Book bans in the US: Increasing pace and polarization.
Historically, book bans, censorship, and burning of books date back thousands of years. Book banning in the US is also not new; it dates back to the 17th century, and remains the most common form of censorship in this country. Typically, ban advocates argue that a book should be banned because it contains violence, is sexually explicit, is unsuitable for a certain age group, or is otherwise offensive. However, the pace of book bans and restrictions has been increasing rapidly in recent years, reaching unprecedented levels. What’s more, the campaigns and politics around book banning have become structural rather than organic; in other words, book banning is being systematized by advocacy organizations and lawmakers, rather than complaints from average concerned citizens. We will discuss the history of book restrictions, statistics and facts, challenges to children’s literature, and the current state of play relating to book bans across the country as well as in Florida.
Guest Presenters
- Amy Filiatreau (Filly-ah-troh), Director of the Library, Lynn University. 21 years’ experience as a librarian
- Stacy Alesi (Ah-lee-see), Information Desk Librarian, Lynn University. 22 years’ experience as a librarian
- Amy An (Ahn), Reference and Instruction Librarian, Lynn University. 9 years’ experience as a librarian
- Katherine (Kat) Green, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Lynn University. 7 years’ experience as a librarian
Relevant links
- Banned in the USA: The Growing Movement to Censor Books in Schools. – PEN America
- There’s Confusion Over Book Bans in Florida Schools. Here’s Why. – Ed Week
- Book Bans Across the U.S. – New York Times
