We have covÂered it before: school disÂtricts across the UnitÂed States are increasÂingÂly cenÂsorÂing books that don’t align with white-washed conÂserÂvÂaÂtive visions of the world. Art SpiegelÂman’s Maus, The IllusÂtratÂed Diary of Anne Frank, Alice WalkÂer’s The ColÂor PurÂple, Toni MorÂrison’s The Bluest Eye, and HarpÂer Lee’s To Kill a MockÂingÂbird–these are some of the many books getÂting pulled from library shelves in AmerÂiÂcan schools. In response to this conÂcernÂing trend, the BrookÂlyn PubÂlic Library has made a bold move: For a limÂitÂed time, the library will offer a free eCard to any perÂson aged 13 to 21 across the UnitÂed States, allowÂing them free access to 500,000 digÂiÂtal books, includÂing many cenÂsored books. The Chief LibrarÂiÂan for the BrookÂlyn PubÂlic Library, Nick HigÂgins said:
A pubÂlic library repÂreÂsents all of us in a pluÂralÂisÂtic sociÂety we exist with othÂer peoÂple, with othÂer ideas, othÂer viewÂpoints and perÂspecÂtives and that’s what makes a healthy democÂraÂcy — not shutÂting down access to those points of view or silencÂing voicÂes that we don’t agree with, but expandÂing access to those voicÂes and havÂing conÂverÂsaÂtions and ideas that we agree with and ideas that we don’t agree with.
And he added:
This is an intelÂlecÂtuÂal freeÂdom to read iniÂtiaÂtive by the BrookÂlyn PubÂlic Library. You know, we’ve been payÂing attenÂtion to a lot of the book chalÂlenges and bans that have been takÂing place, parÂticÂuÂlarÂly over the last year in many places across the counÂtry. We don’t necÂesÂsarÂiÂly expeÂriÂence a whole lot of that here in BrookÂlyn, but we know that there are library patrons and library staff who are facÂing these and we wantÂed to figÂure out a way to step in and help, parÂticÂuÂlarÂly for young peoÂple who are seeÂing, some books in their library colÂlecÂtions that may repÂreÂsent them, but they’re being takÂen off the shelves.
As for how to get the BrookÂlyn PubÂlic Library’s free eCard, their Books Unbanned webÂsite offers the folÂlowÂing instrucÂtions: “indiÂvidÂuÂals ages 13–21 can apply for a free BPL eCard, proÂvidÂing access to our full eBook colÂlecÂtion as well as our learnÂing dataÂbasÂes. To apply, email booksunbanned@bklynlibrary.org.” In short, send them an email.
You can find a list of AmerÂiÂca’s most freÂquentÂly banned books at the webÂsite of the AmerÂiÂcan Library AssoÂciÂaÂtion.
NOTE: We’re seeÂing reports on TwitÂter that a teacher in NorÂman, OK has been terÂmiÂnatÂed for letÂting a stuÂdent know about the BrookÂlyn PubÂlic Library’s free library. While this report hasÂn’t been fulÂly subÂstanÂtiÂatÂed, teachÂers who want to recÂomÂmend this resource should proÂceed with cauÂtion. ParÂents could seemÂingÂly refer BPL’s free library to stuÂdents with less conÂcern about retalÂiÂaÂtion.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. Or folÂlow our posts on Threads, FaceÂbook and BlueSky.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
RelatÂed ConÂtent
Texas School Board Bans IllusÂtratÂed EdiÂtion of The Diary of Anne Frank
UmberÂto Eco Makes a List of the 14 ComÂmon FeaÂtures of FasÂcism
So, once again, there is no “ban” on books in the states that you’re sugÂgestÂing. Like Maus or Anne Frank diary accordÂing to Snopes.com: “the Keller ISD webÂsite, each of the two books had apparÂentÂly been chalÂlenged by a lone parÂent.” Also most of the othÂer so-called banned books are still on the library shelves and not chalÂlenged by any teachÂers or facÂulÂty, most of them are just not taught in their curÂricuÂlum. This is just left-wing radÂiÂcals tryÂing to make red states look like crazy, book burnÂing nazis. All of the media talkÂing about “banned books” could easÂiÂly be fact-checked.
