Fahrenheit 451: Freedom to Read

Information Black Out

2012-01-18T10:02:00.001-11:00

Posted without Comment from Wikipedia:

Why is Wikipedia blacked-out?
Wikipedia is protesting against SOPA and PIPA by blacking out the English Wikipedia for 24 hours, beginning at midnight January 18, Eastern Time. Readers who come to English Wikipedia during the blackout will not be able to read the encyclopedia. Instead, you will see messages intended to raise awareness about SOPA and PIPA, encouraging you to share your views with your representatives, and with each other on social media.

What are SOPA and PIPA?
SOPA and PIPA represent two bills in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate respectively. SOPA is short for the "Stop Online Piracy Act," and PIPA is an acronym for the "Protect IP Act." ("IP" stands for "intellectual property.") In short, these bills are efforts to stop copyright infringement committed by foreign web sites, but, in our opinion, they do so in a way that actually infringes free expression while harming the Internet. Detailed information about these bills can be found in the Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act articles on Wikipedia, which are available during the blackout. GovTrack lets you follow both bills through the legislative process: SOPA on this page, and PIPA on this one. The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for the public interest in the digital realm, has summarized why these bills are simply unacceptable in a world that values an open, secure, and free Internet.

Why is the blackout happening?
Wikipedians have chosen to black out the English Wikipedia for the first time ever, because we are concerned that SOPA and PIPA will severely inhibit people's access to online information. This is not a problem that will solely affect people in the United States: it will affect everyone around the world.

Why? SOPA and PIPA are badly drafted legislation that won't be effective at their stated goal (to stop copyright infringement), and will cause serious damage to the free and open Internet. They put the burden on website owners to police user-contributed material and call for the unnecessary blocking of entire sites. Small sites won't have sufficient resources to defend themselves. Big media companies may seek to cut off funding sources for their foreign competitors, even if copyright isn't being infringed. Foreign sites will be blacklisted, which means they won't show up in major search engines. And, SOPA and PIPA build a framework for future restrictions and suppression.

Does this mean that Wikipedia itself is violating copyright laws, or hosting pirated content?
No, not at all. Some supporters of SOPA and PIPA characterize everyone who opposes them as cavalier about copyright, but that is not accurate. Wikipedians are knowledgeable about copyright and vigilant in protecting against violations: Wikipedians spend thousands of hours every week reviewing and removing infringing content. We are careful about it because our mission is to share knowledge freely. To that end, all Wikipedians release their contributions under a free license, and all the material we offer is freely licensed. Free licenses are incompatible with copyright infringement, and so infringement is not tolerated.

Isn't SOPA dead? Wasn't the bill shelved, and didn't the White House declare that it won't sign anything that resembles the current bill?

No, neither SOPA nor PIPA is dead. On January 17th, SOPA's sponsor said the bill will be discussed in early February. There are signs PIPA may be debated on the Senate floor next week. Moreover, SOPA and PIPA are just indicators of a much broader problem. In many jurisdictions around the world, we're seeing the development of legislation that prioritizes overly-broad copyright enforcement laws, laws promoted by power players, over the preservation of individual civil liberties.

How could SOPA and PIPA hurt Wikipedia?
SOPA and PIPA are a threat to Wikipedia in many ways. For example, in its current form, SOPA would require Wikipedia to actively monitor every site we link to, to ensure it doesn't host infringing content. Any link to an infringing site could put us in jeopardy of being forced offline.

I live in the United States. What's the best way for me to help?
The most effective action you can take is to call your representatives and tell them you oppose SOPA and PIPA, and any similar legislation. Type your zipcode in the locator box to find your representatives' contact information. Text-based communication is okay, but phone calls have the most impact.

I don't live in the United States. How can I help?
Contact your local State Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or similar branch of government. Tell them you oppose SOPA and PIPA, and any similar legislation. SOPA and PIPA will affect sites outside of the United States, and actions to sites inside the United States (like Wikipedia) will also affect non-American readers -- like you. Calling your own government will also let them know you don't want them to create their own bad anti-Internet legislation.
Is it still possible to access Wikipedia in any way?
Yes. During the blackout, Wikipedia is accessible on mobile devices and smart phones. You can also view Wikipedia normally by disabling JavaScript in your browser, as explained on this Technical FAQ page. Our purpose here isn't to make it completely impossible for people to read Wikipedia, and it's okay for you to circumvent the blackout. We just want to make sure you see our message.

I keep hearing that this is a fight between Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Is that true?
No. Some people are characterizing it that way, probably in an effort to imply all the participants are motivated by commercial self-interest. But it's obviously not that simple. The proof of that is Wikipedia's involvement. Wikipedia has no financial self-interest at play here: we do not benefit from copyright infringement, nor are we trying to monetize traffic or sell ads. We are protesting to raise awareness about SOPA and PIPA solely because we think they will hurt the Internet, and your ability to access information online. We are doing this for you, because we're on your side.

In carrying out this protest, is Wikipedia abandoning neutrality?
We hope you continue to trust Wikipedia to be a neutral information source. We are staging this blackout because (as Wikimedia Foundation Trustee Kat Walsh said recently), although Wikipedia’s articles are neutral, its existence is not. For over a decade, Wikipedians have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Wikipedia is a tremendously useful resource, and its existence depends upon a free, open and uncensored Internet. SOPA and PIPA (and other similar laws under discussion inside and outside the United States) will hurt you, because they will make it impossible for sites you enjoy, and benefit from, to continue to exist. That's why we're doing this.

I have a question that isn't answered here, or, I would like to send feedback to Wikipedia.
You can reach Wikipedia editors at info-en(at)wikimedia(dot)org. If you need a response, please be patient: we may have trouble keeping up with the mail.

What can I read to get more information?
Try these links:
Wikipedia's articles on SOPA and PIPA
Statement from Wikipedia editors announcing decision to black out
Wikimedia Foundation press release
Blog post from Wikimedia Foundation Executive Director Sue Gardner
Electronic Frontier Foundation blog post on the problems with SOPA/PIPA

As of 6AM PT, January 18, Google has more than 4,600 articles about the blackout. Here are a few:
Why is Wikipedia staging a blackout and what is SOPA?, from the National Post
Wikipedia joins blackout protest at US anti-piracy moves, from the British Broadcasting Corporation
Wikipedia blackout over US anti-piracy bills and FEATURE: Websites blackout over 'SOPA censorship', from Al Jazeera
Wikipedia, Craigslist, other sites go black in SOPA protest, from the Los Angeles Times
Google Rallies Opposition to Murdoch-Backed Anti-Piracy Bill, from BusinessWeek
SOPA protest: The Net strikes back, from Politico
Wikipedia blackout a 'gimmick', MPAA boss claims, from the Guardian
Wikipedia 24-hour blackout: a reader and Why we're taking Wikipedia down for a day, from the New Statesman
Internet-wide protests against SOPA/PIPA are kicking up a storm, by the Hindustan Times
SOPA, PIPA: What you need to know, from CBS News
Protest on Web Uses Shutdown to Take On Two Piracy Bills, from the New York Times
Protesting SOPA: how to make your voice heard, from Ars Technica
Why We've Censored Wired.com, from Wired

2011-12-05T07:23:00.000-11:00

Thanks to Amy, my counterpart at Fort Erie Public Library, who forwarded a link for The First Banned Books Video Calendar. Says Amy, "For years and years Finland had the highest literacy rate in the world, largely due to the fact that 99+ % of Finns were Lutherans, and the Lutherans made sure all children could read, so they could read Luther's catechism."

The Entresse Library in Espoo, Finland and FAIFE (IFLA Committee on Freedom of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression) have partnered to create this resource.

Following the tradition of the Advent calendar, each day between December 1st and December 24th a new window will open and a new book will be presented on several sites throughout the world.

Banned Book Reinstated After 80 Years

2011-11-02T04:00:00.001-11:00

In a move to protect the author Charles Dickens from scandal, author Carl Roberts' "This Side Idolatry" was removed from the public library in Portsmouth, the birthplace of Dickens. Dickens was born in Portsmouth in 1812. The book was a novel but painted Dickens in a bad light, describing Dickens as a hypocrite, philanderer, selfish, an egoist, vulgar, morose, and avaricious, caricaturing his friends in his books behind their backs. So, in 1928, Portsmouth Central Library banned the book out of sensitivity to the legacy of its famous author.

Of the reinstatement, Dom Kippin, literature officer believes that Dickens would agree that it is time to put the novel back on the shelf.

Banned Book Week

2011-09-23T06:21:00.000-11:00

Banned Books Week in the United States begins tomorrow and runs until October 1. For more information visit the Banned Books Week website.

Banned Book Challenge 2011

2011-08-17T08:16:00.000-11:00

Thank you for your participation in the Banned Book Challenge for 2011. 41 people registered with a goal of 443 books. While this specific challenge is over, feel free to read banned and challenged books. Find lists on the sidebar or through our LibraryThing account.

The Book of Negroes to be Burned on June 22?

2011-06-16T12:04:00.069-11:00

The CBC reports that unless the name of Lawrence Hill's award-winning The Book of Negroes is changed, a Dutch group called Foundation Honor and Restore Victims of Slavery in Suriname is planning on burning the book to protest the use of the word "negro" in the title.

Author Lawrence Hill, winner of the Commonwealth Award and many other awards for The Book of Negroes, received a letter from Roy Groenberg on behalf of the group who are descendents of the former Dutch colony Suriname. According to Groenberg, "We struggle for a long time to let the word 'nigger' disappear from Dutch language and now you set up your Book of Negroes! A real shame!"

Hill has responded by explaining that he based his title on an actual historical document that was used to record names of over 3000 slaves who were British Loyalists during the American Revolution who were evacuated by the British and sent to Nova Scotia. Ship lists, physical descriptions of the slaves and where they were bound were included. Hill's intention was to bring this little known piece of history to light. Explains Hill, "I have found that when given the opportunity to see what I am doing in this book and with this title, readers understand that the title is not intended to be offensive, but that it is used historically, to shed light on a forgotten document and on a forgotten migration."

This is not the first time there has been controversy over the title of The Book of Negroes. The US publisher opted for Someone Knows My Name, as did the Australian publisher. In Quebec the book is titled Aminata, the name of the main character.

Update: Lawrence Hill's response to the controversy has been published by the Toronto Star entitled, What Lawrence Hill tells Dutch Group Planning to Burn his Book.

Further Update: It seems that the Dutch group has missed the point of Lawrence Hill's book completely and have burned the cover. Greg Hollingshead, chair of The Writers’ Union of Canada, in a press release stated, “The burning of books represents censorship at its worst. While we recognize the sensitivity over the use of the word ‘Negro’ in the book’s title, The Book of Negroes is a real document and Mr. Hill uses it deliberately to underscore the plight of African Americans being shipped from New York to Nova Scotia in 1783.”

There is still time to read a book or two for the Banned Book Challenge. Set your own goal to read any number of banned or challenged books up until June 30, 2011. Then, send us reviews, opinions, etc. Please register, using the form on the link.

Harper's Government Given a Failing Grade with Regard to Freedom of Expression

2011-05-18T09:14:00.003-11:00

Cartoon: Montreal Gazette

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) is a Canadian organization founded in 1981 that works to defend and protect the right to free expression in Canada and around the world.

Recently the organization published a Review of Free Expression in Canada for 2010/2011 (Part 1) Part 2

Topics include:

CJFE’s Report Card: Like Sheep to the Slaughter
About CJFE
Still Looking for Answers: Hearings and Inquiries into the G20 Summit
A Welcome to WikiLeaks
Whatcott v. Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission
Iceland: Free Speech Zone
CJFE’s Freedom of Expression Index
CJFE: 30 Years of Fighting for Free Expression
Canadian Journalists Abroad
Cross-Canada Free Expression Reports
Freedom of Expression on Trial: 2010-11
How Access to Information Fails Journalists
Appendix: Major Court Decisions 2010-11
Whistleblower Protection Still in Its Infancy in Canada

A summary of the report written up by the International Freedom of Expression Exchange: The global network for free expression reports that the CJFE has given the Harper government a failing grade of F for the second year in a row. Canada is positioned last among five leading democracies. A number of reasons were cited:

access information takes much longer and the information received is far more incomplete
The Conservative party was in contempt of Parliament for failing to produce information about major spending programmes
over 50% of the federal institutions surveyed for their performance on access to information ranked below average and five failed
44% of federal access to information requests are not met within the required 30-day limit
information complaints take an average of 395 days to resolve
security forces and Harper's government were given a failing grade for calling last summer's G20 Summit in Toronto an "unmitigated success" when over 1000 people were detained under the "most massive compromise of civil liberties in Canadian history"
"long list of violations" of freedom of expression including repeated refusals to recognise the credentials of journalists and multiple incidents of journalist harassment and detention

NOW magazine sponsored a discussion about the state of access to information in Canada which was presented by CJFE. Anna Maria Tremonti, of CBC's The Current, hosted. Panellists included Ottawa Deputy Bureau Chief Dean Beeby of the Canadian Press, former Information Commissioner John Reid and Paula Todd, investigative journalist with CTV's W5. Excerpts from the event are available on video.

Vision
To achieve universal respect for and protection of the right to free expression and access to information.

Mission
CJFE boldly champions the free expression rights of journalists and media workers around the world. In Canada, we monitor, defend and promote free expression and access to information. We encourage and support individuals and groups to be vigilant in the protection of their own and others' free expression rights. We are active participants and builders of the global free expression community.

There is still time to register for the Banned Book Challenge. Set your own goal to read any number of banned or challenged books between February 20, 2011 and June 30, 2011. Then, send us reviews, opinions, etc.

Banned Books Awareness Resource

2011-04-29T09:47:00.002-11:00

A new resource for information on banned and challenged books has come to my attention. What began as a project for R. Wolf Baldassarro to post about one book each week in 2011 has turned into a great resource for everyone who is interested. His posts have now become part of world.edu. Check out his entries to date to find out more information about when and why a book has been challenged.

Titles include:

The New American Bible

Charlotte’s Web

The Giver

The Color Purple

Lord of the Rings

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

As I Lay Dying

Daddy’s Roommate

There is still time to register for the Banned Book Challenge. Set your own goal to read any number of banned or challenged books between February 20, 2011 and June 30, 2011. Then, send us reviews, opinions, etc.

Top Ten Challenged Books for 2010 (US)

2011-04-11T08:09:00.000-11:00

The Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association (ALA) has released the Top Ten Challenged Books for 2010.

