Fields 1 Should Holocaust Denial Literature Be Included in Library Collections? Hallie Fields Introduction The Holocaust is typically written about in terms of genocide, mass destruction, and extreme prejudice. However, the Holocaust has also been denied, revised, and deemed a total lie by people from all over the world. This denial of an event that impacted world history has been immortalized in print, advertisements, recordings, and on the internet. Holocaust denial has become a phenomenon that our society and popular culture has had to deal with. Holocaust denial and revision is also now something that is on our permanent historical record. We, therefore, have to face Holocaust denial literature and information in our libraries. The library is known for grappling with controversial books and ethical issues that always get heated opinions from both sides of the issue and the topic of Holocaust denial and revision may be one of the toughest issues that a library can face. Holocaust denial, as presented in works where authors are doing what the genre says, actually denying the Holocaust, has become an ethical issue in libraries because of the topic it deals with. While Holocaust denial literature does not outnumber factual writings about the Holocaust, it is still present and it is an ethical issue that libraries must address. Research Question The denying of the Holocaust has been documented in books, articles, full journals, and various other formats. Therefore, this type of publication is available for libraries to collect, classify, and make accessible to library patrons. However, Holocaust denial literature deals with a sensitive, and inaccurate, topic. Therefore, this poses the ethical research questions of Should libraries make Holocaust denial literature available and accessible through selecting the materials for their collection? If the materials are to be selected, how should they be classified and maintained within the collection? Should librarians put disclaimers on the materials? Should librarians limit the uses of the materials? What types of libraries should collect Holocaust denial literature? Researching these questions will allow for a greater understanding of if and how libraries should collect, maintain, and circulate Holocaust denial materials. This study will not focus on a particular publication of Holocaust denial literature; rather it will focus on whether the literature should exist in the library and how it should exist.
Fields 2 Holocaust Denial and Revision Holocaust denial and revision efforts began during, and immediately after, World War II. 1 Even as concentration camps were being liberated, there were already cries of disbelief and rejection of the idea that the events of mass murder ever happened. The denial of the events, that many people all over the world witnessed and testified to, slowly gained support and publications were printed that were aiming to legitimize Holocaust denial. Holocaust denial is also referred to as revisionism because some types of denial are not actually denying the entirety of the events; rather they are rewriting the history of the Holocaust. However, Holocaust Revisionism is still attempting to claim that the truth that we know about the Holocaust is a lie. 2 The three theories of Holocaust denial, though they cannot really be called theories as they are not grounded in evidence but opinion and bigotry, are: the Holocaust happened but the events have been exaggerated, the Holocaust happened but other groups of people were targeted and killed as much as Jewish people were, and the Holocaust never happened. 3 These three ideas are represented by authors from multiple countries and various backgrounds. Authors of these ideas are often thought or known to be a part of other hate groups such as Neo-Nazis or the Ku Klux Klan. 4 These three ranges of opinions and ideas are mostly published by the Institute for Historical Review, which publishes books and a journal, and also from Liberty Lobby which publishes a right-wing newspaper. 5 Therefore, the authors of these ideas have avenues and support in publishing their opinions. They are able to get their voices on the public record. These publications are distributed through other, mostly, right-wing businesses and groups. Therefore, there is some kind of audience for these books and other publications so should they be accessible in libraries? Today there are several books, journals, and countless websites that deny the events of the Holocaust but should these materials be available in libraries for the public to read, interpret, and evaluate? These types of materials that support Holocaust denial exist and libraries must decide what to do with them. Right to Publish The first question that many librarians, patrons, and others will consider is do these authors have the right to publish this kind of material? The answer is yes. Authors from various countries, some from the United States, are allowed to publish Holocaust denial material because of things like the First Amendment of the Constitution and several articles within the 1 Lin Collette, "Encountering Holocaust Denial," Political Research Associates, http://www.publiceye.org 2 John Drobnicki, "Holocaust-Denial Literature in Public Libraries: An Investigation of Public Librarians' Attitudes Regarding Acquisition and Access," Public & Access Services Quarterly, 1, no. 1 (1995): 5-39, 7. 3 Kathleen Nietzke Wolkoff, "The problem of Holocaust denial literature in libraries," Library Trends, 45, no. 1 (1996), http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/pubs/catalog/trends.html (accessed September 23, 2013). 1-3. 4 Kristina L. Nelson, "Erasing the Horror: Revisionism and Library Access," Current Studies in Librarianship (1998): 12-19, 13. 5 Drobnicki, 8.
