Monday, September 15, 2014

Banned Books Week 2014

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read.  This year, the dates of Banned Books Week are from September 21st until September 27th and it highlights the value of free and open access to information.  Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.  
  
Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. 

What is the difference between a challenge and banning?
A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.  Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection.

Why are books challenged?
Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information.   Censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt, but, nonetheless, harmful.  

Often challenges are motivated by a desire to protect children from “inappropriate” sexual content or “offensive” language. The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:
·         the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"
·         the material contained "offensive language"
·         the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

Although this is a commendable motivation, Free Access to Libraries for Minors, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA's basic policy concerning access to information) states that, “Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.” Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment.

If we are to continue to protect our First Amendment, we would do well to keep in mind these words of Noam Chomsky:
“If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.”

Who Challenges Books?
Throughout history, more and different kinds of people and groups of all persuasions than you might first suppose, who, for all sorts of reasons, have attempted—and continue to attempt—to suppress anything that conflicts with or anyone who disagrees with their own beliefs.

According to the Challenges by Initiator, Institution, Type, and Year, parents challenge materials more often than any other group.

Top Ten Challenged books of 2013:
There were 307 challenges this year and the following books were the most “popular”
1.       Captain Underpants (series), Dav Pilkey
2.       The Bluest Eye, Tony Morrison
3.       The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Sherman Alexie
4.       Fifty Shades of Grey, E.L. James
5.       The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
6.       A bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl, Tanya Lee Stone
7.       Looking for Alaska, John Green
8.       The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
9.       Bless Me, Ultima, Rudolfo, Anaya
10.   Bone (Series), Jeff Smith

If you would like to know the reasons for the challenges, come in to the library and we can show you on our Banned Books Flyer.  Or better yet, check one of them out and read it for yourself!!

Upcoming Events: Maurice Bickford will be presenting a talk on the Star Spangled Banner and how it has changed over the years on October 4th at 2:00 PM.  Join us to learn about our flag!  Also, we will be taking a bus trip to New Ulm in October and it will be FREE to library patrons.  Keep your eyes peeled for more information.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  Call us for the date of the next meeting!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.