Newcomerstown Public Library highlights 'Banned Books Week'
NEWCOMERSTOWN – They’re books you might have read to your children, or perhaps had read to you.
“Goodnight Moon.” “If I Ran the Zoo.” “Winnie the Pooh.” “The Wizard of Oz.” “To Kill a Mockinbird.” “The Diary of a Young Girl,” by Anne Frank.
They’ve all been banned at public or school libraries somewhere in the United States.
At Newcomerstown Public Library, though, the staff has erected a display and bulletin board that highlight tales that have been banned for a variety of reasons – from language to the mood they create.
Brie Fechuch, children’s librarian at Newcomerstown, put up the display and, along with Library Director Cody Addy, said it’s important to understand why books are banned. It’s also important to understand why these books are not banned at the Newcomerstown Public Library.
“With a simple search on the American Library Association’s website, one can easily find a list of Banned Books by Year,’” Addy said. “This material offers only the top 10 challenged titles of each year. However, the statistics only report for the past 20 years.
“In the year of 2021 alone, the ALA states their Office for Intellectual Freedom tracked 729 challenges to library, school and university materials and services. Many of these titles have been challenged in regards to sexuality, offensive language, unsuitable for age groups, violence and more.”
Addy said his research has shown the first banned book in the United States was written by a businessman named Thomas Morton. His book, “New English Canaan” published in 1637, critiqued and attacked Puritan customs so harshly that even the more progressive New English settlers disapproved of it. “When a book compares you to a crustacean, it’s unlikely you’ll be begging the author for a sequel,” according to readingpartners.org.
After that book, even popular authors such as Judy Blume, William Shakespeare and Mark Twain have been targets of challenges or banning due to their content, Addy said.
“Censorship of material takes away the opportunity to understand, learn and expand one’s personal knowledge,” Addy said.
“As with our library’s policy, ‘The library considers the diversity of community needs, interests and demands for titles and formats in the materials selection process.’ Material that inspires one patron may also sometimes offend another. However, by providing free and open access to diverse information and viewpoints, the public library may serve as a cornerstone of the principles of democratic society.”
Addy added that “responsibility for monitoring a child’s reading, listening and viewing rests with the parent or legal guardian.”
Assistant Director Chris Kincaid said the history of banning books is littered with violence.
“People ban books out of fear, misunderstanding, or because the ideas threaten their religious, cultural or political power,” Kincaid said. “For example, the Roman Emperor Caligula banned Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ because the poem had Greek ideas of freedom.
“During the Renaissance, Savonarola held ‘bonfires of the vanities’ which destroyed books, paintings and other works of art he deemed evil or hedonistic. He made the artists and authors place their works into the fires themselves. In the 1500s, copies of William Tyndale’s English translation of the New Testament were publicly burned on the orders of London’s Roman Catholic bishop. In 1933, Nazi Germany copied Savonarola and burned thousands of books written by Jews, communists or anyone who disagreed with Nazism.
“Fast forward to recent history and we find the United States isn’t exempt from the fear that drives book burnings and bannings. In 2019, people demanded the removal of Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ from public libraries. Likewise, the Harry Potter books faced similar threats; the series ranked the most frequently challenged by the American Library Association from 2000-2009.”
Brei Fechuck, the library’s youth services coordinator, listed some well-known books and the reasons for their being banned.
“The Giving Tree,” by Shel Silverstein. Reason: Banned due to being sexist and because it was believed it criminalized a foresting agency.
“Winnie the Pooh,” by A.A. Milne. Reason: It is “an insult to God” for books to contain talking animals. Also banned because Piglet could be offensive to Muslims. Some believe the book supports Nazism.
“James and the Giant Peach,” by Roald Dahl. Reason: In Texas, an elementary school banned this book because the word “ass” is in it.
“Harriet the Spy,” by Louise Fitzhugh .Reason: This book set a bad example for kids because it encouraged lying, back talk, spying and cursing.
“The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” by L. Frank Baum. Reason: Chicago public libraries banned this book because of its “ungodly” influence “for depicting women in strong leadership roles.”
“The Diary of a Young Girl,” by Anne Frank. Reason: This book has been banned due to being “too depressing.”
“Where the Wild Things Are,” by Maurice Sendak. Reason: Psychologists have stated that this book is “too dark.” It is said to be “psychologically damaging and traumatizing” to young children.
“The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” by Mark Twain. Reason: Banned because it is described as racist, coarse, trashy, inelegant, irreligious, obsolete, inaccurate and mindless.
“Thirteen Reasons Why,” by Jay Asher. Reason: Banned for the use of drugs, alcohol, smoking, being sexually explicit, depicting suicide, and being unsuited for the age group.
“To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee. Reason: Banned due to racial slurs and their negative effect on students.
“Of Mice and Men,” by John Steinbeck. Reason: Banned due to its use of vulgarity, racist language and what censors considered a demoralizing, negative theme (mercy killing).
Fast facts
Who initiates challenges: Parents, 39%; Patrons, 24%; Board 18%; Political/Religious groups, 10%; Other, 9%.
Where do challenges take place: School libraries, 44%; Public libraries, 37%; Schools, 18%; Other, 1%.
Reasons for challenges: Indoctrinating kids, occult, drugs, racially divisive, political viewpoint, critical race theory, anti-Semitic and, even, “not a happy ending.”
Source: Office for Intellectual Freedom
This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Newcomerstown Public Library staff highlights 'Banned Books Week'
