Library Complaint and Censorship Records (Barnstable County Correctional Facility Library)

To Whom It May Concern:

This is a request under the Massachusetts Public Records Law (M. G. L. Chapter 66, Section 10) for a copy of the following records:

Copies of written and electronic complaints and challenges for removal, reclassification, or other reconsideration of publications including books, magazines, movies, websites (e.g. filtered from library computers), or other media from January 1, 2010, to present, as well as records, petitions, and correspondence related to these challenges.

We seek such records as, for example, are classified by the Massachusetts’ Supervisor of Public Records Municipal Records Retention Manual under Section 17.004: Complaint and Censorship Records, though we do not limit our request to those so classified.

According to 950 CMR 32.06(5), every custodian of records is encouraged to waive fees where disclosure would benefit the public interest, as we believe these will. This request is part of a research project by the Center for Civic Media to better understand how and why library materials are challenged in the State of Massachusetts. We are committed to open access and plan to make our findings broadly available to the public. If fees cannot be waived please inform me in advance.

We ask that, if possible, you please respond via email with text documents or clear, high-quality scanned PDFs. If you cannot reply electronically, please mail us the best quality copies you reasonably can. Your efforts helps us ensure broad accessibility and equity.

The statute requires your response to this request within 10 business days. Thank you in advance for your cooperation in helping us better understand this important aspect of the work that you do. Please feel free to email me directly if you have any further questions.

Best,

- Chris Peterson
Research Assistant
Center for Civic Media
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Kindly clarify your request for documents dated March 12, 2013. The Barnstable County Correctional Facility is a jail and not a library. We have a small library for books that inmates can borrow and are unsure of exactly what you are requesting.

Sharon D. Rogers, Procurement Officer
Barnstable County Sheriff's Office
6000 Sheriff's Place
Bourne, MA. 02532

Hi Sharon -

We are wondering if anyone has requested for books in the correctional facility library be removed or reconsidered for inclusion/classification. Many libraries have standard forms and policies such requests and may have some records on hand. If you do not then you may simply tell us you have no documents responsive to the request.

Best,

- Chris

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 12, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 12, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

To Whom It May Concern:

I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on March 12, 2013. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.

Thank you for your help.

Dear Chris:

I apologize, I just received your fax from April 13th and never received the prior.

At this time, to the best of my knowledge, the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office and Barnstable County Correctional Facility has not had any requests from inmates for library materials to be removed or reconsidered for inclusion/classification.

Sharon

Sharon D. Rogers, Procurement Officer
Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office
6000 Sheriff’s Place
Bourne, MA. 02532