[Conntech] Alert: Please Read: art shows & display cases information

[Ann Marie White]

Hi Everyone,

I contacted Marie directly but also felt that I should send something 
off to the full list regarding the issue of art policies and display 
cases. Recently, we updated our policies. After a major controversy, I 
did considerable research before we updated our policies. It was upon 
discussing this issue at length with Peter Chase, Chair of Intellectual 
Freedom of CLA, and the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom that I 
discover some very important issues concerning art galleries, exhibits, 
bulletin boards and meeting rooms.

In all of these cases, once we libraries open them up to anyone outside 
of strictly library business, then they become public forums and public 
spaces. Once they are a public space/forum, we can *only* limit 
acceptance based on neutral issues like duration & size. We cannot use 
issues like "meet community standards" or "library deems appropriate 
content" or any kind of judgement-opinion-based outcome. In regards to 
art, you can add an issue of technique and credentials so that clearly 
someone who has no technical skill as an artist does not have been 
accepted. However, you cannot reject an artist because you feel that 
their work is potentially offensive, controversial or doesn't meet 
community standards.

In addition, the ALA Office of Intellectual Freedom suggested that all 
libraries who accept art should have an art committee where at least 
some members of the committee are artists. (If you accept all artists no 
matter their skill level and would NEVER reject anyone even if a 5 year 
old gave you colored crayon sheets, then you don't need a committee). 
This way if you do reject an artist based on their technique, then you 
did have a skilled group who made that decision and could back up that 
decision in court if required.

This is also true about exhibits. If you allow even one exhibit in a 
space, then all exhibits must be accepted. Even if there is a lag 
between requests of several months, you have now deemed that area a 
"public forum" whether you made a policy on it or not. It is a public 
forum and so everyone must be accepted no matter what the content.

You can find all of Oliver Wolcott Library's policies on our website 
www.owlibrary.org then click on about us, then click on library policies
or hopefully this link will take you right there: 
http://www.owlibrary.org/about.php

If you have any questions on this or want to discuss this further, 
please feel free to contact me by phone 860-567-8030 or e-mail. Or, if 
something doesn't sound right here or you want better clarification, I 
encouraged all of you to talk to Peter Chase or the ALA Office of 
Intellectual Freedom.
The newest edition of the Intellectual Freedom Manual also contains 
excellent information on this topic (although not much on art in 
particular but on exhibits in general and bulletin boards).

Best regards,
Ann Marie



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> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* conntech-bounces at mylist.net 
> [mailto:conntech-bounces at mylist.net] *On Behalf Of *Marie Spratlin 
> Hasskarl
> *Sent:* Thursday, May 29, 2008 7:49 PM
> *To:* clclist at ctlibrarians.org; conntech at mylist.net
> *Subject:* [Conntech] art shows & display cases
>
>  
>
> Hi All ~ Please email me off line with your applications for library 
> art shows in your program/community rooms and displays in your cases.  
> I am also interested in finding out about insurance. Do you have a 
> special insurance rider or is the artist expected to have the 
> insurance? And would you have them sign a waiver as part of the 
> application. Since we are a municipal library the insurance would be 
> through the town.
>
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> Thanks, Marie
>
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> Marie Spratlin Hasskarl
>
> Library Director
>
> Burlington Public Library
>
> 34 Library Lane/ PO Box 1379
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> Burlington, CT 06013-1379
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> 860. 673.3331
>
> 860.673.0897   fax
>
> burlingtonctlibrary.info website
>
> mshasskarl at libraryconnection.info
>
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-- 
Ann Marie White - Library Director
Oliver Wolcott Library
160 South Street, PO Box 187
Litchfield, CT 06759
Phone: (860) 567-8030
Fax: (860) 567-4784