Ottawa University Gangwish Library Homepage

Adapted from the Hollins University Policy and the American Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee, revised 12/6/2017

 Gangwish Library Materials Challenge Policy

Censorship of the Gangwish Library's collections will not be tolerated. As a university library, we cultivate a collection of resources that are appropriate for the curriculum at Ottawa University and for an adult audience. Our university library collections represent various viewpoints that stimulate intellectual inquiry and foster spirited debate. Legitimate complaints about library materials will be reviewed based on the guidelines endorsed by the American Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Manual.

Materials challenge complaints will be handled on a case-by-case basis and can only be made by current students, faculty, and staff of Ottawa University. Complaints will not be accepted from alumni or from members of the public who have been provided with access to our Ottawa University collections, but who are not currently enrolled at the university. The Gangwish Library maintains the right not to accept public challenges because Ottawa University is a private academic institution and all Gangwish Library collections belong to the university.

The Gangwish Library has delegated the responsibility for the selection and evaluation of materials to the Library Director who is a subject specialist in the areas of Education, Business and Human Resources and is a member of the Liberal Arts Department faculty, where different subject areas are taught. As a member of College Academic Council, the library director is thus able to select materials for the library based on knowledge of the Liberal Arts curriculum and the Gangwish Library Collection Development Policy. Should a member of the Ottawa University community think that certain materials are unsuitable for the library’s collection: the first step is to discuss their concerns with the library director. If the issue is not resolved following an informal discussion about the mission of the library and how the material supports higher education learning, the library has established formal reconsideration procedures to address concerns about those resources. They are listed as follows:

1. Discussion with the library director about materials challenged and Information Freedom and Academic Freedom policies that apply and support of Ottawa University’s mission and that of the library
2. Fill out and sign a Materials Challenged Form which is located on the Ottawa University Library website
3. The challenge will be considered by a five member Intellectual Freedom Committee consisting of a faculty member teaching in the subject area connected with the challenged item, two students, the Academic Dean of the College and the Library Director.
4. A decision will be made regarding the challenged material(s) within the space of one month.

Please find attached the Ottawa University, Gangwish Library Challenged Materials Form.

Challenged Materials Form.docx