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Abstract
Library usage contributes societal value to the community as a public good funded by taxes. This research aimed to bring to light how the values and beliefs of librarians influence public library collections in the United States. Libraries have historically emphasized equal access over equitable inclusion, and collections lack diversity and community representation. White women dominate librarianship as a profession despite several decades of diversity initiatives by the American Library Association. The qualitative methodology used was semi-structured interviews with 12 credentialed public librarians with at least 5 years of professional experience. The study found that librarians frame the professional core value of intellectual freedom expansively as neutrality. While using it to defend against a rising tide of book banning, they also use it to defend the collection’s harmful materials and offensive stereotypes. These findings indicate the need for revising the profession’s core values and recommendations for practice that include collaborating with communities in curating collections that foster a sense of belonging and a suggestion for continuing education for professionals.
