Who is Banning Books?

Graff, H. J. (2023). Book Banning and Education Restrictions: Our Moment of Rising

    Resistance. Against the Current, 38(3), 8–10.

In the article, Our Moment of Rising Resistance, by Harvey J. Graff, the author comments on book banning. His argument is divided into two main categories: Who fears books? And Who is responding to these movements of book bans? The people he feels frear books are those on the far right of politics. Graff mentions some big organizations leading the fight to ban books: Heritage Foundation, the Koch Brothers, and Moms for Liberty. But what is their fear? Do they fear people being empathetic for others who do not share the same creeds? Or are they scared that by learning about racism and hate crimes, their children will want to be like that? Many different theories about this topic are floating around. The people and organizations that are leading this banning fight have gone to school boards and city hall to make sure that people in charge are aware of how “wrong” they are for having a book that shows an LGBTQIA+ individual in a positive light. Unfortunately, some school boards and city halls have caved into the pressure. 

Those that are standing up to these bans are gaining numbers. Graff discusses how young people take up the shield and prepare for battle. They understand the reasoning for why it is essential that these materials stay available to everyone. Unfortunately, the books in question are predominantly authors who are Black and LGBTQIA+, and storylines that paint LGBTQIA+ people in a positive light. Graff discusses a father of two teen children and how he wants his children to learn about racism and other sensitive topics through school; it would be helpful.

Graff makes a powerful argument against those banning books. I agree with him. I cannot wrap my head around why anyone would not want their child to learn about the truth. There IS something called racism; there are people that are other religions than you that are wonderful people, and why would you hate someone for who they love? Just my two cents.

Intellectual Freedom and the Collection Development Process

Shauna Bailey

 

Reference:

 

Costello, L. (2020). Survey Applies Public Collection Development Librarians’ Support for Intellectual Freedom to Collection Process. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 15(1), 245–247. https://doi.org/10.18438/eblip29686

 

 

Summary: 

This study used an online survey to explore how 645 Midwestern public librarians’ attitudes around intellectual freedom and demographics influenced decisions concerning collection development. Intellectual freedom around the management of collections was the focus of the survey. It was found that the participants used many tools in the selection of collection materials. Just less than half indicated their library had a policy to assess collection balance, while just over half indicated their libraries did not have a policy in place to ensure a balanced collection. Almost ¾ of respondents felt local communities should influence collection development. Communities' political leanings did not have an impact on participants’ alignment with the intellectual freedom stance of the American Library Association (ALA), though holding an MLS degree did significantly affect respondents' stance and alignment with the ALA. Almost ¾ of the participants felt that collection development should be influenced by the government library funding leadership. A small number of respondents encountered pressure from their coworkers or communities to either purchase or restrict collection materials. Interestingly, almost 40% of respondents felt torn between their professional views on intellectual freedom and their personal values, though, there was support for intellectual freedom and alignment with the principles of the ALA in general.

 Evaluation:

 This article focuses on the implications of intellectual freedom around collection development in public libraries. I found it interesting that most of the participants indicated that their libraries did not have a collection development process in place to ensure a balanced collection. This article suggests collection development without a structured plan will stray off course, something we have also been learning in INFO 266. This article highlights public collection development librarians and their efforts to follow the guidance of the ALA intellectual freedom standards. Continued education for information professionals around intellectual freedom, and the importance of developing guidelines and policies to ensure a balanced collection development process cannot be stressed enough. Maintaining balanced collections, developed while following the principles of intellectual freedom, will ensure that public libraries remain vibrant, inclusive spaces for the communities that they serve.

