How to Defend a Challenge

•    ALA Library Bill of Rights
•    ALA Statement on Book Censorship
•    ALA Selection Criteria 
• stress that YA material is to be chosen with impartiality to political views and will span a diverse range of viewpoints, belief systems, and historical issues.
•    Employ Active Listening Skills
•    Present the Library’s Collection Development Policy 
• Excerpt from Laurel County Public Library’s Collection Development Policy:

“Many books and other items are controversial and any given item may offend some people. Selections for this Library will not, however, be made on the basis of anticipated approval or disapproval, but solely on the merits of the materials in relation to the building of the collection and to serving the interests of the readers. This Library holds censorship to be a purely individual matter and declares that, while anyone is free to reject for himself books and other materials of which he does not approve, he cannot exercise this right to censorship to restrict the freedom of others.

•   Impartial Reviews from Kirkus, YALSA, Amazon, School Library Journal, and       Hornbook
•   Lists of Literary Awards
•   Rationale for Book Selection
• Intended Audience 
• Summary with Educational Contributions and Artistic Significance 
• Patron Requests
•   Alternative Works in Place of Item in Question
•   Challenge Support from the ALA website 
•   National Council of Teachers of English Students’ Right to Read 
•   Reconsideration Request Forms 
•   ALA’s Guidelines for Reconsideration