celebrating banned books week and our freedom to read! sept. 30 – oct. 6th

Celebrating Banned Books Weekand our

Freedom to READ!

Sept. 30 – Oct. 6th

Freedom to Read• Banned Books Week

– stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.

• Intellectual Freedom – is the freedom to access information and

express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular. 

• Do you recognize any of these books?

• Have you read them?

• How would you feel if they were removed from this library?

These are some of the books that have been….

– Banned• To forbid especially by law.

– Censored• An official who checks materials (such as

books) to take out things thought to be objectionable(people might disapprove of).

AND/OR

– Challenged• The removal of books from library shelves have

been requested.

OIF Censorship Database2000-2005

Challenges by the Year

646

448

515458

547

405

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Some of the reasons from 2001-2009

OIF Censorship Database2000-2005

Challenges by Institution

926

1363

20

531

178

217

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

OIF Censorship Database2000-2005

Initiator of Challenge

263

62

1824

207

694

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

Patron Teacher Parent Administrator Other

Some silly reasons for the following books…..

• This book was challenged at the Cunningham Elementary School in Wisconsin (1985) because the book “encourages children to break dishes so they won’t have to dry them”.

• Removed from a school in Conn. (2000) due to concerns that it caused disruptive behavior among children.

• Removed from the 5th grade classroom from a school in Pulaski Twp, Pa. due to an elaborate fantasy world they felt might lead to confusion.

Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling

• They promote witchcraft, set bad examples and are too dark.

What could some of the reasons be for challenging this series?

• Your thoughts

– What Law gives us the right to freedom of speech, freedom to write what we want to, freedom to read what we want?

The Constitution of the United States.

1st 10 Amendments … Bill of Rights

Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!

Bibliography • ALA.org.

http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/index.cfm• 22 Sept 2010.

• Follett Library Resources. http://www.titlewave.com.• 22 Sept 2010.