Social Tolerance and Racist Materials in Public Libraries

Tammy Ross

Burke, S. K. (2010). Social tolerance and racist materials in public libraries. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 49(4), 369–379. https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.49n4.369

In this study, Susan Burke examines the concept of intellectual freedom in libraries and reviews the literature for studies about racism in library books. To learn which variables are linked to social intolerance and the censorship of racist library materials, Burke used data from the General Social Survey (GSS). The GSS is conducted by the National Opinion Research Center and began in 1972. From 1976 to 2006, the survey asked randomly selected adults in the U.S. whether they would support removing a book “spouting racist beliefs” that Black people are “genetically inferior” (p. 372) from the public library. Burke examined how certain demographics -- such as age, race, education level, occupation, geographic location, and political and religious affiliations -- impacted responses. She also looked at another study that examined attitudes toward removing books written by homosexuals or communists from a public library collection, and how these differed from “opposition to negative portrayals of African Americans” (p. 378). More people supported banning a book written by a racist because “racism limits the civil liberties of groups of people, which is not in line with the social trend of increasing tolerance” (p. 378).

Burke does a thorough job of synthesizing the GSS data and points out limitations of the dataset, i.e., that the survey does not ask participants if they’ve ever participated in a book challenge or whether the hypothetical racist book was written for adults or children. Still, the information in her study is designed to help librarians understand “how the library stance on intellectual freedom fits within the larger picture of scholarly thought from other disciplines and the broader public opinion” (p. 378). In regard to collection development, the article may help librarians be more aware about “self-censorship" -- not including certain books in an effort to avoid controversy. Burke argues that librarians should “stand by their professional values and educate the public and library shareholders concerning the implications of removing or not removing [racist] items from the collection” (p. 378). There’s a lot to unpack in 10 pages, especially all the survey results, but the article is worth the read. Burke ultimately reminds librarians that “Adding excellent materials to the collection regardless of their potential to spark controversy -- and resisting challenges to such material -- is an important professional obligation ... and it supports the principles established by the American Library Association” (p. 378).

For discussion, I give you a conflict posed in the article: Is exposure to controversial ideas or social/ethnic intolerance harmful, or does it teach readers to be critical thinkers?

Intellectual freedom and the American Library Association

Rivera, Destiny

Krug, J. (2003, 2010). Intellectual freedom and the American Library Association: A historical overview. In Encyclopedia of Library and Information Sciences, pp.2820-2830.

This article is extremely useful in getting an overview of Intellectual Freedom and its establishment with and through the American Library Association. Intellectual freedom becomes important to understand while building collections as to not allow bias and personal preference to shape the collection. Censorship as defined by Krug in this article is “not only deletion or excision of parts of published materials but also efforts to ban, prohibit, suppress, proscribe, remove, label or restrict materials”. Very informative read on Intellectual Freedom.

Censorship in prison libraries

Corrine Calvert

Bullinger, D., & Scott, K. (2017). Censorship in prison libraries. Retrieved from: https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/bitstream/handle/2142/96033/2017_MastersShowcasePoster_Bullinger_and_Scott.pdf?sequence=2

Summary: Prison libraries face a variety of censorship and intellectual freedom challenges. Formal collection development policies are lacking, and librarians must instead follow the regulations for each institution. Several topics are censored or banned, including pornography, content about social activism, theories of revolution, books which glamorize crime, and material that is considered a threat to security. Prison librarians don’t have final say on purchase orders and have limited funds for new materials. They often rely on donations, NGOs, and religious groups for new materials. Prisoners may see librarians as untrustworthy, which could be valid, since some prison libraries track borrower data and circulation records. ALA guidelines revised their Prisoner Right to Read Statement in 2010. It defends prisoners’ intellectual freedom, discourages censorship, and focuses on upholding the security of the institution. IFLA Guidelines for Library Services to Prisoners, revised in 2005, focus on improving literacy skills, lifelong learning, education levels, and personal lives, similar to the model of the public library. The authors conclude that firm collection development and censorship policies should be in place; that prison librarians should work with prison staff to ensure an environment that is safe and fosters learning; and that NGO partnerships can help provide current, relevant materials that support these unique patrons’ interests and learning goals.

Evaluation: My takeaway is that prison librarians have an extremely difficult job, and that they may have to fight harder to uphold the values of the library in their institutions. I was appalled although not exactly surprised that many prison libraries keep circulation data. I feel this is something that needs to stop, both in order to maintain the values of intellectual freedom and also to build trust among the patrons of the prison library. Although this is perhaps closer to an infographic than an article, I appreciated the efficient delivery of eye-opening data.

