Darien Library welcomes expressions of opinion concerning library materials, programs, or displays. As such, the Library has established a process for individuals with a vested interest to challenge any library and other educational materials, display, or program, which they may do by completing and submitting a Request for Reconsideration Form, as included in Annex A to this Policy. [See Printed version]
In accordance with Public Act 25-168 Sec. 322, 323, Darien Library abides by the following statutory requirements:
- No library material, display, or program shall be removed, or programs be cancelled, because of the origin, background, or viewpoints expressed in such material, display, or program, or because of the origin, background, or viewpoints of the creator of such material, display, or program.
- Library materials, displays, and programs shall only be excluded for legitimate pedagogical purposes or for professionally accepted standards of collection maintenance practices as adopted in the Library’s Collection Development and Maintenance Policy, Display Policy, or Programs Policy.
- The Library will limit the consideration of requests to reconsider material, displays, or programs to individuals residing in Darien.
- The review and reconsideration process for Darien residents to challenge any library material, display, or program shall neither favor nor disfavor any group based on protected characteristics.
- The Request for Reconsideration Form must include space for the individual’s full legal name, address, and telephone number. An individual shall not submit a request for reconsideration without this information included.
- The individual completing a Request for Reconsideration Form must include specific information about which portion or portions of such material they object to and provide an explanation of the reasons for such objection.
- Reconsideration requests are not confidential patron records under section 11-25 of the CT general statutes.
- Any library material being challenged will remain available in the Library according to its catalog record and be available for residents and other Library patrons to reserve, check out, or access until a final decision is made by the Library Director.
- All library materials are evaluated and made accessible in accordance with the protections against discrimination set forth in section 46a-64 of the general statutes.
Review Process
The Library Director, along with appropriate staff, will evaluate each Request for Reconsideration Form, review the challenged material, display, or program in its entirety, evaluate the challenged materials, display, or program against the Collection Development and Maintenance Policy, Display Policy, or Program Policy, and issue a written decision on whether or not to remove the challenged material, display, or program. Such written decision shall be issued no later than sixty (60) days from the date of receiving such request, and the Library Director shall provide a copy of the decision to the individual who submitted the Request for Reconsideration Form. In addition, the Library Director may consolidate any requests for reconsideration of the same challenged library material, display, or program.
The final authority regarding the removal or retention of any library materials, displays, or programs ultimately resides with the Library Board of Trustees, whose judgment is final. Any appeal of the decision of the Library Director should be directed to the Library Board of Trustees.
The Board, after evaluating the challenged material, display, or program under the Collection Development and Maintenance Policy, Display Policy, or Programs Policy, shall
- Consult with (i) the Library Director, (ii) the State Librarian, or the State Librarian’s designee, (iii) a representative of the cooperating library service unit, as defined in section 11-9e of the Connecticut general statutes, (iv) the President of the Connecticut Library Association, or the President’s designee, and (v) the President of the Association of Connecticut Library Boards, or the President’s designee;
- Deliberate on such request for reconsideration;
- Provide a written statement of the reasons for the reconsideration or refusal to reconsider library material, displays, or programs, and;
- Provide any final decision that is contrary to the decision of the Library Director.
Once a decision has been made by the Library Director or the Library Board of Trustees on the reconsideration of any library material, display, or program, such material, display, or program cannot be subject to a new request for reconsideration for a period of three years. The Library Director shall summarize the previous decision in response to any new request for reconsideration during that three-year time period.
The Library is prohibited by state statutes from removing, excluding, or censoring any book on the sole basis that an individual finds such book offensive.
Any librarian or staff member of Darien Library who, in good faith, implements the policies described in this section shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, that might otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have the same immunity with respect to any judicial proceeding that results from such implementation.
This policy was approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees on October 27, 2025.
The Board of Trustees shall review and update this policy, at minimum, every five years.