The discussion this week focuses on how librarians should handle children whose reading level is above their maturity. While the conversations were all thought provoking, I decided to find some outside information on censorship in libraries still today.
What I found really surprised me in some ways. Censorship is still alive and well in the United States but not always in the way we think. In an article titled "The Dirty Little Secret", Debra Lau Whelan (2009)discusses the self-censorship that afflicts many librarians. "Self-censorship. It's a dirty secret that no one in the profession wants to talk about or admit practicing. Yet everyone knows some librarians bypass good books-those with literary merit or that fill a need in their collections" (p. 23). This statement reflects the concerns all librarians have when dealing with children and their reading needs. A book can be a good read, enjoyable or thought provoking but not make it on the shelf due to the personal bias of the purchaser or purchasers. Ms. Whelan uses Boy Toy by Barry Lyga as an example of an award winning youth book that did not make it on to many library shelves around the nation. Apparently, the topic of a young man having an intimate relationship with an older woman is substantially more taboo than the reverse.
Overall, I was rather surprised that self-censorship goes so far in the library world. Our responsibility as librarians is to provide the materials and perhaps guide our patrons. It is not to limit the accessibility of items because of our personal beliefs or concerns.
Lyga, B. (2009). Boy Toy. United States: Graphia. (Original work published null)
Whelan, D. L. (2009). A Dirty Little Secret. School Library Journal, 55(2), 26-30.
No comments:
Post a Comment