Kirkland, A. B. (2021). Library Neutrality as Radical Practice. Canadian School Libraries Journal. https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/library-neutrality-as-radical-practice/

"If neutrality in librarianship really means not being intellectual freedom activists, then it has no place. But I contend that the notion of neutrality does have its place in library ethics. Understanding where that place resides is key."

Trade Sources

Are libraries neutral? Highlights from the Midwinter president's program. (2018). American Libraries. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/06/01/are-libraries-neutral/

[video] American Library Association. (2018, Feb. 11). ALA Midwinter 2018 - Should libraries be neutral? [Video, 2 min.] YouTube. https://youtu.be/eRdUMNDHw60?si=34LOyxCzYyDFufYc

Berninghausen, D. K. (1972). Antithesis in librarianship: Social responsibility vs. the Library Bill of Rights. Library Journal, 97(20), 3675-3681. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f25cwxQp5SvZIQ3ayvwSrBpeKL2pHeDA/view?usp=sharing [PSU login required]

Cooke, N. A. et al. (2022). Once more for those in the back: Libraries are not neutral. Publisher's Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/89576-once-more-for-those-in-the-back-libraries-are-not-neutral.html

[audio] Dudley, M. (2025, Jan. 19). The neutrality conspiracy [Audio, 24 min]. Heterodoxy in the Stacks. https://hxlibraries.substack.com/p/the-neutrality-conspiracy-03e

Dudley, M. (2023, Aug. 8). Library neutrality and pluralism: A manifesto. Heterodoxy in the Stacks. https://hxlibraries.substack.com/p/library-neutrality-and-pluralism

Social responsibility and the Library Bill of Rights: The Berninghausen debate. (1973). Library Journal, 98(1), 25-41. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1My4RZ4wt2nFA1yLfb6ieV2t5TlTW0Fnn/view?usp=sharing [PSU login required]

Scholarly Articles

Macdonald, S. (2024). Intellectual freedom and social responsibility in library and information science: A reconciliation. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science, 56(3), 712-727. https://doi.org/10.1177/09610006231160795

Wenzler, J. (2019). Neutrality and its discontents. portal, 19(1), 55-78. https://doi.org/10.1353/pla.2019.0004

Books

Berninghausen, D. K. (1975). The flight from reason: essays on intellectual freedom in the academy, the press, and the library. American Library Association. https://catalog.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/958660

Samek, T. (2001). Intellectual freedom and social responsibility in American librarianship, 1967-1974. McFarland. https://catalog.libraries.psu.edu/catalog/2233579

• What are your thoughts about the idea of library neutrality as a radical practice? How did this piece inform your thinking about the relationship between library neutrality and social responsibility (or social justice) work in libraries?
• The common read addresses library neutrality in the context of school libraries and in Canada / Australia. What ideas transfer well to academic libraries in the US? What is different about our practice context?
• How do you think library neutrality relates to intellectual freedom? What does this look like in practice?