How should libraries deal with books written by authors who have engaged in objectionable or criminal behaviors ?

By: Meriam I., Kristin, Michelle, Celine, Katelyne Mck.

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

How should libraries deal with books written by authors who have engaged in objectionable or criminal behaviors?

Ultimately it depends on the content of the book and not the author themselves. If the book is enjoyable and there is nothing harmful within it, then there is nothing wrong with the book. The author is a separate entity and the book is an inanimate object and should take no blame for this person’s actions. There can be concern over the book when the objectional behaviour of the author becomes public knowledge. This can include patron concerns over their libraries keeping these books on the shelves, and the effect that knowledge of this behaviour has on the sales of the books. However, the library has already purchased the book so there will be no further gains for the author because it has already been paid for and all proceeds the author would have received would have been received before this occurred. After the objectionable behaviour of the author is made public knowledge, the library can choose not to purchase any more books written by that author. The purpose of libraries is to bring knowledge to people, and if they have already spent money and acquired books, there is no real need for them to remove the book from the shelves. People will also have already read the books and enjoyed it. These people might wish to read the book again, or they might have recommended it to others without being aware of the actions of the author. These people would not want the book to be removed from the shelves because of the actions of the author. Some people might also develop ideas about the author and be curious to see what the author has written which could increase circulation of the book. There is also the possibility that authors could use pseudonyms. If an author uses a pseudonym before their actions become public knowledge, their name might not even be attached to the book in the public eye because the public is often not aware of these pseudonyms or what they are. This would reduce controversy with the public over whether the book should be removed from the shelves or not. This is also true if the author begins to use a pseudonym after the public becomes aware of their actions. This would prevent many in the public from becoming aware of the connections between the books and the author which could make the decision to keep the book easier to make.

It is also important to consider whether the author is actually guilty of the behaviours they have been accused of. There can be cases where there were mistakes made and the author might not have done the thing they have been accused of or the situation could have been exaggerated by the media. If the author has not done the thing they have been accused of, it would be unfair to remove their books from the shelves based on misconceptions and mistakes that have made them unpopular with the public.

In short, it is ultimately up to the library whether or not they should remove the book because of the actions of the author. It was the author that chose to do what they did and the book is not connected to these actions and should not be affected by them.