Censorship Presentation Overview Introduction to Censorship Historic Background of Censorship Reasons for Censorship Reasons against Censorship Overview of Materials Available.
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Transcript Censorship Presentation Overview Introduction to Censorship Historic Background of Censorship Reasons for Censorship Reasons against Censorship Overview of Materials Available.
Censorship Presentation Overview
Introduction to Censorship
Historic Background of Censorship
Reasons for Censorship
Reasons against Censorship
Overview of Materials Available
A History
1876–1939: ALA to Library Bill
of Rights
Three stages of censorship
Populist-Elitist
Neutrality-Advocacy
Freedom-Censorship
Multiple Ways to Censor
Limited ALA involvement
World War I
“One of the most reprehensible periods of U.S. library history,
inasmuch as public librarians put service to the state before
democratic principles—censoring German-language material and
pacifistic and antiwar literature.” -de la Peña McCook, 2004
1939–1969: Library Bill of Rights to
Intellectual Freedom Activism
Martin v City of Struthers (1943): Freedom of
Speech applies to distribution and receipt of
information
Causes of Censorship
Nationalist political climate in pre-Cold War era
Racial and ethnic prejudice
1950’s see a shift from censoring the subversive to censoring the
obscene
Creation of the IFC
ALA’s stance on IF gains national recognition
Freedom to Read Foundation
1953: The Perfect Storm
February—April: Senator McCarthy calls for censorship in
overseas libraries
May 2–3: Freedom to Read Statement is Written
June 14: President Eisenhower speaks out against censorship
June 20–21: IFC holds conference “Book Selection in Defense
of Freedom”
June 22: ALA membership votes to adopt Freedom to Read
Statement
June 25: ALA Council adopts resolution against censorship in
overseas libraries
November: American Library Association Bulletin sends out
the “Intellectual Freedom Issue”
1966–1975: Some Overlap
Political and social factors influencing
censorship
Vietnam War
Civil Rights Movement, racial unrest
Pressure for U.S. educational system to keep up with
the U.S.S.R.
110 censorship attempts reported in
public libraries
1975–2000: ???
1977: Prince George’s County, Maryland
The Coalition for Children takes on Our Bodies,
Ourselves
Proposed a bill that would make it illegal for juveniles
to check out books with sexual content
A search on Wilson Web for articles
from 1970–2000 turns up no articles
from the 70’s, only one from the 80’s,
16 from the 90’s, and 35 from the 00’s
The New Millenium
Homosexuality is just one of many
reasons people challenge or ban books
Groton, CT, 2002: An exhibit at the public library showing
pictures of local families, including families with same sex
parents, prompted a local resident to take out an ad in the
local paper protesting the exhibit
Hillsborough County, FL, 2005: A public library YA
display celebrating Gay and Lesbian Pride Month put
together by a library school student eventually led
county commissioners to ban all events celebrating gay
pride in the county
Statements, Policies, and
Advocates
Library Bill of Rights
Adopted in 1939
Statement on Labeling
Adopted in 1951
Defined labeling as a form of censorship
Freedom to Read Statement
Adopted in 1953
Affirms 7 propositions
Code of Ethics
Section II reinforces the ALA’s commitment to Intellectual
Freedom
Statements, Policies, and
Advocates
Intellectual Freedom Committee
Works in an advisory capacity for the OIF
Under David K. Berninghausen, obtained permission to represent
ALA at hearings and to protest violations of the Library Bill of
Rights and also launched the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom
Office for Intellectual Freedom
Established in 1967 with Mrs. Judith F. Krug as Director
Responsible for implementing ALA IF policies
Intellectual Freedom Round Table
Begun in 1973
“serves as a channel of communications on intellectual freedom
matters” and “promotes a greater opportunity for involvement
among the members of the ALA in defense of intellectual
freedom” (ALA, 2007)
Censorship in Public
Libraries and Schools:
Reasons for Censorship
It’s not Pro-Censorship, it’s
Pro-Families
Pro-Values
Pro-Children
Censorship vs. Selection
Government
Pornography
Government Documents
Profanity
Individual Groups
Parents
Religious Organizations
Media
Fox News vs. The Nation
Libraries
“R” rated movies
Why Censor?
Tax Money
Libraries are
community spaces
Protect Children
Alternatives
Main Reasons Books are Censored
Profanity
Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Sexual Reference
Forever by Judy Blume
Sexual Preference
And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell
Defying Authority
Matilda by Roald Dahl
Motivating Factors for Censorship
Family Values
Religious Views
Political Views
“Bad is not for us to determine. Bad is what
you determine is bad. Bad is what you think is
bad for your child.” http://pabbis.org/
Guidelines for recognizing
“Bad” Books
www.pabbis.org
Age Appropriate
Good Taste
Educational Objectives
Relevance
Necessity
What to do??
http://www.pabbis.com/whattodo.html
Give Up
Switch Schools
Monitor What your Child Reads
Challenge the Use of the Book
Change the System
How To Challenge a Book
Talk to the library or school
Present your objections
Ask Questions
Continue up the ladder
Talk to other parents
System Changes
Book Selection Process
Parents Notification
Family Friendly Standards for Public
Libraries
http://www.fflibraries.org/Public_Library_Standards.html
Internet Filtering Software
Minors Borrowing Records
Option to Limit Borrowing
Privileges
A Parent Preview Section
Local Community Decency
Standards.
