The Oradell Public Library, like all American public libraries, supports every individual’s right to free speech. Libraries are sanctuary spaces for First Amendment rights. All persons are welcome and have the right to use the library free from discrimination and from threat to individual safety. However, as the Oradell Public Library sits at the heart of the community’s civic life, it must be a safe and inclusive place for all people regardless of age, religion, race, gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.
Therefore, hate speech directed at library users, visitors, or staff, both in the physical library and on its social media platforms, is considered a violation of the Library’s
Behavior Policy and will not be tolerated. Hate speech is any form of expression through which speakers intend to vilify, humiliate, or incite hatred against a group or a class of persons. Moreover, hate speech stops being just speech and becomes conduct when it targets a particular individual or group, and includes behavior that interferes with a person’s ability to use the library.
Hate speech is defined as follows:
a communication that carries no meaning other than the expression of hatred for some group, especially in circumstances in which the communication is likely to provoke violence. It is an incitement to hatred primarily against a group of persons defined in terms of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and the like.
Hate speech can be any form of expression regarded as offensive to racial, ethnic and religious groups and other discrete minorities or to women.[1]
The Oradell Public Library’s Behavior Policy prohibits “engaging in conduct that disrupts or interferes with the normal operation of the Library, or disturbs Library staff or patrons.” Additionally, the Junior Room Behavior Policy prohibits “engag[ing] in disruptive conduct including loud talking, rude language, making rude and/or excessive noises, viewing and/or sharing physical or digital obscene or pornographic images, running, pushing, and fighting, or hate speech.
Hate speech directed at library staff or patrons clearly violates these behavior policies.
The Oradell Public Library has a zero-tolerance policy for hate speech and any library user, in the opinion of the staff, who is engaging in hate speech conduct will immediately be asked to leave and is subject to additional suspension and/or restriction of library privileges at the staff’s discretion.
Approved by the Library Board at the meeting of Wednesday, July 10, 2024
[1] https://definitions.uslegal.com/h/hate-speech