issuesadvocacy /banned/ bannedbooksweek / calendarofevents / index.cfm

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2. Virtual READ-OUT: Judy Blume FREADOM

3. CENSORSHIP:WHAT is the difference between a challenge and a banning? • A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  • A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.  Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection.

4. Terms & Definitions • Expression of Concern. An inquiry that has judgmental overtones. • Oral Complaint. An oral challenge to the presence and/or appropriateness of the material in question. • Written Complaint. A formal, written complaint filed with the institution (library, school, etc.), challenging the presence and/or appropriateness of specific material. • Public Attack. A publicly disseminated statement challenging the value of the material, presented to the media and/or others outside the institutional organization in order to gain public support for further action. • Censorship. A change in the access status of material, based on the content of the work and made by a governing authority or its representatives. Such changes include exclusion, restriction, removal, or age/grade level changes.

5. WHO challenges books? • Throughout history, more and different kinds of people and groups of all persuasions than you might first suppose, who, for all sorts of reasons, have attempted—and continue to attempt—to suppress anything that conflicts with or anyone who disagrees with their own beliefs. • The majority of challenges are initiated by parents (almost exactly 48%), while patrons and administrators followed behind (10% each). (statistics from 2001-2010)

6. WHYare books challenged? • Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and informationlike “inappropriate” sexual content or “offensive” language

7. More on…WHY books are challenged Top three reasons cited for challenging materials (as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom) • the material was considered to be "sexually explicit" • the material contained "offensive language" • the materials was "unsuited to any age group" Notable First Amendment Cases

8. More on…WHY booksare challenged?Facts about U.S. Censorship 2001-2010 American libraries were faced with 4,660 challenges. • 1,536 challenges due to “sexually explicit” material • 1,231 challenges due to “offensive language” • 977 challenges due to material deemed “unsuited to age group” • 553 challenges due to “violence” • 370 challenges due to “homosexuality” • 304 were challenged because of their “religious viewpoints” • 121 materials were challenged because they were “anti-family”

9. WHERE arebooks challenged? • 1,720 of these challenges (approximately 37%) were in classrooms • 30% (or 1,432) were in school libraries • 24% (or 1,119) took place in public libraries • There were 32 challenges to college classes • 106 to academic libraries • There are isolated cases of challenges to materials made available in or by prisons, special libraries, community groups, and student groups.