Walk into your local library this week, and you’ll probably see a display of familiar and popular books with a sign featuring the word “BANNED” in capital letters drawing your attention. It’s Banned Books Week in the United States, and in my school library at East Leyden High School where I work, my assistant created such a display for our student patrons.
Yellow caution tape surrounds books such as Laurie Halse Anderson’s “Speak,” Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi’s “Stamped,” Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” and Jonathan Evison’s “Lawn Boy.” Often, students stop and look at the display and then ask my assistant or me if they can take the books since the titles appear off-limits. We tell them that they can check the books out, and we ask them also to take our information pamphlet to learn more about Banned Books Week.
I also invite classes into our school library for Banned Books Week lessons and book talks, in which I facilitate discussions surrounding censorship and talk about titles that frequently appear on the American Library Association’s banned books list. However, many librarians in public libraries and schools across the nation may be quietly sitting out this Banned Books Week, fearful of losing their jobs or something worse.
According to the ALA, reports of book bans and challenges have greatly increased in our nation for the last two years. This year, ALA projects that bans and challenges will surpass last year’s record of 1,269 demands to censor books and resources in libraries. Inside those books and resources are what book banners and challengers fear most: writers and/or characters who identify as LGBTQ+ or writers and/or characters who are Black, Indigenous and/or people of color.
Since 2020, book bans and challenges have become coordinated, organized efforts led in large part by Moms of Liberty factions throughout the United States, according to CBS News’ “Sunday Morning.” They’ll attend school and library board meetings and argue that parents’ rights are more important than freedom of speech.
These groups’ efforts have led to books being pulled off shelves, and they have helped push forward legislation in states such as Texas, where late last month, an appeals court gave the state the go-ahead to censor “sexually explicit” texts in public schools. Florida, Utah, Missouri and Oklahoma have similar laws.
Here in Illinois, our state government under Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, also the state’s librarian, passed a law that will go into effect Jan. 1 that is meant to dissuade book bans as public libraries and school districts will be ineligible for state grants if they restrict materials. It is not foolproof, however, as it does not have added protections for acts of violence or intimidation toward public and school libraries and librarians.
Last month, libraries in Chicago and the suburbs had to close after receiving bomb threats that followed Giannoulias’ appearance before a Senate panel in Washington to answer questions about the new law.
As a librarian at a diverse high school, I see the importance of having books written by a diverse pool of authors creating unique experiences in their books that our teenagers can see themselves in and that teach our students about others. Our student body checks out more than 1,000 books a month and constantly recommends books to me that we should buy to fit their needs.
If I were asked to ban every book that contains racism, sexual themes and LGBTQ+ content, nearly every book would be in question. If a parent doesn’t want their child to read a certain book, this is fine with me. I just don’t think that a parent should have the right to take away that book from the entire school population or community.
Banned Books Week runs through Sunday. I urge readers who support freedom of speech to act against censorship in a number of ways. You can attend a library board or school board meeting to speak against book bans and challenges. You can write to your local representative about the importance of standing up to book bans. You can read a banned book aloud and post it on YouTube as part of the ALA’s Stand for the Banned virtual Read-Out. You can post your stance on social media and use the hashtag #BannedBooksWeek to show their support. You can become a member of the Freedom to Read Foundation, which helps support librarians and libraries to protect against censorship.
Even if you don’t have librarians in your schools, you can attend a school board meeting to advocate for one as many schools in our state and across the country have cut library media specialists, making access to materials especially difficult, even without people challenging materials.
One simple act readers can do is pick up a book that’s on the banned books list and read it. It is powerful — and alarming — that the act of reading poses a risk and is a form of activism.
Read on and rise up against censorship. Our democracy depends on it.
Gina Caneva is the library media specialist for East Leyden High School in Franklin Park. She taught in Chicago Public Schools for 15 years and is nationally board certified.
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