An academic presentation on materials with sexual content in the context of library collection development. Researched and presented by Rowan La Barbera.

1. Sexual Content
in Library
Collections
Rowan La Barbera
LIS 748 - Collection Management
Dominican University

2. Public Libraries
● Act as a “mirror to their host societies,” both in terms of taste and values/morals
○ By extension, librarians are expected to be the arbiter of those morals
(Carmichael, 1995)
● Public libraries can serve as a neutral ‘third place’ for young adults to seek a variety
of perspectives on sexual health and expression, free of bias (Gross, 1997)
○ “Fill in the gaps” of in-school and/or at-home sexual education (Alvarez,
2023b)
School Libraries
● Schools act “as primary agents of socialization”, “[communicating] social and cultural
values to young people” (Crew, 1998)
● Subject to state-level legislation and/or curriculum regulation which may limit or
outright ban certain types of sexual education materials, especially ones that feature
LGBTQIA+ inclusive content (Alvarez, 2023b)
Alvarez, B. (2023b). The library’s Guide to sexual and reproductive health information. ALA Editions.
Carmichael, Jr., J. V. (1995). Sex in public (libraries): An historical sampler of what every librarian should know. North Carolina Libraries, 59–64.
https://doi.org/10.3776/ncl.v53i2.2773
Crew, H. S. (1998). Transforming the hidden curriculum: Gender and the library media center. Knowledge Quest, 26(4), 30–33.
Gross, M. (1997). Library service to pregnant teens: How can we help? School Library Journal.
Library
Types &
Sexual
Content
in
Context

3. Librarians often play an
active role in acting as a
“moral censor” for their
collections. 3
The ALA sites “sexually
explicit” content as the
#1 reason materials
are challenged in
school & public libraries. 3
1st Edition of It’s Perfectly
Normal: Changing Bodies,
Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual
Health is published. 2
Professional standards shift
from pro-censorship to pro-
access & valuing multiple
perspectives. 3
ALA adds section 52.5.2
“Sex Education Materials in
Libraries [for Youth]” to
their Policy Manual. 1
Florida passes the The
Parental Rights in Education
Act, commonly known as the
“Don’t Say Gay” law, a
support for later book bans.
4
1994
Historical Overview
Early 1900s 1960s 1980
2014 2022
1 ALA Council. (1980, January 1). B.8.6.2 - sex education materials in libraries. ALAIR Home.
https://alair.ala.org/handle/11213/1597
2 Hsieh, S. (2019). How a children’s book became a sex ed strawman for Arizona Republicans.
Phoenix New Times.
3 Martinez, M. M., Cassidy, E., Mueller, K. L., Shen, L., Thompson, M., & Valdes, Z. (2016). Collecting
sex materials for libraries. Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 35(4), 151–170.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01639269.2017.1283181
Dramatic increase in the
production of erotica; some
libraries take notice &
choose to incorporate it. 5
1970s
4 Salai, S. (2022, July 22). Miami-Dade Schools Ban Sex Ed Books for being “age-
inappropriate” under Fla. Parental-rights law. The Washington Times.
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jul/22/sex-ed-books-middle-high-
school-banned-age-inappro/
5 Crook, E. (2001). Erotica in Australian libraries : Are we negligent collection
managers? Library and Information Science Research E-Journal, 11(2).
https://doi.org/10.32655/libres.2001.2.3

4. 52.5.2
Sex Education
Materials in Libraries
(Summarized)
Youth have a right to comprehensive, sex-
related education, materials, programs, and
referral services of the highest quality.
Furthermore, it is the duty of librarians to
actively ensure access by constantly refining
existing policies and exploring new ones.
ALA. (2008, January 4). 52.5.2 Sex Education Materials in Libraries.
52. SERVICES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF LIBRARIES.
https://www.ala.org/ala/ourassociation/governingdocs/policyman
ual/services.htm

5. Challenges, Bans, and
the Decision to Not Select
● Challenges & Bans
○ “Protecting children” is frequently cited as the main reason for challenging books with
sexual content, educational or otherwise
○ Conflates health-centered, scientifically-backed educational material with pornography
○ Challengers argue that these educational resources actively encourage sexual activity when
contents are actually geared towards simple informed consent (Hsieh, 2019)
● Reasons for Not Selecting
○ Concerns about legality; often well-intentioned, but under-informed on actual legal
constraints and/or protections
■ Exact details can vary greatly between states & countries
○ Societal & personal bias against sexual content; especially true with materials which don’t
conform to (cis)heteronormative standards (Martinez et al, 2016)
Dare, P. (2009). Library adds explicit sex manuals; Books “pure and simple” pornography, critics argue. Edmonton
Journal.
Hsieh, S. (2019). How a children’s book became a sex ed strawman for Arizona Republicans. Phoenix New Times.
Martinez, M. M., Cassidy, E., Mueller, K. L., Shen, L., Thompson, M., & Valdes, Z. (2016). Collecting sex materials for

