the selection and availability of information materials is governed solely by professional considerations. In so doing, they should neither promote nor suppress opinions and beliefs expressed in the materials with which they deal. These professional considerations include the use of knowledge, skills, collection management experience, and collection development policies to make decisions on what is selected for the library collection.
3. No information resources should be excluded from libraries because of the opinions they express; nor because of who the author is; nor on the grounds of the political, social, moral or other views of their author.
4. No library materials should be censored, restricted, removed from libraries, or have access denied to them because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval or pressure. This includes access to web-based information resources.
5. Librarians should resist all attempts at censorship, except where that censorship is required by law. Librarians are free to request, and to lobby for, the repeal of laws, which compromise the principles set out in this statement.