It's Not Censorship If It's for the Children: The Role of Women in Public Library Censorship: The historical study of public libraries has shifted from focusing on the library as an institution to the library as a reflection of the values of its users. The collective question asked through the historical scholarship relates to how public libraries are affected by external communities, in regards to collection censorship and information access. I propose the new question, how have women participated in influencing the values of public libraries, and the resulting censorship practices of librarians? I propose that my research will show that women have played an important role in shaping library values, both as users and staff, particularly in relation to promoting “family values.”

Kelsi-Ann Weist: Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, I completed my undergraduate degree at Laurentian University and graduated in 2014 with a double major in English: Rhetoric and Media Studies and Law and Justice. After completing a Library and Information Technician Diploma from Seneca College in Toronto, Ontario, I began working at the Greater Sudbury Public library in 2016. Over the past five years I have worked as both a Branch Assistant and Virtual Librarian for this organization. I began my MLIS at San Jose State University in January 2019. During my time in this program, I have had wonderful opportunities to learn more about intellectual freedom, library technology, and librarianship throughout the world. I will be graduating in the end of Spring 2022, and look forward to my future in public librarianship.