Our Future in Times of Change: How values guide our understanding of trends and transitions

Figueroa, M. (March/April 2017). Our futures in times of change: How values guide our understanding of trends and transition. American Libraries, 44(3/4), 32-37.  https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2017/03/01/our-futures-in-times-of-change/

In this article about the future of library services, author Michael Figueroa (director of ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries) seeks to study change, but notes that in order to do so, core values--“confidentiality and privacy, diversity, equitable access, intellectual freedom and expression, preservation”-- must be considered (p. 33).   This article collects interview responses from three librarians, Emily Drabinski (Coordinator of library Instruction at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York), Sarah Houghton (Director of San Rafael Public Library in California), and Charlotte Roh (Scholarly communications librarian at the University of San Francisco Gleeson Library) on the subject of change in light of values.

The interview highlights the importance of the above core values in implementing value-infused services and programs.  Most notably are core values that, in the current political and social climate in the U.S., unflinchingly continue to provide or seek to provide equitable access, sensitivity toward diversity, and policies that guard patron rights to privacy and intellectual freedom.   For example, interviewee Charlotte Roh notes, “Across our communities, people are demanding cultural competency from people traditionally considered experts...As librarians, it is important that our cultural competencies are on par with the depth and breadth of our critical knowledge-seeking behaviors” (p. 35).  

The article includes a subsection on pages 36 and 37 devoted to takeaways for the future.  It’s not a stretch to say that all nine takeaways are relevant to collection development have to do with pushing traditional boundaries to providing equitable, diverse access to patrons. The first is entrepreneurship--libraries can offer a “network of support” to aid patrons who lack access to minority, low-income patrons.  Second, libraries are poised to offer programs that boost civic engagement and innovation, whether in the form of microcollections, maker spaces, or meeting places to spark communication.  Thirdly, school libraries even now are pushing communication boundaries to connect with innovators, experts and other students to promote a positive global awareness, whether in hosting authors, or Skype conferencing, or using social media platforms to make connections.  The fourth takeaway is sustainability--as we take measures to provide our patrons with access to various informational formats, we must make sure that they are “environmentally sound, economically feasible, and socially equitable”.  The fifth is expanding horizons through virtual reality--using VR as “place-based learning that moves beyond the traditional field trip”.  Sixth is accessibility, which for most of us is a pretty obvious concern, but one that, nevertheless, must be a focus for the future of libraries.  The seventh takeaway is providing welcoming communities that builds unity for all Americans, no matter their background.  Eighth and ninth are geared toward young learners--it is vital that librarians in schools and youth public librarians are invested in technology trends AND understand and practice 21st century ethics (often relatable to current technology).  Speaking as a teacher librarian currently employed in a public high school, I thoroughly agree that students who are educated about online rights and privacies are well-equipped to handle the myriad ins and outs of life in a tech-focused society.

My greatest take away from the article is the importance of staying informed about information--keeping my eye on the services we offer to make sure that they are sustainable.  In continually evaluating patron needs and matching them with resources, I can make sure that the programs and services embrace ALA values.

Controversy over Japanese Manga and collection censorship

Samnath, Kayla

Masuchika, G. (2015). Japanese cartoons, virtual child pornography, academic libraries, and the law. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 54(4), 54.

Summary:

Author Masuchika discusses the controversial subject of libraries collecting certain manga’s that may depict younger children in sexual situations. Masuchika explores these collections with anti-obscenity laws in the US. this has major implications on the collection developer, and may put the library at risk to criminal liabilities. Another implication Masuchika brings up is that these types of laws could have ramifications on lead librarians who might in turn use heavier censorship in regards to developing the collection (2015, p.54).

Graphic novels and comics has become extremely popular, which in turn has led libraries to collect such materials. Typically graphic novels can be controversial, and sometimes have a very risque themes. Masuchika explains “themes of the human condition often include the unsavory, vicious, nasty, and cruel, and comics and cartoons, with their subversive, rebellious, “underground” history, are a good media for the expression of these themes. It is no surprise that examples of highly graphic nature, both violence and sexual, can be found in the pages of graphic novels” (2015, p. 55). Materials of this kind are not necessarily the problem, however the problem becomes prevalent through the collection of manga.  

