Public libraries serve as vital spaces within the evolution and foundation of democratic societies that have undergone transformation. They have evolved from being perceived solely as study areas demanding silence to becoming environments of coexistence, information dissemination, and analysis, evolving into thought laboratories where individuals unite to assist each other and exchange ideas. In essence, these spaces have seen an increase in socialization, fostering engagement with external events, leading those in charge to aim for them to remain active and dynamic.
However, these intentions are undermined when open access is compromised. This implies that everyone should have the right to access various forms of information in a public library, free from restrictions concerning the available resources and sources, and treated equally alongside others.
This predicament occurred in the Library of Burriana, located in Valencia, where, beginning in 2023, subscriptions to magazines in Catalan were abolished, and books addressing LGTBI themes were relocated away from the children’s section of the library. This decision stemmed from the councillor of Vox, Jesús Albiol, who justified the action by citing Article 20 of Law 4/2011, enacted on March 23, concerning Libraries in the Valencian Community.
This situation drew the attention of Francisco Javier León Álvarez, an assistant at the Municipal Public Library of La Orotava, where he has been employed since December 2001. He opted to investigate the detrimental effects and repercussions of censorship in the public libraries of Spain over the past four years, based on insights from Canarian professionals, conducting interviews with 60 colleagues from across the islands.
Francisco Javier has consistently demonstrated a desire to further his education, recognising that such efforts are essential for delivering enhanced quality services to the public.
With this philosophy in mind, this resident of Santa Úrsula presented his findings at the University of León, titled “A Time of Silence: The Practice of Censorship in Municipal Public Libraries in Spain from 2020 to 2024 through the Perceptions of Public Library Professionals in the Canary Islands.” This is an unprecedented and trailblazing study in Spain, marking the first time that this negative practice has been scrutinised within the context of public libraries.
His investigation was prompted by the events in Burriana, where the collaboration between the PP and Vox continues to impact the Municipal Library. On Thursday, its director addressed an informative commission of the City Council to highlight the impediments to her work, expressing feelings of being “harassed, persecuted, and subjected to unjustifiable cruelty” by the aforementioned councillor, according to El País.
Specifically, it was mentioned that since May 2024, she had submitted eight proposals for book acquisitions, which included 300 references, that Albiol had yet to endorse.
Open access in libraries is characteristic of democratic nations and societies and is intrinsically linked to diversity—both in terms of information and the collections offered—which must cater to the needs of the local community. “This is also closely connected to freedom of expression and thought, which cannot be curtailed,” states León.
“Valencia has become the epicentre for the implementation of censorship in libraries, with policies contradicting library management that breaches their democratic framework. It is possible that similar situations are unfolding in other regions, although as yet, there have been no reports in the media,” Francisco points out.
When asked if there is evidence of a comparable situation in the Canary Islands, he mentioned that this matter is “quite sensitive and therefore challenging to confront, as library professionals typically discuss reading, statistics, and promotions, while censorship and political issues are often met with resistance. That’s why respondents were afforded the opportunity to anonymously share their views regarding censorship.”
The survey was distributed to 161 public libraries across the archipelago, with 60 individuals responding—an outcome he considers “a triumph” given the sensitive nature of the topic.
Among the responses, two individuals reported having experienced censorship in the islands, albeit during a time before the period under review, and these claims were substantiated. One mentioned facing restrictions on the acquisition of books, while another referred to a former colleague.
“We cannot definitively ascertain the extent of this issue, as it has not been systematically researched, and therefore, a comprehensive investigation is essential to create a map that charts the impact of censorship over a set period,” he elaborates.
Nevertheless, his research indicates that in the Canary institutions, professionals involved in the surveys did not report any complaints from users between 2020 and 2024 concerning the presence of materials on diverse topics, including LGTBI+ content. “This demonstrates that citizens respect and value the diverse nature of the collections in their respective public libraries,” he notes.
He recalls that the events in Burriana garnered such attention that, in 2023, they were raised in the European Parliament by MEP Diana Riba of the Republican Esquerra de Catalunya (ERC). “The commission responded by stating that it would investigate whether the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union was being violated, and furthermore, an expert commission would be appointed to establish guidelines aimed at strengthening the right of public libraries to access information,” he explains.
His research has established a crucial foundation for assessing the current state of censorship following the incidents in Valencia and he does not rule out expanding this research to all provinces of Spain. “There were colleagues who were taken aback by the notion of censorship being discussed in 2024 within a democratic nation like Spain, prompting them to consider that if such practices can arise anywhere else, it poses a serious concern that we, as professionals, need to acknowledge,” he asserts.
He contends that there exists a “European” notion that censorship is confined to developing countries; however, this is not the case, “it can occur in constitutional societies too.” Therefore, he stresses the importance of establishing a National Censorship Observatory to monitor and assess these practices, preventing them from being replicated.
Furthermore, he believes, along with his surveyed colleagues, that the role of the Library Cooperation Council is pivotal. He recommends the creation of a document “that elucidates what freedom of access to information entails within these libraries.” This would provide “professionals with a shared framework of action to tackle potential censorship practices in their various workplaces,” he concludes.
