Illinois: “Elmhurst Library Board Rejects Request to Stop Carrying M-Rated Video Games”
From the Chicago Tribune:
Rejecting claims of a direct link between violent video games and violent behavior, Elmhurst Public Library board members Tuesday turned down requests by a small group of residents to change the library’s selection policy for violent video games.
“There’s no evidence I can see between these games and violent behavior,” said library director Mary Beth Campe.
Campe and board members made clear they see the inclusion of the materials in the library’s collection as an issue of First Amendment freedom of expression.
Jim Schuetz, who spoke for the citizen group Tuesday, insisted the group is not asking for a ban on the games.
“We are asking the library to implement improved selection criteria and procedures,” Schuetz told board members.
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Board action Tuesday included unanimous approval of a revised materials selection policy and collection management plan that Campe said included material “from other well respected libraries in Illinois.”
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Background: “Elmhurst Library Considers Policy on M-Rated Video Games” (March 18, 2013)
Filed under: Libraries, Management and Leadership, News, Public Libraries
About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.