Teen Librarian Says It's About Individual Choice by: Andrew Brophy

For Nicole Scherer, the First Amendment applies to teenagers as well.

"The only person who has the right to tell you what you can or cannot read is your parent or you," Scherer, head of Teen Services at the Fairfield Public Library and Fairfield Woods Branch Library, said Wednesday afternoon. "You make the choice for yourself or your own children. You don't make the choice for someone else's family."

Very few patrons at the Fairfield Public Library ever try to ban a book - the last time was about four years ago when a father's elementary school daughter picked out a book written for teenagers, Scherer said.

Regina Krieger, a library media specialist at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, said she's not aware of an attempted book ban at Ludlowe High's library since the high school opened about seven years ago, and Judy Savage, a library media specialist at Fairfield Warde High School, said no one has attempted to ban a book from Warde High's library in the recent past.

"In the 11 years I've been here, this is my twelfth, it has never been an issue," Savage said. "We have fine librarians who are qualified to select materials intelligently, and there's a lot of trust in that."

Scherer, 31, said Fairfield also doesn't see challenges to books because most parents are very engaged in what their children are doing and keep a watchful eye on what they're reading, which is how she said it's supposed to be.

But that's not the case in other parts of the country, Scherer said. "There are always book challenges going on somewhere in the country," she said.

Some of those challenged books are featured in Fairfield Library's Teen Room - either the actual book with caution tape around it or a reproduction of the book's cover with a line through it and reasons why people want it banned.

"The reason we do this display in the teen room at both libraries and not in the general area is because, without fail, most of the books on the top 10 will be books taught in high school," Scherer said. "The books that people go after are curriculum books and popular fiction for young adults."

"People certainly protest books by firebrand political figures or books that may be sexually explicit...but it's the idea that the First Amendment doesn't apply to people under the age of 18."

Scherer said teenagers are at a time in their lives when they're starting to get a sense of themselves and their preferences, and being told they're not allowed to do something hits home, especially when someone other than their parents is saying that. She said teenagers across the country also like to see themselves or their circumstances portrayed in literature because it comforts and supports them, and not all teens live in idyllic environments.

Scherer added that the world becomes more challenging as children get older, and a safe way to access challenging issues is through literature. "It's a way to get into the issue while staying removed from it," she said.

The types of books that people want banned from public or school libraries aren't trashy novels - most are well-reviewed books that include profanity; descriptions of nudity, sex and drug use; and themes that the would-be book banners believe are anti-family, racist or promote homosexuality, Scherer said.

The number-one challenged book last year was "And Tango Makes Three," which is about two penguins who come across an abandoned penguin egg and decide to raise the baby penguin that hatches from it. The problem, in some people's eyes, is that because both penguins are males, the book is promoting homosexuality, Scherer said.

"It couldn't be a more sweet book, and it's something that really happened," Scherer said, adding that both male penguins, after they raised the offspring, went off with female penguins.

"In Missouri, right now, there is a big push to ban that book and a book called 'Speak,' which is a hallmark of young adult literature," Scherer said.

"Speak," which is about date rape, is being challenged on the claim it's pornographic, Scherer said.

In 2009, the American Library Association reported 400 challenges to books around the country, though the ALA believes only one in five or 10 challenges are reported to its Office of Intellectual Freedom, Scherer said. If that number is accurate, the actual number of challenges ranges from 2,000 to 4,000. "The ones that are challenged are not successful because people can mobilize around protecting them. It's that tricky five to 10 that don't get reported," she said.

All book challenges are local and don't lead to bans outside the communities where the challenges, if successful, take place, Scherer said.

The most popular book in the Fairfield Public Library right now is "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," an adult book that includes a lot of brutality. The library owns 30 copies of the book and has 65 "holds" on it, Scherer said.

But "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" isn't among books people are trying to ban because it's aimed at adults, while "Speak" was written for teenagers, Scherer said. "There is definitely a double standard," she said.

The Fairfield Public Library has a system set up when someone wants a book banned from the library - first, the potential book-banner has to fill out a form which is then reviewed by the town librarian and the library's board of trustees, who jointly decide whether or not to remove the book from the library's circulation, Scherer said.

But it hasn't gotten that far since Scherer joined the library about five years ago.

Scherer said the father four years ago withdrew his request after Scherer talked to him and explained that his 11-year-old daughter had found the book on her own and hadn't asked Scherer if she thought the book was right for her. Scherer said she would never tell someone they can't check out a book, but would say it's not appropriate for her age if the child asks.

Scherer declined to identify the book the father objected to, saying she didn't want a lot of people to request it based on that objection, but added, "The book remains in our circulation and remains popular here."

The top 10 challenged books, in no particular order, are: "TTYL," "And Tango Makes Three," "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "To Kill a Mockingbird," "Twilight," "The Catcher in the Rye," "My Sister's Keeper," "The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things," The Chocolate War," and "The Color Purple."

The ALA's motto for Banned Books Week this year is, "Think for Yourself and Let Others do the Same."

