Prepared Libraries, ­Empowered Teams: A Workbook for Navigating Intellectual Freedom Challenges Together

This title provides helpful, practical information on the background and proliferation of book challenges. The authors clearly set out to condense and ­summarize a practical road map for library administrators to prepare and train their staff for the organized efforts of many conservative groups to remove books from libraries. The book opens with a summation of the current situation and how the number of challenges has dramatically risen in the last few years; the authors then discuss how to develop a strong policy and get support from library trustees and other potential stakeholders. While this book will be ­helpful to public libraries, school libraries are mentioned throughout as well, with lots of information and ­resources for librarians working in the educational environment. Bar graphs interspersed with visual ­statistics throughout the text make this a relatively quick read that will help any ­librarian make a case for why book challenges are so important to address proactively. The final chapter, which speaks about applying some of the ­practical guidelines to ­specific situations, is a true highlight. ­Library staff could be put through book challenge “drills” that effectively provide a way to roleplay as individuals coming into the ­library for the express purpose of ­trying to remove books that they don’t like.