6. ● People of all ages use the library to seek out
health information, which naturally includes
sexual health (Alvarez, 2023a)
● Providing open access to sexual (and
reproductive) health resources gives people
the power to make more informed decisions
about their own health (Alvarez, 2023b)
● May address issues specific to LGBTQIA+
diverse patrons (Stewart & Kendrick, 2019)
● May include resources for patrons recovering
from sexual trauma (Dixon, 2018)
● Erotica (as opposed to simple pornography), has
“artistic merit” and/or “storytelling aspects”
(Martinez et al, 2016)
● “Sexual pleasure,” “sexual self-esteem,” and
“comfort with sexuality” are all vital to sexual
health, one of many elements of public health
(Alvarez, 2023b)
● Erotica has existed as an “accepted and popular
literary form” for centuries, save for censorship
efforts by the Christian Church
○ Erotic content serves a “societally useful
function”; the rapid growth of
photograph, film, and the Internet can all
be tied back to its widespread demand
(Edgar, 2001)
Education & Erotica:
The Value in Both
Alvarez, B. (2023a). Sexual and reproductive health information and services in public libraries: A national survey of public library professionals. Public Library Quarterly, 1–26.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01616846.2023.2187182
Alvarez, B. (2023b). The library’s Guide to sexual and reproductive health information. ALA Editions.
Crook, E. (2001). Erotica in Australian libraries : Are we negligent collection managers? Library and Information Science Research E-Journal, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.32655/libres.2001.2.3
Dixon, J. A. (2018). Libraries address #MeToo. Library Journal, 143(12), 15–16.
Stewart, B., & Kendrick, K. D. (2019). “Hard to find”: Information barriers among LGBT college students. Aslib Journal of Information Management, 71(5), 601–617.
https://doi.org/10.1108/ajim-02-2019-0040
Sex Ed Erotica

7. Sex-Positive
Christian
Materials:
A Perspective
Will they be popular?
Asked for by name?
Probably not.
Should they be bought anyway?
Probably!
Why?
● Plenty are written by community-
respected authors, even if professional
reviews aren’t available.
● Typically less likely to be challenged
than secular sex ed.
● Sex-positive Christianity is
underrepresented within most
collections with religious content.
● Not asking ≠ not wanting/needing!
Cornog, M., & Perper, T. (1997a). For SEX, See Librarian: A
Plague on Both Your Houses? The Other Sex Books. Journal
of Information Ethics, 6(1), 8–12.
Christian Sex Manuals: materials which
instruct readers how to have a healthy
& pleasurable sex life through the lens
of Christian philosophy & values.

8. Sexual Health Resources
Collection Development Checklist
1. Review books currently in the collection on the subject.
2. Are these books current; is their info accurate? Are they inclusive?
3. If new titles are needed, consult recommended resource lists.
○ Note: be sure to consult any local legislation which may relate to topics such as sex ed,
abortion, and LGBTQIA+ concerns; use this info to inform collection development decisions.
4. Be critical of use of subject headings & physical placement of materials in the
collection.
○ Examples: Dewey traditionally shelves LGBTQIA+ issues alongside pathologies. Materials
with a religious spin should be grouped with other religious materials, not sex ed or
sexuality.
5. Acquire and/or increase promotion of digital resources.
6. Ensure links to third-party health resources are reputable.
7. (If budgets allows) include sexual health resources in non-circulating/reference
materials to ensure access even when other copies are checked out.
Alvarez, B. (2023b). The library’s Guide to sexual and reproductive health information. ALA
Editions.

9. Non-Text Resources & Services
Scarleteen/Heather Corinna. (2023). Sex education for
the real world. Scarleteen.
https://www.scarleteen.com/
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. (2023).
Official site. Planned Parenthood.
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/
Planned Parenthood
National Coalition for Sexual Health. (2023). Compendium of sexual &
reproductive health resources for healthcare providers. Sexual &
Reproductive Health for Healthcare Providers: NCSH.
https://nationalcoalitionforsexualhealth.org/tools/for-healthcare-
providers/compendium-of-sexual-reproductive-health-resources-for-
healthcare-providers
National Coalition for Sexual
Health
Scarleteen
Chicago Healthy Adolescents & Teens. (2023).
Homepage. CHAT. https://www.chataboutit.org/
Chicago Healthy
Adolescents & Teens
Healthy Teen Network. (2023, June 16). Featured
project: Pulse. Pulse.
https://www.healthyteennetwork.org/project/pulse
/
Pulse - Healthy Teen Network
Answer. (2023). Sex, etc.: Sex education by teens, for
teens. Sex, Etc. https://sexetc.org/
Sex, Etc.
… & so
much more!