ALA OIF releases Banned Books: Challenging the Freedom to Read

For Immediate Release
Tue, 07/13/2010 - 12:37

Contact: Nanette S Perez
Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF)

The ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom announces the release of “Banned Books: Challenging our Freedom to Read,” by Robert P. Doyle, which can be purchased through the ALA Store at www.alastore.ala.org. Published annually from 1983 to 2001, and every third year since then, the new edition of “Banned Books” details incidents of book banning from 387 B.C. to 2010.

“Banned Books: Challenging Our Freedom to Read” provides a framework for understanding censorship and the protections guaranteed to us through the First Amendment. Interpretations of the uniquely American notion of freedom of expression—and our freedom to read what we choose—are supplemented by straightforward, easily accessible information that will inspire further exploration.

This updated and expanded 2010 edition features a new, streamlined design that will make this an essential reference you will return to time and again. Contents include:

Insight—The Challenge of Censorship
Interpretation—The First Amendment, The Freedom of Expression and The Freedom to Read
Information—First Amendment Timeline, Court Cases, Glossary, Bibliography and Quotations
Ideas—Celebration Guide for Banned Books Week and Communication Guide for librarians
Incidents—Top Ten Challenged books of 2009 and Challenged or Banned Books—more than 1,800 titles listed alphabetically by author plus Title, Topical, and Geographical Indices.

Robert P. Doyle is the executive director of the Illinois Library Association. He is a noted authority and frequent speaker on First Amendment rights and the freedom to read.

For more information about banned books, please visit www.ala.org/bbooks.

Add new comment

Comments

ALA isn't banning your books...

I think we’ve had a misunderstanding here…the ALA isn’t saying these books are banned and no one should read them. I think it’s listing books that have historically been banned, to show us the history of censorship vs. intellectual freedom. The ALA is just showing us why banning books is wrong, not telling us what books we can and can’t read.

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 09/15/2010 - 06:39.

This is CRAZY!

My grandparents showed me the list of banned books and I was dumbfounded, mainly because looking at the list I see books that I have read at home or at school and books that I really love ,especially the Harry Potter series, are being banned. Seeing these books being banned and some even being burned in some areas is really in many ways offensive. All of these books are relevent to our history no matter what they contain, and not only America’s history but obviously the worlds history seeing that the Diary of Anne Frank was banned which there is absolutly no excuse for! I’m not blaming ALA for what is happening all I am saying is that no one has the right to take any form of literature away from anyone, no matter if it goes against there religion or their thoughts of what people should or should not read because to me that is no better than when the Nazi’s burned all those books back in World War II. Seeing the reviews, the reasoning behind banning these books is just plain stupid; like there being witch craft and sorcery in Harry Potter,or a family cussing to much in a book it really makes no since. Going with what the first comment said if people start deciding to ban books then it should only be a matter of time before all music is banned as well because, every form of music has something dirty or suggestive about it so I would like to know the difference.

Some thing to keep in mind is that all this is all comming from a 14 year old girl who obviously knows what is right and what is wrong better than the people (most likely adults) who have banned or challenged these books.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 09/11/2010 - 15:44.

Where have our rights gone?

How does the ALA get the right to ban books. Many of the books on this year’s list have been considered classics for ages.

If the ALA wants to do something worthwhile they should start banning the rap lyrics in today’s music industry. Filled with smut, filth, profanity and worse our young kids are exposed to downright criminal lyrics talking about killing etc..

Do we hear of anyone banning the rap lyrics…NO! This country has the tail wagging the dog and it is getting sickening and frightning.

At least thanks to the teaching of today (tenure) many of our youngsters can not spell, write or read so the danger of them actually reading any of the classics is nill.

Jacqueline Smith

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 09/04/2010 - 15:20.

The ALA isn’t banning the

The ALA isn’t banning the books, they are saying that the books SHOULDN’T be banned.

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 09/16/2011 - 08:12.

I don't think you get the point of the week...

The point is to draw attention to the books that have been challenged in libraries across the country, i.e. nosy busy bodies think such and such book shouldn’t be read by anyone for X, Y and Z reasons and they try to drum up support to force a school or public library to remove said book. What the ALA is doing is trying to draw attention to this gross infraction of our First Ammendment Rights so that people will make attempts to stop it in thier area. As well as drawing attention to the dangers of censorship in any form. Fortunately in many cases books the books that are challenged are not actually removed from libraries and schools. The ALA has a lot to do with that.

It is amazing to me that you scoff at the idea of banning a book but want to decide what sort of music is appropriate for everyone. That in my opinion is no better than said nosy busy bodies who want to tell everyone what they can read. Everyone does and should have the right to decide for themselves what is appropriate for them and thier families to read, watch and listen too.

To quote the Banned Books Week 2010 slogan "Think for yourself and let others do the same."

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 09/09/2010 - 09:51.