Fields 3 International Declaration of Human Rights. Article 18 of the IDHR gives people the right to freedom of thought, Article 19 gives the right of freedom and opinion and expression, and therefore, international authors are also covered. The questions that librarians have to face isn t should the material exist? However, librarians should understand why the material is allowed to exist and they should be able to make a case for its existence. Libraries and librarians will have to deal with the question of the material exists, what should we do with it? Intellectual Freedom in Libraries Once libraries and librarians have an understanding of how Holocaust denial and revisionist literature is allowed to be published, they must gain an understanding of intellectual freedom as interpreted in libraries. Intellectual freedom is the right that individuals have to express freely ideas and beliefs without restriction from government or other authorities. 6 Intellectual freedom is also the right to access ideas without restriction. The content of the works does not matter under the idea of intellectual freedom. Intellectual freedom also comes from the First and Fourth Amendments of the United States Constitution and from Article 19 of the Declaration of Human Rights. 7 Libraries must uphold the idea of intellectual freedom because it includes the word access. Libraries must allow access to any materials to patrons as long as those materials have not been deemed illegal. The library, itself, is not making the legal judgments of certain documents; those judgments are made in the government. Patrons have the right to intellectual freedom within the library. For the scope of this research project, this means that patrons have the right to seek information about Holocaust Denial no matter what their intentions may be. If the materials are not accessible in a library and have been restricted then a patron s right to intellectual freedom has also been restricted. Again, librarians must be able to interpret the idea of intellectual freedom for their own library. Furthermore, the idea of intellectual freedom tells us that the books should be accessible in some format from some location. However, intellectual freedom can be interpreted in different ways by different libraries and librarians. Intellectual freedom allows us to understand that Holocaust denial literature should be present in a collection but it does not help us understand how to include, classify, and display the material itself. ALA Code of Ethics and Library Bill of Rights The American Library Association s Code of Ethics is supposed to be guiding principles of librarianship. This code is supposed to help librarians deal with ethical dilemmas. 8 The principles that are described within the code leave a lot of room for interpretation but they do set basic guidelines. This code can, and should be, used by librarians when deciding whether to include Holocaust denial literature in their library. The second principle states we uphold the 6 Charlene C. Cain, "Librarians and Censorship: The Ethical Imperative," Louisiana Libraries, 68, no. 3 (2006): 6-8, 6. 7 Cain, 8. 8 ("Code of Ethics of the American Library Association" 28 June, 1995)
Fields 4 principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources. This statement can be directly applied to Holocaust denial literature. As discussed in the previous section, librarians should uphold intellectual freedom. This can be an argument for the inclusion of Holocaust denial literature because the patron s right to access and receive this information is covered by the Code of Ethics. Another principle in the Code of Ethics relates to Holocaust denial literature because it states that librarians must not let [their] personal beliefs interfere. According to the American Library Association s Code of Ethics, librarians should not let their own morals or opinions stop them from allowing certain items in their collections. Therefore, a librarian s personal disgust for Holocaust denial literature should not be the reason that it is excluded in the collection. The Code of Ethics, while very vague and only offering loose constructs, does offer enough information for librarians to see that Holocaust denial literature should be allowed in the collection. However, this same code also offers room for interpretation as to how that material can be included. Librarians still have a responsibility to interpret the code and figure out how to ethically and responsibly include Holocaust denial literature. The Library Bill of Rights, also by the American Library Association, offers a little more information on how libraries should deal with materials on topics such as Holocaust Denial. 9 First, the Library Bill of Rights states that books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people. This first statement of the Library Bill of Rights could certainly be applied to Holocaust Denial literature. A case could be made that Holocaust denial materials are of interest and provide information. There are some discrepancies as to what kind of information Holocaust denial literature provides but the Library Bill of Rights does not say that librarians must judge the interest, information, and enlightenment that is received. The second statement of the Library Bill of Rights is libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. This statement seems to be the one that could most obviously apply to Holocaust denial literature. While, Holocaust denial does not represent an accurate version of history, it does represent an accurate portrayal of racism and hatred and it helps us understand how something like the Holocaust could happen. The Library Bill of Rights has also been interpreted on the American Library Association s website. 10 A section on challenged books helps librarians be able to justify their collections and be prepared for challenges from those outside of the collection. Therefore, where some might point to a vague and open ended Bill of Rights, the American Library Association added more information so that the statements could be interpreted properly in instances involving challenged books. The ALA Code of Ethics and the Library Bill of Rights can be interpreted to allow and promote the inclusion of Holocaust denial material. Both of these documents call for access to information that does not depend on the opinions or moral judgments that people can make. 9 ("Library Bill of Rights" January 23, 1996) 10 American Library Association, "Banned and Challenged Books." Accessed October 1, 2013. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned.
