Dealing with Challenges

When a patron comes with a challenge it is important to listen to their entire complaint, to ask if they have read the book and then explain the selection criteria for the library and the procedure to file a formal challenge on a book. All the books contained in this database are critically acclaimed or bestseller with huge appeal to teens. The items selected for this database meet one or more of these criteria, which is taken from the ALA Website (2012):

• educational significance
• contribution the subject matter makes to the curriculum and to the interests of the students
• favorable reviews found in standard selection sources
• favorable recommendations based on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel
• reputation and significance of the author, producer, and publisher
• validity, currency, and appropriates of material
• contribution the material makes to breadth of representative viewpoints on controversial issues
• high degree of potential user appeal
• high artistic quality and/or literary style
• quality and variety of format
• value commensurate with cost and/or need
• timeliness or permanence
• integrity

When dealing with a challenge this criteria should be referenced to support why a book has been chosen.

Reference:
ALA, 2012. Workbook for Selection Policy Writing, retrieved from: http://www.ala.org/Template.cfm?Section=dealing&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=11173.