This article was originally published on linkedin.com.
In elementary school, I often got in trouble for reading when I “wasn’t supposed to”. I experienced difficulty focusing in class, especially in the core subjects that did not interest me. When I lost interest in the topic of the day, I would pull out a book. There was so much to learn and with my “I can do it” attitude, if I was interested in learning it, I would do it myself.
Growing up, my parents always encouraged reading. We would go to library clean-out days, spend the $15 or $25 on a fill-the-bag option and head home with books piled to the brim. Those were my favorite days. I would come home with books that I didn’t know the title to, books that had nice cover art and books that the library was cleaning out by collection. I always wanted to have a personal library and library clean-outs were the best way to make it happen.
As I grew older, I learned about the banned books movement. Books were being censored in schools and libraries across the country. Some books made sense, containing offensive or otherwise inappropriate material for children, but other books were appropriate, simply containing ideas that a particular group did not agree with.
What started as a short list, has since multiplied into a list of thousands. Old books, new books, books that used to be required in high school curriculum, even childrens books, are now questioned and pulled from shelves every day. Once I discovered this, I learned that reading, especially reading accessibility, was a privilege. Accessing books now requires the ability to purchase them as variety and availability are limited. Expanding your education now comes at a price.
Some schools and libraries however, celebrate banned books week. Banned books week “highlights the value of free and open access to information and brings together the entire book community in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.” Books are displayed up front for check-out and readings of excerpts are held.
UNC held its “Freedom to Read” event on First Amendment Day, September 25th.
A few books featured include:
While not everyone may be interested in every book or might find some books inappropriate or deserving of challenge, the important thing is that we all have the freedom and privilege to read. We have access to more information than we have ever been able to imagine, why would we not take advantage of that and read as much as we can?
It’s all about education. Introducing yourself to different topics and perspectives, even if just for the value of understanding right and wrong. Some books depict issues with history, others introduce new ideologies and most are fictional stories.
Here is the list of the most challenged books since 1990. Take a second to look through and see the stories.
Top 10 Most Challenged Books and Frequently Challenged Books Archive
What is on your banned books list?