It wouldÂn’t be “Open” CulÂture if there weren’t a regÂuÂlar desÂperÂate attempt to smear “conÂserÂvÂaÂtives” with exactÂly what leftÂists love–tyranny, cenÂsorÂship (only “disÂinÂforÂmaÂtion,” of course!), and fasÂcism. But it’s a charÂacÂter issue. The same ones who love vioÂlent, oppresÂsive govÂernÂment think nothÂing of lying and cheatÂing to achieve their goal (see: Sam HarÂris’s recent admisÂsion about stealÂing the 2020 election)…the scorÂpiÂon and frog tale, that kind of thing. “Accuse your eneÂmies of what *you* do.” — Karl Marx
“Attached is a list of all books that were chalÂlenged last year. By the end of today, I need all books pulled from the library and classÂrooms. Please colÂlect these books and store them in a locaÂtion. (book room, office, etc.),” Price wrote in the email on TuesÂday.
That’s the USA today report on Keller … the email itself speaks to removal from the libraries (not to say a narÂrow mindÂed approach to removÂing from curÂricuÂlum is a nonÂevent, though, but since library access was you main point).
Detailed PEN report — includÂing speÂcifÂic instances of library removal catÂaÂlogued here. I think they did fact check this quite careÂfulÂly. I get your not wantÂiÂng your state to be vilÂliÂfied (thinkÂing you may be in a red one) but please do conÂsidÂer that besides the rhetoric there realÂly is a disÂturbÂing trend there.
https://pen.org/banned-in-the-usa/
AnyÂbody on Open CulÂture is no doubt hapÂpy to check out the sources — so do check out the Pen report.
No doubt someÂbody readÂing on Open CulÂture is pretÂty thoughtÂful, so I wantÂed to pass along the detailed reportÂing on banned books (includÂing those pulled from shelves, not just curÂricuÂlum) done by PEN. Read down for the chart on the attached.
https://pen.org/banned-in-the-usa/
It’s a real issue, and for that matÂter I think it’s also a probÂlem when there is a narÂrow mindÂed group of parÂents easÂiÂly knockÂing things out of the curÂricuÂlum. But your focus was on actuÂalÂly pulled from shelves cenÂsorÂship (so there’s the PEN report for that).
FWIW, not sure on the curÂrent staÂtus at Keller — but USA Today includÂed the direct text from the email that preÂcedÂed the “review”
“Attached is a list of all books that were chalÂlenged last year. By the end of today, I need all books pulled from the library and classÂrooms. Please colÂlect these books and store them in a locaÂtion. (book room, office, etc.),” Price wrote in the email on TuesÂday.
Rhetoric gets hot on this topÂic, but there actuÂalÂly is a “there” there genÂerÂalÂly even if those books get back on the Keller shelves.
Kyle,
If books are being pulled from shelves, then they are essenÂtialÂly being cenÂsored, which is how our post frames it.
As for the BrookÂlyn PubÂlic Library, they refer to banned books. Some schools have outÂright banned books. OthÂers have removed books from shelves, withÂout outÂright banÂning them. In each case, the net effect on stuÂdents is the same–their intelÂlecÂtuÂal freeÂdom is being limÂitÂed. Your parsÂing of words doesÂn’t change the botÂtom line.
OC
Well said OC.
FasÂcism is a far-right ideÂolÂoÂgy dum dum. It has nothÂing to do with leftÂism. RegardÂless of your politÂiÂcal alignÂment the cenÂsorÂship of books in PUBLIC libraries is a blaÂtant vioÂlaÂtion of the first amendÂment and someÂthing that authorÂiÂtarÂiÂans love.
ExactÂly right, Kyle.
Because this is what red states do. They bulÂly and whine at anyÂthing that isn’t defined withÂin their narrow–often uninÂformed –scope of what THEY think is acceptÂable. I’ve nevÂer seen a group more afraid of knowlÂedge and ideas. It’s pretÂty pathetÂic.
IdeÂolÂoÂgy aside,the well meanÂing iniÂtiaÂtive to give library memÂberÂship to thouÂsands non BrookÂlyn resÂiÂdents will, potenÂtialÂly, increase my wait time for availÂable ebooks. It is long enough as it is.