1. "And Tango Makes Three" by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
Reasons: Homosexuality, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

2. "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie
Reasons: Offensive language, Racism, Sex Education, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group, Violence

3. "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
Reasons: Insensitivity, Offensive Language, Racism, Sexually Explicit

4. "Crank" by Ellen Hopkins
Reasons: Drugs, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit

5. "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group, Violence

6. "Lush" by Natasha Friend
Reasons: Drugs, Offensive Language, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

7. "What My Mother Doesn’t Know" by Sonya Sones
Reasons: Sexism, Sexually Explicit, Unsuited to Age Group

8. "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Reasons: Drugs, Inaccurate, Offensive Language, Political Viewpoint, Religious Viewpoint

9. "Revolutionary Voices" edited by Amy Sonnie
Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit

10. "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer
Reasons: Religious Viewpoint, Violence

Read one or more of these for our "Banned Book Challenge" or find more lists on the sidebar. The challenge runs until June 30.

Toronto Public Library's Book Challenges for 2010

2011-03-10T13:32:00.003-11:00

A recent article, "Shelf Life: How the Toronto Public Library Deals with Complaints," was published in the National Post.

Last year, seven items in Toronto Public Library's collection were challenged. This year, the number was almost the same at just nine items. The good news is that no classics were challenged this year. Perhaps the most interesting challenge was to a self-published book on being a Chartered Financial Analyst. It ended up being the only item removed from the collection due to “numerous grammatical and typographical mistakes.”

Other challenges were to:

Swans in the Mist, young adult fiction which the patron said contained “sadistic scenes” and “might give teens violent ideas.” -retained
The Waiting Dog, a picture book aimed at seven-year-olds, a story of a dog who dreams about eating a mailman, challenged because of its “obscene content and language.” -retained
Tintin in the Congo because of its racist and colonial views. -retained but reclassified to the adult graphic novels
War Stories Volume 1, a collection of four fictional Second World War illustrated stories. -retained
The New Adventures of Jesus Christ: The Second Coming, a compilation of Frank Stack’s ’60s and ’70s critique of American culture. -retained
Bruno, the movie. -retained
a Vanity Fair magazine article

Take the Banned Book Challenge. Set your own goal to read any number of banned or challenged books between February 20, 2011 and June 30, 2011. Then, send us reviews, opinions, etc.

Challenged and Banned Book List

2011-03-07T11:08:00.000-11:00

If you are registering for the "Banned Book Challenge" and are looking for suggestions to read, there is a wonderful resource of Books Challenged or Banned in 2009–2010 for the United States. This is an annual publication by Robert P. Doyle. Books that have been challenged, banned or otherwise restricted between May 2009 and May 2010 can be found in this list, along with information about the where and when the challenge occurred and the result. The challenges are ones that have been reported through the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom.

This bibliography is part of a series which are available from 2003 to the present.

Take the Banned Book Challenge. Set your own goal to read any number of banned or challenged books between February 20, 2011 and June 30, 2011. Then, send us reviews, opinions, etc.

Freedom to Read Week

2011-02-17T11:40:00.001-11:00

Next week is "Freedom to Read Week" in Canada.

Below is the press release prepared by the Book and Periodical Council.

Free Expression in Canada
Should a few decide for the rest of us? It’s about choice!
Freedom to Read Week 2011

Toronto, Feb. 16/11 — Canadians assume they have the right to express opinions and choose freely what they read, watch and hear. But consider the following:

The Canadian Library Association has seen an alarming rise in reported “challenges” to reading material in libraries each year since 2006.

The books in the Southern Vampire Mystery series, written by Charlaine Harris, received the most challenges in Canadian libraries in 2009.

The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council decided to have “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits pulled from Canadian airwaves because of just one complaint.

Freedom to Read Week: an opportunity to defend our freedoms and protect our choices.

Recent achievements are cause for celebration:
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the defence of “public interest responsible communication” (PIRC) which grants writers, broadcasters, publishers and bloggers a new legal defence against libel suits.

The Supreme Court of Canada has unanimously ruled that journalists may protect whistleblowers from public scrutiny as long as journalists can show that maintaining confidentiality is in the public interest.
Individuals and organizations across Canada have won intellectual freedom awards for their dedication to free expression such as Alan Borovoy, the Citizen Lab, Lawrence Hill and the Calgary Public Library.

This month, dozens of free public events, panel discussions, readings and displays will take place across Canada in support of Freedom to Read Week 2011 (February 20 to 26). These events are designed to provide Canadians with the opportunity to learn more about freedom of expression and its challenges in Canada and offer people a forum to share their views about censorship and the right to free speech and opinion.

“We need to be vigilant if we are to keep books, magazines and newspapers free to express opinions and present stories without fear of reprisals, whether we agree with the point of view or not,” said Marg Anne Morrison, Chair of the Freedom of Expression Committee. “Our libraries, in particular, need the freedom to provide a wide variety of reading materials that address the controversial topics facing our modern world.”

Freedom to Read Week is organized by the Book and Periodical Council’s Freedom of Expression Committee, a group committed to promoting intellectual freedom in Canada. Since 1978, the Freedom of Expression Committee has worked with educators, librarians and the community at large to provide information that addresses censorship and book and magazine challenges in Canada.

To learn more about Freedom to Read Week and get details on all events, please visit www.freedomtoread.ca.

For more information, contact
the Book and Periodical Council at
416-975-9366 or publicity@theBPC.ca.

Celebrate your Freedom to Read by setting a goal for the "Banned Book Challenge." Choose from the 2009 Challenged Books and Magazines List or from a list of suggested reading prepared by the Pelham Public Library.

Elton John Photo Censored

2011-02-03T11:07:00.003-11:00

Digital Journal's blog reports on the censorship of a photo of Elton John. A recent issue of US Weekly has a photo of Elton John, his spouse David Furnish, and their new baby Zachary. Harps, a grocery chain with stores in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, censored the photo but covering it with what appears to be a plastic cover labeled "Family Shield To protect young Harps shoppers." One might ask from what the young shoppers need to be protected.

Remember to register for the "Banned Book Challenge." Set your goal to read banned or challenged books between Feb. and June. Details:

Library Threatened over Screening of "Sicko"

2011-01-28T06:05:00.001-11:00

The Journal-Enquirer, North Central Connecticut's newspaper reported last week that The Enfield Public Library was faced with a hard decision.

The planned screening of Michael Moore's controversial documentary "Sicko," which is very critical of the US health system came under fire from Enfield's mayor and a number of town council members, following a complaint from a resident. The library had begun a new nonfiction film series and Moore's 2007 documentary which had been nominated for an Academy Award was considered a poor choice by resident Kevin Fealy who pressured the library to cancel the showing. Fealy's concern was that he didn't want the town "“to promote material such as this on my tax dollars.”

Library Director, Henry Dutcher, was asked to cancel the film by the town manager, his supervisor. Funding to the library was threatened by Mayor Scott R. Kaupin who is quoted as saying, "...if they don’t reconsider, then they’re going to have the repercussions of the council....I mean, in the end, when budget time comes and Mr. Dutcher is asking for funding he’s going to have to answer for it.” It is Kaupin's opinion that the library should steer clear of "controversial" material and "Do nice stuff. Do uncontroversial...."

The only council member to speak against the decision was Councillor Cynthia Mangini, calling it censorship.

The Connecticut Library Association is deciding upon its response which could include suing the town.

It is time once more for the Banned Book Challenge. Celebrate Canadians' freedom to read by reading a banned or challenged book. Sign up now.

Update: Following the controversy raised by the Town of Enfield's decision to pressure the library to pull the showing of "Sicko," the Town reversed its decision. Read more about it at the ALA website.

Banned Book Challenge 2011

2011-01-24T10:07:00.002-11:00

~~It is time once more for the Banned Book Challenge. Celebrate Canadians' freedom to read by reading a banned or challenged book. Sign up on the form below to be included in our statistics.~~

~~Not sure what to read? Check out suggestions for 2011.~~

Thank you for your participation. This year's challenge is over. Watch for the 2012 Banned Book Challenge in February to kick off Freedom to Read Week in Canada.

Is Mark Twain Rolling Over in His Grave?

2011-01-10T08:27:00.000-11:00

Political Cartoon by Nate Beeler, Washington Examiner

There are no less than 454 news stories for today alone on the intended release of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn in a new edition in which the words “nigger,” "Injun," and "half-breed" are replaced with the more politically correct "slave," "Indian," and "half-blood." NewSouth Books, an Alabama Publisher, has drawn criticism from many fronts and has opened up debate that is ongoing and passionate.

Is this rewriting history, taking a revisionist approach, or is it making a great piece of American literature accessible to students who would otherwise not be able to study this book because schools are reluctant to use it?

The Rhode Show (Fox Providence) has done an excellent job of outlining what the buzz is all about.

One thing that all sides seem to agree on is that the word "nigger" makes us uncomfortable. Some scholars defend Twain's language, believing that his readers should feel uncomfortable since it shines a light on the historic treatment of blacks. People differ on whether the word should be used if it is within its historical context or whether it should be removed to soothe modern sensibilities. Professor Alan Gribben, a Twain scholar and editor of the NewSouth edition believes he is helping schools to be able to get this classic book back into the curriculum. According to Publishers Weekly, Twain himself defined a classic as "a book which people praise and don't read." Gribben believes that the offensive "n-word" is causing a generation of school children to be deprived of this important American book and that the sanitized edition would make it easier for parents and teachers to accept.

However Twain was angry even when changes in punctuation were made by an editor. Below is the forward from the original Huckleberry Finn.

IN this book a number of dialects are used, to wit: the Missouri negro dialect; the extremest form of the backwoods Southwestern dialect; the ordinary ‘Pike County’ dialect; and four modified varieties of this last. The shadings have not been done in a hap- hazard fashion, or by guesswork; but painstakingly, and with the trustworthy guidance and support of personal familiarity with these several forms of speech. I make this explanation for the reason that without it many readers would suppose that all these characters were trying to talk alike and not succeeding.

-- THE AUTHOR.

I can't help but think Twain is either rolling over in his grave or sitting back and enjoying the furor. This is a debate that will continue to rage, as long as people are uncomfortable with the language but I can 't help thinking that the problem lies, not in the word itself -- for it is used in many other settings -- but in how schools, teachers, and parents sidestep the real issue -- the harsh reality of the slave trade and its role in America's history.

In the meantime, the double volume with both Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer is schedule to be released in February.

Facebook Creator Eyes China?

2011-01-03T08:32:00.000-11:00

FT Tech Hub reports on the visit Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, made to China. Zuckerberg, who founded the social networking site along with fellow students while at Harvard University, was named Time Magazine's "Person of the Year" for 2010. He is known for working long hours and FT Tech Hub speculates that Zuckerberg was more than just holidaying in China, where Facebook has been banned.

He was seen rubbing shoulders with the chief executive of Robin Li, Baidu's CEO and one of China's wealthiest men. Baidu is the Google of China, being their largest search engine. At the Cannes Lion advertising festival last summer, Zuckerberg stated that China was a key target for Facebook's growth. The article speculates that creating a local partnership could be the first step in having China allow Facebook to be established.

What will be interesting is to see if Facebook can be any more successful at avoiding government-sponsored censorship on its site and breaking through the "great firewall of China."

Map created by Facebook intern Paul Butler using data on its members. It provides a visual of where people live relative to their Facebook friends and where there are obvious gaps. The most obvious gap is China, where Facebook is banned.

Homeland Security and Willful Copyright Infringement

2010-11-29T04:10:00.009-11:00

Since when is copyright infringement a homeland security issue? Just asking....

According to a number of members of the web4lib listserv, a number of sites have been taken down by the US government under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act), in part, for copyright infringement. Mashable has more information on the taking down of Torrent-Finder.com. 82 domain names were seized and replaced with the notice below.

In related but separate news, COICA (Combating Online Infrigement and Counterfeit Act) which was introduced as a bill on September 20th, 2010 received a unanimous 19-0 pass in the Senate Judiciary Committee and is awaiting a vote from the full senate. According to "Web Censorship Bill Sails Through Senate Committee," an article on Wired, the committee moved quickly to pass the bill that would allow entire sites to be shut down, allowing government censorship without due process.

While illegal activity with regard to intellectual property should be curbed, many people are concerned about the wide-sweeping powers of this proposed bill to shut down legitimate sites without due process.

Most Challenged Books of 2009

2010-09-30T11:36:00.009-11:00

The Canadian Library Association (CLA) has released a list of the most challenged books for 2009 in their Report of the Annual Survey of the Advisory Committee on Intellectual Freedom.

Charlaine Harris tops the list for "The Southern Vampire Mysteries." This series was challenged four separate times within the same library system.

Two challenges to three titles were reported for 2009. They include a film, “Fired Up!”, a teen comedy directed by Will Gluck; Mummy Laid an Egg! by Babette Cole, a juvenile picture book; and NOW Magazine.

And Tango Makes Three has been challenged each year since the survey was begun in 2006.

The 2009 survey indicates that 139 challenges were reported, with two-thirds of the challenges occurring in public libraries. School libraries accounted for 34% and academic libraries the remaining 2%. Teaching assistants were responsible for one-third of all challenges, patrons for 30%, parents and guardians for 20%, and library staff for 15%. Library materials were retained in 41% of the 2009 challenges, relocated or reclassified in 32% of cases, and removed in 25%.

The full list of challenges follows:

List of Challenges to Resources and Policies
Reported by Publicly-Funded Canadian Libraries, 2009

Challenges are listed alphabetically by number of challenges per item. (Note that unverified bibliographic data are recorded here as originally supplied by library officials who contributed to the 2009 Survey.)