Fields 5 Do we have to buy? Once it is understood that access should be allowed to Holocaust Denial materials, librarians must decide if their library will purchase the publications. Do they have to buy the publications? If access to materials must be maintained, does that mean librarians have to purchase Holocaust Denial literature? Obviously, libraries cannot afford to buy or have space to hold every book, journal, and other source that has ever been made. It is not expected for libraries to purchase every single thing. However, libraries have to make selection decisions for their collection. As Charlene C. Cain wrote, the bedrock of all library work is selection. 11 Selection means choosing the library materials that your library will and will not collect. However, selection should not mean censorship. A library should not claim there is no budget or no room for an item, when they are actually choosing to not select it for the collection. This idea of selection also does not mean that you should just buy anything and throw it into your collection. Librarians have to weigh their previous collection and see where new material fits in. 12 It is generally agreed that a library s collection should not just have materials that support one side of an argument. 13 Therefore, if the library has a collection of materials on the Holocaust, it would be expected to also have materials about all sides and opinions regarding the Holocaust. However, the topic of Holocaust denial literature provides a new level to the discussion of whether you should buy a publication or not because of the nature of its content. Holocaust denial literature is aiming to prove that something that has already been proven true with piles of evidence is false. 14 Librarians, therefore, face an ethical issue about whether to include this other side of the story because it is known to be inaccurate. This brings us to the first research question. Should libraries make Holocaust denial literature available and accessible through selecting the materials for their collection? Libraries do not have to buy any sort of material, it is all a matter of selection but patrons needs and wants should be taken into account. Accessibility to material within a particular region should also be taken into account. 15 Some libraries may assume that a patron can use Interlibrary Loan for their needs and while this may be an alternative method to buying the material, this is not always available. If every library assumes that another library can fill their patrons needs, the material will not actually be accessible. 16 Librarians have to make the choice about how they will build their own libraries collections. However, this choice cannot be based on their own opinions but rather it is based on patron s need, both spoken needs and assumed needs, and based on the 11 Cain, 8. 12 Wolkoff, 1. 13 Wolkoff, 13. 14 Wolkoff, 1. 15 Wolkoff, 4. 16 Wolkoff, 7.
