Korri Palmer
Senior Staff Writer
Could you ever imagine wanting to read a book, but you’re legally not allowed to? Although it may be surprising given the relationship the United States has with free speech, this is the reality for many books that have been deemed too inappropriate for public consumption.
From Sep. 16-28, The College of Wooster libraries will be participating in Banned Books Week, a national campaign to display books which have been challenged or banned across the country. This week is sponsored by the American Library Association and allows students to check out the banned books and figure out why they were restricted in the first place. According to Irene Herold, the College’s librarian, Wooster makes this experience even better by including books that are not only banned in the U.S. but also in other contires around the world.
Banned Books Week was first conceptualized in 1982 by the Banned Books Week Coalition, an initiative to celebrate the freedom to read. The campaign was launched in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. According to the official website, Banned Books Week “brings together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.”
In direct relation to Wooster, Herold tells us that the exhibit will “encourage the community to linger, explore and read.” The library has also gotten themed bookmarks and pins to give away and as for the books, Herold said, “we want these books to be read and used!” While reading banned books is cool and even dangerous in a nerdy way, this exhibit can be impactful because “these books have been silenced and banned, so we are bringing them into the light and giving them a prominent place and ‘voice’.”
The Coalition also lists the Top 11 Challenged Books of 2018; among them are books such as George by Alex Gino, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Every year, these lists are put together using real reports of books being challenged throughout the year. Often these conflicts are reported in the media, but some reports are individually submitted by librarians and teachers across the country who have books challenged in their communities.
According to Gayle Pitman, an author who has had her books banned in parts of the country, about half of the books banned in 2018 were challenged “because they contained LGBTQ+ content … that is incredibly disturbing to me. Whether it involves removing a book from a shelf or burning a book in a trash can, all of these are attempts to erase, silence and destroy our communities. This is an opportunity for all of us to stand up for the freedom to read, as well as for the right to see ourselves reflected in books and for our communities to exist without oppression.”
Just out of curiosity, I asked Herold what her favorite banned book was and although it was difficult for her to choose, she really likes The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.
When checking out the books on display during Banned Books Week at the College, if you don’t see one that you expect to be there you can always ask a librarian about the status of a book. So, if you can unbury yourself from loads of school work and embrace your inner bookworm, stop by for Banned Books Week on the first floor of Gault Library.