Approved October 14, 2025

For definitions and other information relevant to understanding Library Policies, please see Introduction to Library Policies.

Definitions.
“Material”: Any physical or electronic information source of the Library including, but not limited to, all collections which are available to Users.
“User”: Those who use the Resources and Materials provided by the Library.
“Resource”: Any bought, donated, or leased physical or electronic information source of the Library.
“Program”: A cultural or educational event sponsored by the Library which is attended by Library Users.
“Display”: A physical or digital exhibition of Resources created by the Library which highlight a specific subject or topic.

Introduction.
Greenwich Library (the “Library”) recognizes that some Users may object to certain Resources, Programs, or Displays. This Policy provides the process which must be followed in order for any Resource, Program, or Display to be reconsidered as part of the Library’s offerings.

The Library is guided by the American Library Association’s (the “ALA”) Library Bill of Rights and Freedom to Read statement which is appended to this policy. The standards of privacy and confidentiality endorsed by the ALA and outlined in the Privacy & Confidentiality of Library Records Policy are applied to the development and management of Library collections. Access to the Internet is covered by a separate Use of Electronic Resources Policy.

Process.

When an objection is received, a staff member will explain the Library’s position on intellectual freedom. If the User continues to object, the staff will ask him or her to fill out the Request for Reconsideration form, which may be accessed online but must be submitted as hard copy to the attention of the Library Director.

The Library Director with the consultation of appropriate Library Staff will evaluate the request for reconsideration form, read the challenged Material in its entirety, evaluate the challenged Material against the collection development and maintenance policy, and make a written decision on whether or not to remove the challenged Material not later than sixty days (60) from the date of receiving such request. The Library Director shall provide a copy of the Library Director’s decision and report to the individual who submitted the form.

The individual who submitted the request for reconsideration form may appeal in writing the Library Director’s decision to the Greenwich Library Board of Trustees. The Board, after evaluating the challenged Material under the collection development and maintenance policy, shall (A) consult with (i) the Library Director, (ii) the State Librarian, or the State Librarian’s designee, (iii) a representative of the cooperating library service unit, as defined in section 11-9e of the general statutes, (iv) the president of the Connecticut Library Association, or the president’s designee, and (v) the president of the Association of Connecticut Library Boards, or the president’s designee, (B) deliberate on such request for reconsideration, (C) provide a written statement of the reasons for the reconsideration or refusal to reconsider the Library Material, and (D) provide any final decision that is contrary to the decision of the Library Director

Once a decision has been made by the Library Director or the Board of Trustees on the reconsideration of any library Material, such Material cannot be subject to a new request for reconsideration for a period of three years.

The Library Director shall summarize the previous decision in response to any new request for reconsideration during that three-year time period.
This policy will be reviewed by the Board at least once every five years.

Statutory Requirements.

All Library Materials are evaluated and made accessible in accordance with the protections against discrimination set forth in Section 46a-64 of the Connecticut General Statutes.

In accordance with Connecticut Public Act 25-168, Sections 322 and 323, the Library abides by the following statutory requirements:

• The Library establishes a process for individuals with a vested interest to challenge any Library and other educational Material, Display, or Program.
• Provides that the Material Reconsideration Policy limits “consideration of requests to reconsider Material, Displays or Programs to individuals residing in the town in which the library is located or the town in which the contract library is located.”
• No Library Material or Display shall be removed or Programs cancelled because of the origin, background or viewpoints expressed in such Material, Display or Program or because of the origin, background or viewpoints of the creator of such Material, Display or Program.
• Library Materials, Displays and Programs shall only be excluded for legitimate pedagogical purposes or for professionally accepted standards of collection maintenance practices as adopted in the collection development and maintenance policy or in the Display policy or in the Program policy.
• The Library is prohibited from removing, excluding, or censoring any book or Display or canceling a Program on the sole basis that an individual finds such book or Program, or Display offensive.
• The Materials review and reconsideration process for Users to challenge any Library Material, Display or Program shall neither favor nor disfavor any group based on protected characteristics.
• The individual completing a reconsideration form must include specific information about which portion or portions of such Material, Program, or Display they object to and provide an explanation of the reasons for such objection.
• The Request for Reconsideration form must include the individual’s full legal name, address and telephone number.
• Reconsideration requests are not confidential patron records under section 11-25 of the general statutes.
• Any Library Materials being challenged will remain available in the Library according to its catalog record and be available for a resident to place on hold, check out or access in accordance with the Library’s access policies until a final decision is made by the library director.
• Any Library Program being disputed will remain available on the Library calendar and be available for a resident to register in accordance with the Library’s Program Policy until a final decision is made by the Library Director.
• The Library Director may consolidate any requests for reconsideration of the same challenged Materials.
• Any librarian or staff member of a public library who, in good faith, implements the policies described in this section shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have the same immunity with respect to any judicial proceeding that results from such implementation.
• Provides a request for reconsideration form that can be submitted to the Library by an individual to initiate a review of Materials.
• Provides that the request for reconsideration form has space for individual’s full legal name, address and telephone number.

View Entire Policy.