Fields 6 collection they already have. 17 Many librarians will feel morally opposed to the content of the Holocaust denial publications but that does not give reason to censor or leave a book out of your collection because of your own feelings on the subject. The library collection should not be a reflection of one librarian s opinion. Therefore, the question of should the library purchase Holocaust denial materials? cannot be answered by how the librarian feels about the subject rather it is about professional responsibilities over private obligations. 18 We cannot choose to not buy or collect something based off our own personal preferences. Instead, selections should be made after careful considerations of the consequences of collecting and not collecting. Ignoring and not collecting It is entirely possible that a librarian can choose to not collect Holocaust Denial Literature, but what does this do to the collection? What does it mean for a patron who has a need and the material is not at the library? Are librarians, therefore, restricting access? Some arguments for not collecting are based around the fact that Holocaust Denial literature is inaccurate and is portraying false ideas. 19 However, librarians are not supposed to be the judge of a book s content. They are not supposed to be weighing each individual idea within a document and deciding whether it is true or not. 20 Some librarians claim they do not want to include Holocaust denial literature in their collections because they feel as if they are misleading patrons. This is only true if Holocaust denial is included in a collection with absolutely no context. Librarians are responsible for the way that books are presented but they are not responsible for what a book says. A librarian can decide to not collect Holocaust denial publications but they are also making the choice for each patron that uses their library. They are deciding that this patron cannot be trusted with the information, does not want the information, or is not capable of understanding the information. Again, this is not a librarian s decision. When a librarian censors or ignores Holocaust denial and revisionist literature, they are making decisions not only for themselves for all of their users. The ignoring of such materials leads to students not being presented with primary documents of Holocaust denial, users being denied access to material that can allow for understandings of racism and hatred, and for the patron who is genuinely interested in learning about Holocaust denial for whatever their own intentions may be. Again, librarians may make the decision not to collect the materials, but they must make the decision because their library truly calls for exclusion. Financial difficulties and not enough shelf space call for exclusion, but even this does not mean permanent exclusion from the collection. There are many other reasons for exclusion and ignoring Holocaust denial such as patrons finding material offensive, no requests for the material, or challenges when the material was in the collection. Librarians have to make the case for their patrons every patron is not going to want Holocaust denial literature, but there will likely be at least one patron who does and that is enough of a reason for inclusion. 17 Wolkoff, 5. 18 Suzanne M. Stauffer, "Selected Issues in Holocaust Denial Literature and Reference Work," The Reference Librarian (1998): 189-193, 193. 19 Stauffer, 190. 20 Wolkoff, 1.
Fields 7 The decision not to collect Holocaust denial items will lead to exclusion of patrons who have various needs that involve the books, journals, and other mediums. Collection of Holocaust Denial Literature The ideas behind the library profession as a whole, Intellectual Freedom, ALA s Code of Ethics and the Library Bill of Rights all seem to point to the idea that Holocaust denial literature should be a part of a library collection. The ideas of inclusion, avoiding censorship, and access all point to Holocaust denial literature having a place in libraries. The ethical issue of inclusion because of the sensitive nature of the subject matter can be resolved by the way that the literature is handled within the library collection. Holocaust denial material should be included in library collections but it should be included in a specific way. It has to be carefully classified, displayed, and maintained. Even with careful classification and context provided to the material, it will probably be challenged. However, there is plenty of evidence that including the material is the right thing to do because of the access and inclusion it provides. The material, though certainly controversial and inaccurate, can still provide information to the public through its adequate use. Librarians do not have the responsibility to judge a book s morality or accurateness, but they do have the responsibility to make distinctions between different books so that users may have the full information to make those decisions about a book s morality for themselves. In collecting Holocaust denial literature, librarians are not promoting the idea that the Holocaust was an exaggeration or a lie, but they are making the idea accessible to others. Again, librarians are not the moral authority; they are only the givers of information. They should not deny knowledge to their users, they should, instead, promote access to information that allows for more education, discussion, and understanding to become present in their community but controversial topics still must be treated with respect and delicacy. How should Holocaust denial literature be classified and displayed? Once it is established that a library will collect Holocaust denial literature, they must decide what they will purchase and how they will classify it. My second research question is--if the materials are to be selected, how should they be classified and maintained within the collection? There was much controversy in the past over the placement of Holocaust denial literature beside Holocaust texts that were factual. 21 This type of classification involving call numbers of books misleads readers into believing the items with the same call numbers are about the same subject. Books about the horror of the Holocaust with graphic depictions from survivors are incredibly different from books that support the idea that the Holocaust never happened and they should be treated that way. When libraries make the decision to purchase Holocaust denial literature they must responsibly classify the books so as not to mislead their readers. In 1985, the Library of Congress gave denial literature its own subheading. 22 This allowed for some of the first separation of the denial literature from the factual literature. Again, when librarians consider their purpose for 21 Nelson, 13. 22 Nelson, 13.
