Censorship in public libraries

Abstract

In order to permit free access without any exclusion, public library must offer a large diversity of media according to social condition, real ability, age, origin of people. As for children and teenagers, parents or external milieu might oppose some reasons, mostly about sex, but opposition is not lacking also for grown up people, particularly when ideas don't coincide with a shared public opinion. Such opposition must be driven back, because it should restrict free access for all people. Even works containing ideas denying our freedom have not to be rejected, because (apart from their historical and informative point of view) the risk of opening a door towards an action to intentions is always present. But personal opposition to whichever form of censure will be inadequate if it cannot lean on the sure ground of a professional association. And we shall not confuse the availability of information media with the task of an education committed directly to the library, because such a behaviour would contradict users' freedom of choice.