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Banned Books Week

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Banned Books Week is an annual awareness campaign that celebrates the freedom to read[1] and draws attention to banned and challenged books.[2] The campaign "stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them"[3] and the requirement to keep material publicly available so that people can develop their own conclusions and opinions. Its goal is "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."[4]

Held during the last week of September since 1982, Banned Books Week not only encourages readers to examine banned and challenged literary works, but also promotes intellectual freedom in libraries, schools, and bookstores. Offering Banned Books Week kits, the ALA sells posters, buttons, and bookmarks to celebrate the event. Many educational facilities also celebrate banned and challenged books during this week, often creating displays and programs around the awareness campaign. Additionally, various booksellers sponsor activities and events in support of Banned Books Week. Some retailers create window displays, while others go further, inviting authors of banned and challenged materials to come speak at their stores, as well as funding annual essay contests about freedom of expression.

Amnesty International also celebrates Banned Books Week by directing attention to individuals who are "persecuted because of the writings that they produce, circulate or read."[5]

The event is not without controversy.[6][7][8] For example, former ALA Councilor Jessamyn West said:

It also highlights the thing we know about Banned Books Week that we don't talk about much — the bulk of these books are challenged by parents for being age-inappropriate for children. While I think this is still a formidable thing for librarians to deal with, it's totally different from people trying to block a book from being sold at all.[9]

Doug Archer, librarian and past chair of the ALA's Intellectual Freedom Committee, responds that such criticisms do not fairly address the threat of censorship:

The argument goes thusly. Most books on the annual ALA list of banned and challenged books were “only” challenged, never banned. Even if some were removed from libraries, they are still available for purchase in book stores. Therefore, censorship hasn’t really happened because the government hasn’t banned the books. Sounds to me as if these folks are second cousins to the young man who gave new meaning to the word chutzpah. When charged with murdering his parents he asked for leniency because he was an orphan! Chutzpah! Hey, since folks were unsuccessful in their efforts to get these books banned, you can’t use them as examples of the threat of censorship. We failed therefore you’re being dishonest. Chutzpah! Run that by me again? Just because libraries and librarians have been so good at defending the freedom of the public to read as they choose, means that we’re being dishonest? No, it just means were doing our job.[10]

The campaign was founded in 1982 by prominent First Amendment and library activist Judith Krug.[11] It is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores, and endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

References

  1. ^ "About Banned Books Week". Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  2. ^ "About Banned and Challenged Books". American Library Association. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
  3. ^ "Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read". Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  4. ^ "Banned Books Week". American Library Association. Retrieved 2009-09-08.
  5. ^ "Banned Books Week". Retrieved 2009-09-23.
  6. ^ "Family Friendly Libraries Challenges ALA's Banned Books Week". Library Journal. 1997-09-22. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
  7. ^ Sara Hussein (2009-09-06). "US Libraries Hit Back Over Challenges to Kids Books". AFP. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  8. ^ Mitchell Muncy (2009-09-24). "Finding Censorship Where There Is None". Wall Street Journal. p. W13. Retrieved 2009-09-25. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  9. ^ Jessamyn West (2006-09-21). "Banned Books Week is Next Week". Librarian.net. Retrieved 2009-08-11.
  10. ^ Doug Archer (2009-06-17). "A Pet Peeve". OIF Blog. Retrieved 2009-09-18.
  11. ^ Dorothy Samuels (2009-04-14). "Editorial | Appreciations | Judith Krug". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
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