Kerrianne Boetcher, President, N.D. Library Association, Minot

Jackson Harper, Chair, Intellectual Freedom Committee of the N.D. Library Association, Grand Forks

For as long as there have been libraries, there have been people who disagree about what belongs on library shelves. Presently, there are an above average number of people who disagree with the books on library shelves.

PEN America, a literary organization and advocate for the freedom of expression, has reported widespread activity in the United States to remove controversial literature from public and school libraries in the past few years. Between July 2021 and July 2022, book bans occurred in 138 school districts across 32 states, affecting 1,648 unique titles.

(https://pen.org/report/banned-usa-growing-movement-to-censor-books-in-schools/)

Amidst this rising censorial tide, it is worth reflecting on the history of book bans in the U.S. In retrospect, one can see how bans typically reflect subjective interpretations more than objective evaluations. For example, in 2006, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White was banned from classrooms in Kansas because a parents’ group deemed the depiction of animals capable of human-like speech to be sacrilegious. In 1996, Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was rescinded from the curriculum of a New Hampshire school because the heroine falls in love with a duke while disguised as a boy, which could potentially be interpreted by readers as promoting alternative lifestyles.

Many libraries across North Dakota and the United States will be observing Banned Books Week (October 1-7) to celebrate having the freedom to read as one chooses. It’s as good a time as any to visit your local library and read a book today!