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Title: Librarians in UK Increasingly Asked To Remove Books

Link: https://news.slashdot.org/story/25/04/14/1538...

An anonymous reader shares a report: Requests to remove books from library
shelves are on the rise in the UK, as the influence of pressure groups behind
book bans in the US crosses the Atlantic, according to those working in the
sector. Although "the situation here is nowhere [near] as bad, censorship
does happen and there are some deeply worrying examples of library
professionals losing their jobs and being trolled online for standing up for
intellectual freedom on behalf of their users," said Louis Coiffait-Gunn, CEO
of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (Cilip).
Ed Jewell, president of Libraries Connected, an independent charity that
represents public libraries, said: "Anecdotal evidence from our members
suggests that requests to remove books are increasing." The School Library
Association (SLA) said this year has seen an "increase in member queries
about censorship." Most of the UK challenges appear to come from individuals
or small groups, unlike in the US, where 72% of demands to censor books last
year were brought forward by organised groups, according to the American
Library Association earlier this week. However, evidence suggests that the
work of US action groups is reaching UK libraries too. Alison Hicks, an
associate professor in library and information studies at UCL, interviewed 10
UK-based school librarians who had experienced book challenges. One "spoke of
finding propaganda from one of these groups left on her desk," while another
"was directly targeted by one of these groups." Respondents "also spoke of
being trolled by US pressure groups on social media, for example when
responding to free book giveaways."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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