Series – 4 challenges each:
The Southern Vampire Mysteries (series of 10 books), by Charlaine Harris

Series – 1 challenge each:
Gossip Girl (series of 15 books), by Cecily von Ziegesar
Negima! (series of 29 books), by Ken Akamatsu
Speak Spanish with Dora and Diego (series of 2 items), book and CD

Individual item – 2 challenges each:
“Fired Up!” DVD, with Nicholas D'agosta and Sarah Roemer
Mummy Laid an Egg!, by Babette Cole
NOW Magazine

Individual item – 1 challenge each:
“1900,” DVD, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci
Adbusters: Journal of the Mental Environment
The Anal Sex Position Guide, by Tristan Taormino
And Tango Makes Three, by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell
An Anthology of Graphic Fiction, Cartoons and True Stories, edited by Ivan Brunetti
"Azimi & Ramin Bahrani," directed & edited by Ramin Bahrani
“Bear Cub,” DVD
Beet, the Vandel Buster, by Riku Sanjo and illus. Koji Inada
Bended Elbow, by Eleanor M. Jacobson
“Borat,” by Sacha Baron Cohen
“Chop Shop,” film, directed by Ramin Bahrani
Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads, compiled by John A. Comax and Alan Comax (published 1910)
“Creature Comforts,” DVD
Culture Smart! Canada
“Donkey X,” DVD, directed by Jose Pozo
Faithful Elephants
“Father Christmas,” video, by Raymond Briggs
Franklin the Fly, by R.O. Blechman
The Going Down Guide, by Emily Dubberley
Hand, Hand, Finger, Thumb, by Al Perkins
Hooking Up with Tila Tequila, by Tila Tequila
“Islam: What the West Needs to Know,” DVD
King & King, by Linda de Haan
The Krakow Ghetto and the Plaszow Camp Remembered, by Malvina Graf
“Leolo,” DVD
Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide 2010 Edition, by Leonard Maltin
Mummy Never Told Me, by Babette Cole
My Mom's Having a Baby
“Noah's Arc,” video, with Jon Voigt
The Notebook Girls: Four Friends, One Diary, by Julia Baskin
“Outsourced,” DVD, Russell Peters
Paris Match Magazine, Aug. 12, 2009 issue
“Pink Flamingoes,” film, directed by John Waters
Qu'est ce que tu fais là?
“Relapse,” CD, by Eminem
The Sex Instruction Manual, by Felicia Zopol
Sports Illustrated, swimsuit edition
Steal This Book, by Abby Hoffman
“The Story of Seabiscuit,” film, starring Shirley Temple
“Taking Lives,” DVD
Vendetta, by Fern Michaels
A Walk with Jane Austen, by Lori Smith
Wetlands, by Charlotte Roche
Whole Pet Diet, by Ann Brown
“Xizang. The Folk Songs of Tibet,” CD
Ying Zai Qi Dian, by Xingwang Zhou

Policies – 1 challenge each:
Library policy of acquiring CDs with “clean” rather than original lyrics, that is, those without “parental advisory” labeling
Library policy of weeding books uncirculated for 10 years or more regardless of presumed status as “classics”

US Banned Books Week

2010-09-27T05:44:00.003-11:00

Banned Books Week in the US began on September 25 and runs until October 2, 2010. The Huffington Post has created a list of 15 of the most iconic, popular, and/or celebrated movies of all time (with short clips). All of these movies are based on books which have been challenged or worse.

According to the American Library Association (ALA):

Banned Books Week (BBW) is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

Book Burning Fans Flames of Hatred

2010-09-10T08:22:00.010-11:00

Rev. Terry Jones, the pastor of a small non-denominational congregation in Gainesville, Florida has been threatening to burn 200 copies of the Koran, the Islamic holy book tomorrow, the anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Centre. Jones, the author of a book entitled Islam is of the Devil and the Dove World Outreach Center intended to create a bonfire on the church property.

Islamics and Christians alike are condemning the burning, along with world leaders and US generals who say this act could endanger US troops.

Yesterday, under growing pressure, Jones announced that he was calling off plans and implied that he had made a deal with the organizers of the construction of an Islamic centre near Ground Zero to agree to move the location if the Koran burning was cancelled. However, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf denied having spoken to Jones, stating, "I am surprised by their announcement. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."

Today, the church's two websites were taken down by the web-hosting company Rackspace, on the grounds that the church has violated the terms of service with regard to a clause that forbids content that is "excessively violent, incites violence, threatens violence, or contains harassing content or hate speech; and creates a risk to a person's safety or health, creates a risk to public safety or health, compromises national security, or interferes with a investigation by law enforcement." Copies of Pastor Jones' book were available for order through the web site. To date, the church's Facebook page (Facebook account needed to view page) "International Burn A Koran Day" is still available along with many other group pages condemning the act.

CBS News and a number of other investigative reporters are now looking into the financial state of the church, mortgages, and the ebay store which is run out of church buildings, perhaps bringing more attention to the 50-member congregation and their pastor than was expected.

The American Library Association plans to read publicly from the Koran -- a reaction to the planned book burning -- from the steps of their headquarters in Chicago tomorrow at 1 p.m. Banned Books Week will launch on September 25 with readings from the Qur’an.

Update: While the pastor ended up not burning the Koran, a number of book burners around the world took up his cause. Pastor Terry Jones was also charged for the extra policing services needed because of his threat.

BC Ferries Awash in Controversy

2010-08-27T03:53:00.018-11:00

BC Ferries has banned the sale of The Golden Mean by Canadian author Annabel Lyon in their gift shops. While most books are challenged over content, The Golden Mean is being kept off of BC Ferries because of the cover which depicts a naked male figure whose buttocks are exposed. The ban has gained the attention of papers around the world who have picked up the story, including The Guardian in the UK and The New Yorker.

According to the Vancouver Sun, "BC Ferries has a habit of banning books that feature nudity of any kind. Stephen Vogler's Only in Whistler was banned in 2009 because it featured a historical photo of four naked female skiers viewed from the rear. Two years ago, Wreck Beach, a history of Vancouver's nude beach, was banned for similar reasons."

Deborah Marshall, a spokesperson for B.C. Ferries defended the policy, explaining that there are children in the gift shops and that they are a "family show." The suggestion that BC Ferries carry the book if there was a "belly band" hiding the photo was rejected by Random House. Books for the bookstore are chosen by a committee and according to Mitchell, "We choose to select non-controversial books in our gift shop."

Craig Spence, president of the Federation of British Columbia Writers expressed his concern, saying the ban was "an overreaction to a photo that's artistic ... are you going to stop kids from seeing Michelangelo's David? The kinds of graphic material that kids are exposed to, through advertising and other media all the time, go much farther than that, and they're not in a context that would give it the justification."

The Golden Mean is a fictional account of a young Alexander the Great during the time when Aristotle was his tutor. It has received wide acclaim and has been considered for numerous awards.

WINNER 2009 - Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize
FINALIST 2009 - Scotiabank Giller Prize
FINALIST 2009 - Governor General's Literary Awards - Fiction
FINALIST 2010 - Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book (Canada & Caribbean)
FINALIST 2010 - Amazon.ca/Books in Canada First Novel Award
FINALIST 2010 - BC Book Prize's Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize
FINALIST 2010 - Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award - Fiction Book of the Year
FINALIST 2010 - Canadian Booksellers Association Libris Award - Author of the Year

Annabel Lyon is a BC writer.

Ray Bradbury Week

2010-08-18T09:35:00.004-11:00

Ray Bradbury, author of Fahrenheit 451, officially turns 90 on August 22, 2010. This Friday, fans of Bradbury will ask Los Angeles City Council to declare Aug. 22-28 Ray Bradbury Week. While Bradbury was born in Waukegan, Illinois, he moved to Los Angeles in 1934, where he has lived since that time.

A number of celebrations are being planned, including a tribute at the Mystery and Imagination Bookstore, a profile in the Writers Guild magazine, an exhibit of Bradbury books in the public library, a school production of a play based on the novel, an evening of screening TV shows based on Bradbury's writings, and a screening of the Fahrenheit 451 movie which will include an interview with Hugh Hefner and Ray Bradbury.

Bradbury's works include Something Wicked this Way Comes, The Martian Chronicles, Dandelion Wine, and Fahrenheit 451. He has also been a writer on an astounding 75 films, many of them adaptations of his novels and short stories. His body of work has earned him the National Medal of the Arts and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Ray Bradbury Week in Los Angeles is on Facebook for anyone interested in learning more. (You must have a Facebook account to log in.)

More on the G20

2010-07-21T09:59:00.006-11:00

Image: Government of Canada website

In a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, dated July 16, 2010, the British Columbia Library Association expressed "concern over the unprecedented curtailment of civil liberties that took place at the June 2010 meeting of the G20 in Toronto."

Numerous concerns are expressed which can be read in the pdf version of the full letter. A particular concern are the allegations that a number of journalists were arrested and detailed in the course of doing their jobs. "The media play a critical role in preserving democracy by bearing witness and documenting events."

Other concerns included the mass arrests of people who "appear to have been arrested while exercising their constitutionally protected rights to freedom of assembly, association, and expression; some were random, uninvolved passers-by." The BCLA concludes that if these arrests were carried out as a method of preventative detention, they have "infring[ed] on important Charter rights with respect to due process" and that the effect was that "many individuals felt unable, or afraid, to exercise these rights."

BCLA urges the Government of Ontario to review the impact of Ontario Regulation 233/10 on intellectual freedom, including the people’s right to express their intellectual position, and its impact on the media’s right to report multiple perspectives on major international events happening within Canada.

There are a number of areas the BCLA would like to see addressed in an inquiry including "the impact of security measures on the Charter rights of citizens to freedom of assembly, association, expression, and due process."

BCLA represents over 800 library staff from all types of libraries, predominantly public and academic libraries. One of the purposes of the Association is to promote and foster the role of libraries and library workers in British Columbia through advocacy, education and leadership. A key aspect of this purpose is to ensure that the role libraries play in policy issues, ranging from literacy to intellectual freedom to copyright to equitable access to information, is communicated to the appropriate level of government.

It will be interesting to see if other provinces' library associations follow suit.

Free Expression at G20 Toronto

2010-07-19T07:19:00.008-11:00

Photo: Government of Canada website

In the aftermath of the G20 Summit in Toronto, Canada, a number of people are calling for an independent inquiry into the actions that led up to the arrests of over 1,000 people. Well-respected human rights organizations such as Amnesty International have voiced concerns "about possible police excesses, including reports of journalists being arrested or constrained in the course of covering confrontations between police and demonstrators." Their voice is joined by many others who want answers to why "excessive acts of vandalism and other violence were carried out and on the other hand thousands of individuals felt nervous and uneasy about exercising their right to engage in peaceful protest." Read Human Rights in Canada for a full account of their position.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, our Constitution, guarantees a number of rights that some people believe were violated during the G20 Summit.

freedom of thought, belief, opinion and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication

freedom of peaceful assembly

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice.

Everyone has the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure.

Everyone has the right not to be arbitrarily detained or imprisoned.

Everyone has the right on arrest or detention

Another group calling for an independent inquiry is Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)

CJFE calls upon the police to respond to questions from reporters about their treatment of journalists. Serious questions of public policy and civil liberties are raised by the number and diversity of reports of detainment and attacks against journalists. Merely urging individuals to file complaints about their treatment is an inadequate response from politically accountable security forces. We support the numerous calls for an inquiry into police tactics and security arrangements for the summit, conducted openly with its conclusions made public. Any such inquiry must include a thorough examination of police treatment of journalists covering the events.

There was a controversial use of the Public Works Protection Act which was passed without being put before legislature. Prior to the Summit, police believed that act gave them the power to search anyone within five meters of the security fence. It was later revealed that the regulation made under the Public Works Protection Act did NOT give police those kinds of search powers.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) said it was “extremely concerned” that the new measures violate constitutional safeguards. Read about the concerns of the CCLA which were expressed prior to the G20 summit. Following the G20 weekend, according to a National Post article, the Civil Liberties Association describe the G20 police force as “disproportionate, arbitrary and excessive."

Banned Book Challenge Closes

2010-07-12T09:50:00.004-11:00

Thank you to everyone who registered for the "Banned Book Challenge" in 2010. A total of 31 people pledged to read 354 books between February and June 2010. Registration is now closed but watch for the Banned Book Challenge to return in February 2011 (Freedom to Read Week in Canada). Feel free to submit book reviews or links in the comments below or email them and I will post them.

Watch for Banned Books Week in the US from September 25 − October 2, 2010. If you need a challenge to help focus your reading, Bibliobabe has a comprehensive list of other book challenges.

Enjoy your summer reading.

Apple Decision on Ulysses Reversed

2010-06-17T11:37:00.009-11:00

A previous post explained how Ulysses "Seen," a graphic novel based on Ulysses, the James Joyce novel was modified to meet Apple's policy concerning cartoon nudity. In the case of this graphic novel, Apple has revised their policy, in order to include the original art work, according to a Yahoo News story from June 16, 2010.

The Banned Book Challenge continues until the end of June.

Even Fig Leaves Too Graphic for Apple

2010-06-09T05:15:00.011-11:00

A MacWorld article reprinted from Macworld UK has information about a newly released comic book adaptation of Ulysses, the epic by James Joyce, entitled Ulysses "Seen". It is available from the U.S. iTunes Store and has been rated 17+ by Apple. The original, uncensored version is available for download from the Ulysses "Seen" website.

It is described by Apple this way:

Robert Berry's comic adaptation of the 1922 edition of James Joyce's epic novel, ULYSSES accompanied by a page-by-page reader's guide, dramatis personae, and pop-up translations of non-english passages. The reader's guide is enhanced with discussion groups and links to online information sources, photos, videos, and other assorted bric a brac allowing you to dive as deep as you like into the world of Ulysses. If you've always wanted to read ULYSSES, but have been intimidated by its size and density, this is a great way in and is a great new way in its own right to experience literature.

Ulysses itself is on the banned and challenged list because of sexual content and language (The File Room and The Free Expression Policy Project have the details and trial results). Ulysses was a book whose trial began to change criteria for obscenity.

Ulysses "Seen," the comic novel was not made available until Apple's demand for cuts was met. All cartoon nudity had to be removed because of Apple's strict guidelines, something Rob Berry and Josh Levitas, the creators of the web comic had not counted on. They had expected to cover areas with "fig leaves" or pixelate certain areas but Apple's policy did not allow for that, so the images were cropped for the iPad.

Interesting....

Images from Rob Berry and Josh Levitas' comic adaptation of Ulysses.

The Banned Book Challenge continues until the end of June.

Report on Banned Book Challenge

2010-05-26T09:33:00.003-11:00

To date, 28 people have signed up for the Banned Book Challenge with the goal of reading 332 books.

There is still time to sign up. The challenge goes until June 30. Set your own goal and let us know about it. I will publish any reviews, etc. as they are sent to me.

A comment today indicates that one of our participants has accomplished reading 38 challenged books to date. Great work. I set myself the modest goal of four and have completed them. I love the challenge of reading books I may not have otherwise chosen for myself.

A Tribute to Ray Bradbury

2010-05-20T11:41:00.010-11:00

The Times Online has printed an article written by author Neil Gaiman entitled, "Neil Gaiman: Ray Bradbury Made Me Want to Write."

In it, Gaiman reminisces about Bradbury, the builder of dreams, as he reviews the many Bradbury volumes he has read and how they have influenced him and shaped the world. Gaiman refers to Bradbury as "The man who gave us a future to fear, one without stories, without books," an obvious reference to Fahrenheit 451.

Bradbury at his best really was as good as we thought he was. He built so much, and made it his. So when the wind blows the fallen autumn leaves across the road in a riot of flame and gold, or when I see a green field in summer carpeted by yellow dandelions, or when, in winter, I close myself off from the cold and write in a room with a TV screen as big as a wall, I think of Ray Bradbury . . .

Fahrenheit 451 is one of the most ironic banned or challenged books. A book that portrays a world without books, in which ideas are silenced has not only been challenged but when it was first printed for schools, swear words were expunged without the author's knowledge.

The Banned Book Challenge continues until the end of June. Why not choose Fahrenheit 451 as one of your choices?

