Reconsideration Policy
Reconsideration Policy
The James A. Tuttle Library Board of Trustees believes that censorship is a purely individual matter and declares that while anyone is free to reject material of which one does not approve, one cannot exercise this right of censorship to restrict the freedom of others. No Library material shall be removed from the Library while under a formal reconsideration of such materials by the Library’s reconsideration committee. No Library program will be canceled while under a formal reconsideration by the Library’s reconsideration committee.
Patrons who wish to request the withdrawal or reclassification of materials currently owned by the Library are encouraged to discuss their concerns with the Library Director. If the patron is not satisfied with the response of the Library Director to their request, the Library Director or Library Staff will give the patron a packet that includes:
- James A. Tuttle Library Mission Statement
- James A. Tuttle’s Collection Development Policy and Program Policy
- The Library Bill of Rights
- The Freedom to Read and Freedom to View statement of the American Library Association
- Contact information for the Library Director
- Request for Reconsideration Form
If, after reviewing the packet, the patron wants to proceed with their request, a signed Request for Reconsideration may be submitted to the Library Director. This will begin the formal reconsideration process. Anonymous complaints in writing or by other means are not honored. No action will be taken to remove or restrict access to any materials until a final decision has been made by the Library.
The reconsideration committee will consist of the Library Director, two Library Staff members and two Library Trustees. The patron will be notified by mail, email, or phone call with the final outcome.
Adopted by the James A. Tuttle Board of Trustees on March 9, 2021
Updated September 14, 2022