US Banned Books Week

Banned Books Week in the US began on September 25 and runs until October 2, 2010. The Huffington Post has created a list of 15 of the most iconic, popular, and/or celebrated movies of all time (with short clips). All of these movies are based on books which have been challenged or worse.

According to the American Library Association (ALA):

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Banned Book Challenge Closes

Thank you to everyone who registered for the "Banned Book Challenge" in 2010. A total of 31 people pledged to read 354 books between February and June 2010. Registration is now closed but watch for the Banned Book Challenge to return in February 2011 (Freedom to Read Week in Canada). Feel free to submit book reviews or links in the comments below or email them and I will post them.

Watch for Banned Books Week in the US from September 25 − October 2, 2010. If you need a challenge to help focus your reading, Bibliobabe has a comprehensive list of other book challenges.

Enjoy your summer reading.

The Legacy of Judith Krug

Art: Balimore City Paper


The Baltimore City Paper has published a tribute to Judith Krug.

You may not know this librarian's name but in the US, she fought for free speech and the freedom to read. According to the article by Anna Ditkoff, Krug's mother found her young daughter reading a book about sex with a flashlight one night. Her mother reacted by asking her to turn on the light so she didn't hurt her eyes.

Krug adopted her parents' philosophy with her own children.

In 1967, she became the founding director of the ALA's (American Library Association)Office for Intellectual Freedom and two years later helped create the Freedom to Read Foundation, a group that provides funding for legal aid in First Amendment cases. In 1982, Krug founded Banned Books Week to promote awareness.
In 1996, she battled an attempt to censor the internet in libraries, taking the legal fight all the way to the Supreme Court. In 2001, Krug and other librarians led a vocal fight against the Patriot Act which endangered the privacy of patrons' library records.

She lost her fight to stomach cancer this past April at the age of 69.

American Banned Books Week

Just a quick reminder that the American Library Association Banned Books Weeks runs from September 26 − October 3, 2009. Check out the little drama created by Puppet Book Banners.

US Book Challenges Mapped by Location

Check out the 2007 - 2009 challenges to books, mapped by location. These have been recorded on the Banned Books Week website.

This map is drawn from cases documented by ALA and the Kids' Right to Read Project, a collaboration of the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. Details are available in ALA's "Books Banned and Challenged 2007-2008," and "Books Banned and Challenged 2008-2009," and the "Kids' Right to Read Project Report."

Gearing Up for Banned Books Week

As our neighbours to the south gear up for their Banned Books Week, I thought the following resources would come in handy for teachers and librarians looking for lists of challenged and banned books. These excellent yearly resources have been created by Robert P. Doyle who received the 2009 Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor Award. The books are sponsored by American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores and are endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

* 2008-2009
* 2007-2008
* 2006-2007
* 2005-2006
* 2004-2005
* 2003-2004

The resource for 2009 includes a bibliography of books challenged, restricted, removed, or banned in 2008-2009 as reported in the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom from May 2008 through May 2009.

Judith Krug with author Judy Blume. Photo: Freedom to Read Foundation






An article by Sarah Long, Columnist for the Daily Herald out of Chicago is a fitting memorial to Judith Krug, the longtime director of the American Library Association's Freedom to Read Foundation. Krug passed away on April 11, 2009. Long explains that Krug fought censorship on behalf of libraries for more than 40 years. She moved librarianship from a quiet commitment to freedom to read to an overt, organized, policy-based movement based on that commitment.

Robert P. Doyle, executive director of the Illinois Library Association, expressed it this way:

It wasn't that Judith just generated media attention, which she did. Rather she set about the arduous task of coalition building. She reached out to publishers, booksellers, authors, school administrators, teachers, journalists and lawyers both individually and through their associations. She built coalitions based on a common belief in free expression and commitment to intellectual freedom. At ALA, she worked tirelessly with members to fight censorship efforts. Krug evolved a sort of 'case law' of precedents and policies and set up structures of support for libraries and individuals who were involved in censorship incidents.

In 1982, Krug created Banned Books Week which will be celebrated the last week in September in the US. It is sponsored by a coalition of organizations including the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

The September Project

Graphic courtesy September Project

Don't worry. This is not an essay on "What I did On My Summer Vacation." The September Project is gearing up for the US Banned Book Week (September 26 - October 3). Check out the information on their site for a map of activities near you.

What they are, in their own words:

The September Project is a grassroots effort to encourage events about freedom in all libraries in all countries during the month of September.

Since September 2004, public, academic, school, government, and special libraries around the world have organized September Project events. These events explore and exercise freedom, justice, democracy, and community and include book displays, community book readings, childrens’ art projects, film screenings, theatrical performances, civic deliberations, voter registrations, gardens, murals, panel discussions, and puppet shows. September Project events are free and open to the public.

