Censorship in High School Libraries in Israel: An Analysis of School Sectorial Affiliation Effect


 Although school libraries have existed in Israel for several decades, some of them dating back to the 50's, issue censorship has not been studied. The objective this full-blown study was empirically assess current state a large sample high Israel, following an exploratory study. comprised 98 schools, from both 'religious' and `nonreligious' sectors. main research tool two-parts questionnaire, designed be filled out during researcher's visit library. Most librarians reported that form control, restriction or supervision was, always very often, applied books being added collection, usually by head librarian, and/or principal. None had any kind written document, even unwritten statement specifying instructions policy regarding book selection acquisition. never mentioned external pressure censor existing collection acquired, clearly strictly internal, initiated themselves other members staff. In sectors there wide agreement on banning titles which included violence, hard pornography, racism drugs, but were considerable differences 'soft' sexual permissiveness degrading Jewish religion its values, principles commands. A comparison four lists specific against catalogs showed non-religious sector owned three times percentage first list (explicit violence sex), only less than half fourth ('Judaism'), compared religious sector. Interestingly, group lower percentages `right-wing' `left-wing' lists, due smaller collections, relatively more one, while situation reversed.