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, Have You Been Banned?

2010-05-14T05:50:00.018-11:00

Author Bill Martin, Jr., one of the world's favourite children's authors, joins the ranks of Robert Munsch, Shel Silverstein, Maurice Sendak, and Roald Dahl, as a challenged author.

According to "Name Confusion Gets Kid's Author Banned from Texas Curriculum," an article in the Dallas News, the Texas Board of Education removed Bill Martin from the grade three curriculum because they believed he had written books for adults that contain "very strong critiques of capitalism and the American system."

The book on Marxism, entitled Ethical Marxism, was actually written by Bill Martin, a philosophy professor from Chicago.

Pat Hardy, the member of the school board who made the motion to exclude Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do you See? received a warning about the author's supposed political tendencies from another member of the school board who had not read the book.

Michael Sampson, Martin's co-author on 30 children's books stated that Hardy's motion is "a new low in terms of the group that's supposed to represent education having such faulty research and making such a false leap without substantiating what they're doing."

My first thought upon reading this article was, "So what if he wrote 'very strong critiques of capitalism and the American system?'" Does that somehow negate the value of this children's book, used by many primary school teachers to teach colour? The reason for banning this book smacks of McCarthyism. The importance of reading the book being challenged is proven by this incident.

Check out the video of Bill Martin, Jr. reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear, then the spoof read by daddytypes.

There is still time to set your goal for the "Banned Book Challenge."

Original Diary of Anne Frank Goes on Display

2010-05-08T07:17:00.001-11:00

photo: Globe and Mail

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Anne Frank House museum a special exhibit of nearly all of Anne Frank's diary went on display Wednesday April 28. 2010. According to a recent article in the Globe and Mail, this is the first time for nearly all of the diary to be displayed at the house where she wrote it during the two years the Jewish teenager was in hiding from the Nazis.

The original red plaid diary in which Anne began writing on her 13th birthday has been at the museum for several years but it covers just six months of the 25 months she hid with her family and four other Jews in a concealed canal-side apartment in Amsterdam.

Now on display, are the three parts of the diary, a book of short stories she wrote called “Tales from the Secret Annex,” and a notebook of her favourite quotations. Two other school exercise books and other pages were stored at the Netherlands War Documentation Center, the government war archives.

The diary chronicles Anne's life and coming of age from June 12, 1942, until August 1, 1944. The house was raided three days later and its occupants deported to Germany. Anne died of typhus at age 15 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in March 1945, about two weeks before the camp was liberated.

Anne also wrote 360 loose pages written on flimsy paper, mostly revising earlier diary entries with the intention of publishing it after the war. Because of the papers' fragile state, the museum said it will display 40 sheets at a time and rotate them.

The diary and other papers have all been studied, published and in some cases reproduced in replicas. But it will be the first time visitors see nearly the full collection in Anne's own hand in one place.

“The generation of people who experienced the war and Nazi persecution of the Jews is shrinking fast,” said former Prime Minister Wim Kok at the church ceremony. “Their stories must be kept alive and passed on to new generations. The Anne Frank House is one of the places where that happens.”

The diary has been translated into dozens of languages, has been read by millions of people and is on the curriculum of many schools.

The cramped apartment, with two stories and a small attic, was restored and opened to the public on May 3, 1960, by Anne's father, Otto Frank, the only survivor among the eight Jews who hid there.

The museum now includes the front of the building, where Otto Frank once had a warehouse and office, and a new building next door. It receives about 1 million visitors a year, compared with 9,000 the first year.

In 1983, members of the Alabama State Textbook Committee called for the rejection of The Diary of Anne Frank because it was “a real downer.” It was also challenged for offensive references to sexuality. Freedom to Read

Tour the Secret Annex or read a facsimile of Anne Frank's original diary.

In order to commemorate the official 50th anniversary of the Anne Frank House as a museum (May 3rd, 2010), the museum has announced they have launched the official Anne Frank quotes application on Facebook.

Read the Diary of Anne Frank as part of the "Banned Book Challenge." The challenge ends June 30, so sign up soon.

Report on Banned Book Challenge

2010-05-05T02:53:00.003-11:00

To date, 26 people have signed up for the Banned Book Challenge with the goal of reading 287 books.

There is still time to sign up. The challenge goes until June 30. Set your own goal and let us know about it. I will publish any reviews, etc. as they are sent to me. Read the details.

A Response to Brian re: The Shepherd's Granddaughter

2010-05-03T09:02:00.006-11:00

Brian from Toronto, in the interest of full disclosure, are you the same Brian who wrote the original article in for the Jewish Tribune entitled, "Could This Book Turn Your Child Against Israel" and "An Open Letter to Ontario's Education Minister?"

Brian Henry, a parent and the writer of the article believes that although 'one book by itself is never going to make any child any sort of bigot. Along with other things though, yes, it could.' He add that schools should be 'a politics-free zone.'

What is your source for concluding, "Every school board in the province that has independently examined The Shepherd's Granddaughter has concluded that the book is problematic?" Are you the parent who is asking that this book be removed from the OLA Forest of Reading list and are filing a formal complaint?

May I ask if you have read the book? I will admit that I have not. I am awaiting an Inter-library loan and will read it. However, I am opposed to banning books on principle. Many of the same criticisms of The Shepherd's Granddaughter were leveled at Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak prior to having it removed from Toronto schools. I have read this book and found it to be balanced and fair.

Schools cannot be "a politics-free zone," in my opinion, if we are to raise healthy, well-rounded, critical thinkers. There is a huge difference between addressing controversial issues and promoting political agendas. The Toronto District School Board policy, which you cited states that controversy is part of life. You imply that some parties have a political agenda which they are promoting through "slipping" The Shepherd's Granddaughter into the Red Maple Award Program. I do not see what the author, the Ontario Library Association, or the Ontario schools would have to gain by promoting a political agenda through a novel for children.

As for making sure a book is "good" before encouraging children to read it, I searched a number of reviews. You are welcome to read them in their entirety. The links are included.

Quill and Quire is negative about the complexity of the subplots.

...this novel has enough material for a whole series of books, and it gets overwhelmed by a series of underdeveloped subplots...that fragment the narrative’s focus and undermine its realism.

However, this respected magazine also lauds the author for her attempt to foster peace.

The Shepherd’s Granddaughter is a well-intentioned, very earnest narrative that aims to foster international harmony by educating young readers.

The Jane Addams Peace Association chose The Shepherd's Granddaughter as an honor book for older children for the 56th Jane Addams Children's Book.

In 2009, the Canadian Library Association chose The Shepherd's Granddaughter as a Book of the Year for children, according to the School Library Journal.

This is an award winning book (USBBY Outstanding International Books selection, selected for the Cooperative Chidlren's Book Center - Choices, and a Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Award for Children finalist) with excellent reviews from SLJ and Kirkus....

Manitoba Library Association rates the book as "Highly Recommended," while also acknowledging that there are some complex issues covered in the book.

Anne Laurel Carter's new novel, The Shepherd's Granddaughter, is a hard-hitting, thought-provoking, troublesome book. The Shepherd's Granddaughter centres upon the issue of Israeli-Palestinian relations and the on-going conflict over land. As such, this is not a book to be treated lightly. It demands of its audience maturity and a willingness to give the book due consideration. At the same time, however, Carter's book is also simply a story well told.

The Canadian Children's Book News says this: "The story is well-developed, realistic and believable, without ever becoming heavy handed or showing bias" and "Overall, this novel is a swift and thought-provoking read, and one which will hopefully transform the readers’ view of this very difficult topic and open up discussion with middle grade students."

Kirkus included the book as one of the best Young Adult Fiction books for 2008.

It was chosen as a 2009 Notable Books for a Global Society.

The Forest of Reading nomination was made in 2010.

Reach And Teach, an organization which is a "peace and social justice learning company dedicated to transforming the world through teachable moments," lists many other awards the book has received.

Craig Wiesner of Reach And Teach says:

This is a powerful book which deserves all the awards it has already won and more. Just as the holocaust stories of my childhood told me that people can do terrible things to each other, it also shows that people can do wonderful and heroic things for one another. Read it. Think about it. Discuss it. Argue about it. Devour it.

There is not one united Jewish voice calling for a ban on this book and although there are people calling only for its removal from the Forest of Reading list, there are also people with politic clout who vow to remove the book from school shelves. Sheila Ward, a trustee of the Toronto District School Board, has vowed to "move heaven and earth to have The Shepherd’s Granddaughter taken off the school library shelves.” She thinks she will be accused of censorship. Well, Ms. Ward, that would be censorship.

Tablet Magazine is a daily online magazine of Jewish news, ideas, and culture. Author Marjorie Ingall writes an article entitled: "Banned in Canada: Jewish groups protesting a pro-Palestinian book are missing the point." She concludes,

...being disingenuous and hyperbolically alarmist about the threats posed by novels—as opposed to the threats caused by shutting down all discussion—means we don’t get the chance to elucidate and debate. If The Shepherd’s Granddaughter can teach us anything, it’s that even educated people with a glorious literary tradition sometimes feel justified in banning books. And we’re all poorer for it.

In a follow-up entry, Ingall once more stresses the importance of keeping the opportunities for education open.

When we get shrill and hyperbolic and demonize any book—just as when we go all Reefer Madness about drug education or insist that every act of premarital sex leads to AIDS, pregnancy, warts, and demon babies with gills—we’re missing an opportunity for education. If the kid reads a book like The Shepherd’s Granddaughter and doesn’t become a suicide bomber, we’ve proven ourselves to be clueless and untrustworthy as authority figures. We’ve closed the door to open, honest discussion.

Ingall offers something of great value -- a list of books which represent a good perspective on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

I will fight for your right to keep this book from your own children but I cannot support keeping this book from all children. It is the right of every parent to decide what they will allow their children to read. Its numerous awards tell me that a wide cross-section of people have seen value in this book. Trust readers (even children).

The "Banned Book Challenge" runs for just a few more weeks. How many challenged or banned books can you read before June 1?

All is not Happy in Boneville

2010-04-30T08:10:00.002-11:00

A challenge to a graphic novel series written for children is ironic because it is so close to Free Comic Book Day. A recent story in the Minnesota Sun explains that parent Ramona DeLay was shocked that Jeff Smith's popular "Bone" graphic novel series has illustrations related to drinking, smoking, and gambling, activities the DARE program taught him not to do. She had filed a request to have the materials reconsidered for inclusion in the library. She objected to the book's portrayal of gambling, alcohol and tobacco use, and "sexual situations between characters" and indicated that she wanted the book "withdrawn from all students."

An interview with author Jeff Smith was held by Publishers Weekly.

JS: [Laughs] I'm laughing because it doesn't seem like you could really find those things. To a degree. In general, the characters in Bone are all adults and there are not a lot of strange activities like that, but there are storylines, some of the unsavory characters will try to pull scams, try to rig bets and things, and it always goes wrong. So no one is rewarded for doing any unsavory behavior in Bone, and it's difficult for me to see how anyone could think Bone would encourage kids to do unsavory things. Also, none of the main characters do these things. My conclusion is that some people aren't smart enough to read comic books.

He explains why his character was smoking.

The smoking in Bone, it's kind of like a time capsule thing. I started Bone in 1991. In 1988 there was a big movie, Who Framed Roger Rabbit? and there was a baby smoking a cigar [in that movie]. So a cigar to me was like a Groucho Marx vaudeville prop, it was an anachronism. When I created the dragon, it was not the evil it is now. When I quit smoking in the middle of Bone, the cigarette just disappeared from the dragon's mouth.

According to a Wikipedia article, "Bone has received numerous awards, among them ten Eisner Awards and eleven Harvey Awards. In 2005, Time chose the 1,342 page compilation as one of the 10 best English language, graphic novels ever written."

The review board has voted 10 to 1 to allow the series to remain, according to Boneville.com.

Why not celebrate Free Comic Book day by adding a challenged comic book or graphic novel to the Banned Book Challenge? How many challenged books can you complete in one month?

Should Schools be "a politics-free zone?"

2010-04-28T07:25:00.006-11:00

In a story reminiscent of the challenge to Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak -- a challenge which has been covered extensively on this blog, the Vancouver Sun reports that The Shepherd's Granddaughter has "sparked outrage in the Jewish community." Some school trustees are demanding the book be removed from reading lists and libraries.

The Shepherd's Granddaughter, a children's novel about a Palestinian teen growing up outside of a Palestinian village in the West Bank in the midst of the Middle East conflict, was written by Canadian author Anne Laurel Carter. The book is told through the child Amani's voice. As with Three Wishes, the controversy came long after the publication of the book and was highlighted by its nomination by the Ontario Library Assocation for the Red Maple Award, a program intended to foster reading skills for students, in this case for grades seven and eight.

Critics feel the novel — told from the Palestinian viewpoint with characters' opinions about the conflict ranging from peaceful resistance to militancy, with Amani choosing non-violence — could result in discrimination.

The Jewish Tribune recently wrote an article entitled, "Could This Book Turn Your Child Against Israel" which cites hurtful comments made toward Jews on Goodreads.com. Brian Henry, a parent and the writer of the article believes that although "one book by itself is never going to make any child any sort of bigot. Along with other things though, yes, it could." He add that schools should be "a politics-free zone."

B'nai Brith Canada believes the book "demonizes" Israelis and portrays Palestinians as innocent.

At least one Toronto trustee wants The Shepherd's Granddaughter gone from schools. James Pasternak, a trustee with the Toronto District School Board was quoted by CanWest as saying,

The book is really inappropriate to be presented in this way, in a school setting. It doesn't present a balanced or fair reflection of that conflict zone. It's a biased book that borders on political propaganda.

Sheila Ward, also a Toronto trustee has said she expects people will accuse her of censorship but that she would "move heaven and Earth to have The Shepherd's Granddaughter taken off the school library shelves." She added, "If it means I will not support hate-provoking literature with no redeeming qualities, I am delighted to be called a censor."

The board has received a formal complaint and a vote will take place following a 60-day review.

Anne Laurel Carter, author of The Shepherd's Granddaughter believes that anyone who dismisses the book as hateful misses the point of the book.

The author states,

I appreciate that it's very a sensitive, complex situation but I'm telling a viewpoint that has a right to be told. I did a lot of research to tell the story, and went (to the Middle East) many times, and I have been sympathetic to both sides. As everybody does, I would like to see peace in the Middle East.

Groundwood Books, the publisher has sent a letter to the Toronto School Board asking members to stand up for the book. She says that the book includes "very, very sympathetic Israeli characters," as well as diverse Palestinian ones.

Read The Shepherd's Granddaughter as part of the Banned Book Challenge, or check out lists of challenged books on the right sidebar.

Blowing Up My Mind !