In the meantime, the Pelham Public Library's "Banned Book Challenge" wraps up on June 30th. Time to read one last banned or challenged book?

Banned Books Week in the US

Banned Books Week in the United States is September 27 - October 4, 2008. Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year. It is the 27th anniversary of this annual ALA event which is is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores, and is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

Visit the ALA (American Library Association)web site for ideas on how to commemorate the week, resources, and for lists of banned or challenged books.

Readers of Banned Books

Readers of like mind have set up a blog with a Banned Book Challenge, similar to the Banned Book Challenge issued by the Pelham Public Library, except that there is no time frame put on it. I would encourage readers who are interested in reading more banned and challenged books to check out the Banned Books Reading Project found on the Banned Book Blog.

Just a reminder that the Pelham Public Library's "Banned Book Challenge" winds down on June 30. Please continue to submit your titles under comments or send an email with your comments. Remember that our neighbours in the United States celebrate Banned Books Week between September 27–October 4, 2008. The Pelham Public Library's Banned Book Challenge returns in February 2009.

If you are the kind of person who loves to pick up a reading challenge, check out "Taking the Challenge" Blog to keep you reading all year. There are links on the sidebar to the many challenges you could join.

Banned Book Week

Our neighbours to the south will soon be celebrating their Banned Books Week. For resources and ideas, visit the American Library Association site where there is a link to Suggestions on How to Celebrated Banned Books Week.

Banned Book Display Banned

Banned Books

Posted 2006-10-05

According to the Daily New Record, Banned Books Week was not recognized by all libraries. Harrison High School in Virginia had set up a display of banned books in order to bring the issue of freedom to read to the consciousness of their students. Included were titles such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Fahrenheit 451, The Diary of Anne Frank, and The Bible.

Superintendent Donald Ford noticed that students seemed to be enticed into reading particular titles just because they were in the display and felt that in the interests of the students, the display should be removed.

The editor of the local paper concludes with:

Today’s word has been "irony." Now let’s move on to words such as "ideas," "literature," and "freedom."

A bigger irony would be that the students are even more intrigued by what titles would have been in the display, that they would read them and discuss censorship issues at school

Judy Blume Forever Censored?

In recognition of ALA's Banned Books Week, I have been reading Judy Blume's Forever. Blume has been described as one of the most censored authors of our time. Forever, which had its debut in 1975, is an explicit account of teenage love. Over thirty years later, Blume's books for adolescents still consistently hit the top ten. According to a book list posted by Delete Censorship,

“Forever” by Judy Blume, a favorite for girls and young teens, has frequently been the target of censors. This story about the sexual awakening of a teenage girl has been challenged since its publication (1975) because it “does not promote abstinence and monogamous relationships.” It was challenged by Midvalley Junior-Senior Scranton, Pennsylvania high school library (1982), Orlando, Florida schools (1982) and Akron, Ohio school district libraries (1983) for using “four-letter words” and for talking about masturbation, birth control and disobedience to parents.

I didn't read this book as a teen. Perhaps my school decided it was too controversial. But I tried to weigh my thoughts as a parent into my reading this week. The language is blunt. From swear words to popular euphemisms for the sex act, Blume pulls no punches. She is blunt in other ways that I appreciate as a parent. She explains more about VD and safe sex than is likely explained by the average parent.

Her realistic portrayal of two teens exploring the new world of adolescent love is not likely to date itself any time soon although the new edition includes a forward from Blume on the dangers of AIDS and the necessity for sexually active people to use condoms.

For sexually active teens, I think this book could help to sort out their feelings as well as give them information to stay safe. For teens who may wait for that first sexual encounter, Forever provides a "safe" way for them to explore this new sexual world without diving right in.

Read an article on banning by Judy Blume.

Read an excerpt of Forever here.

Recent Banned Book List

In my travels through cyberspace, I happened upon yet another list of banned or challenged books, this one provided by Baker Books. I will add this to the sidebar but since it is AlA's Banned Book Week, I figured a number of people will be looking for information on book bans and challenges in 2006.

Questions for Discussion of Banned Books

Ashley Sanchez, a writer for the Austin American Statesman suggests discussing the following questions with students in a recent article about ALA's Banned Books Week. Canadians will have to adapt the questions to our society.

•In what countries have books been banned?

•Given that people can legally own and read books in this country, what does book banning mean here?

•Does challenging a book's suitability in a particular setting or for a particular age group threaten our republic? Explain your answer.

