Introduction
The USC Libraries are committed to fostering an environment that supports critical engagement with complex and sometimes challenging materials. In alignment with the university’s values, we encourage thoughtful dialogue and scholarship that contextualizes and examines these materials within their historical and cultural frameworks.
Further, we affirm that open exchange and critical engagement with varied perspectives are fundamental to academic freedom. As such, our policy is that materials acquired by the libraries remain part of the collection as published, supporting the university’s mission to advance knowledge through inquiry and debate.
Statement on Objectionable Content
The USC Libraries serve as a repository for historical and contemporary scholarly materials, some of which may contain inaccurate, offensive, outdated, or otherwise contested content. These materials are valuable resources for understanding contemporary and past cultures, and we are committed to preserving, cataloging, and providing access to them for educational and research purposes. As part of the historical record, such materials are made broadly accessible to support scholarly inquiry and critical analysis.
We recognize that some users may encounter materials within our collections that include inaccurate or offensive language, imagery, or perspectives reflective of the time periods in which they were created. Providing access to these materials does not constitute endorsement of the attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors they may depict. Rather, the USC Libraries uphold the principles of academic freedom and the free exchange of ideas, ensuring that historical and scholarly resources remain available for study and interpretation.
Challenged Materials Policy
The USC Libraries are committed to upholding intellectual freedom and providing access to a wide range of materials that support the research, teaching, and learning needs of the university community.
As an academic library, our role is to provide resources that foster inquiry, critical thinking, and scholarly discourse. The USC Libraries do not exclude or remove materials based on the origin, background, or viewpoints of their creators. We recognize that authors, creators, and collectors may, whether intentionally or inadvertently, present inaccuracies, reach contested conclusions, or make statements that some may find objectionable or harmful. However, the libraries do not serve as arbiters of truth; rather, we provide access to information that enables rigorous analysis, debate, and further scholarship.
While the USC Libraries acknowledge that errors and controversies may arise within published works, we maintain that addressing such concerns is the responsibility of the academic
community through research, rebuttal, and continued discourse. When publishers issue corrections, we strive to make them available as part of the scholarly record.
Materials acquired or produced as part of the USC Libraries’ collections will not be withdrawn solely on the basis of allegations that they may contain false, misleading, offensive, or potentially harmful content.