“Words Have Power. Read a Banned Book.”

What does the banning or challenging of books tell us about our society? Banned or challenged books are often books that reflect the diversity of our world. In 2015, of the 10 most challenged books, 9 of them “…contained diverse content.”  Many of these books are authored by and/or contain people of color, people who identify as LGBTQIA, people of a different religion, or people with a disability. In other words, people who are minorities or not part of the dominant culture. Readers may become uncomfortable reading about unfamiliar experiences or perspectives. For many, diversity implies negative connotations and therefore are controversial in their eyes despite the fact that many readers may at long last feel a great connection and empowerment when reading these books. ALA had over 300 challenges in 2016 alone, with an increase of 17% from 2015 which may also be due to a more streamlined reporting system. Nevertheless, half of the top 10 books most challenged in 2016 were removed where they were contested. This was a significant increase from the average according to ALA’s Office of Intellectual Freedom. In addition it is estimated that 80-90% of challenges go unreported. Books that are challenged or banned are often cited for content that is sexually explicit, that includes profanity, offensive political views, or supporting alternative viewpoints. Typically we conjure up examples of parents or an irate citizen complaining about the aforementioned e...
Source: Dragonfly - Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Tags: K-12 Public Libraries Source Type: news