•What motives might prompt organizations (the American Library Association and the American Booksellers Association, among others) to sponsor Banned Book Week?

•Is a book better or more worth reading simply because it has been challenged? Why or why not?

•What forces contribute to the rising number of book challenges? Explore possibilities such as a greater number of meddlesome, intolerant parents and the inclusion of increasingly vulgar, sexually explicit and violent books in school classrooms and libraries.

•What standards should be used to evaluate books marketed to children and teens? Should those books that would earn an R-rating if they were made into a movie also require parental consent before being read by students under 18? Why or why not?

•Is a book good simply because it depicts realistic actions or situations? Are there any real-life things that students are better served by not being exposed to in graphic detail?

•Whom should students believe: their parents who think a particular book is inappropriate for them, or the teachers, librarians or authors who believe it's OK?

•Because majorities readily agree that some books that have been challenged shouldn't have been, does it follow that no books should be challenged? Conversely, should a book automatically be suspect because someone challenged it?

Banned Books Week cartoon from the Christian Science Monitor.

A Surprising Idea for Banned Books Week

The Joel D. Valdez Library in Tucson, AZ has bagged a few books -- literally. According to the Tucson Citizen, the main library has a selection of books in sealed paper bags. Readers are invited to check out a bagged book without knowing what they will be reading. The point of this exercise, according to Library Director Nancy Ledeboer, is "to raise people's awareness that there are people that would want to limit your access to information. We believe books feed minds, and we don't want to stifle that." The bagged books will be available through Sept. 23 - 30, the American Library Assocation's Banned Books Week.

Critical Thinkers Don't Miss the Point

Yesterday marked the beginning of the American Library Assocation's Banned Books Week. In an article for the Charlotte Observer, one teacher eloquently talks about why she hopes her students are reading banned books. It is her opinion that many books that are challenged are "intensely moral ones," a view that may challenge people who favour the banning of books to look more closely at the issue.

Teacher Kay McSpadden believes that "regardless of the specific charge against a book, the underlying issue is almost always an offense to the reader's sense of cultural propriety. " She goes on to argue that, "People who challenge books worry not only that their culture is slipping beyond their control, but they believe that books can have a pernicious effect on readers."

She acknowledges the power of words to hurt or heal, but weighs that against the principle of free speech and the ability of people in a democracy to make informed decisions for themselves. She believes that students will "get it."

Students who have the freedom to read and who have been encouraged to think critically don't miss the point. They can see through the temporal issues of culture to the eternal concerns of what it means to be human, and they discover their own humanity in the words of people close and far, known and unusual.

I say, "Well said!"

Good Timing

Ursula K. Le Guin is no stranger to banned book lists. "Lathe of Heaven" has hit the banned book lists over the years. Read up on the "Lathe of Heaven" at Wikipedia. Le Guin, one of science fiction's greatest writers, has received many honors for her many novels, including six Nebula and five Hugo Awards, the National Book Award, the Pushcart Prize, the Newbery, the Pilgrim, the Tiptree, and citations by the American Library Association.

She has explored themes which may incite a negative reaction to her books. They include Taoist, anarchist, feminist, psychological and sociological themes. As with many Science Fiction writers, her political message is not always welcome. Science Fiction is often about the near future and how the events of the present will impact it negatively. It is a warning for those of us who live at present to guard that which we hold dear -- and often that includes free speech. According to a Buffalo News article by Sally Fiedler, the release of her new novel "Voices," is timed to coincide with ALA's Banned Book Week - Sept. 23 to 30.

The main characters in "Voices" help save a people from losing the stories and poems that make up their cultural heritage when priests order all books to be destroyed. The enemies are supersitious fanatics who believe in demons which can be called up through the written word. They fear knowledge and truth. They focus their attention on Oracle House in which the last undestroyed books are hidden. They believe it to be full of demons. Like the Book People in Fahrenheit 451 who memorize books in order to keep them, the lore of a people is left in the keeping of a few people -- one of them being a poet who, in a sense, brings the words to life as he recites the words of the ancient texts for the people on the street. In bringing the words alive, he brings life and hope to the people.

Read the review by teenreads.com and consider reading this book in celebration of Banned Books Week.

Banned Books Week

September 23 - 30, 2006 is Banned Books Week. A list of challenged or banned books for 2005/6 has been created by Robert P. Doyle. Read a book from this or another banned or challenged book list to recognize the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week.

Banned Book Week

To celebrate Banned Books Week (September 23-30), hold a reading marathon of excerpts from banned books. Find a list of books at any one of the links on the right side bar.

Read Banned Books: They're Your Ticket to Freedom

Photo courtesy of ALA