2010-04-28T03:27:00.003-11:00

If you want to read more about censorship, "Blowing Up My Mind!" covers "Book censorship, tidbits, thoughts and stories from a bookworm & lifelong learner." It looks as if it is updated very regularly. I will be adding this as a permanent link.

The Banned Book Challenge runs until June 30. There is still time to get in a few banned or censored books.

American Library Association's Top Ten for 2009

2010-04-16T06:19:00.008-11:00

The American Library Association (ALA) has released the 2009 Top Ten List of Most Frequently Challenged Books, as well as the Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books for 2000-2009.
Good/Transparency has created an interactive viewer of the 2009 Top Ten Most Frequently Challenged books that is very well done.

The top 10 titles most challenged titles of 2009 were:

TTYL; TTFN; L8R, G8R (series) by Lauren Myracle
Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

Reasons: Homosexuality

The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Reasons: Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Anti-Family, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Reasons: Racism, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Reasons: Sexism, Homosexuality, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Religious Viewpoint, Unsuited to Age Group, Drugs, Suicide, Violence

The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things, by Carolyn Mackler

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Reasons: Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Reasons: Nudity, Sexually Explicit, Offensive Language, Unsuited to Age Group

The new books to the list are Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer and My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.

The titles dropped from the list were:

His Dark Materials Trilogy (Series) by Philip Pullman

Scary Stories (Series) by Alvin Schwartz

Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

Gossip Girl (Series) by Cecily von Ziegesar

Uncle Bobby’s Wedding by Sarah S. Brannen

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Flashcards of My Life by Charise Mericle Harper

How has the list compiled? According to the ALA,

For nearly 20 years, the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) has collected reports on book challenges. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school, requesting that materials be removed or restricted because of content or appropriateness. In 2009, OIF received 460 reports on efforts to remove or restrict materials from school curricula and library bookshelves.

Read a book from this list for the Banned Book Challenge which runs until June 1. Register today.

Report on Banned Book Challenge

2010-03-31T05:36:00.004-11:00

To date, 20 people have signed up for the Banned Book Challenge with the goal of reading 174 books.

Of interest is a course which is giving extra points to students who take the challenge.

There is still time to sign up. The challenge goes until June 30. Set your own goal and let us know about it. I will publish any reviews, etc. as they are sent to me.

China Google War

2010-03-24T09:22:00.012-11:00

The Official Google Blog has an update on Google's approach to the cyber attack Google exposed. The announcement made by Google on January 12, 2010 to stop censoring search results has been covered in a previous blog entry. Follow-up entries can be found here and here.

On March 22, 2010, Google stopped censoring search results in mainland China. Searches conducted through Google.cn are being redirected to Hong Kong servers which will deliver uncensored results. According to the Google blog, "the Chinese government has been crystal clear throughout our discussions that self-censorship is a non-negotiable legal requirement." Google believes they have found a legal solution but one that is precarious since China could decide to block access to Google at any time. Google has created a web site to report daily on which Google services are available in China.

Sify News reports that AP reporters have been testing different search words and findings vary widely.

Thenextweb.com describes Google's move to use Hong Kong servers as a "subversive move" which may be damaging to the company. China has reacted to Google's move by blasting it through the state-run People's Daily. The Chinese government stated that Google's

...collusion with the U.S. intelligence and security agencies is well-known…All this makes one wonder. Thinking about the United States’ big efforts in recent years to engage in Internet war, perhaps this could be an exploratory pre-dawn battle.

Meanwhile, support for Google continues to be shown through the numbers of Chinese people leaving flowers on the sign outside of Google China's headquarters.

For Chad Catacchio’s take on the situation, check out the video.

You have the freedom to read, so take the Banned Book Challenge. Register the number of books you have set for your goal between now and June 30 on the online form. I will publish any reviews that are sent in the near future.

Kurt Vonnegut

2010-03-11T05:08:00.006-11:00

Image: No Titles

Vonnegut Web is a comprehensive site created by Chris Huber in 1995 while he was a grad student at Duke University. While it is not kept right up to date, it contains a lot of information about the often challenged writer. It includes some of Vonnegut's more obscure writings. a chronology of his life, a bibliography, a critical bibliography with suggested resources for research, education, family background and much more information.

Take the Banned Book Challenge. Choose a goal for the number of challenged or banned books you can read between Feb. and June. Let us know about your goal on our form, so we can keep track. Not sure what to read? Check out our suggested reading and the many links on the right side bar.

Common Sense Ratings

2010-03-03T10:46:00.003-11:00

Thanks to Stephanie at Pretty Sweet YA Book Reviews (With Cherries on Top) who wrote a blog entry about Barnes & Noble's announcement that it was going to add Common Sense Media's ratings of children's books, movies, games, and music to its web site.

Common Sense Media is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization "dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology." Their "Common Sense Beliefs" can be found with their Mission Statement.

Concerns about Common Sense Media's ratings being included on Barnes & Noble's site, according to a Publisher's Weekly article are that "they seemed to emphasize negative subjects like sex, violence, drinking, and drugs over subject matter."

My belief that parents should be well informed of what their children are reading is conflicting with the idea that a third party is being trusted to rate books for their children. The criteria used in rating are Social Behavior, Sex, Violence, Consumerism, Drugs, and Language. In Judy Blume's Are you there God? It's me, Margaret, Social Behaviour has been flagged "iffy" because some characters lie. It is flagged "iffy" under "Sex" for "mentions of Playboy, kissing, menstruation, bras, emerging sexuality," not any mention of sexual intercourse. This is Meg Cabot's take on the Blume rating.

Because taken out of context, the warning that Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret contains “Playboy, kissing, menstruation, bras, and emerging sexuality” makes this wonderful, beloved book about a sixth grader who does nothing racier than stuff her bra with cotton balls and worry about disappointing her family sound like it’s about…well, Playboy, kissing, menstruation, bras, and emerging sexuality!

There is also a very real danger that the section on "What Parents Need to Know" can be too subjective.

I was curious to see how Judy Blume's Forever was rated. I found a better balanced view of the book on Common Sense Media because they included "The Good Stuff" -- information on the message and role models in the book.

Enter the Banned Book Challenge. Choose a goal for the number of challenged or banned books you can read between now and June. Let us know about your goal on our form, so we can keep track. Not sure what to read? Check out our suggested reading and the many links on the right side bar.

Read George Orwell On Line

2010-03-01T12:11:00.000-11:00

A site dedicated to all things Orwellian has all the information anyone might need for projects or out of curiosity. The site also contains George Orwell's books in pdf format.

There is still lots of time to enter the Banned Book Challenge. Choose a goal for the number of challenged or banned books you can read between now and June. Let us know about your goal on our form, so we can keep track. Not sure what to read? Check out our suggested reading and the many links on the right side bar.

Freedom to Read Week

2010-02-25T10:07:00.003-11:00

In Canada, we are in the middle of Freedom to Read Week. Find out more on the Freedom to Read website. Let us know what you have been doing to recognize this week in the comments. The Freedom to Read kit is available for free download. It features an in-depth history of the censorship of comic books and many other interesting articles.

Don't forget to sign up for the Banned Book Challenge, running from now until June 30.

Mein Kampf Allowed in Germany?

2010-02-19T08:26:00.009-11:00

According to MSNBC, historians in Germany are hoping to reprint Hitler's "Mein Kampf," My Struggle in English. Although it is available throughout the world, including on the Internet and at Pelham Public Library in Canada, this memoir has been banned from being republished in Germany since the end of WWII. Possession of the book is not illegal but the purchase of old copies is carefully regulated, limiting the sales except for research purposes.

The copyright will run out in 2015. Presently a government body holds the right to the memoir but once the copyright runs out, the door will be open for anyone to republish it, including neo-Nazi groups. Historians want to publish an authoritative annotated edition to thwart these groups from appropriating and glamorizing this infamous work.

According to the article, "Edith Raim, a historian at the Munich institute, envisions a thorough, academic presentation that places Hitler's work in historical context. She says that would be the best defense against those who might want to use the book to advance racist or anti-Semitic agendas."

The Bavarain Finance Ministry which had opposed a similar proposal two years ago believes it can keep the publication of "Mein Kampf" banned under laws against incitement to hatred beyond 2015.

The issues to balance out are respect for Jewish victims of Hitler's regime vs. the opportunity to demystify the work. Some concerns have been raised about who will annotate the volume and whether this is really necessary.

It is time once more for our Banned Book Challenge. Choose a goal for the number of challenged or banned books you can read between Feb. and June. Let us know about your goal on our form, so we can keep track. Not sure what to read? Check out our suggested reading and the many links on the right side bar.

Lists of Banned and Challenged Books

2010-02-11T05:01:00.013-11:00

Since I am the creator of banned book lists each year, yesterday and today's "Unshelved" comic strip seemed to be perfect posts. Check out Unshelved archives for more or subscribe to one of the comic strips to receive it daily. Their blog includes many book reviews and other topics of interest to book lovers.

Take the Banned Book Challenge. Set your own goal between February and June. Use the online form or email me your first name, country, and number of banned or challenged books you will read. Check the sidebar for my lists of banned books.

The Legacy of Judith Krug

2010-02-01T05:58:00.001-11:00

Art: Balimore City Paper

The Baltimore City Paper has published a tribute to Judith Krug.

You may not know this librarian's name but in the US, she fought for free speech and the freedom to read. According to the article by Anna Ditkoff, Krug's mother found her young daughter reading a book about sex with a flashlight one night. Her mother reacted by asking her to turn on the light so she didn't hurt her eyes.

Krug adopted her parents' philosophy with her own children.

In 1967, she became the founding director of the ALA's (American Library Association)Office for Intellectual Freedom and two years later helped create the Freedom to Read Foundation, a group that provides funding for legal aid in First Amendment cases. In 1982, Krug founded Banned Books Week to promote awareness.
In 1996, she battled an attempt to censor the internet in libraries, taking the legal fight all the way to the Supreme Court. In 2001, Krug and other librarians led a vocal fight against the Patriot Act which endangered the privacy of patrons' library records.

She lost her fight to stomach cancer this past April at the age of 69.

RIP

2010-01-28T13:10:00.005-11:00

J. D. Salinger 1919 - 2010

“It’s almost unbearable to me to realize that my book will be kept on a shelf out of their reach.”

Update: I have found a discussion on the relevancy of Catcher in the Rye, courtesy of A Reader's Respite.

Why not include Catcher in the Rye in your list for the Banned Book Challenge?

China Denies Involvement in Attacks on Google

2010-01-25T05:55:00.005-11:00

China has finally spoken out regarding the cyber attacks alleged to have originated in China, the BBC reported yesterday. China denies state involvement. An unnamed spokesperson from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in China stated, "The accusation that the Chinese government participated in [any] cyber attack, either in an explicit or inexplicit way, is groundless." He added, "China's policy on internet safety is transparent and consistent."

The US is being accused of hypocrisy since China believes "certain government agencies" illegally checked a massive number of personal e-mail accounts.

Cox and Forkum Political Cartoon

Google China Saga Continues

2010-01-22T06:15:00.005-11:00

Illustration Bezinga.com

Google CEO Eric Schmidt remains committed to stay in China, according to statements made yesterday. As reported in a previous post, there was a "highly sophisticated and targeted attack" on a number of high profile computer companies in China and Google threatened to pull out of China unless it could provide uncensored results. According to today's Telegraph, Schmidt has confirmed that that Google and China have been "in conversation." Schmidt added that they wish to remain in China but that they would like to be there "on somewhat different terms" than they have in the past. Although Google has continued to censor searches according to Chinese law, sources within Google said there are no plans to revoke their earlier stand on censorship. Stated Schmitd, "We continue to follow their laws, we continue to offer censored results. But in a reasonably short time from now we will be making some changes there."

PC World offers a timeline of the Google/China incident.

The Financial Post reports that Microsoft has released a patch for Explorer to secure the breach through which someone was able to target Google and other companies. Instead of releasing it on Tuesdays, as they have done with other patches, this patch was made available as soon as it was ready.

As expected, Google's presence in China and their threat to pull out continues to be addressed in the political arena. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made unrestricted Internet access a top foreign-policy priority and urged China to investigate cyber intrusions that led Google Inc. to threaten to pull out of that country, the Wall Street Journal reports which also reported on China's reaction to Clinton's statements.

It will be interesting to see how all of this unfolds.

Resources for Banned and Challenged Authors

2010-01-20T06:24:00.007-11:00

Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature has a number of links to resources for contemporary writers whose works have been challenged.

Included are:
Toni Morrison

Margaret Atwood

Amy Tan

Alice Walker

Find out more about the Pelham Public Library's Banned Book Challenge and register today.

Google No Longer Willing to Filter in China

2010-01-12T14:06:00.010-11:00

Photo: China Hush

Google's official blog reports that a "highly sophisticated and targeted attack" on Google's infrastructure has the company rethinking its involvement in China. Google faced criticism from a number of human rights organization for moving into China and agreeing to self censor. Read more in a previous post -- Google Censors Itself for China.

In Google's very candid post, David Drummond, SVP, Corporate Development and Chief Legal Officer, explains that what appeared to be a security incident, now appears to be a widespread attack on a number of large companies, the goal of which appears to be to access information on Chinese human rights activists. Google believes someone has tried to access the Gmail accounts of activists but has been successful only in getting to the subject headings of the email, not to content. They believe that the accounts were not accessed through a breach in Googles' security but through phishing scams or malware that has been placed on users' computers.

Google is working with the appropriate U.S. authorities and has reported the breaches to the other large corporations.

States Drummond,

We have taken the unusual step of sharing information about these attacks with a broad audience not just because of the security and human rights implications of what we have unearthed, but also because this information goes to the heart of a much bigger global debate about freedom of speech.

Although they believe China has benefited from the launch of Google.cn in January 2006, they are following up on their promise to carefully monitor conditions in China.

These attacks and the surveillance they have uncovered--combined with the attempts over the past year to further limit free speech on the web--have led us to conclude that we should review the feasibility of our business operations in China. We have decided we are no longer willing to continue censoring our results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with the Chinese government the basis on which we could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if at all. We recognize that this may well mean having to shut down Google.cn, and potentially our offices in China.

This could have far-reaching consequences for China and for free speech and perhaps even Chinese - Western relationships.

Don't forget that the Banned Book Challenge begins in February.

Not Sure What to Read?

2010-01-12T08:56:00.004-11:00

Freedom to Read Poster 2009

If you are looking for a list of banned or challenged books, you can find many on this blog and in our links. Sometimes you want to hear what other people have said about those books. Check out the Challenged Book Reviews posted at The Biblio Blogazine. A number of bibliophiles have contributed to this project.

Don't forget to register for our Banned Book Challenge which runs from February until June 2010.

Banned Book Challenge 2010

2010-01-08T07:33:00.024-11:00

Thank you for taking the Banned Book Challenge. Join us again in February 2011 for our next challenge.

