Library Complaint and Censorship Records (Newburyport Public Library)

January 10, 2014
Newburyport Public Library
Newburyport Public Library
94 State St.
Newburyport, MA 01950-6619

This is a follow up to a previous request:

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, The Newburyport Public Library has had no written or
electronic complaints/challenges for removal or other reconsideration
of library materials from January 1, 2010 to the present. Cynthia Dadd

---

On Dec. 13, 2013:

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.

---

On Nov. 5, 2013:

Director Dadd,

The records request below was sent to cdiminture@mvlc.org on March 12,
2013, but we haven't heard back yet. Upon further research, it seems
we had the wrong contact information for the Newburyport Public
Library, so we are resubmitting the request below to your attention.
Please confirm receipt, and let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you.

=========

From Chris Peterson on March 19, 2013:
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 Commonwealth 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

---

On Oct. 27, 2013:

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.

---

On Oct. 12, 2013:

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.

---

On Sept. 27, 2013:

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.

---

On Sept. 12, 2013:

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.

---

On Aug. 28, 2013:

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.

---

On Aug. 13, 2013:

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.

---

On July 29, 2013:

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.

---

On July 14, 2013:

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.

---

On June 29, 2013:

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.

---

On June 14, 2013:

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.

---

On May 30, 2013:

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.

---

On May 15, 2013:

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.

---

On April 21, 2013:

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.

---

On April 20, 2013:

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.

---

On April 19, 2013:

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.

---

On April 4, 2013:

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.

---

On March 12, 2013:

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

Filed via MuckRock.com
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com

For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock News
DEPT MR 3638
PO Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205-5819

PLEASE NOTE the new address as well as the fact that improperly
addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than MuckRock News)
requests might be returned by the USPS as undeliverable.

Quoting Chris Peterson <requests@muckrock.com>:

Chris, As noted below in my previous response, the Newburyport Public
Library has had no written or electronic complaints/challenges for
removal or other reconsideration of library materials from January 1,
2010 to the present. Cynthia Dadd