This document discusses censorship and challenged books. It defines challenged books as those a person has attempted to remove from libraries/schools due to objections, while banned books have been successfully removed. Common reasons for challenges are language, sexual/racist content, violence, or religious/political differences. The American Library Association collects data on challenged books and observes Banned Books Week each year to promote freedom of expression and access to information.

1. Censorship
Challenged and Banned Books

2. Challenged vs. Banned
 Challenged Book “A book that a person or a group has
attempted to remove from the library shelves and/or a school
because of objections regarding book content.”
 Banned Book “Has been successfully removed from the library
shelves and/or school classrooms”.

3. Some reasons why a book
might be challenged:
 Language
 Sexual content
 Racially discriminatory
 Violence
 Political differences
 Religious differences

4. Top Reasons Books are Challenged
1. the material was considered to be "sexually
explicit"
2. the material contained "offensive language"
3. the materials was "unsuited to any age
group“
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/aboutbannedbooks

5. American Library Association
(ALA)
 ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles a list
of the top ten most frequently challenged books
each year
 Collects information from two sources: newspapers
and reports submitted by individuals
 “Research suggests that for each challenge
reported there are as many as four or five which go
unreported.”
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/aboutbannedbooks

6. ALA’s The 10 most challenged books of 2010:
 And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: homosexuality, religious viewpoint, unsuited to age group
 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: offensive language, racism, religious viewpoint, sex education, sexually explicit,
violence, unsuited to age group
 Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: insensitivity, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit
 Crank, by Ellen Hopkins
Reasons: drugs, offensive language, racism, sexually explicit
 The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: sexually explicit, violence, unsuited to age group
 Lush, by Natasha Friend
Reasons: drugs, sexually explicit, offensive language, unsuited to age group
 What My Mother Doesn't Know, by Sonya Sones
Reasons: sexism, sexually explicit, unsuited to age group
 Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich
Reasons: drugs, inaccurate, offensive language, political viewpoint, religious viewpoint
 Revolutionary Voices edited by Amy Sonnie
Reasons: homosexuality, sexually explicit
 Twilight (series), by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence, unsuited to age group
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about

7. Library Bill of Rights
The American Library Association affirms that all libraries are forums for
information and ideas, and that the following basic policies should guide their
services.
 I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information,
and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should
not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to
their creation.
 II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on
current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because
of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
 III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to
provide information and enlightenment.
 IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting
abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
 V. A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin,
age, background, or views.
 VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they
serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the
beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.
Adopted June 18, 1948, by the ALA Council; amended February 2, 1961; amended June
28, 1967; amended January 23, 1980; inclusion of “age” reaffirmed January 24, 1996.
http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/

8. Ocean County Library System
 Follow the ALA Library Bill of Rights

9. Banned Books Week
 Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and is an annual ALA
event to remind Americans “not to take this precious democratic freedom for
granted
 Observed during the last week of September and has been observed since
1982.
 “BBW celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s
opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular
and stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox
or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them.”
 BBW is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association,
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression,
American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors,
Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores,
and is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.
http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about

10. Examples of Challenges
 Debbie Does Dallas Uncovered
 The Giver
 Islam

11. Sources and Links:
 http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/aboutbannedbooks
 http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/about
 http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/
 http://pabbis.org/