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Censorship and Libraries

"“Censorship,"

In a nutshell

Definitions

More definitions

Primary Objections to
Books

How are books censored?

Examples of complaints

"Hanford,"

One more example

ALA Freedom to Read
Statement

"Do not force reader
to..."

How libraries handle
challenges

Selection: A Form of
Censorship?

"Questions?"

Censorship and Libraries

Kathy A.
Campbell

[email-masked]

End of slide show, click to exit.

Censorship and Libraries

Kathy A. Campbell

[email-masked]

"“Censorship,"

“Censorship, like charity, should

begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there.”

Clare Boothe Luce

In a nutshell

In 2000, there were hundreds of formal
challenges to library materials

Most challenges to books occur in
schools and public libraries

Frequently these challenges result from
a desire to protect children

Definitions

Expression of concern—inquiry with
judgmental overtones

Oral complaint—oral challenge to the
presence or appropriateness of material

Written complaint—formal written
challenge to the presence or appropriateness of material

More definitions

Public attack—publicly disseminated
statement challenging the value of the material, presented to the media or
others outside the institution in order to gain public support for further
action

Censorship—change in the access status
of material, made by a governing authority or its representatives

Primary Objections to
Books

Sex

Profanity

Unsuited to age group

Occult

Violence

Racial or ethnic insensitivity

How are books censored?

Excluded from the collection

Restricted usage

Removed from the collection

Age/grade level appropriateness changed

Examples of complaints

Grimm, Jacob.  Hansel and Gretel.  Dial; Putnam. Challenged because it teaches
children that it is acceptable to kill witches and paints witches as
child-eating monsters.

"Hanford,"

Hanford, Martin.  Where’s Waldo? Little. Challenged because
“on some of the pages there are dirty things.”

One more example

Grimm, Jacob, Translated by Jack Zipes.
Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm was restricted to 6th
-8th  grade classrooms in
Kyrene, Ariz. Schools because of excessive violence, negative portrayal of
female characters, and anti-Semitic references

ALA Freedom to Read
Statement

Make available the widest diversity of
views and expressions possible

Do not need to endorse every view or
presentation that is made available

Do not bar access to writings based on
the personal history or political affiliation of author

Do not coerce the taste of others

"Do not force reader
to..."

Do not force reader to accept
prejudgment of a label characterizing material or its author as subversive or
dangerous

Contest encroachments on the freedom to
read by those who would impose their own views

Provide books that enrich the quality
and diversity of thought and expression

How libraries handle
challenges

Selection policy

Procedure for handling complaints

Complaint form

Selection: A Form of
Censorship?

Selection has a positive outcome

Includes the possibility of
interlibrary loan for materials not owned by the library

Censorship has a negative outcome

"Questions?"

Questions?

Comments?

Thanks for your attention!

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Second level

Third level

Fourth level

Fifth level

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“Censorship,
like charity, should

begin
at home; but unlike charity,

it
should end there.”

Clare Boothe
Luce