Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) endorses the principles set forth in the ALA Freedom to Read and Freedom to View Statements and builds its collections under the principles set forth in the American Library Association (ALA) Library Bill of Rights and with the following goals in mind:

• To effect positive change in the communities we serve
• To emphasize truthful and trustworthy information, fighting all forms of disinformation, censorship, and barriers to free inquiry
• To contribute to welcoming, inclusive spaces for every customer
• To dismantle exclusionary structures including racism, sexism, and xenophobia
• To advance individual and societal goals for equity, inclusion, and social justice

These foundational documents and goals guide all collection-related discussions and decisions and form the basis for our Collection Development and Management Policy.

CLP believes reading, viewing, and listening are individual private matters. While anyone is free to select or reject materials for themselves, they should not restrict the freedom of others to read or inquire.

CLP respects the rights and responsibilities of parents or guardians in determining and monitoring the use of library resources by the children under their care, who are under the age of 18. While available to provide guidance on selections, library staff members are not responsible for monitoring a child’s use of and selection from library collections.

CLP strives to build collections that present all points of view concerning the problems and issues of our times. No materials should ever be excluded because of the beliefs or characteristics of the writer nor be proscribed or removed from CLP because of partisan or personal disapproval.

Censorship of materials urged or practiced by individuals or organizations based on their personal or organizational morals or political opinions must be challenged by libraries in maintenance of their responsibility to the community as a whole.

Opinions will differ regarding the appropriateness of materials in any library. Resolution of conflicts between freedom of expression and information and an individual or group’s wish to restrict certain materials’ use requires careful deliberation.

CLP has established a Materials Reconsideration process to allow CLP or other Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA) member-library cardholders to request that we reconsider items in our collection. After a request for reconsideration has been submitted, a review committee of at least three librarians will review the questioned material and research reviews and evaluations within professional literature. Existing additional copies of the items will remain available throughout the review process. The Library reserves the right to decline a request for reconsideration for a title that has already been reviewed at CLP.

The consensus analysis of the item and a recommendation for action will be referred to the Director, Public Service and an answer will be sent to the individual who submitted the request. No item submitted for reconsideration will be removed from CLP’s collection if the Director, Public Service deems it appropriate for the collection.

April 2022