Fields 8 buying such materials, it is easy to see why classification that separates is needed. 23 The purpose for buying Holocaust denial publications should be to offer alternative views and allow for understanding of hatred and bigotry and how it can flourish in our society. With this understanding of the purchase of the material, librarians should aim to classify in a way that sets a clear division. The division allows the patron to see that there is a difference in the material. This also allows for sensitivity of the issue and shows that respect to Holocaust victims. Libraries must take responsibility for the ways that they present their collection. 24 Libraries can defend their choices when patrons challenge Holocaust denial when they are able to point out that it is classified and shelved differently than legitimate texts about the Holocaust. When Holocaust denial literature got its own subheading from the Library of Congress, it also got a different LC classification number. 25 Literature on the Jewish Holocaust is classified at D804.3 and works about Holocaust denial are at D804.35 and D804.355. However, the classifications of these work really depends on the reliance that catalogers will know which works are legitimate studies of the Holocaust and which are works of denial. 26 Many Holocaust denial publications are disguised as scholarly works, as Debra Spidal writes. Therefore, it can be difficult for the cataloger, and the reader, to discern the difference based on appearances and descriptions. This means the cataloger has a great responsibility as to not mislead readers. Again, Holocaust denial literature should be included in libraries, but it has to be included in a responsible manner so readers are presented with accurate descriptions that will allow them to make their own judgments. The same call number will mislead users and make them think that the works are on the same grounds. It is imperative that the works be separated in some form when they are included in a library s collection. A cataloger must also use appropriate subject headings when classifying the work. The two subject headings of Holocaust denial and Holocaust denial literature can be confusing and inappropriately used. 27 Holocaust denial as a subject heading can be referring to works that reference Holocaust denial because they are refuting it or criticizing it. The subject heading of Holocaust denial literature notes that a work is denying the Holocaust. Therefore, these two subject headings mean different things. Holocaust denial should not be used as a subject heading when the work is actually calling the Holocaust an exaggeration or a lie. It is important that users are able to find information that actually suits their needs and not something that will mislead them. Users could also have a need for actual Holocaust denial literature that must be able to be easily located as well. All of these things must be considered when classifying Holocaust denial literature. The works must not be grouped together without any divisions provided. If the works are simply lumped in with anything else about the Holocaust or even 23 Debra F. Spidal, "Treatment of Holocaust Denial Literature in Association of Research Libraries," The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 38, no. 1 (2011): 26-32, 26. 24 Nelson, 13. 25 Spidal, 26. 26 Spidal, 27. 27 Spidal, 26.
Fields 9 World War II, the work is given a boost and given some credibility. However, this is still a tricky subject to classify because it needs to be included and accessible but not given inappropriate credit. The proper subject headings and call numbers can help clear up confusion. Patrons may still be unclear as to what they re checking out, but it is not the librarians task to label, explain, or put a disclaimer on every book. Some works of Holocaust denial have been located in the World War II section, D810.J4. 28 This classification separates denial material from other Holocaust material but it also lumps it in with other factual and scholarly studies of World War II. It does not provide the proper context that a reader needs to make their own judgment about a work. Holocaust denial literature should be shelved with other Holocaust studies, but it should be given a separate call number that will allow for the reader to see a division. Again, the library can only provide the framework for the division; it cannot ensure that every reader has positive intentions. Labeling or Limiting Use The third research question that deals with the ethical use of Holocaust denial material is should librarians put disclaimers on the materials or limit the use of the materials? Some libraries keep Holocaust denial material in separate areas or in special collections away from the general collection. This method of collection can discriminate materials or lead to patrons not finding the materials they need. If Holocaust denial literature is kept in a special part of the library where patrons must request the material, the librarians are really keeping access from the material. The material has also been removed from its context when it is not surrounded by scholarly work on the horrors and truths of the Holocaust. Keeping Holocaust denial literature in a special, or segregated, area removes it from its needed context and could potentially keep it from patrons. Labeling material as inaccurate or providing misinformation is also something that some libraries want to do when acquiring Holocaust denial material. 29 However, labeling must be avoided because it makes judgments and biases patrons before they have even had a chance to look at the material for themselves. 30 Labeling Holocaust denial literature as a way to warn readers goes against the ideas that are presented the American Library Association s Code of Ethics and the Library Bill of Rights. 31 Labeling serves as a roadblock to intellectual freedom and receiving information. The information presented with Holocaust denial literature may not be unbiased, but the library that is presenting the information should be. Therefore, they should not warn readers through the use of labels about the material. Readers should be given a chance to make their own judgments. It is understandable why librarians would want to label the 28 Spidal, 29-30. 29 Stauffer, 190. 30 American Library Association, "Statement on Labeling." Last modified June 25, 1971. Accessed October 1, 2013. (http://ethics.iit.edu/ecodes/node/3759. 31 Wolkoff, 3.