In order to understand the law on this issue, Masuchika explains anti obscenity laws, and virtual child pornography laws, as well as civil and criminal liabilities. In order for works to be considered obscene, it must comply with the following guidelines:

(1) whether the average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the work, taken as a whole, appeals to the prurient interest

(2) whether the work depicts or describes, in a patently offensive way, sexual conduct specifically defined by the applicable state law

(3) whether the work, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value

(2015, p. 56).

Next Masuchika explains the impact of the Protect Act of 2003, which defines acts of obscenity that can be banned on two conditions: “First, that child pornography can be a visual depiction of any kind, including a drawing, cartoon, sculpture, or painting. Second, that “it is not a required element of any offense under this section that the minor depicted actually exists.” (2015, p.57).  Masuchika argues that this really calls into question libraries who collect Japanese manga.

The author brings into question the cultural differences between the regions of Japan and the United States. Japanese culture has different views on nudity, especially nudity with adults and children. Family and communal bathing is a part of Japanese history, and presently still takes place. The one major issue Masuchika discusses is the style of art which seems to be a big problem. The females are depicted as being younger than 18, regardless of any type of narrative accompanying the manga (2015, p. 27).

According to the author, there have been no civil or criminal charges against a librarian, or library at all. The author asserts that this is a fine line, especially because others have been prosecuted for distribution of child pornography, with materials that were Japanese manga's. Masuchika discusses that librarians civil liability immunity has never been tested in courts, and asserts that maybe that line gets drawn, especially in lieu of the information they are gathering to expose communities to.

Evaluation:

Although I find myself disagreeing with Masuchika, it does not make this article any less important. I find myself questioning the fact that Japanese manga drawing style is being brought into question, not only that, but the author is generalizing many manga's by saying there is typically sexualized imagery. Despite my disagreements, this article was a great and interesting read. It really has some hard hitting questions, and touches on very serious problems that could perhaps have a large impact on libraries.

It brings up very real problems that come up with collection development. There are questionable materials that the collection developers will come across and have to make the decision if they want to include it in their collection. This also brings into question intellectual freedom, yet adhering to US laws as well. Masuchika ends her article quoting the executive director of the ALA’s office of intellectual freedom, Barbara Jones. She says “There are many reasons for self-censorship, and one is fear” (2015, p. 59). This fear, similar to what the author is saying about Japanese manga, can lead librarians and collection developers to halt acquiring materials that are considered controversial. This has large implications on libraries and their free forum of information gathering, and access of materials.

Public librarians' Views on Collection Development and Censorship

Hober, Michael

Oltmann, S. M. (2016). Public librarians' views on collection development and censorship. Collection Management, 41(1), 23-44.

Descriptive Summary:  The article begins with a discussion of censorship – what it is, how it manifests in libraries or with publishers, what the ALA position on censorship is, and gives reasons why most libraries attempt to avoid it. Self-censorship can be a problem among librarians as they might not select works that they think are likely to be challenged or cause too much controversy. The literature review found that a majority of librarians have experienced pressure to remove items from the collection, but that most are still willing to select items that are potentially controversial. 
A survey was conducted that got 108 responses from librarians in Ohio responsible for collection development at their libraries. Some of the results were:

• 35% of librarians reported having a specific policy in place to ensure that a balanced collection, including various viewpoints, is developed.   
• Librarians disagreed with a statement that library funding bodies should have a say in collection development (82%).  
• 73% agreed that community values should be considered.  
• 81.6% disagreed with the statement that potentially offensive library materials should be labeled.  
• 98% agreed that a variety of values and positions should be represented.  
• A majority would not select materials that are already represented well enough in the collection or are factually inaccurate.  
• Most librarians agreed that whether an item had offensive content or not was not the main concern, rather it first must be considered whether there is literary merit to the item before a judgment can be made.  
• Nearly all librarians were in agreement with ALA’s code of ethics and statement on intellectual freedom.  

