Censorship in libraries

My first response was "No censorship" then I considered that we have some things which are considered to be unacceptable. A book which denied the Holocaust, for example. Speech doing such a thing is strictly regulated, so perhaps books should be as well. I'd prefer not to see any but I'm afraid it may sometimes be necessary. I'm still wavering however.

I run a small library here and we had a children's book with pictures about where babies come from. One library member was horrified by this and kept asking me to take it off the shelf. Needless to say I didn't.
I wouldn't put out books inciting hatred etc or pornography ( eye of the beholder)
Otherwise I don't see my role being that of censor.

Absolutely not. People can choose which books they wish to read and which they don't. These books should never have been removed from the open shelves to begin with.

A few weeks ago I watched an interview with Jodi Picoult whose books have been banned in several states. I found it rather shocking.

Here's a link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvGhQXGMWuw

Glorianny

My first response was "No censorship" then I considered that we have some things which are considered to be unacceptable. A book which denied the Holocaust, for example. Speech doing such a thing is strictly regulated, so perhaps books should be as well. I'd prefer not to see any but I'm afraid it may sometimes be necessary. I'm still wavering however.

Surely people should be able to read the idiocy that some people are spouting?

Absolutely no censorship by librarians please. They should not give in to those with a political or religious axe to grind. Adult readers are capable of making up their own minds about the content of books they read. It's a slippery slope to banning books about Gallileo.

I agree Grantanow.

Glorianny

My first response was "No censorship" then I considered that we have some things which are considered to be unacceptable. A book which denied the Holocaust, for example. Speech doing such a thing is strictly regulated, so perhaps books should be as well. I'd prefer not to see any but I'm afraid it may sometimes be necessary. I'm still wavering however.

If you read the library's link you will see that it was emphasised that one of their criteria is/was the law.

"Calderdale Libraries and Information follows the guidelines laid down by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP 2005):

Access should not be restricted on any grounds except that of the law. If publicly available material has not incurred legal penalties, then it should not be excluded on moral, political, religious, racial or gender grounds, to satisfy the demands of sectional interest. The legal basis of any restriction on access should always be stated.

We aim to provide, within budgetary limitations, a wide range of stock that promotes all aspects of life and reflects all shades of opinion. Each item will be evaluated and judged by the standards and selection criteria set out in this policy.

If you censor books it is the thin end of the wedge . It is never the right thing to do. Having said that, I wouldn’t allow children to read anything pornographic . If we can’t read about what some historical figures have done ( thinking Stalin, Hitler, Khmer Rouge) how will we ever learn ?

Elegran One accidental side effect of publishing a FB link to the review is that we now know the titles of six books that could make interesting reading.

Indeed, I've read three of the titles, so may well look at the three I haven't read.

If a book may be lawfully sold in the UK then I do not agree with a library effectively banning it.

Thank you Dinahmo for the link. I watched it in horror. Jodi Piccoult is right- we need to be vigilant. What happens in America could be here soon.
Banning books is quite absurd in the time of the Internet. If you want to read holocaust deniers, or Mein Kampf you can access it in minutes, to say nothing of pornography, from your phone or tablet.

I'm in the No Censorship camp too, however repugnant I might find some books.

Another in the 'no censorship' camp.

I accept that there could be age limits on access to some books, and other subjects Libraries do not buy, pornography, for example. But censorship, banning books on one side of an argument, but not those putting the alternative view is totally unacceptable.

As for

Very interesting interview with Jodie Picault. A small group of people being able to ban a number of books because the books did not agree with their own view of how the world should be.
Particularly that it was not violence that they objected to, but sex.

Certainly not. I can throw books away that I dislike. But please always freedom of speech.

Rosie51

Elegran One accidental side effect of publishing a FB link to the review is that we now know the titles of six books that could make interesting reading.

Indeed, I've read three of the titles, so may well look at the three I haven't read.

If a book may be lawfully sold in the UK then I do not agree with a library effectively banning it.

If a book may be lawfully sold in the UK then I do not agree with a library effectively banning it.

This, absolutely.

If the 'gender-critical' books' narratives breaks the law, that's one thing - otherwise it's simply censorship being attempted by those who want to silence anyone who doesn't agree wth them or their belief(s).

I'd also like to question the very description, "gender-critical". I've been labelled as such. But - I'm not, unlike the Holocaust deniers, denying their existence nor their rights, but questioning the impact of their belief on others, and that's completely different.

... and who would be the arbiter of which books were banned?

We need to debate views we don't agree with, not silence those who hold them.

Holocaust denial books are perfectly legal in this country and the US although they are banned in other countries. They are freely available to buy on Amazon. I'm not sure libraries should stock them. www.holocaustremembrance.com/news-archive/amazon-called-remove-holocaust-denial-books

Glorianny

Holocaust denial books are perfectly legal in this country and the US although they are banned in other countries. They are freely available to buy on Amazon. I'm not sure libraries should stock them. www.holocaustremembrance.com/news-archive/amazon-called-remove-holocaust-denial-books

Holocaust deniers - from the little - very unpalatable - amount I've read about them (one David Irving in particular) are basically anti-Semitic and court and incite extremism and violence. And that 'war on history' is a war on Democracy. surely?

I would say that literature falls within the 'incitement' to hatred... and inevitably, violence.

It could be said banning the books from libraries is banning free-speech - but we all know that free-speech has its limits.

I haven't read any of this literature (and don't intend to) - but I'm guessing it's not an impartial, reasoned 'critique' of that part of history...

Who gets to decide what is acceptable. Usually the very last people in the world you would want to decide.

Galaxy

Who gets to decide what is acceptable. Usually the very last people in the world you would want to decide.

... quite.

I don't pretend to know where the line should be drawn.

It would be ideal if we could challenge every untruth, 'frightening' ideology, bigotry, etc, and expose it for what it is. But it doesn't work like that, does it?

Banning books is a danger to democracy - but there are also some who do not believe in democracy either and would destroy it if they could - should they be given a platform?

I don't know the answers.

As a former librarian I would say it's not the job of library staff to ban books. I have been asked to take a book from the shelves as someone found it offensive. I told them that others have read the book and it will stay on the shelves.

This is quite a difficult one. In principle I agree there should be no censorship but in practise, I am less sure. A little while ago there was a book about bringing your children up and it promoted corporal punishment with something like a ruler from as young as 6 months old. Whilst that is abhorrent to me, I could read it and be horrified so would never act upon that advice. Unfortunately there are other parents who might be tempted to follow that advice. Where do you draw the line?

For Elegran -- well, sounds like Calderdale shouldn't have taken them into the back room anyway, depending on what that 'gender-critical' amounted to?

We now have fairly substantial minorities of Muslims living amongst us (more so in certain urban areas of course) - and that entire faith treats women as 3rd class citizens so that's OK? [for anyone who disputes that 3rd class, yes, indeed, it may even be 4th. That ludicrous dress code, arranged marriages, FGM, 'honour' killings -- all that lot still happen here, far more so in some countries -- and mosque segregation. Even the dear old CofE has managed to allow female priests for a while now, even a bish or 2?!]

My DDs joined the children's library before they were even toddlers. One book I borrowed for DD2 when an oldish toddler had a story about a boy who did all sorts of naughty things. Inspired by this she told us while we were eating a meal that she had put a sweetcorn from her plate up her nose. We didn't entirely believe her but were sufficiently concerned to go to A&E (knowing her it was possibly true!). Just as well, a sweetcorn was extricated. I mentioned it at the library and the book was taken off the shelves.