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Cato Daily Podcast

Are Public School Libraries Accomplishing Their Mission?

Nov 17, 2023
Public school libraries face challenges in achieving balance and including diverse viewpoints. The accessibility of these libraries often lacks balanced viewpoints. The selection process of books in school libraries may be influenced by biases, lack of research, and targeting strategies. Biases present in public school libraries raise questions about the role of libraries and advocate for school choice.
16:49

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Quick takeaways

  • Public school libraries may not provide access to a balanced range of perspectives on controversial issues.
  • There is a significant lack of representation of conservative-leaning books in public school libraries.

Deep dives

Limited shelf space and biases in book selection

School libraries have finite shelf space, meaning decisions must be made about which books to include and exclude. Biases can influence the selection process, whether from librarians, school boards, or other individuals. The idealized notion of public school libraries is to provide access to all viewpoints. However, our research suggests that this is not the case, with a lack of balance in perspectives on controversial issues.

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