Censorship of books and learning materials is a growing trend nationwide, according to responses from a 1980 survey of 1,891 public elementary and secondary school administrators and library personnel from across the country and of state administrators overseeing evaluation and adoption of textbooks in 21 states. This summary and interpretation of the survey findings discusses local and state views on textbook adoptions and challenges, presents overviews of local- and state-level survey results, and gives recommendations for establishing district policy on materials selection and for formulating responses when selections are challenged. The report includes comments from individual questionnaires as well as implications drawn by the researchers. The authors conclude that challenges to classroom and library materials often result in limiting students' access to information and ideas. They found that many schools lack, or fail to follow, written policies for selecting and/or restricting instructional materials. Those schools that do have written policies, however, appear to resolve conflicts with fewer restrictions on materials and, therefore, less negative impact on the educational environment. Responses to the state-level survey suggest that local and national pressure groups, especially those considered politically right-of-center, exploit controversy over textbook and materials selection for political ends. (Author/WD)