Banned Books! Censorship Causes Blindness

Have you ever read a banned or challenged book? You’d be surprised at the number and types of books that have been banned from libraries and schools in the United States. Some of them, I bet you have read. Banned books include such classics as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Newer books include A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein, the Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling, and Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey.

The American Library Association (ALA) states that, “Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information”. The top three reasons books are challenged or banned is that the material was considered to be sexually explicit, contained offensive language, or was unsuitable for a particular age group. While protecting children is a laudable concern, Libraries are guided by the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights, ALA’s policy concerning access to information, which states, “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.

September 22-28, 2013 was Banned Books Week where the right to read and express opinions is celebrated. Come by the Library and see our display of banned books and make your opinions known. I once heard that a great library has something to offend everyone. Here is your opportunity to come by the Library and see if that is true.