Van Wylen Library Display Policy

They are an opportunity for the library to collaborate with other departments, faculty members, student groups, and individual students to curate resources in their areas of expertise or interest and to engage the Hope community about diverse and relevant topics. Displays also offer a special opportunity for voices underrepresented in the Hope community to be amplified in keeping with Hope’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. When selecting display themes and location, preference is given to national special observances such as history and heritage months.

When creating a display, we thoughtfully consider how the presentation and selection of materials will address diverse topics in a manner that is academic, informational, enjoyable, non-partisan, and in keeping with Hope’s commitment to the Virtues of Public Discourse. In accordance with the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, libraries have a responsibility to provide information and enlightenment for all people of the community the library serves and should not proscribe or remove materials because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval. Should complaints about a display or featured item arise, a Challenge Form may be submitted for consideration by the Dean of Libraries.

Displays support the mission of Van Wylen Library by connecting students, faculty, and staff to informational resources and promoting the library as an engaging center of lifelong learning that inspires students to question, contemplate, and create.

(Last revised June 2023.)