What to Do When Materials Are Challenged

1. Provide challenger with a copy of a Board of Education approved form to reconsider library materials and explain procedure for submission of the form.
2. Alert your principal/supervisor to the challenge.
3. Familiarize yourself with the specific material challenged. Identify the ways in which it meets approved selection criteria for your district or school, and how it supports the curriculum of the school or the needs of the students. Collect reviews and research whether there have been other challenges of this material.
4. To report the challenge to ALA’s database and to obtain support for dealing with the challenge go to ALA’s web page, “Reporting a Challenge.” http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/challengesupport/reporting/reportingchallenge.htm
5. You may also wish to contact the Freedom to Read Foundation:

50 East Huron Street

Chicago, IL 60611

Telephone: 800-545-2433, ext. 4226

Fax: 312-280-4227

Email: ftrf@ala.org

Web: http://www.ftrf.org/