It is time once more for our Banned Book Challenge. Choose a goal for the number of challenged or banned books you can read between Feb. and June. Let us know about your goal on our form, so we can keep track. Not sure what to read? Check out our suggested reading and the many links on the right side bar.

The Freedom to Read organization has put together a list of challenged or banned books and magazines for Canada.

Robert P Doyle has put together a list of books that have been banned or challenged in 2008-2009 in the US.

Public Interest Responsible Journalism May Lead to Greater Freedom of Speech

2009-12-31T05:07:00.000-11:00

The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that journalists who act responsibly in reporting stories that are in the public interest will be protected in libel lawsuits. The Globe and Mail reports that the media were "exultant" about the rulings. Bloggers and others publishing on the Internet will also be protected.

Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin handed down the 9-0 decisions, saying that Canada needs to keep in step with other Western democracies who have provided greater protection to the media and arguing that society is best served by fearless commentary and investigative journalism.

Freewheeling debate on matters of public interest is to be encouraged and the vital role of the communications media in providing a vehicle for such debate is explicitly recognized.

New trials have been ordered for the Toronto Star (Grant v. Torstar Corp.)which exposed a questionable land deal and the Ottawa Citizen (Cusson v. Quan) which raised questions about the conduct of a police officer who helped search for survivors after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York.

In the past, the burden of proof in a liable case fell to the defendant, making it difficult for the media to defend its position.

Terminal Man

2009-12-23T04:35:00.008-11:00

Like something out of The Terminal (which was also based on a true story), Feng Zhenghu is a man stuck in Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, likely because of a book he authored that criticized Chinese regulations against foreign company investment. In 2000, the author was sentenced to three years in a Chinese prison. He was also critical of the government's handling of the Tiananmen Square demonstration.

According to the Boston Globe, Feng sits on a bench in front of the Japanese customs booth, refusing to pass through customs because that would mean entering Japan. He has been turned away by Chinese officals eight times. Four of the eight times, he made it as far as Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport before being sent back to Tokyo.

Feng has had no access to food courts or hot showers but lately, with the help of Global Voices Online which publishes selected updates of the situation, he has been able to communicate with the global community through his phone and says that he has obtained enough food for the next month.

Some people say that I am battling for citizen's right to return back to China by myself, but I know that many Chinese people are behind me. When I was hungry and desperate, many Chinese from mainland China, Hong Kong and overseas delivered food to me. When I was cut from internet connection, some Internet experts from mainland China gave me technical support and help me to build a twitter account. Now I can use my mobile phone to update my status and let people from mainland China to know what's going on here.

A Music Video entitled Let Feng Zhenghu Return Home has been posted on YouTube.

Amy Goodman Detained at Canadian Border

2009-12-10T12:39:00.005-11:00

Photo: Toronto Star

Amy Goodman, a US journalist who hosts "Democracy Now!" and New York Times best-selling author of “Breaking the Sound Barrier” was detained at a Vancouver border crossing last month. According to the CBC, border officials questioned her about what she would be speaking about in Vancouver and Victoria. The Globe and Mail reports that she was scheduled to speak at the public library.

Most disturbing is that border guards asked for her speaking notes. Since she does not use notes to speak, she offered her copy of the book from which should would be reading. The question border guards kept asking was whether she would be speaking about the upcoming Vancouver Olympics. When she returned to her car, guards had gone through their belongings and papers and two of three laptops.

The event as described by Amy Goodman was posted on Truthdig.

Amy concludes:

Our detention and interrogation were not only a violation of freedom of the press but also a violation of the public’s right to know. Because if journalists feel there are things they can’t report on, that they’ll be detained, that they’ll be arrested or interrogated; this is a threat to the free flow of information. And that’s the public’s loss, an Olympic loss for democracy.

While many people have experienced being pulled over at the US/Canada border, the issue is seldom what a person will speak about. This issue should be of great concern to Canadians who value freedom of speech.

Stephen King on Censorship

2009-11-25T10:22:00.001-11:00

Photo Credit: Tabitha King

The Official Stephen King Web Site includes a column about censorship that was first published as a Guest Column in the March 20, 1992 issue of The Bangor Daily News.

While this is an older column, it is well worth reading the full text. What I found especially valuable is its advice to all parties involved in a censorship issue. This is what Stephen King would say if he felt he needed to take time out from his work to defend it.

First, to the kids: There are people in your home town who have taken certain books off the shelves of your school library. Do not argue with them; do not protest; do not organize or attend rallies to have the books put back on their shelves. Don't waste your time or your energy. Instead, hustle down to your public library, where these frightened people's reach must fall short in a democracy, or to your local bookstore, and get a copy of what has been banned. Read it carefully and discover what it is your elders don't want you to know. In many cases you'll finish the banned book in question wondering what all the fuss was about. In others, however, you will find vital information about the human condition. It doesn't hurt to remember that John Steinbeck, J.D. Salinger, and even Mark Twain have been banned in this country's public schools over the last 20 years.

Second, to the parents in these towns: There are people out there who are deciding what your kids can read, and they don't care what you think because they are positive their ideas of what's proper and what's not are better, clearer than your own. Do you believe they are? Think carefully before you decide to accord the book-banners this right of cancellation, and remember that they don't believe in democracy but rather in a kind of intellectual autocracy. If they are left to their own devices, a great deal of good literature may soon disappear from the shelves of school libraries simply because good books -- books that make us think and feel -- always generate controversy.

If you are not careful and diligent about defending the right of your children to read, there won't be much left, especially at the junior-high level where kids really begin to develop a lively life of the mind, but books about heroic boys who come off the bench to hit home runs in the bottom of the ninth and shy girls with good personalities who finally get that big prom date with the boy of their dreams. Is this what you want for your kids, keeping in mind that controversy and surprise -- sometimes even shock -- are often the whetstone on which young minds are sharpened?

Third, to the other interested citizens of these towns: Please remember that book-banning is censorship, and that censorship in a free society is always a serious matter -- even when it happens in a junior high, it is serious. A proposal to ban a book should always be given the gravest consideration. Book-banners, after all, insist that the entire community should see things their way, and only their way. When a book is banned, a whole set of thoughts is locked behind the assertion that there is only one valid set of values, one valid set of beliefs, one valid perception of the world. It's a scary idea, especially in a society which has been built on the ideas of free choice and free thought.

Well said!

Final Word on Vamos a Cuba

2009-11-20T06:57:00.010-11:00

According to School Library Journal, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear arguments to overturn a decision by the Miami-Dade School District that took Vamos a Cuba off of public school library shelves. This means that the decision of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stands.

Opponents of the book described it as factually inaccurate because it "paints too rosy a picture of life in the communist nation."

The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week declined to take up the case of the controversial book by Alta Schreier, letting stand a 2–1 decision earlier this year by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that the school board's decision to remove the book was not censorship in violation of the First Amendment. Instead, the Atlanta-based appeals court said the school board was seeking to remove the book because it contained substantial factual inaccuracies. Vamos a Cuba is one of a series of books on various countries in the world written for children aged four to eight.

The Lovely Bones

2009-11-02T04:50:00.007-11:00

The Lovely Bones movie is scheduled to be released in January 2010. According to Books Challenged or Banned in 2007-2008 by Robert P. Doyle, The Lovely Bones was "moved to the faculty section of the John W. McDevitt Middle School library in Waltham, Mass. (2008) because its content was too frightening for middle school students."

American Banned Books Week

2009-09-25T02:55:00.002-11:00

Just a quick reminder that the American Library Association Banned Books Weeks runs from September 26 − October 3, 2009. Check out the little drama created by Puppet Book Banners.

US Book Challenges Mapped by Location

2009-09-12T09:50:00.003-11:00

Check out the 2007 - 2009 challenges to books, mapped by location. These have been recorded on the Banned Books Week website.

This map is drawn from cases documented by ALA and the Kids' Right to Read Project, a collaboration of the National Coalition Against Censorship and the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression. Details are available in ALA's "Books Banned and Challenged 2007-2008," and "Books Banned and Challenged 2008-2009," and the "Kids' Right to Read Project Report."

To Pull, Ban or Kill A Mockingbird

2009-08-28T09:41:00.009-11:00

To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is being pulled from the Grade 10 English curriculum at Brampton's St. Edmund Campion Secondary School following the complaint of a parent over the use of the n-word. The classic book depicts a southern US lawyer's struggle against racial injustice.

Bruce Campbell of the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board made this statement concerning the issue: "The school administration was aware of the parent’s concern and made the decision to use another board-approved resource that teaches the same concept for the coming year." Campbell added, "The principal elected to select an alternative text for the fall, it would have been in response to the concern but at the same time it's not a banning. We're definitely not in the business of censure or book banning."

Just the same, the literary community has been critical.

The Toronto Star has published author Lawrence Hill's opinion. He points out that the real problem with To Kill a Mockingbird is "it's just one story, from another country, long ago." While he sees great value in the book, he points out that this book which explores the issues of racism, segregation and the experiences of black people, does not even focus on black people. It explores racism from small town Alabama over half a century ago. Hill suggests that Canadian students do not know the "Canadian stories of slavery and abolition, and of segregation and civil rights." He suggests that To Kill a Mockingbird should be kept on the shelves but be joined by Canadian books that explore the issues.

I wonder why school officials have to wait for a challenge to a book to review the literature students are studying. Why can't there be a more deliberate effort to have the black Canadian voice heard without making the removing/banning of a book the central issue?

A Milestone for Us

2009-08-07T03:39:00.002-11:00

Today our counter hit over 100,000 hits and 150,000 page views since we installed Sitemeter. Thank you to our faithful readers and to Meg Cabot, who, with one mention had us shut down as a spam site for a day as our stats spiked.

Challenged Canadian Authors

2009-08-06T07:39:00.009-11:00

I was challenged by John Mutford, a regular reader of the blog to come up with some Canadian titles which have been banned or challenged. Here are some titles which you can use as part of the Canadian Book Challenge.

A number of Robert Munsch titles have been challenged.

Margaret Lawrence - Stone Angel, Diviners
Margaret Atwood - Handmaid's Tale
Mordecai Richler - Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
W. O. Mitchell - Who Has Seen the Wind
Alie Munro - Lives of Girls and Women, Runaway
Barbara Smucker - Underground to Canada
Deborah Ellis - Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak
Timothy Findley - The Wars
W. P. Kinsella - Dance Me Outside
Yvon Deschamps - Tout Deschamps
Mike Pearson - Waging War from Canada
Michelle Marineau - L'ete des Baleines
Derek O'Brien - Suffer Little Children

For a list of books which have been banned or challenged in Canada (but not necessarily written by Canadian authors), check Freedom to Read resources.

Happy reading John.

Gearing Up for Banned Books Week

2009-07-30T06:49:00.003-11:00

As our neighbours to the south gear up for their Banned Books Week, I thought the following resources would come in handy for teachers and librarians looking for lists of challenged and banned books. These excellent yearly resources have been created by Robert P. Doyle who received the 2009 Freedom to Read Foundation Roll of Honor Award. The books are sponsored by American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores and are endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

* 2008-2009
* 2007-2008
* 2006-2007
* 2005-2006
* 2004-2005
* 2003-2004

The resource for 2009 includes a bibliography of books challenged, restricted, removed, or banned in 2008-2009 as reported in the Newsletter on Intellectual Freedom from May 2008 through May 2009.

Unshelved

2009-07-27T03:55:00.006-11:00

The comic strip "Unshelved" provides material good for libraries. Check out their archives for more or have the strip emailed to you daily. Also check out their blog.

The strip from July 18, 2009 features And Tango Makes Three, the most challenged book over the past few years.

Ready for Another Challenge? It's Not Too Late.

2009-07-13T08:53:00.003-11:00

I just ran across this uniquely Canadian challenge, courtesy of Lynn Bornath's Canadian Books and Authors Blog. The Canadian Book Challenge runs from July 1 to July 1 and it is in its third year.

From Canada Day to Canada Day, can you read and review at least 13 Canadian books? Starting July 1st, 2009 and ending July 1st, 2010, I challenge Canadians and non-Canadians to read 13 or more Canadian books. Pick fiction, pick nonfiction, pick poetry, graphic novels, picture books, plays, etc-- if it's Canadian and if it's a book, it's in.

Better yet, choose a challenged Canadian book.

2009-07-08T05:56:00.009-11:00

Judith Krug with author Judy Blume. Photo: Freedom to Read Foundation

An article by Sarah Long, Columnist for the Daily Herald out of Chicago is a fitting memorial to Judith Krug, the longtime director of the American Library Association's Freedom to Read Foundation. Krug passed away on April 11, 2009. Long explains that Krug fought censorship on behalf of libraries for more than 40 years. She moved librarianship from a quiet commitment to freedom to read to an overt, organized, policy-based movement based on that commitment.

Robert P. Doyle, executive director of the Illinois Library Association, expressed it this way:

It wasn't that Judith just generated media attention, which she did. Rather she set about the arduous task of coalition building. She reached out to publishers, booksellers, authors, school administrators, teachers, journalists and lawyers both individually and through their associations. She built coalitions based on a common belief in free expression and commitment to intellectual freedom. At ALA, she worked tirelessly with members to fight censorship efforts. Krug evolved a sort of 'case law' of precedents and policies and set up structures of support for libraries and individuals who were involved in censorship incidents.

In 1982, Krug created Banned Books Week which will be celebrated the last week in September in the US. It is sponsored by a coalition of organizations including the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

Banned Book Challenge Final Report

2009-07-03T03:28:00.004-11:00

Thank you to everyone who has taken the Banned Book Challenge. I hope everyone has enjoyed their reading. Please feel free to email me reviews of your books, leave comments, or provide a link to your own blog's reviews.

In total, 68 people signed up for the "Banned Book Challenge," setting a goal to read 501 books. That includes the following readers:

kimberwolff, USA, 8
angie2009, USA, 10
Nikki, USA, 15

Thank you everyone for your participation. The Pelham Public Library runs this challenge between February (starting during Freedom to Read Week) and June. If you are looking for other reading challenges, try "Taking the Challenge." Don't forget to support our American friends in their upcoming Banned Book Week which runs from September 26 to October 3, 2009.

The September Project

2009-06-26T08:16:00.006-11:00

Graphic courtesy September Project

Don't worry. This is not an essay on "What I did On My Summer Vacation." The September Project is gearing up for the US Banned Book Week (September 26 - October 3). Check out the information on their site for a map of activities near you.

What they are, in their own words:

The September Project is a grassroots effort to encourage events about freedom in all libraries in all countries during the month of September.

Since September 2004, public, academic, school, government, and special libraries around the world have organized September Project events. These events explore and exercise freedom, justice, democracy, and community and include book displays, community book readings, childrens’ art projects, film screenings, theatrical performances, civic deliberations, voter registrations, gardens, murals, panel discussions, and puppet shows. September Project events are free and open to the public.

