Banned Books Week

[Belinda]

Sept. 25 – Oct. 1 is Banned Books Week
Tomorrow (Friday) marks the beginning of Banned Books Week. Since 
1982, the last week of September has been celebrated as BBW to remind 
everyone to protect our most basic and fundamental freedom: the right 
to free speech and access to it.

I'm sure the members of this forum are not the folks who need 
educating on this issue, but I thought it a good idea to mention it 
anyway.  Especially given that our beloved author tops many lists of 
challenged and banned books/ authors.  

I'm also sure that most of you know that this issue exists... but do 
you realize how serious it has become?

2003 was the first time in four years that Jo was NOT the most 
challenged author according to the American Library Association, when 
she was edged to number 2.  She ranked 48th on the top 100 challenged 
books list from 1990 to 1999, she now ranks 7th!   Another scary 
point is that her ranking there is for the entire series.  Challenges 
are counted by title, so individually she would likely hold several 
spots.  

Here is a link to the ALA Banned and Challenged books page.
http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/challengedbanned/challenged
banned.htm

Scroll down and peruse the lists of most challenged authors and 
books.  Jo is in good company, don't you think?  How many of you 
recognize titles or authors there?  How many of you were changed by 
reading their works?  As a pre-teen girl Judy Blume's book "Are You 
There, God? It's Me, Margaret" made a difference in my life, and has 
for countless others.  Imagine if you were denied the chance to know 
about these books?

As a librarian (more exactly, a school librarian) I understand first 
hand the issues involved with challenging and banning books.  I have 
been fortunate in my career not to have had any serious situations.  
I'm lucky!  Many librarians must deal with challenges regularly.  

 Just ask Steve Vander Ark. (I hope he doesn't mind me saying this.)
Steve is a school librarian at a private school in Michigan.  His BOD 
have forbidden him to teach Harry Potter.  Steve Vander Ark, author 
of the Lexicon, foremost authority on everything Potter, and he can't 
so much as read aloud a passage from the book!  I think he has 
managed to keep copies on his shelves, but he has had a terrible 
struggle.

I hope that I piqued your curiosity to look at the lists, and 
further, encouraged you to care about this issue.  I can't imagine 
our world without Harry in it, and wish that all people would see it 
that way.  It is such an irony that JKR's stories- filled with 
messages of tolerance, cooperation, and the triumph of love over evil-
 should be the most targeted by censors.  
Lumos,
Belinda