April 6, 2025 

Somerset County Board of Education
7982A Tawes Campus Dr
Westover, MD 21871 

Dear Members of the Somerset County Board of Education - 

The Maryland Library Association (MLA) joins the Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL) in opposing the recently proposed policy regarding the selection of media center materials within Somerset County Public Schools. This policy risks undermining intellectual freedom, limiting students’ exposure to diverse perspectives, and imposing constraints that may hinder their ability to develop critical thinking skills. 

School libraries provide students with access to a broad range of ideas, perspectives, and knowledge that foster independent thought and inquiry. School libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues and that materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation. The policy as written prohibits materials that may depict difficult or complex aspects of human experience. It also violates constitutional protections of students’ first amendment rights in a school library setting by unduly limiting students' access to materials that encourage intellectual exploration and personal growth. 

Certified school librarians are professionals trained in objectively curating materials that cover a wide range of topics that also align with school curriculums and education needs while also providing recreational reading for children that promote literacy and a love of reading. They should have the discretion to select materials using established professional review sources, not based on any personal belief, such as stated in your policy “these materials should also support the beliefs and values endorsed by Somerset County Board of Education.” By promoting the beliefs and values of a handful of people, you ignore and exclude other students and other families in Somerset County, and you also set up a situation where what is acceptable to be in a school library could change with each new election, further harming students and families. Additionally, requiring Board approval for every purchase adds unnecessary bureaucracy, delays access to timely materials, and undermines the professional expertise of educators and library media specialists. 

MLA further asserts that changes being considered to this policy may be in violation of Maryland’s Freedom to Read Act (2023). By eliminating “social and emotional growth,” your collections may fail to fully consider the interests of the students as required in the law. Moreover, this new policy may contradict the Freedom to Read Act by being partisan and ideological. As stated in the law “materials may not be excluded or removed from the catalogue of a school library media program because of partisan, ideological, or religious disapproval.” 

Lastly the board policy states that “the appeal process for citizens will be followed.” The Freedom to Read Act states that the only people allowed to object to materials in a school library are “a student; parent or guardian of a student enrolled in a school in the local school system; or school personnel” without regards to citizenship. 

MLA strongly urges the Board to reconsider this policy and to instead adopt guidelines that align with best practices in school librarianship, including adherence to the American Association of School Librarians Standards for School Libraries. Policies should support freedom to read, inclusivity, and equitable access to a range of materials that reflect diverse perspectives and experiences. Rather than implementing restrictive measures, MLA encourages the Board to empower library professionals to make informed, student-centered decisions in selecting materials that enrich the learning environment for all students. 

Thank you for your time and consideration. 

Sincerely,
Teonja Jung, MLA President
Joshua Stone, MLA Executive Director