Brophy, Andrew. "Teen Librarian Says It's About Individual Choices." Fairfield Patch 29 Sept. 2010: n. pag. Web. 10 Oct 2010.

http://fairfield.patch.com/articles/teen-librarian-says-its-about-individual-choices

Celebrating Freedom One Book at a Time by: Emma Weaver Sobey

Every year, during the last week of September, schools, libraries and book stores across the nation recognize Banned Book Week, an annual event that is dedicated to celebrating free speech and educating people across the nation about the power of the First Amendment.

Endorsed by the American Library Association as well as the Library of Congress, Banned Book Week has become a yearly reminder about the power of free expression, a liberty many Americans take for granted.

Librarians are usually on the frontline of the banned books battle because so many of them are committed to providing free and unlimited access to knowledge to the general public.

Connie Dye, the Children’s Librarian at the Kingwood Library, and Sunni Valvaneda, the Young Adult Assistant Librarian, take their commitments to spreading knowledge very seriously.

Dye said that the library rarely has issues with banned books because the library system has a process in place to ensure the quality and integrity of its selections.

“Our goals are somewhat different from a school’s and a lot of people understand that,” she said. “Our main goal is not to support curriculum, although that is an important part of what we do, but we are like arsonists; our main goal is to light the fire and you do what it takes, even if that means reading “Captain Underpants” or “Walter the Farting Dog” or even “The Canterbury Tales.” You don’t have to read one particular book.”

The Banned Book List stands as a testament to the rapidly changing ideas that dominate popular culture and reflects how people’s attitudes have changed over time. What was once considered risqué is often now often considered blasé. Similarly, with the large selection of books available, people have to use their own judgment about the appropriateness of the books they read.

“What’s banned changes over time; it depends on what’s in the news,” Dye explained. “The thing is that, for fiction especially, reading is a very personal thing. We have a selection process in place so that, just because I don’t like something or someone else doesn’t like something, we don’t take if off our shelves. It’s the parent who must ultimately make the decisions for their own children.”

Cenorship and banned books are two themes that go hand-in-hand, and the Humble community recently got a sour taste of that type of controversy with the sudden cancellation of their prestigious, bi-yearly teen literature fest.

New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins was slated to speak at the event, but, according to Hopkins, when an undisclosed number of concerned parents complained to the district, she was asked to withdraw; this led to a domino effect, when most of the other scheduled authors then backed out, causing the event cancellation.

Hopkins has written several bestselling novels dealing with darker subjects such as drug addiction.

“This is a classic case of censorship,” said Joan Bertin, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship. “Hopkins was disinvited because people did not agree with her views and her books, and they went to the school official, who implemented that view, enforced it, and imposed it on everybody.”

In the long history of book banning, there are some titles that most readers would not expect to find on the list.

One notable example of such a novel is the classic, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The novel, by Harper Lee, is a semiautobiographical account of a young girl who grows up in the rural south during the Great Depression. The novel has been challenged by a variety of groups for a variety of reasons including: profanity, adult themes and sensitive subject matter.

Jazalyn Smith, a junior at KHS, counts “To Kill a Mockingbird” as one of her all-time favorite novels. She said she learned many valuable lessons from the book.

“The reason I like it is because it shows that what’s on the inside is what really counts,” she said. “People judge others by how they look and how they do things, but they don’t get down to what really counts: the nitty gritty. That is what is more significant and meaningful.”

Other books that might raise some eyebrows for their inclusion:

“The Grapes of Wrath,” by John Steinbeck, for obscenity; “Grimm’s Fairy Tales,” for violence; “James and the Giant Peach,” by Roald Dahl, because of his attitude; “Where the Sidewalk Ends,” by Shel Silverstein, for violence; “Forever,” by Judy Blume, for sexual themes.

Coincidentally, Blume, the popular children’s book author, ranked number two on the American Library Association’s list of top 10 most frequently challenged authors from 1990 to 2004.

Visit the American Library Association Banned Book Week website for more information about banned books or to get involved: www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/index.cfm.

Weaver Sobey, Emma. "Celebrating Freedom One Book at a Time." Tribune 04 Oct. 2010: n. pag. Web. 10 Oct 2010.

http://ourtribune.com/article.php?id=10902

10 Ways to Celebrate Banned Books Week by: AMANDA CHRISTY BROWN AND HOLLY EPSTEIN OJALVO

Held annually during the last week of September, Banned Books Weekhighlights the benefits of intellectual freedom and draws attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted banning of books across the United States, including books commonly taught in secondary schools.

Here are ideas for celebrating Banned Books Week –- with your students, your children and anyone who believes in having “the freedom to read.”

1. Classic Challenges: Books commonly taught in secondary schools show up again and again on the American Library Association’s most frequently challenged list. Why are some books challenged year after year? Find out why and then “adopt” a banned book like “The Catcher in the Rye” or “To Kill a Mockingbird” by investigating its history of challenges. (For example, a site search for “Huckleberry Finn” on nytimes.com reveals the 1885 editorial “Trashy and Vicious,” republished from The Springfield Republican, on the Concord Library’s ban of the book. You’ll also find a1902 letter from Mark Twain on the Omaha Public Library’s ban.) Then promote a “read-in” of one or more challenged or banned books in your school library.

