These books were challenged at Ottawa's libraries last year

The Ottawa Public Library (OPL) denied all formal requests to remove materials from its collection last year.

According to a report to the library's board, there were seven "requests for reconsideration" during 2023. Six sought to pull #books or DVDs from library shelves, while one asked to reclassify a graphic novel from the teen to the adult collection.

Complaints covered everything from alleged racism or promotion of hatred to reports of inaccurate information or objectionable content.
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Coun. Matt Luloff, who chairs the OPL board, said the library takes "a very strong stance on intellectual freedom." In his view, its policy is among the most permissive on the continent.

"We set a very high bar," he said. "Just because one person may find something offensive to their personal views doesn't mean the library should not be carrying it."
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Melanie Mills, past president of the Ontario Library Association and an academic librarian at Western University, has also watched censorship demands become more prominent in recent years than at any time in her career.

"What happens in the United States for sure influences what we're experiencing in Canada as well," she said.

Mills said people sometimes come to libraries with lists of hundreds of books they want to see removed.

In her view, unrestricted access to information from all points of view is "fundamental" and "core to our work" as librarians. She said education and discussion, not censorship, is the best way to handle objectionable material.

That also goes for works with outdated depictions that appear discriminatory by present standards.

"We retain materials from their time to understand context, to understand what was happening in a specific time and date," she said. "Because society's views have evolved ... that in and of itself wouldn't warrant removing something."

Hey good for #Ottawa! Our policy here is if you don't like a #book then don't sign it out!