S1E1: Banned Books Week
In this episode, learn about the history of Banned Books Week, the most challenged books of 2021, and find out how to get involved in this year's Banned Books Week events and giveaways at the Lafayette Libraries.
TRANSCRIPT:
[ [00:00:00] Welcome to the Lafayette Library Pardcast. I'm Nora Zimmerman, Digital Repository Librarian, and in this episode, we'll be talking about Banned Books Week, which is taking place from September 18 through the 24th this year. Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the Freedom to Read organized by the American Library Association. Fittingly, the 2022 theme of Banned Books week is Books Unite Us, Censorship Divides Us. Banned Books Week was launched 40 years ago in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. Every year, the ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom receives reports from libraries, schools and the media on attempts to ban books in communities across the country. They then compile lists of challenged books in order to inform the public about censorship efforts that affect libraries and schools. Last year, in 2021, the Office for Intellectual Freedom reported a record number of book challenges, amounting to nearly 1600 books. There were 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services reported to the OIF. The most challenged books of 2021 reflect an intensification of an observable trend over the last several years, with books aimed at a young adult audience being the most contested. Specifically, young adult books with LGBTQ+ themes and characters represent fully half of the challenges, with five out of the top ten challenged books targeted for this reason. Perhaps unsurprisingly, nearly 40% of challenges came from parents, and almost 45% were at school libraries. Textual analysis of censorship reports indicate that complainants felt the materials were sexually explicit, obscene or otherwise, containing offensive language and age inappropriate.
[00:01:50] Some communities have even organized and voted to defund their public libraries due to the presence of LGBTQ+ young adult books in the collections. Banned Books Week is a time to consider how the incredibly polarized political and cultural environment in which we all live is playing out in the schools, libraries and extended media environment that comprises the public square in the 21st century. In collaboration with the English Department and the Office of Intercultural Development, the Lafayette Libraries will be hosting a series of events for Banned Books Week. Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lafayettecollegelibrary/ and Twitter https://twitter.com/laflib to learn about giveaways and prizes. Starting Monday, September 19, check out a Banned Books Week display in the Skillman Library browsing section. A display of Lafayette librarians' favorite banned books will be active all week. On Tuesday the 20th, and Thursday the 22nd. Join us for a social media scavenger hunt to find a Skillman Café gift card hidden in a banned book somewhere in the stacks. Wednesday, stop by the Skillman patio from 1 to 3 p.m. for some free, tasty hot cider and a blackout poetry workshop capping off the week on Friday from 10:00 am to 1:00 PM, visit the Skillman circulation desk for a giveaway of the number three most challenged book of 2021, All Boys Aren't Blue by George M Johnson while supplies last. This banned books week and every week, let's remember that any book worth banning is a book worth reading. Thanks for listening to the Lafayette Library Pardcast and I'll see you at the library.]