The survey responses included several interesting examples of how pressure is applied to librarians to change the collection in some way – a friend of a staff member publishing a book leads to pressure to add it to the collection; a risqué magazine cover prompts complaints about its appropriateness for display; labeling CDs with warnings about explicit content, pressure to remove movies from the collection that are considered too graphic; pressure to move materials from the children’s section to adolescent or from teen to adult; a member of the board of trustees wanting materials that represent his political views added to the collection; members of the community with extreme views asking for representation.

Evaluation: This survey indicates that most librarians agree with the ALA's values regarding censorship and intellectual freedom.  However, there is some indication from the librarians' responses that they feel pressure from members of their communities, other staff members, publishers, and those who provide funding to their libraries to either include or exclude certain materials based on those people's personal opinions and beliefs.  The desire to avoid that kind of pressure is what leads to the kind of self-censorship mentioned in the article, where librarians intentionally avoid certain materials in order to escape an expected conflict later.  Libraries and their administrations can help to relieve some of this pressure from librarians by ensuring that there are clear policies regarding intellectual freedom that librarians can use when selecting materials or handling complaints and challenges.  

Sherman Alexie Novel tops List of Books Americans want Censored

Sullivan, Maureen

Flood, A. (2015). Sherman Alexie novel tops list of books Americans want censored. The Guardian. Retrieved from: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/apr/13/sherman-alexie-novel-tops-list-of-books-americans-want-censored-2014.

Summary: The American Library Association released its top ten banned books from 2014, and Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian made the number one spot. The article discusses the reasons why some of the books are banned, but also points out that over half of the books that are banned contain diverse content, and/or were written by authors of color, referring to Malinda Lo's study of diverse authors and banned books.

Evaluation: In considering books to purchase in our collection, I am especially interested in culling the blogs and reviews of diverse books, about young people from all backgrounds, and written by authors from all backgrounds and experiences. While I am not surprised by some of the books on the banned list, I am concerned about the idea raised by Malinda Lo that the underlying reason that those books may be banned is due to their differences. "Diversity is actually under attack." Deeming a book inappropriate for readers is challenging to navigate as it is, but if it is also potentially denying a student or young person to read about an experience they have experienced, or inspire them to write their own story, that is oppression.

YA Authors and Intellectual Freedom

By Terry Funk

CA 

Shoemaker, J. (2011). Nine YA authors talk about intellectual freedom. Voice Of Youth Advocates, 34(2), 122-129.

On one side of the intellectual freedom (IF) issue are readers. Do teens know that they are free to inquire about anything that interests them? Do they feel free to make such inquires?    

On the other side of IF are the authors of YA literature and for this article they respond to questions about their own experiences. In response to the question:  Have your books ever been challenged?  Several authors make the distinction between open challenge (which can be viewed as a badge of honor) and passive challenges – not acquiring their book(s). Sometimes the challenge comes from editors rather than the public who want the author to know that crossing certain boundaries (such as language, sex or drugs) will limit sales. One author had several invitations to visit schools rescinded when they found out more about his books. Using the F-word even once can change sales (especially when the audience is a middle school). The n-word is also an issue, even in Twain’s classic The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. One author discussed not putting in anything too raw (content) although, reconsideration of a book is often focused on the choice of words rather than content, even when the content seems much more questionable. Another indicated that nothing is taboo in YA except perhaps intelligence – adults sometimes distrust an intelligent protagonist, such as the mathematical prodigy in John Green’s An Abundance of Katherines.

Evaluation: In the effort to write realistically for teens, authors may find that their works are not reaching the shelves for the intended audience because of the objections of adults who may disagree with the author about controversial topics or the language in the book. Some authors are more flexible about content and revision during the publication process while others are ready to defend their stand on issues or language as it is written. Also, librarians are choosing books that they believe have relatable characters and reflect the culture(s) of their students. While more publishers and authors are concerning themselves with diversity and including characters with many different backgrounds in their works, librarians may choose books that mirror students’ lives. Of course the case can also be made that we need books about all types of people not just those like us. Authors write for different reasons and their ideas of what is “best” is also varied. The discussion lends insight into the way different stakeholders play a part in deciding what teens are reading today.