by Barbara Andes, VP Communications
“It was the foremost topic of discussion” at the state’s recent professional conference for librarians [Virginia Library Association] is how Sara Sprague describes book banning and book censorship. Sprague, October RVDW guest speaker, a Roanoke-based attorney, librarian, and consultant, had much to share in her “Freedom to Read: How to Resist Book Bans in Your Community” presentation on Friday, October 27. Her unique perspective, sharpened by the intersection of her professional expertise in law and librarianship, gave attendees a lot to consider and ways to resist the trend toward censorship.
“Book banning is ‘the practice of removing or restricting access to books that are deemed objectionable or inappropriate by some individuals or groups’,” explained Sprague. This can include removing books from school or public libraries, prohibiting books from being used in classrooms or curricula, requiring parental consent or notification for books that contain certain content and even filing lawsuits or complaints against authors, publishers, librarians, or teachers who promote or distribute books. “It’s kind of a catch-all term that can be a little murky, but in all cases is a restriction on freedom to read. When government is the one doing the directing, we get into censorship issues that potentially violate the first amendment.”
Continue reading “Freedom to Read: Key Take-Aways”