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STATEWIDE – While this may not be a week you are used to celebrating, businesses and organizations around the country want you to know that it is Banned Books Week.
You are likely aware of the controversy regarding efforts to remove or re-shelve certain books, especially in recent months.
Certain school corporations and libraries have been re-evaluating titles marketed for children and teenagers, with the intent to remove or relocate those that are deemed too inappropriate or explicit for their intended age groups.
But, this has been met by significant pushback from Americans – including Hoosier author John Green – who believe that these efforts are a form of censorship.
Deborah Caldwell-Stone, Director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, says, “Readers…are losing access to critical information, and librarians and teachers are under attack….”
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And she is not alone in experiencing this concern. Libraries around the country, including The Indianapolis Public Library, have pages on their websites dedicated to Banned Books Week.
Famous newspapers like The New York Times and the Washington Post have published op-eds about the importance of supporting libraries and widespread access to information.
Even certain book-lovers have decided to become small business owners, so as to keep selling content that may be unavailable elsewhere.
Now, you may be wondering why certain books are “banned.” In reality, criteria for this determination varies greatly depending on which state, or country, you are in at the time.
Common flags include sexual content, profanity, mature subject matter such as suicide, certain LGBTQIA+ representation, and more. But, you may be surprised by how many popular books continue to be questioned.
According to a 2022 article published by CBS News, these are some of the most frequently “banned books” in America:
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky
- The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
- Beloved – Toni Morrison
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl – Jesse Andrews
- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian – Sherman Alexie.
Learn more about the history of Banned Books Week here.
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