In the meantime, the Pelham Public Library's "Banned Book Challenge" wraps up on June 30th. Time to read one last banned or challenged book?

Locker Library

2009-06-05T06:59:00.003-11:00

Author Cory Doctoro shares a story in Boing Boing of a teen (who shall remain anonymous) who has a lending library of banned books which he/she runs out of his/her locker. While there has been some discussion over whether this is a hoax or a true story, it is provocative. According to the original question at ask.com, the idea began when a friend asked him/her to lend The Catcher in the Rye. The idea grew until his/her locker was so full of books that he/she decided to organize them in the empty locker next to his/hers. At last count, he/she had 62 books which had been banned from students.
He/she keeps a log and gives out due dates. He/she is at a private school which has banned certain titles. He/she speculates about what kind of trouble he/she could get into if he/she is caught but believes a lot of his/her friends are reading more because of this idea. In case you were wondering why the teens just don't go to a public library, he/she suggests that most of the kids are too chicken or their parents won't let them.

See the original question at answers.com.

The Banned Book Challenge continues until June 30. Set a goal and read with us.

Toni Morrison Burn This Book

2009-06-04T16:21:00.006-11:00

Toni Morrison's books have been challenged on a consistent basis. Hear what she has to say about censorship. According to an Associated Press article by Hillel Italie,

Morrison, 78, has long experience with censorship. Her novels "Beloved," "Song of Solomon" and "The Bluest Eye" have frequently been threatened with removal from library shelves — and sometimes pulled — because of sexual, racial or violent content.

Burn This Book is a collection of essays on censorship, edited by Toni Morrison and published in May 2009. Read a review at "Travels of a Bookworm" and check out the links, including one to an excerpt of Burn This Book.

Updated: Kathryn, one of our readers suggests that we sign the petition at The Right to Read. Thanks, Kathryn.

Join us in reading banned and challenged books. The Banned Book Challenge continues until June 30. Set your own goal.

1984

2009-05-30T19:01:00.002-11:00

Photograph: George Orwell (Public Domain)

George Orwell's 1984 was challenged in Jackson County, FL in 1981, because Orwell's novel was "pro-communist and contained explicit sexual matter," according to the American Library Association.

Now a recent Guardian article by Robert McCrum tells "the compelling story of Orwell's torturous stay on the island where the author, close to death and beset by creative demons, was engaged in a feverish race to finish the book."

According to the article, Orwell was very ill, as he grappled with the "demons of his imagination" in a borrowed cottage in Scotland. The idea for the story had been percolating in Orwell's head since the Spanish War but he claimed that he was inspired by the Tehran Conference of 1944 where he believed, "Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt consciously plotted to divide the world," according to a colleague at "The Observer" Isaac Deutscher. 1984 is a much darker novel than Animal Farm, a novel which brought him much fame but also unwelcome attention.

A random act of violence in his flat and later, the death of his wife during a routine operation and his own poor health, as well as the bleak period that was post-war Britain, were circumstances which he faced prior to the writing of 1984. The publisher of "The Observer" offered Orwell a holiday at his cottage which Orwell agreed to with enthusiasm, craving the isolation so that he could concentrate on writing.

He struggled from 1947 until his death in 1950, explaining to his publisher in May 1947 that he was in "wretched health." By October he had completed a rough draft when Owell, his son Richard, and others who were returning from exploring the coast in a small boat almost drowned in a whirlpool. Orwell, a heavy smoker whose cough worried his friends, became seriously ill. He began to write at a feverish pace until November 1947 when he was hospitalized with TB, a condition for which there was no cure at that time. The publisher of "The Observer" arrange for an experimental drug -- streptomycin -- to be sent from the US. While the TB symptoms disappeared, Orwell suffered horrible side effects like throat ulcers, blisters in the mouth, hair loss, peeling skin and the disintegration of toe and fingernails.

As he was completing his hospital stay, he received a letter from his publisher, urging him to complete the novel by the end of the year, if not earlier, so he promised to deliver the manuscript in early December 1948. He ended up writing from his bed. When it came to retyping the completed but almost unreadable manuscript, it fell to Orwell, despite being too weak to walk in mid-November. According to the writer of the article, Orwell, "Sustained by endless roll-ups, pots of coffee, strong tea and the warmth of his paraffin heater, with gales buffeting Barnhill, night and day, he struggled on."

Once he had forwarded the manuscript, he checked into a sanatorium saying, ""I ought to have done this two months ago but I wanted to get that bloody book finished."

Nineteen Eighty-Four was published on June 8, 1949 in Britain.

Orwell died on January 21, 1950 at the age of 46.

Join us in reading banned and challenged books. The Banned Book Challenge continues until June 30. Set your own goal.

What's Too Sexy for Your iPhone?

2009-05-25T11:04:00.002-11:00

According to the Toronto Star, a book-reading application created for the iPhone by James Montgomerie was rejected by Apple. "Eucalyptus: the library to go" would have allowed users to read free classic literature available at Project Gutenberg. Montgomerie was told that his application was rejected because of a policy which prohibits applications that include "inappropriate sexual content."

Apparently the approval team at Apple had managed to view an unillustrated translation of the Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, an ancient text which explains love and sexuality.

According to MacWorld, Apple has changed its mind.

Read all about the Eucalyptus controversy at Jamie Montgomery's blog. Eucalyptus YouTube ad.

Join us in reading banned and challenged books. The Banned Book Challenge continues until June 30. Set your own goal.

Banned Book Challenge Report III

2009-05-22T09:50:00.002-11:00

To date, 65 people have signed up for the "Banned Book Challenge," setting a goal to read 468 books that have been challenged or banned.

Mudkipofpower, USA, 10
Sasha M., USA, 10
Angel71, USA, 20
Jonathan Yuan, USA, 10

The challenge runs until June 30. Register now.

Graphic Novel of Fahrenheit 451 Coming Soon

2009-04-30T08:10:00.007-11:00

A Publishers Weekly article by Calvin Reid entitled "New Look for Bradbury's 'Fahrenheit 451'" reports that Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 will soon be adapted to be published as a graphic novel. Artist Tim Hamilton has recreated this science fiction classic with input from Ray Bradbury. It will be released both in hardcover and paperback and will be marketed during the American Library Association's Banned Books Week in September of 2009. Playboy magazine which first ran the original serial in 1954 has purchased the serial rights. The publisher also plans to adapt graphic novels of Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles and Something Wicked This Way Comes. An e-book version of the graphic edition will be available for the iPhone.

The Banned Book Challenge continues until June 30. Set a goal and read with us.

Banned Book Challenge Report II

2009-04-28T09:13:00.005-11:00

To date, 61 people have signed up for the "Banned Book Challenge," setting a goal to read 418 books that have been challenged or banned.

ashley h, USA, 2
bannedbookssuck, USA, 10
Nikki, USA, 2
Turtlewax67, USA, 10
bridge to terabithia, USA, 1
Sheri, Canada, 3
Suzanne S., USA, 3
kriddee, USA, 4
minerva66, USA, 3
Darlene, USA, 7
Illya, Germany, 14
Fidget_angel, Russia, 5
booksnob, USA, 5
allikay, USA, 10

The challenge runs until June 30. Register now.

#amazonfail

2009-04-13T08:37:00.011-11:00

Image by John Coulthart

The Twitter and blog world is abuzz with news of Amazon's removal of rankings to books with "adult" themes, including books with gay and lesbian themes but also books such as "The Joy of Sex." The ranking system does not mean that books are unavailable but that they do not show up in a search for bestsellers. MetaWriter includes a comprehensive list of the books affected.

A question from self-published author Mark R. Probst, who noticed that his book had lost its ranking elicited this reply:

In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude “adult” material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature.

Amazon has since identified the problem as a "glitch" and is working to reinstate books that have been removed. Simon Bisson, blogging at Technology, Books, and Other Neat Stuff explains why it might be a nightmare for Amazon to fix.

In the latest news, a hacker is claiming responsibility for the removal of the tags, according to "Why It Makes Sense That a Hacker's Behind Amazon's Big Gay Outrage," an online article on ValleyWag. If this is indeed true, a few lines of code have created an incredible stir. According to the article, another programmer has debunked the myth.

In the meantime, questions are being raised about the consequences of having such a huge company have within its power the ability to decide which books should be ranked and which are deemed somehow dangerous to society.

It will be interesting to see how this drama unfolds.

Links to the buzz:

#amazonfail on Twitter
IT World
LA Times
CNET News
Jezebel.com
Publisher's Weekly
Booksquare.com who writes an open letter to Amazon
Entertainment Weekly News Briefs
Ubonchat.com, a collection of links
John Coultart who provides an interesting timeline to date
Edrants.Com

While the world waits to see the outcome of this drama, why not take the "Banned Book Challenge" with the Pelham Public Library. The challenge runs until June 30.

Did Some Quack Ban Donald Duck in Finland?

2009-04-09T15:37:00.001-11:00

Snopes is a great website for clearing up unanswered questions or finding the answer to a bet.

Was Donald Duck banned in Finland because the character doesn't wear pants? According to Snopes: False.

The origins of the legend begin in 1977.

...when the city of Helsinki found itself in a bit of a financial crunch. With monetary resources limited, Mr. Markku Holopainen, a local Liberal Party representative, proposed at a meeting of the board of youth affairs that the city economize by discontinuing its purchase of Donald Duck comics for youth centers in favor of hobby and sport publications. His suggestion was heartily approved.

A year later, while Holopainen was in the midst of an election campaign for a seat in the Finnish parliament, word was leaked to the press that he was "the man who banned Donald Duck from Helsinki." The chairman of the board of youth affairs failed to come to Holopainen's defense -- not surprisingly, since he himself was a candidate as well. Holopainen explained in vain that the decision to discontinue the purchase of Donald Duck comics with city funds had passed unanimously and was made solely for economic reasons. Holopainen lost his battle with the press -- and he lost the election to the now-silent board chairman.

When a similar incident had taken place in the Finnish town of Kemi a few years earlier, the international press had gleefully exaggerated the story with headlines such as "Finland Bans Donald" and "Donald Vanishes from Libraries," reporting that Donald's banishment was due to concerns over his lack of pants and questions about his marital status. As the foreign news reports about the alleged banning of Donald Duck filtered back to Finland (and neighboring Sweden), the local tabloids didn't attempt to verify the story -- they merely ran articles about the reaction it was receiving abroad. "Donald Not Married; Politicians Outraged!" and "Donald, Where Are Your Trousers?" were headlines in foreign papers, Finns were told.

The furor quickly blew over, and within several months Disney cartoons became more prevalent on Finnish TV, leading the more cynical to wonder if the whole thing hadn't been encouraged as a clever publicity stunt by Disney.

Join the over 50 people who have joined the "Banned Book Challenge." It will run until June 30.

Donald Duck image obviously the property of Disney

Banned Book Challenge Report

2009-04-04T08:33:00.006-11:00

Photo www.tillygreen.com

To date, 49 people have signed up for the "Banned Book Challenge," setting a goal to read 339 books that have been challenged or banned.

Camille, Canada, 2
Tony, USA, 1
cbath203, USA, 4
Nikolai, USA, 2
Maddie, USA, 5
Kevin, USA, 1
Itsnotfun, USA, 10
zara aasim, Pakistan, 8
Lady Cecilie, USA, 10
Elizabeth, Canada, 3
musicalbabi42, USA, 5
jemoel, USA, 3
Jenny, USA, 3
Sharon, Canada, 3
beatlechicksteph, USA, 5
Elaine, Canada, 3
william, USA, 15
octoberquest, Britain, 8
kidsilkhaze, USA, 10
mee, Australia, 4
mamalai, USA, 8
Heather, USA, 3
Lauren, USA, 3
BookDragon's Lair, USA, 4
Caryn,USA, 4
Zoealea, USA, 10
Becky L., USA, 2
Mrs Peachtree, Canada, 5
Joanna, Belgium, 4
SueCupola, Canada, 1
Aunt Mom, Canada, 5
Peetie83, USA, 12
katrinareads, UK, 4
Joanne, USA, 20
Cynthia, USA, 20
Leethebookworm, USA, 15
Jenny, USA, 5
californiameaghan, USA, 15
J.C. Montgomery, USA, 3
nahiacreations, USA, 8
Lynda, Wales, 10
Bart, UK, 5
Vasilly, USA, 5
Kat, USA, 10
vnm111, USA, 7
Rockklimbr, USA, 5
kris, USA, 1
bookwurm1990, USA, 10
destinykorin, USA, 30

The challenge runs until June 30. Register now.

Filtering Software Stamped "Discard"

2009-03-19T12:39:00.008-11:00

An issue concerning Internet filtering brought censorship issues close to home last week as Pelham Town Council considered the Cambridge resolution which would have ordered filtering on all public library and school computers.

In a Pelham News/Welland Tribune story, it was reported that Councillor Sharon Cook "who originally suggested supporting the Cambridge resolution favoured receiving it without support after the library's report."

Stephanie Stowe, Library Director at the Pelham Public Library urged town council not to adopt the resolution, stating that Internet filters also block legitimate sites such as Facebook, YouTube and medical sites. She believes it is the responsibility of the library board, not the province, to address this issue. The Pelham Public Library has not had any negative incidents since 2004. Incident reports dropped dramatically when the public internet stations were moved closer to the public service desk. Stated Stowe, "Our most effective practice is situating our Internet machines in a prominent public area. The public seems to be an extremely effective deterrent."

The Pelham Public Library challenges you to take the Banned Book Challenge. This challenge will run until June 30, 2009.

Follow Us on Twitter

2009-03-16T12:06:00.003-11:00

Now follow us on Twitter.

The Pelham Public Library challenges you to take the Banned Book Challenge. This challenge will run until June 30, 2009.

Internet Filtering Software

2009-03-15T06:17:00.004-11:00

The Corporation of the City of Cambridge wants to force the Cambridge Public Library to install and use Internet Filtering Software on their computers. Councillor Tucci put forward the following Internet Filtering Proposal found in the City of Cambridge's Council agenda of February 9, 2009.

Councillor Tucci - Internet Filtering Software On Computers

Recommendation
WHEREAS there is no law in Ontario prohibiting pornography and other sexually explicit material from being viewed on computers in public schools and libraries;

AND WHEREAS there are public schools and public libraries that do not use
internet filtering software on computers that blocks such inappropriate material;

AND WHEREAS significant changes have occurred with respect computer technologies, software and programs that could filter access to inappropriate, explicit sexual content;

AND WHEREAS parents in the province of Ontario have the right to ensure
their children are protected from pornography and other inappropriate material available on the internet in their public schools and libraries;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of The Corporation of the City of Cambridge petitions the Honorable M. Aileen Carrol, Minister of Culture, the Honorable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario and, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario to require all public schools and libraries in Ontario to be required to install internet filtering software on computers to avoid viewing of sites with inappropriate, explicit sexual content;

AND FURTHER THAT the motion once approved be forwarded to all MPPs representing Waterloo Region, to the Leader of the Official Opposition, to the Leader of the 3rd party and, through AMO, to all other municipalities for their consideration.