Material Placement in the
Library.
Promotional Displays
Opposing Censorship
American Library Association’s stance on
censorship
Where censorship originates
How can I receive help with challenges?
Advocacy
Library Bill of Rights
III. “Libraries should challenge censorship
in the fulfillment of their responsibility to
provide information and enlightenment.”
Where do most challenges come
from?
Individuals
INDIVIDUAL
Institutions
INSTITUTION
HOW DO I GET HELP WITH
CHALLENGES?
KEY MESSAGES
Libraries provide access to information
across a wide variety of economic,
political, and social views
Libraries provide freedom to
information for all peoples.
Parents are responsible for their
children!
ALA website also has information
for coping with challenges for:
School librarians
Young adult librarians
Trustees and directors
COMMUNITY ADVOCACY
Keep abreast of issues in legislature,
schools, and local government
PROFESSIONAL ADVOCACY
Join ALA's IF Roundtable or Action
Network
Make your libraries stance on censorship
part of the library's central mission
Advocate your library as being a place for
FREEDOM!
Web Resources Provide Outlets for
Activism
National Coalition Against Censorship
http://www.ncac.org/home.cfm
Kidspeak
http://www.kidspeakonline.org/index.html
National Council of Teachers of English
http://www.ncte.org/about/issues/censorship
An Overview of Materials Available
Three Place to Start
Google
23 million hits
UT Library Catalog
741 Library of Congress Subject Headings
Library Literature and Information
Science Full Text
2,218 articles
23 million hits
Wikipedia
First hit on google search “censorship”
Main article 2,695 words
Organized into Aspects of,
Implementation of, by Country, Media,
Other Types
Links to articles on Censorship in 31
countries, 8 different types of media, 13
methods, and 2 TV channels (BBC and
MTV)
Wikipedia
Within text of article, links to Watergate
scandal, media bias, Josef Stalin, Frank
Zappa, freedom of speech, obscenity
Special links for banned books, films,
and music and for criticisms of Wikipedia
Extensive “See Also” section - 51 related
topics
Wikipedia
7 citations and notes to the article
14 outside print resources for general
information
14 outside websites
Outside Text Resources
Battle of the Books: Literary Censorship
in the Public Schools, 1950-1985 by Lee
Burress
Intellectual Freedom and Censorship: An
Annotated Bibliography by Frank
Hoffmann
Outside Online Resources
The National Coalition Against Censorship
www.ncac.org
Banned Magazine: The Journal of
Censorship and Secrecy
www.bannedmagazine.com
Link to 1990 audio interview with
William Noble, author of Bookbanning in
America
http://wiredforbooks.org/williamnoble/
741 Library of Congress Subject Headings
9 Related Subjects
Anticensorship Activists
Book Burning
Challenged Books
Expurgated Books
Freedom of the Press
Intellectual Freedom
Prohibited BooksPrior Restraint
Libraries—Censorship
Libraries -- Censorship
24 Sub-Subject Headings,
Specific States
Histories
Manuals
Case Studies
Total of 92 items in UT Library System
43 items in “Libraries—Censorship”
alone
UT Library Resources
Banned in the USA: A Reference Guide to Book
Censorship in Schools and Public Libraries by
Herbert N. Foerstel
Forbidden Books in American Public Libraries,
1876-1935: A study in Cultural Change by
Evelyn Geller
Censorship & Intellectual Freedom: Public
Libraries Prepare (video)
UT Library Resources
Ambition, Discrimination, and Censorship in
Libraries by Jefferson P. Selth
Libraries, Access, and Intellectual Freedom:
Developing Policies for Public and Academic
Libraries by Barbara M. Jones
Intellectual Freedom Manual, Seventh Edition by
the Office for Intellectual Freedom, ALA
2,218 articles
Subjects
Censorship in almost every state and
many countries (Cuba, Finland, Kenya)
Also focuses on video recordings, state
libraries, school libraries, religious
libraries, handbooks and manuals, prison
libraries
Subjects
Censorship - 391 items
Censorship/Public Libraries - 224 items
Censorship/Bibliography - 66 items
Censorship/History - 63 items
Censorship/Case Studies - 12 items
Electronic Resources
“It May Be Legal but It’s Not Right” by Ann
K. Symons
“Banned in the USA: Censorship in Public
Libraries in the 1990s” by Michael Packard
“Don’t Defend That Book” by Doug
Johnson
Electronic Resources
“Selection and Censorship” by
Bonnie Osif
“Banned and Challenged Books in
Texas Public Schools, 2005-2006” by
the ACLU of Texas
www.ala.org
Section of website devoted to the Office
of Intellectual Freedom
Blog, Organizations, References, What
You Can Do pages
Publishes Newsletter on Intellectual
Freedom
Links about Banned Books Week, issues,
support, and for young people
www.ncac.org
National Coalition Against Censorship
Pages for censorship in art, media,
literature, science, internet, education,
and entertainment
Publishes NCAC Censorship News
Links to issues (libraries, sex education,
government secrecy); projects (Arts
Advocacy, Science and Censorship);
resources (DVDs, events, publications)
Pro-Censorship
SafeLibraries.org
www.safelibraries.org
Parents Against Bad Books In Schools
www.pabbis.com
Family Friendly Libraries
www.fflibraries.org
Questions, Comments,
Concerns?
Banned Books Week Commercial