Censorship In Libraries

The American Library Association has always opposed censorship in libraries, and actively protests the banning of books (“ALA”). The ALA sponsor “Banned Books Week” every year, in an attempt to bring attention to the censorship of books across the United States. The ALA is firmly against the practice of banning, as Barbara Jones, the director of ALA’s office for Intellectual Freedom, said in this statement ‘Using threats to books to wage war on ideas that some may disagree with is offensive to the ALA, which embraces the diversity of our nation as one of our greatest strengths.”

Book banning is something that was been around for almost as long as books have, but why? Book banning started because certain books made different people or different groups of people feeling challenged, uncomforted, offended, etc. In other words, these books were engaging to the reader, pushed them to their limits, and really made them think about what they were reading. This is exactly what readers should want out of a book. Instead of embracing the books, many decide to get rid of it and do not want to be challenged or forced to step outside of their little, comfortable box they have for themselves. This issue of book banning is something that has gone on long enough and needs to end right now. Books are something that should be cherished and protected, not banned. Books are a very important part of today’s society and should not ever be banned.

On the other hand, censorship is a topic known for its hypocrisy in the U.S. When the U.S has laws such as the first amendment which states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Many people take a strong stance on the belief of censorship being unconstitutional. Following this the majority of books that are banned contain advanced

There is a book out there that talks about a topic that you do not agree with. While you may find the book offensive, others may find it inspiring or a reflection of their life. These varying points of view are what often lead to people calling for a ban of a certain book in a school or public library. This brings to light a topic that impacts all of us in one way or another, censorship in the form of book bans. This leads to a topic that can be the center of debate for many, whether or not we should allow the censorship of books, or other forms of media, in our libraries. And by censoring books, we are referring to taking them off of the shelves. Of course, many people have strong opinions on this. Coincidentally, I also have an opinion. My opinion is that we should not censor books, while making you understand why the idea of censorship in our school and public libraries goes against the fundamental values and freedoms that we hold dearly as citizens of the United States.

Even though we have the right to the First Amendment, many books have been banned or challenged in the U.S. Books have been banned for many reasons including profanity, sex, violence, religion, etc. The First Amendment states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a

Book banning is a prime target for censorship. Censorship in print media, notably book banning, occurs across homes, schools, stores, and other facilities daily. Censorship in the schools is the most widespread and exposed place for book banning. Do

The subject of censorship is a very controversial one, especially the banning of books. Many people believe they must protect themselves and others from the "evils" of many classic books and works of art because they can be deemed "indecent" in one way or another. Many believe that this is absurd and censorship in its current form is a violation of our First Amendment right to free speech. Personally, I align myself with the latter, however I do feel there are occasions where censorship is justifiable. The censorship of books is a division of censorship that, apart from Internet censorship, receives the most publicity. Banning books is the most popular form of such censorship. Many banned books are literary classics, such as The Catcher in

At the present time, at least seventy-five books are being banned. This is hurting our culture more than it is helping. This has to be stopped; books cannot be taken off of the shelves at the rate that they are today. The books that are being taken off of the shelves are, for the most part, considered classics. The act of book banning puts limitations on what authors can say, and what readers can read (Dorshemer p.1). The banning of books in America is a violation of our first amendment rights. Amendment 1 of the United States Constitution states as follows:

Throughout history many books have been banned, for many reasons. I believe that banning books is a dangerous power to give the government or people in authority. Banning book is not only morally unjust but also I believe that some of the reasons are also illegal. I will explain my opinion in the following.

Banning books has been an age long controversy since the early 15th century. Beginning in 1455 with the invention of the Guttenberg printing press, this became a much harder situation to control due to the large processes of books being printed out. (Smolla) Since the 15th century, opponents have regularly been enforcing the banning of books due to society’s idea of debatable content. This includes the aspects of sexual content, racism, and sacrilegious content. However, proponents have the stronger argument. Many object that these books are a result of Freedom of Speech, they provide historical documentation, or simply that a person should freely be able to read whatever he or she may enjoy.

Books are censored in public schools for many reasons. Sometimes because of language, themes and religious viewpoints that the school district may not want to teach or expose their students to. The NCAC (National Coalition Against Censorship) talks about how “ individual sensitivities and concerns, restricts the world of knowledge available to students . . .” (“First Amendment in Schools”). Without necessary information about what is happening in the world students will be left bewildered about other ways of life. Crystal

“Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance”. – Laurie Henderson. By banning books, it can deprive children the information or the mental nourishment they will need for life.

The Banning of books has affected the world greatly. People have been banning books since they first started being written and are still getting banned today. Under the United States Constitution, people have freedom of speech and of the press. People argue that the government is violating citizens’ rights by banning books. It has been going on basically forever because governments feel the need to ban some things that are found in books (Zorea). The reasons for banning books are usually in one of four categories. These include religious, political, social, and sexual reasons (Dell 11). Books were censored greatly during World War I, World War II, and the Great Depression. The United States banned any criticism or opposition to the war or government. Governments and other organizations feared some books might endanger the country or government (Hanyok). “During a war, battle plans, troop movement schedules, weapons data, and other information could help the enemy.” Because of this, militaries often censor books and ban any that might help the enemy (Rupp). Many books that are popular with readers have been banned multiple

Pete Hautman once said, “Yes, books are dangerous. They should be dangerous - they contain ideas”. In today’s society there is a burning issue on whether or not books shall be banned from schools and other public places. Throughout history there have been many examples of censorship. For example, in 1950 when Joseph McCarthy burned and tried to remove any books with foreign and Communist ideas. People think that due to inappropriate information, or what they think is inappropriate, books have been removed. Books should not be banned, since it can make people become ignorant, discourteous, and naive, as well as being in our constitution.

What would you do if you went to your child's school and saw that they were looking at inappropriate material on the internet? Would you react the same way if they were in a public library? Who decides what is okay for your children to view? Who decides where they can view it? What can you do about them being able to view these things? Are there any laws that can prevent this from happening? What are some schools and libraries doing to help prevent children form looking at such material? These are all issues that will be discussed in the next few paragraphs, along with my opinions on the matter.