Fields 10 material as degrading or incorrect, but, again, librarians must remember that they have to separate their own opinions and morals from the content of their collection. ALA issued a Statement on Labeling in 1971 that states that labeling is a censor s tool. 32 When the decision has been to collect Holocaust denial material in the library, the librarians must make every attempt to keep the material accessible and unprejudiced in its presentation. It is inappropriate for a library to bend and label for one group s opinions. If labels are placed on Holocaust denial material, then a case can be made to label countless other books within the library collection. Everything within a collection has to be treated the same and given the same access. A library must remember that their collection is not supposed to reflect their beliefs and opinions, but it should reflect the library s commitment to freedom of information. Which libraries should own? The final research question asks what types of libraries should own Holocaust denial material? Should public libraries, school libraries, and academic libraries all own Holocaust denial literature? Or must there be context and responsibility behind the decision to collect Holocaust denial literature? Libraries are diverse, and they must, therefore, individually decide if Holocaust denial literature is a good fit for their library. 33 The decision is no longer ethical, but practical. Libraries with a collection in need, where the context is correct, should collect the materials if financially possible. Most literature about Holocaust denial material agrees that it has a place in an academic library. Scholars, students, and researchers should have access to the material with the intention of it being used a primary source or a document to learn from when trying to understand prejudice, racism, and hatred. University libraries that serve large populations of students and scholars have a responsibility to provide information that is needed by patrons. Academic libraries usually have exhaustive collections that include many different viewpoints of countless issues in history and popular culture. 34 These libraries will, mostly likely, have a Holocaust or World War II section in their library. This calls for the need of at least one Holocaust denial title. If literature about the Holocaust is represented in the collection then another side of the event must be represented as well. Academic and research libraries should make an attempt to have Holocaust denial literature represented. An academic library is also likely to have the funds and availability to have Holocaust denial criticism. Therefore, a student would have access to a full range of texts about the topic of the Holocaust and Holocaust denial. Academic libraries that are catering to undergraduates, graduates, and researchers should make every effort to provide Holocaust denial literature. 32 "Statement on Labeling." 33 Wolkoff, 4. 34 Wolkoff, 4.
