Open Forum

Does anyone have a policy that governs decisions about free speech vs. respecting the potential emotional harm of their viewers? I have read many things that include guiding principles-but what is used to actually decide when there are grey areas?

I would like to read more about how to "define" or make decisions about what is acceptable to have openly on display, versus what might require a warning and/or covering that needs to be moved to view the object. I might be forced to write a "policy" and I've read a few things, like this http://ncac.org/resource/museum-best-practices-for-managing-controversy I found helpful, but I can't seem to find what I am looking for in terms of really specific guidance. Perhaps a case study? If we decide to cover something in one context-do we have to cover a similar thing in a different context? Do people remember this kind of thing?

Keep in mind -we are a public building and some of our exhibit spaces aren't designed only as exhibit spaces and people can't "choose" to pass or avoid an exhibit-so we are trying to make some guidelines for materials that might need warnings or covers. We believe in our students and faculties right to free speech, so properly contextualized, so far we have been willing to display everything they have asked for. But right now we are putting up a student curated/created display from a class on the history of women and medicine-which amongst other things that are not controversial, it also includes one panel on abortion, one panel on ejaculation and of course, plenty of female anatomy.  Part of their context is in looking at how women's access to information has changed over the years, and they want to highlight the change in particular. But the space is a few feet from a doorway to exit the building-and anyone passing from one part of the library to the other has to pass it (including, potentially our TIP middle school and high school kids who spend summer camp time here in the library...)

We often show female anatomy in a variety of contexts; we have wonderful history of medicine collection (we did a great flap book exhibit) and wonderful (but sometimes graphic) artists books that we have shown without any issue. The professor asked us to consider "What is the difference between showing an ancient greek naked statue vs. a 1970 pamphlet that shows images of how a woman can examine herself"?   

Does anyone have any sources they would recommend? This instance is about sexuality, but I'm also interested in other subjects for this type of guideline, as we have strong civil rights and social justice collections, and have sometimes shied away from some topics for fear of offense (and not having the tools or expertise to support the topics), and I'm interested in reading more about that area as well for the future.

Thank you for your consideration.

m

Meg Brown

919-681-2071

The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation Exhibits Librarian

Duke University Libraries

Durham, NC 27708

meg.brown@duke.edu

http://library.duke.edu/exhibits/

Does anyone have a policy that governs decisions about free speech vs. respecting the potential emotional harm of their viewers? I have read many things that include guiding principles-but what is used to actually decide when there are grey areas?

I would like to read more about how to "define" or make decisions about what is acceptable to have openly on display, versus what might require a warning and/or covering that needs to be moved to view the object. I might be forced to write a "policy" and I've read a few things, like this http://ncac.org/resource/museum-best-practices-for-managing-controversy I found helpful, but I can't seem to find what I am looking for in terms of really specific guidance. Perhaps a case study? If we decide to cover something in one context-do we have to cover a similar thing in a different context? Do people remember this kind of thing?

Keep in mind -we are a public building and some of our exhibit spaces aren't designed only as exhibit spaces and people can't "choose" to pass or avoid an exhibit-so we are trying to make some guidelines for materials that might need warnings or covers. We believe in our students and faculties right to free speech, so properly contextualized, so far we have been willing to display everything they have asked for. But right now we are putting up a student curated/created display from a class on the history of women and medicine-which amongst other things that are not controversial, it also includes one panel on abortion, one panel on ejaculation and of course, plenty of female anatomy.  Part of their context is in looking at how women's access to information has changed over the years, and they want to highlight the change in particular. But the space is a few feet from a doorway to exit the building-and anyone passing from one part of the library to the other has to pass it (including, potentially our TIP middle school and high school kids who spend summer camp time here in the library...)

We often show female anatomy in a variety of contexts; we have wonderful history of medicine collection (we did a great flap book exhibit) and wonderful (but sometimes graphic) artists books that we have shown without any issue. The professor asked us to consider "What is the difference between showing an ancient greek naked statue vs. a 1970 pamphlet that shows images of how a woman can examine herself"?   

Does anyone have any sources they would recommend? This instance is about sexuality, but I'm also interested in other subjects for this type of guideline, as we have strong civil rights and social justice collections, and have sometimes shied away from some topics for fear of offense (and not having the tools or expertise to support the topics), and I'm interested in reading more about that area as well for the future.

Thank you for your consideration.

m

Meg Brown

919-681-2071

The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation Exhibits Librarian

Duke University Libraries

Durham, NC 27708

meg.brown@duke.edu

http://library.duke.edu/exhibits/

Does anyone have a policy that governs decisions about free speech vs. respecting the potential emotional harm of their viewers? I have read many things that include guiding principles-but what is used to actually decide when there are grey areas?

I would like to read more about how to "define" or make decisions about what is acceptable to have openly on display, versus what might require a warning and/or covering that needs to be moved to view the object. I might be forced to write a "policy" and I've read a few things, like this http://ncac.org/resource/museum-best-practices-for-managing-controversy I found helpful, but I can't seem to find what I am looking for in terms of really specific guidance. Perhaps a case study? If we decide to cover something in one context-do we have to cover a similar thing in a different context? Do people remember this kind of thing?

Keep in mind -we are a public building and some of our exhibit spaces aren't designed only as exhibit spaces and people can't "choose" to pass or avoid an exhibit-so we are trying to make some guidelines for materials that might need warnings or covers. We believe in our students and faculties right to free speech, so properly contextualized, so far we have been willing to display everything they have asked for. But right now we are putting up a student curated/created display from a class on the history of women and medicine-which amongst other things that are not controversial, it also includes one panel on abortion, one panel on ejaculation and of course, plenty of female anatomy.  Part of their context is in looking at how women's access to information has changed over the years, and they want to highlight the change in particular. But the space is a few feet from a doorway to exit the building-and anyone passing from one part of the library to the other has to pass it (including, potentially our TIP middle school and high school kids who spend summer camp time here in the library...)

We often show female anatomy in a variety of contexts; we have wonderful history of medicine collection (we did a great flap book exhibit) and wonderful (but sometimes graphic) artists books that we have shown without any issue. The professor asked us to consider "What is the difference between showing an ancient greek naked statue vs. a 1970 pamphlet that shows images of how a woman can examine herself"?   

Does anyone have any sources they would recommend? This instance is about sexuality, but I'm also interested in other subjects for this type of guideline, as we have strong civil rights and social justice collections, and have sometimes shied away from some topics for fear of offense (and not having the tools or expertise to support the topics), and I'm interested in reading more about that area as well for the future.

Thank you for your consideration.

m

Meg Brown

919-681-2071

The E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation Exhibits Librarian

Duke University Libraries

Durham, NC 27708

meg.brown@duke.edu

http://library.duke.edu/exhibits/