Feature
Sept
29
Libraries Celebrate Banned Books
by Terry Trahan Jr.
Libraries across the U.S. have joined together this week to celebrate Banned Books Week, an effort to recognize books that have been challenged or banned in libraries and schools because of controversial content contained within their pages.
Banned Books Week was first celebrated in 1982 in response to an increasing number of books being banned in libraries, schools and bookstores. The event was started to acknowledge a shared freedom to read, which is protected by the First Amendment, and to raise awareness for concerns about censorship.
“Censorship is still alive in our communities,” said Naomi Hurtienne Magola, reference librarian for the Lafourche Parish Public Library System.
In 2010, the Office of Intellectual Freedom received 348 challenges, according to the American Library Association. The database that records the challenges now includes 10,676 submissions.
Since 1990, the number of challenges to the content in books has remained inconsistent. The number peaked at 762 challenges in 1995, and has averaged 470 each year over the past decade.
No title is exempt from being challenged. Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling “Twilight” series and Aldous Huxley’s classic “Brave New World” were among the most challenged books in 2010 for reasons ranging from racism to age unsuitability.
Sexually explicit, offensive language, violence and age unsuitability have traditionally been the most cited reasons for questioning a book’s content. Parents and library patrons have led the fight to keep these books off shelves.
“A lot of has it to do with sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll,” Magola said. “People don’t approve of the book or what it’s about. They try to get it pulled so others don’t read it.”
And that’s why libraries have dedicated the last week of each September to recognizing the significance of these titles, which discuss human experiences and allow creativity to flow freely. They believe intellectual freedom is worth fighting for because it promotes the open discussion of ideas, even those considered to be unpopular. The challenged and banned titles are those that spark controversy and start conversations.
The banned books list is assembled using newspaper reports, as well as submissions from individuals who use a challenge reporting form. For libraries, the good news is that a challenge doesn’t always mean that a book is banned. And even if a title does make the banned books list, libraries decide if the book stays on the shelves.
A challenge occurs when an individual or group attempts to remove or restrict content from a book, according to the ALA. This keeps others from gaining access to the challenged material. When a book is banned, it is removed from the library or school that has instituted the ban. Most librarians, educators, students and concerned citizens understand the significance of these works, so the challenges rarely keep books out of the hands of anyone who appreciates them and wants to enjoy them.
“As Americans, we need to celebrate our freedom of speech and right to information,” Magola said. “We want to take everyone’s point of view into consideration. Banned Books Week makes people aware that it’s still going on.”