In 2004, a Cambridge man was arrested for using a city library computer to download child pornography, according to a story in The Record. In the fall of 2008, the Cambridge Public Library Board twice rejected the call for the use of filtering but promised to review the situation as technology advances. The City of Cambridge refused to force the library to purchase filtering software in January 2009. Cambridge Public Library is the only library system in Waterloo Region that doesn't use filters. The issue has been raised once again. Cambridge Council voted 4-3 to support Tucci's recommendation, calling on the Province of Ontario to force libraries to use Internet blocking software.

Cambridge MPP Gerry Martiniuk is pushing a private members' bill (Bill 128) that would put internet filtering rules in place. Private members bills are rarely passed into law. Councilor Gary Price, who sits on the Cambridge library board, pointed out that libraries have a mandate to provide free access to legal information and that filtering software can block legal sites as well as questionable ones.

Below is the text from Bill 128 which is relevant to schools and public libraries:

Education Act
Every school board is required to ensure that every school of the board has in place technology measures on all of the school’s computers to which a person under the age of 18 years has access. The technology measures must do the following:

1. They must block access on the Internet to any material,including written material, pictures and recordings, that is obscene or sexually explicit or that constitutes child pornography.

2. They must block access to any form of electronic communication, including electronic mail and chat rooms, if the communication could reasonably be expected to expose a person under the age of 18 years to any material,including written material, pictures and recordings, that is obscene or sexually explicit or that constitutes child pornography.

3. They must block access to any site on the Internet or to any form of electronic communication, including electronic mail and chat rooms, if the school has not authorized users of the computers to access the site or the communication or if the site or the communication could reasonably be expected to contain material that includes personal information about a person under the age of 18 years.

A school is required to have a policy on who are authorized to use its computers to which a person under the age of 18 years has access and to monitor the use that persons under the age of 18 years make of those computers.

Public Libraries Act
The Bill amends the Public Libraries Act to make amendments that are similar to those that the Bill makes to the Education Act, except that the duties of a school board are those a board with respect to every library under its jurisdiction and the duties of a school are those of a public library.

Read an article which gives alternatives to internet filtering.

The Pelham Public Library challenges you to take the Banned Book Challenge. This challenge will run until June 30, 2009.

Canadian National Anthem Banned

2009-02-26T03:35:00.001-11:00

The National Post posted a recent story on the banning of the national anthem from a New Brunswick school

Erik Millett, the principal of Belleisle Elementary School in Springfield removed the anthem citing concerns from a number of parents but without asking for input from the local parent school support committee. The decision went without notice until Susan Boyd, a parent of a Grade 5 student, was surprised when she heard her daughter say that she need to practise the anthem before performing it for a Canada Day celebration last year "because she was not sure if she'd remember the words." The singing of O Canada was removed from the daily opening but was still being sung at monthly assemblies. It became a personal issue for Boyd, whose nephew died in Kandahar in 2007 while serving in the military. For her, the national anthem is a way of honouring him and all Canadian soldiers overseas.

The issue has renewed debate about political correctness in schools as the principal removed the singing of the anthem as a way of accommodating parents who, because of religious reasons, did not want their children taking part in the opening routine.

Millett asked, "Is it right or is it fair for children who are not allowed to sing the anthem to be forced to?" adding, "Different families have different beliefs.... It's not up to me as a school administrator to subject kids to something their parents don't want them exposed to. I have to protect the minority rights as well as the majority rights."

The CBC followed up on this story from a different point of view.

Kelly Cooper, the vice-chair of the Parent School Support Committee, believes that the controversay has caused divisions within the community and has unfairly subjected the school and its principal to hostility. She would rather have her children miss out on the singing of the anthem each day than to have other students feel excluded.

Stated Cooper, "We all have our reasons to sing or not sing the anthem. But for me this is about how do we treat the people who are different in our community. How do we treat the people who disagree with us? Do we respect them, listen to their point of view, or does the majority say, 'We're the majority, too bad for you and we've got rights.' That doesn't make me feel very comfortable."

The principal told CBC News that his decision to stop the daily singing of the anthem was blown out of proportion and that the issue raises the question of what it means to be patriotic.

"There are many ways to demonstrate one's patriotism or one's love for a country," he said. "The anthem is one, flying a flag is another, volunteering in your community is another. I would argue that teachers and staff at my school, caring for children to make sure they don't go hungry or don't go cold or have all they need to learn, that is being patriotic.

"I think really it has nothing to do with the decision that my staff and I arrived at. It has everything to do with one person having a very driven agenda and misrepresenting what the school did in the media and the media reproducing the myth, that mythology to a point that people in this country were whipped into a hysteria."

The school board ordered that the anthem be reinstated and higher levels of government are debating the issue.

As we come to the end of Freedom to Read week, the Pelham Public Library challenges you to take the Banned Book Challenge. This challenge will run from February to June 2009.

Freedom to Read Week Activities at Brock University

2009-02-20T15:58:00.004-11:00

Check out the James A. Gibson's Library celebration of Freedom to Read Week at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario for ideas on what you can do to recognize the week. And be on the lookout for banned and challenged books set free through Bookcrossing or free a book yourself.

Below is a listing of Special Events @ the Brock Library:

Special Lecture
Forbidden Knowledge: Censorship and the Arts
Thursday, February 26
1-2pm Classroom B, Matheson Learning Commons

Join Dr. Linda Steer, Assistant Professor in the Department of Visual Arts, for a discussion on works of art and literature that have been banned for religious, moral, or political reasons. This lecture will explore questions and issues around censorship. Why are creative works banned? Is censorship ever of value? Do morals change over time?

Free a Challenged Book!

During Freedom to Read week, banned books (e.g. To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye) will be released across campus... If you discover a book with the “Free a Challenged Book” label, be sure to visit www.bookcrossing.com and add your thoughts and comments. To see a list of over 100 books and magazines that have been challenged in Canada, please visit: http://www.freedomtoread.ca/censorship_in_canada/challenged_books.asp

Special Display
Challenged Books
February 23-March 2

Visit the display cases across from the Library Help Desk and discover books that have been challenged or banned in Canadian schools and libraries.

A Week of Prizes!
February 23-27

Sign up to follow the Brock Library on Twitter before the end of Reading Week. During Freedom to Read week, we will be announcing a secret word each afternoon through our Twitter account. The first person to reach the Library Help Desk and say the secret word will receive a prize! Sign up for Twitter. Be sure to visit the Brock Library Twitter account and “Follow” our updates.

At the Pelham Public Library, we challenge you to take the Banned Book Challenge.

Banned Books Write-Off

2009-02-19T08:36:00.000-11:00

Still not sure what to read? Epinions.com offers mostly reviews of consumer goods by "real" people. For Banned Book Week in the United States, a number of contributors have provided reviews of books which have been challenged or banned. Banned Books Write-Off 1 and Banned Books Write-Off 2 provide reviews of the top 100 books on the American Library Association's Most Frequently Banned and Challenged list.

What Should I Read?

2009-02-03T19:09:00.000-11:00

If you are gearing up for the "Banned Book Challenge" and are looking for ideas on what to read, find excerpts and full text to help you make your choice in 25 Banned Books You Should Read Today.

Banned Book Challenge 2009 - See you in 2010

2009-01-27T20:22:00.003-11:00

The Pelham Public Library is issuing the third annual "Banned Book Challenge." Set a challenge for yourself to read x number of challenged or banned books between February 22 (Freedom to Read Week in Canada) and June 30. If you are not sure what to read, check our lists of suggested books on the right. These are books that have faced challenges that are available in the Pelham Public Library. Check LibraryThing for other titles or check any of the links on the sidebar to find even more books. Register using the form below. I will keep running totals beginning in February.

Find the most recent Banned Book Challenge form here.

A Banning of a Different Sort

2009-01-25T06:41:00.002-11:00

According to a recent article on the News4Jacs blog out of Jacksonville, Florida, a new federal law may result in banning children from libraries unless certain books are pulled from the shelves. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is designed to protect children from the dangers of lead. Concerns are being raised about trace amounts of lead in ink and the government wants all books, games, toys and clothing for children under 12 tested for lead. Testing books could cost between $300 and $600 each. The American Libraries Assocation (ALA)is lobbying Capitol Hill to exclude public and school libraries from the new law.

The ALA wiki which includes links to other sites around this issue and the Utah Library Association's web site includes a letter from Kristin Murphy, the ALA Government Relations Specialist.

Freedom to Read Week

2009-01-21T11:24:00.000-11:00

The Canadian Freedom to Read Week runs from February 22nd to the 28th. What will you do to acknowledge it?

Watch for our upcoming "Banned Book Challenge."

Books go on Having Enough Power to Dispute

2009-01-19T08:44:00.006-11:00

According to the Freedom to Read list of challenged books, Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale has not been challenged in Canada. That is, until now. It is 37th on the American Library Association’s list of the 100 most frequently challenged books in the 1990s.

Robert Edwards, the parent of a seventeen-year-old student in a grade 12 English class, launched a formal complaint about the Canadian novel citing foul language, anti-Christian overtones, violence and sexual degradation. His argument is that these issues violate the Toronto District School Board's policies of respect and tolerance.

A statement in the Toronto Star article reads, "I'm not looking to ban books," he said. "I'm just looking for justification as to why this is an appropriate book ... if the board can declare to me that in their view it fits within their policy, I'd like them to explain how." I am impressed because this is a parent who is challenging the book but who has also read it first.

A review committee has met and will eventually make a recommendation to the director of education.

Edwards' son has been assigned another book and will leave class during the discussions on The Handmaid's Tale.

According to Russell Morton Brown, a retired University of Toronto English
professor, The Handmaid's Tale is the most taught Canadian novel at the high school level. He stated that he is pleased that a complaint has been launched, "I'm glad to see that books go on having enough power to dispute."

2009-01-06T08:18:00.001-11:00

If you enjoyed reading Fahrenheit 451, you might also like:

The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
Songs of Leaving by Peter Crowther
334 by Thomas M. Disch
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl
Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut
The Children of Men, by P.D. James
The Chrysalids (or Re-Birth), by John Wyndham
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Neuromancer, by William Gibson
Nineteen Eighty-Four (or 1984), by George Orwell
Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood

We Read Banned Books....and Other Stuff Too

2008-12-30T09:18:00.009-11:00

The Intellectual Freedom Committee of the British Columbia Library Association publishes a blog called "We Read Banned Books...and Other Books Too."

This is a great resource which highlights Canadian and world issues. Entries include:
Best Library Display Ever,Heal this book: reversing vandalism among others. The latest entry Colors magazine issue on Freedom of Speech includes a link to the magazine Colors. The theme for this volume is Freedom of Speech and a number of articles look at this issue from the points of view of a number of countries.

Trashy and Inappropriate Awarding-winning Book Removed Temporarily

2008-12-12T06:33:00.006-11:00

According to Oregon News, a complaint from a parent has led to the temporary removal of "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," by Sherman Alexie from schools in Crook County School District. A parent complained that the book was "trashy" and "inappropriate." "I don't think it should be for anybody," he said. "I think it's trash. I don't think a 50-year-old ought to read it." Hank Moss seemed to be concerned about a reference to masturbation but Jeff Landaker, chairman of the Crook County school board, was more concerned about the "graphic language and the graphic pictures."

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" is the winner of a National Book Award.

Obscene in the Extreme

2008-11-02T19:29:00.003-11:00

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck has always drawn fire for its honest and raw portrayal of migrant life in the 1930s. Now a new book -- Obscene in the Extreme -- gives a more complete picture of the opposition it has faced over the years. Read an excerpt.

Legal Issues in Libraries

2008-10-08T02:56:00.004-11:00

Jessica Merritt shares a column on "25 Important Legal Issues Every Librarian Should Research" at Best Colleges Online, reminding librarians that there are important legal issues to consider. A number of points are relevant to censorship issues, especially in the United States, including the ones below:

Filters: Many public libraries are under pressure to filter Internet access to patrons. Whether or not you do so can have legal implications for your library.

Freedom of information: According to the First Amendment, the government is allowed to restrict information in the library. Find out what you can do about it and how you have to comply.

Children on the Internet: Your library may be held responsible for offensive content accessed using the library’s computers, so it’s important to find out how to protect yourself.

Hate meetings: Your library’s meeting rooms and computers may be used in order to spread and promote hateful speech and thoughts. Additionally, you may find that hateful literature is requested. Find out how to deal with this issue before it comes up.

Book removal: Librarians have to be careful about removing books from a library’s collection. You will find that you often do not have unrestricted authority to remove offensive library books from your library.

Banned books: Many books can be offensive to library patrons and parents of young patrons that visit your library, and books are often challenged by groups and individuals. How you deal with the removal or preservation of a book is important.

Bulletin boards: Your library’s bulletin boards may be used as a community resource, so it’s important to consider whether or not you’re violating free speech with your bulletin board policy.

FBI in the library: The FBI can use your library as a resource for investigating the public’s usage of your resources, so it’s important to know how to deal with it. One librarian has come up with a few technically legal signs that you can use to let patrons know they may be monitored.

In any country, it is wise to know what the law is and to be proactive by having good policies in place. Educate your staff to know how to follow through.

US Banned Book Week

2008-09-30T09:22:00.000-11:00

Wikileaks, the Uncensorable Wikipedia

2008-09-28T07:00:00.002-11:00

If you are interested in the news you won't see at 6:00 or 11:00, check out Wikileaks. According to their website,

Wikileaks is developing an uncensorable Wikipedia for untraceable mass document leaking and analysis. Our primary interest is in exposing oppressive regimes in Asia, the former Soviet bloc, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East, but we also expect to be of assistance to people of all regions who wish to reveal unethical behavior in their governments and corporations. We aim for maximum political impact. Our interface is identical to Wikipedia and usable by all types of people. We have received over 1.2 million documents so far from dissident communities and anonymous sources.

There is a link that is specific to Canadian documents.

Banned Books Week in the US

2008-09-22T07:00:00.000-11:00

Banned Books Week in the United States is September 27 - October 4, 2008. Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read is observed during the last week of September each year. It is the 27th anniversary of this annual ALA event which is is sponsored by the American Booksellers Association, American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Library Association, American Society of Journalists and Authors, Association of American Publishers, National Association of College Stores, and is endorsed by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress.

Visit the ALA (American Library Association)web site for ideas on how to commemorate the week, resources, and for lists of banned or challenged books.