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Montgomery City Public Library

Reconsideration of Materials Policy

The Patron’s Request for Reconsideration of Materials Form will be available from the Librarian during normal Library hours. Only a Montgomery City Public Library patron within the Library service area can submit the completed document for one item challenge to the Librarian and the Librarian will present it to the Library Board for reconsideration at the earliest opportunity. Material for which a Request for Reconsideration has been received will not be removed from the Library shelves until the process of reconsideration has been completed, and then only if they are found not to meet the criteria of the Library’s Collection Development Policy. Library materials that are subjected to reconsideration and are found to meet the standards set in the Collection Development Policy will not be removed from public access.  A title will not be reviewed more than once.

All libraries stand strongly for the freedom of thought, the freedom of intellectual activity, the freedom of communication. Therefore, in materials selection policies, Libraries must select with the view to present all sides of an issue, not just one particular opinion. For this reason, this Library subscribes to the philosophy, policies, and spirit set forth by the American Library Association’s “Library Bill of Rights”. This document supports the guarantee of freedom of the press as stated in the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The Library also upholds the ALA Council’s Freedom to Read Statement, and the Freedom to View Statement of the Educational Film Library Association. 

Steps for Reconsideration of Material

  1. A Montgomery City Public Library patron can pick up the Request for Reconsideration form from a librarian during normal business hours.  
  2. The Montgomery City Public Library patron must completely fill out the Request for Reconsideration form for one item and return it to the librarian.
  3. The Library Director will address the challenge with the patron.
  4. If the patron is unsatisfied with the Director’s answer, the patron can request the completed reconsideration form be given to the Board of Trustees.
  5. The Board of Trustees will form a Materials Challenged Committee consisting of one library staff member, two board members, and two people from the community to review the challenged material and make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees.
  6. The Board of Trustees will review the recommendation, deliberate, and make a final decision.
  7. The results of the challenge (title and result) will be public record.  Identifying information will be redacted from published results.