This week is Banned Books Week, which brings awareness to the issue of censorship.
Censorship affects libraries when books, movies, or other items are removed from public access because individuals, groups, or governments object to the content. Censorship has been a tool to control public beliefs and opinions, used most infamously by governments abroad in the past and in our current time. Fear of ideas causes some governments to go beyond banning books to actually incarcerating and even executing authors, teachers, and intellectuals with views that differ from their own.
Censorship happens right here in America too. Sometimes it starts with a well-meaning group or individual, but things can quickly spiral out of control, as seen in the headlines.
Did you know that libraries work hard to protect the intellectual freedom of their communities?
The American Library Association has a Library Bill of Rights. It specifically outlines how libraries and their staff are to protect the intellectual freedom of all people. Communities are made of diverse people with different beliefs, preferences, and viewpoints. This is why libraries serve their community with a variety of topics to choose from. We want each person to be able to choose for themselves what they want to read and what they don’t want to read. Censorship takes this choice away by restricting what is available to your community.
How can you be an advocate for Intellectual Freedom?
- Talk to your kids about the choices you make for yourself and for them.
- Respect the rights of other people to make their own reading choices.
- You can read more about banned books week on the American Library Association website. Take a look at frequently challenged books and find out why they are challenged.
- Try reading a book on the Top Ten Most Challenged Books of 2021.
- Learn more about how censorship affects the world.
I will leave you with this: The silliest reason a book was banned.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?
By Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
This book was banned by the State Board of Education in Texas in 2010, because of a case of mistaken identity. The author Bill Martin Jr. shares his name with Marxist philosopher Bill Martin. The fear was that Brown Bear was spreading Marxist philosophy to young children. If you have ever read this book then you know it is about teaching colors. Clearly the State Board of Education in Texas never read the book.
-Mallory