2. Don’t Read This!: Scan this list. What do these books have in common? Are you surprised to see that they are the Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books for 2000-2009? Use Anna Quindlen’s Op-Ed from 1994 as the model for an essay about personal experiences reading banned books and thoughts about book banning in general. We also invite you to answer our Student Opinion question, “Are There Books That Should Be Banned From Your School Library?”
3. Big Name Bans: Did you know that “Harry Potter” topped the library association’s list of most challenged books in the year 2000? Other recent frequently challenged books include the “Twilight” series and “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Learn more about recent challenges and then create posters to promote intellectual freedom using some of the titles. One idea: Create a collage of book jackets of some of the most famous banned books. Another: Create a map of challenges, to demonstrate that book bans and challenges are not isolated phenomena, even in the United States. Ask to hang the posters in the school or local library.
4. Join the Club: Create book clubs around banned books. To investigate titles for your club to read, you might use the Books section, including the drop-down menus for finding book reviews and coverage of featured authors. Then hold book “pitches” and form club reading schedules. As you read, respond to the texts, and then execute a final project, either individually or as a group.
5. Blog All About It: Read this article featuring a New Jersey family that blogs together about books and encourages support of Banned Books Week. Choose a banned title to read as a family. Discuss it over dinner and/or online together. Include far-flung extended family by blogging or writing literary letters.
6. ‘Speak’ or Not?: This week, a university professor, Wesley Scroggins,attacked Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak” as “soft pornography” in The Springfield News-Leader of Missouri. Ms. Halse Anderson responded on her blog, as did the teacher and blogger Donalyn Miller on The Book Whisperer Blog. Read the blog posts and discuss both positions. What is “soft pornography”? Should teenagers, as novelist and Harvard student Isabel Kaplan argues in her Huffington Post post, read books with such content? Adapt this 2006 lesson on a book ban in the Miami-Dade school system to study the controversy and write letters to The News-Leader expressing your opinion about the issues raised in the debate. Decide whether or not you want to read “Speak” yourself.
7. Librarians for Liberty: Have you ever been caught reading under the covers? So was the late Judith Krug, the librarian who created Banned Books Week –- and her mother’s reaction to what she was reading taught her a lesson about having the freedom to read that later translated into her passion for the First Amendment and intellectual freedom. Learn more about Ms. Krug and consider the role of libraries in our democracy. What are the implications of book banning? What role do librarians and libraries play – even in the digital age –- in protecting intellectual freedom? Work with school or local librarians to plan a Banned Books Week event -– perhaps a read-a-thon or book festival, featuring banned books, with proceeds to benefit the library. Be sure to thank your librarians for the important work they do.
8. Protective Policies: See how librarians at the Brooklyn Public Libraryhandle challenges to books and other creative works in their collection, and read some sample requests for reconsideration and responses. Consider the fact that different people find different books “detestable,” and that in the name of freedom the Brooklyn library stocks books that offend or disturb many people, like “Mein Kampf.” Interview your local or school librarian about the library’s policies and guidelines about what books to stock and how to handle challenges. Then draft a policy that takes into consideration First Amendment freedoms and tolerance for a range of beliefs and values.
9. Spotlight Censorship: Read about a 2008 traveling exhibition called “Censorship in Public Schools and Libraries,” sponsored by the Long Island Coalition Against Censorship. Research issues of censorship in your area or on a certain theme (like journalism) and build an exhibit of artifacts to represent the history you discover. Write exhibition tags explaining each piece, and invite the community to visit. The American Library Association offers additional display ideas to mark Banned Books Week.
10. Go Global: The Times often covers books and other works that have been censored internationally, like in China and Iraq (as well as, occasionally, by the United States). Read about the role of books in other countries and the implications of book banning abroad and explore Web sites commonly blocked in countries like China and Saudi Arabia. Consider why these governments want to block the content in question, and how national history, culture and politics come into play during such episodes. What does a country’s censorship history tell us about what its government and citizens value? Create a timeline or narrative history of one country’s relationship with censorship, including, if possible, interviews with people who have direct experience.

http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/10-ways-to-celebrate-banned-books-week/

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read from: ALA

September 25−October 2, 2010

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.

Intellectual freedom—the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular—provides the foundation for Banned Books Week. BBW stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

The books featured during Banned Books Week have been targets of attempted bannings. Fortunately, while some books were banned or restricted, in a majority of cases the books were not banned, all thanks to the efforts of librarians, teachers, booksellers, and members of the community to retain the books in the library collections. Imagine how many more books might be challenged—and possibly banned or restricted—if librarians, teachers, and booksellers across the country did not use Banned Books Week each year to teach the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power of literature, and to draw attention to the danger that exists when restraints are imposed on the availability of information in a free society.

Banned Books Week is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association; American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression; the American Library Association;American Society of Journalists and Authors; Association of American Publishers; and the National Association of College Stores. It is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

For more information on getting involved with Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read, please see Calendar of Events and Ideas and Resources. You can also contact the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 4220, or bbw@ala.org.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/bannedbooksweek/