Discusses changes taking place in the library systems of Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Topics reviewed include the influence of Soviet Russian library theory and practices; decentralization of library administration; library finances; library education; library employment; library technology; and censorship and collection policies.…

Examines the effects of the political events of the last decade on Russian libraries. Topics include libraries in the old Soviet Union, decentralization of control and financing, relaxation of censorship, changes in the Russian publishing industry, channels of distribution, and future needs. (LRW)

Discusses past influences on Russia's libraries, examines current improvements in the Russian library situation, and considers prospects for the future. Highlights include the publishing industry; government economic problems; financial support from trade unions; outdated materials; dissatisfied users; and censorship under past regimes. (LRW)

Uses national guidelines, collection development texts, and the intellectual freedom literature to assess the practical value of the Library Bill of Rights in school library settings. Discussion focuses on invoking the statement as support when dealing with challenges to the collection. Appendixes include the Library Bill of Rights itself and…

This discussion of the librarian's perspective on collection development cites professional "blind spots" in areas of responses to and misinterpretation of information, censorship, identifying and satisfying reader demand, and confusion over the role of the librarian. A 15-item bibliography is provided. (EJS)

Discusses academic library collection-development theory and policy. Suggests that a standard collection of works specific to each discipline (a canon), is a powerful tool because such canons can censor the works that fall outside of the prevailing norms, the hegemony of the discipline. (LRW)

Identifies the tasks that the library administrator must complete if the collection is to successfully withstand censorship. Using an analogy of the construction, arming, and manning of a "citadel," a strategy is presented which is adaptable to the broadest range of attack on collection, acquisition, and dissemination policies of…

Describes a survey of 47 postsecondary educational institutions in three prairie provinces of Canada that examined the extent of pressures to remove, relocate, or reclassify library materials between 1980 and 1985, and the effectiveness of written selection policies in dealing with such pressures. Specific censorship incidents are reported in…

Discusses libraries and issues relating to censorship, social protest, and First Amendment rights. Topics addressed include materials selection based on objective criteria; removing inappropriate material; intellectual freedom; limited versus absolute censorship; and possible errors in selection decisions. (LRW)

Examines aspects of censorship that professional educators do not usually acknowledge--a silent, self-imposed censorship. Asks at what point book selection policy becomes a means to justify rejecting the purchase or provide for the removal of specific titles from the bookshelves. Suggests a solution: a written selection policy at the school and…

Reviews the general climate of demands for censorship of library materials, and argues that librarians must follow the Code of Ethics and accept the responsibility for resisting censorship pressures. Suggestions for the promotion of a positive climate for intellectual freedom by librarians in public libraries are offered. (23 references) (CLB)

Discusses feature-length film or video documentaries, including cinema verite and direct cinema techniques, the use of documentaries for nationalistic purposes, censorship, and fiction versus nonfiction. An annotated bibliography of 20 video documentaries suitable for library collections is provided. (LRW)

Discusses three philosophical positions taken by librarians regarding Holocaust denial literature in library collections: inclusion, exclusion, and inclusion with labeling as inaccurate. Concludes that librarians should not undertake the role of arbiters of truth but should responsibly and intelligently build collections that provide access to…

Discusses the role of librarians in terms of their responsibility to examine the social content of children's literature and then decide whether that content is appropriate for a particular child based on possible biases. (CLB)

Concludes from a review of 52 journal articles published in 1988 that periodic literature searches in circulation control are useful for identifying major trends, issues, and areas needing more serious study, and provide a basis for prediction. The issues discussed in the 1988 literature are summarized and areas for future study are suggested.…