Literature selection and implementation for classes participating in the IB programmes of study face the difficulties of needing to provide a diversity of texts that fully engage a range of students. The texts are meant to meet broad goals of creating empathetic, global-minded thinkers who take responsibility not only for their own learning and apply that to the idea of responsible global citizenship. At the same time, students are meant to be prepared for success at local examinations, which at times challenges the very democratic, student centered principles promoted by the IB. Using the educational concepts of democracy, student-centered learning as a lens, this study found that teachers required a great deal of time and flexibility to analyze, update and maintain diverse literature lists that foster a variety of positive learning outcomes. It also found a need for students to be prioritized and have some level of impact on this process to be better communicated in order that they understood the full magnitude of their ability to affect the studied literature in specific, and that despite all efforts the contrast between student-centered, progressive principals in education and elitist practices in choosing literature was still an ongoing struggle.