Fields 11 School libraries, those catering to elementary, middle, and high school, will most likely not have a need for Holocaust denial literature. 35 Elementary and middle school children, in particular, will probably not do research projects that will account for needing Holocaust denial literature. School libraries are also expected to support the school curriculum, and this subject will probably not be a part of that curriculum. However, every school has a different need and every school library must fulfill that need. If the school was, actually, teaching something regarding Holocaust denial literature then it should be included in the library. However, more context should be given to these sources through the teaching of the different ideas regarding the Holocaust. Finally, public libraries also have a varied set of needs that should be met by the collection. A public library s purpose is to serve the community. However, a public library cannot, usually, afford to have as exhaustive of a collection that an academic library can have. 36 Serious selection has to take place for a public library because of financial constraints. As previously pointed out, those financial constraints must be real though and not just an excuse for not acquiring Holocaust denial literature. Public libraries must make selections based off of their own community s needs. Therefore, the money that the library has may be better spent in other areas of the collection than on Holocaust denial literature. Librarians at public libraries must figure out the needs of their community before making selections. They must also not assume that because someone has not asked for Holocaust denial literature does not mean that there is not a need. 37 Like in academic libraries, if the public library has a collection of other books and literature about the Holocaust then the case for Holocaust denial literature can be made. Holocaust denial literature should not be included on its own in a public library collection because it will have no context or no opposite view point. 38 Like all of the other libraries mentioned, public libraries must consider their collection and their patrons when deciding whether to collect or not. Also, it is very important that public librarians remember their Code of Ethics and uphold the right to access. Librarians cannot monitor every thought or intention that a patron has; they can only provide the information. 39 Many public libraries, and academic libraries, may rely on Interlibrary Loan to meet the needs that require Holocaust denial literature. This can be acceptable as well as long as patrons are aware of this service and their requests are always met. 40 If a public library, or any other library for that matter, gets a request for Holocaust denial literature and tells a patron that the material does not exist in their collection, they must make every attempt to locate the material elsewhere. Public libraries are also government sponsored institutions and they 35 Wolkoff, 4. 36 Drobnicki, 12. 37 Wolkoff, 4. 38 Drobnicki, 13. 39 Wolkoff, 4. 40 Wolkoff, 5.
Fields 12 must uphold the First Amendment and cannot discriminate based on a patron s request for Holocaust denial literature. 41 Libraries are not required to purchase Holocaust denial literature but it is a decision that each library has to take seriously. 42 Each library must either purchase, or make their services of obtaining a book from outside of the collection known and used properly. Each library that decides to collect must implement the classification and non-labeling policies that were previously mentioned. Every library is different and must make difficult decisions on their own. However, every library must also remember to keep access and information at the heart of their decision. Conclusions The decision to include Holocaust denial literature in a library s collection can be ethically challenging because of the sensitive nature and inaccuracy of the denial of the Holocaust and the genocide of a people. However, librarians must look to their codes and guidelines and understand that the core of a library is about access. Sometimes librarians have to push aside their own moral boundaries and opinions and allow for access to be their true guide. Librarians must understand that it is ethical to provide Holocaust denial literature because they should not make judgments for their patrons. Librarians should, however, provide context and proper classification so that patrons may have the full information on the subject and then go on to evaluate Holocaust denial literature for themselves. When librarians use access and intellectual freedom as their guides, they can make the right decisions for patrons. 41 Wolkoff, 4. 42 Wolkoff, 5.
Fields 13 Bibliography American Library Association, "Code of Ethics of the American Library Association." Last modified 28 June, 1995. Accessed September 20, 2013. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics. American Library Association, "Library Bill of Rights." Last modified January 23, 1996. Accessed September 28, 2013. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill. American Library Association, "Statement on Labeling." Last modified June 25, 1971. Accessed October 1, 2013. (http://ethics.iit.edu/ecodes/node/3759. Cain, Charlene C. "Librarians and Censorship: The Ethical Imperative." Louisiana Libraries. no. 3 (2006): 6-8. Collette, Lin. "Encountering Holocaust Denial." Political Research Associates.. http://www.publiceye.org/magazine/v08n3/holodeni.html (accessed September 27, 2013). Drobnicki, John. "Holocaust-Denial Literature in Public Libraries: An Investigation of Public Librarians' Attitudes Regarding Acquisition and Access." Public & Access Services Quarterly. no. 1 (1995): 5-39. Nelson, Kristina L. "Erasing the Horror: Revisionism and Library Access." Current Studies in Librarianship. (1998): 12-19. Spidal, Debra F. "Treatment of Holocaust Denial Literature in Association of Research Libraries." The Journal of Academic Librarianship. no. 1 (2011): 26-32. Stauffer, Suzanne M. "Selected Issues in Holocaust Denial Literature and Reference Work." The Reference Librarian. (1998): 189-193.
Fields 14 Wolkoff, Kathleen Nietzke. "The problem of Holocaust denial literature in libraries." Library Trends. no. 1 (1996). http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/pubs/catalog/trends.html (accessed September 23, 2013).