Harmful Content & Reconsideration

The Hirsh Health Sciences Library follows the principles in the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights and it’s interpretations regarding intellectual freedom and censorship. The library works to provide content representing a wide range of attitudes, ideas, and cultures, and we oppose attempts by individuals or groups to censor items in our collection. We do, however, recognize the existence of harmful and offensive content in biomedical literature produced by scientific research communities over the years. While this content may provide historical context for changing cultural values and an understanding of how bias shapes scientific research, it is not the current mission of this library to collect and retain content for its historical value, but rather to meet the current needs of our academic and research communities.* In trying to meet those needs, we acknowledge that our collection may include outdated, biased, and offensive content. Patrons may report such content to the library at hhsl@tufts.edu or request removal of the resource via a Reconsideration Form request. Any decision to withdraw reported material will be made in accordance with our Reconsideration Policy and our support of the Library Bill of Rights.

Reconsideration Policy

Most material in the Hirsh library is selected to support the instructional and research needs of the Tufts’ health sciences community. The small leisure reading collection is selected with input from staff, students, and faculty with the intent of selecting a wide variety of materials to satisfy the diverse interests of our community. A person who wishes to request the reconsideration of library material must file a formal request for reconsideration using the library-provided Reconsideration Form. Anonymous submissions will not be considered. The request will be reviewed by the appropriate subject librarian (or the Associate Director in the absence of a subject librarian) and the Head of Collections. Together, these librarians will develop a recommendation that will be submitted to the Library Director. The Library Director is responsible for making the final decision. Requestors will be notified of the decision within 90 days of their initial submission.

*The educational, research and clinical programs of the Schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Sciences and Policy, Jean Mayer USDA Human Research Center on Nutrition in Aging and the Tufts Medical Center, including programs developed jointly between any two or more of the units.