Censorship, Self-Selection, & Intellectual Freedom- What Are They Protecting? An Annotated Bibliography

Transcription

1 Censorship, Self-Selection, & Intellectual Freedom- What Are They Protecting? An Annotated Bibliography Jenn French INFO 522: Information Access & Resources August 28, 2016

2 Entry 1: Akers, C. G. (2012). Which books are challenged more classics or contemporary?. New Library World, 113(7/8), Abstract: Purpose This paper aims to compare the American Library Association's statistics on the most frequently challenged books in the years that appear on the ALA's "Banned and Challenged Classics" list versus those that are contemporary that are found in the ALA published Banned Book Resource Guide. Design/methodology/approach Analyses were made to determine whether classics were challenged more than contemporary books, and if there has been a rise in contemporary challenged books. To find out the similarities and difference in contemporary and classic books, the reasons for challenges were broken down into the categories of: drugs, homosexuality, offensive language, parental permission, racism, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited to age group, violence, witchcraft, challenged, and "other". Findings The study found that contemporary books were challenged more than classic books between , but there has not been a rise in the number of challenges. The similarities and differences show that a small percentage of difference is seen in some of the reasons for the challenges, but the largest percentage for being sexually explicit, and the largest margin of difference in the percentages in racism. Research limitations/implications Because the Banned Book Resource Guide was published in 2010, the statistics for challenged books in the year 2010 are incomplete. A suggestion for further research would be conducting the study when a later version of the Resource Guide is available and includes the 2010 statistics. Originality/value By examining patterns that have taken place in book challenges over the past ten years, the paper helps those interested in censorship and its many complications to better understand its trends. Since this was the first search I was attempting with this particular database, I decided to do a standard keyword search to determine the scope of the materials covered as LISTA is known to have an abundance of articles. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts

3 Method of Searching: Keyword Search (Censor* OR challenge*) AND ((child* OR youth* OR young*) AND (book* OR Literature)) Scholarly/Refereed Status: I restricted my search to scholarly journals and peer reviewed articles. Entry 2: Boyd, F.B., & Bailey, N. M. (2009). Censorship in Three Metaphors. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 52(8), Abstract: The authors discuss metaphors to represent the censorship of books. They note a celebration of banned books by the American Library Association (ALA) and comment on the banning of Jane Yolen's book "Briar Rose" from school curricula after it was challenged by a parent. They characterize censorship as being similar to barbed wire, a patina and as a tightrope to symbolize how censorship can restrict learning. A review/commentary on this item came up while performing a natural language title search in the University of Oregon s Online Public Access Catalog. I decided based on the review of the literature, that it would be useful for my research. ProQuest Education Journal Method of Searching: Title Searching Censorship in children s literature Scholarly/Refereed Status: This journal is published by Wiley Online Library, a well-known company in scholastic research. Ulrich s Global Serials Directory lists the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy as peer-reviewed, and the editorial board listed on the journal s homepage consists of over 160 professors from academic research libraries.

4 Entry 3: Conley, T. (1979). Censorship and children: Protection vs. intellectual freedom. Current Studies in Librarianship, 3(1) Retrieved from Abstract: Argues that US librarians must not deny access for children to materials that they consider unsuitable because of their racial /sexist/sexual content; the Library Bill of Rights advocating intellectual freedom applies to children as much as to adults and attempts to persuade librarians to censor their stock by civil rights and women's groups should be resisted. If children are sheltered and protected they will be less able to participate meaningfully in the democratic process. Method of Searching: Scholarly/Refereed Status: Library & Information Sciences Abstracts (ProQuest) Controlled Vocabulary Searching (SU.exact("CENSORED MATERIALS") AND (SU.exact("CHILDREN") OR SU.exact("INFANTS CHILDREN")) Entry 4: Donelson, K. (1981). Shoddy and Pernicious Books and Youthful Purity: Literary and Moral Censorship, Then and Now. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, 51(1), Retrieved from Abstract: Though some librarians and teachers believe censorship is a recent phenomenon, it has been a part of librarians' lives for more than a century. Indeed, many late-nineteenth-century

5 librarians regarded themselves primarily as censors, duty-bound to protect the young from shoddy and pernicious books, especially fiction. Some librarians and teachers today carry on this censorial tradition by circulating or teaching only works of high literary merit or the proper moral content. Those censoring on literary grounds often provide only subjective criteria, justifying censorship by their own personal tastes. Those censoring on moral grounds often provide no better criteria, justifying censorship by their own personal morality. Librarians and teachers have no right to impose personal literary or moral standards on the public, young or old. They have a duty to provide materials of all sorts to allow clients and students to search through and seek out ideas. Method of Searching: Scholarly/Refereed Status: Library & Information Sciences Abstracts (ProQuest) Controlled Vocabulary Searching (SU.exact ("CENSORED MATERIALS") AND ((SU.exact ("CHILDREN") OR SU.exact("INFANTS CHILDREN")) Entry 5: Donelson, K. (1983). Censorship today and probably tomorrow. Canadian Library Journal, 40(2) Retrieved from search.proquest. com/docview/ ?accountid=10559 Abstract: Claims that the watchdogs advocating censorship are becoming more vocal in their desire to build a wall around society's 'innocents' (i.e. children and young people) and that their attacks on librarians are pointed and well-organized. Discusses 2 responses: librarians can acquiesce and in so doing become gutless wonders, or they can prepare themselves for the inevitable onslaught. Examines the narrow preconceptions of censorship and the ease with which even liberal librarians can slip into the ranks of the censor.

6 Library & Information Sciences Abstracts (ProQuest) Method of Searching: Controlled Vocabulary (SU.exact("CENSORED MATERIALS") AND (SU.exact("CHILDREN") OR SU.exact("INFANTS CHILDREN")) Scholarly/Refereed Status: Published by the Canadian Library Association, this journal has a thorough review and editorial process. Ulrich s also shows that the Canadian Library Journal is refereed. Entry 6: Freedman, L., & Johnson, H. (2001). Who's protecting whom? I hadn't meant to tell you this, a case in point in confronting self-censorship in the choice of young adult literature. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44(4), Abstract: Through the window of literature, students have immediate access to the experiences of others beyond their own families, friends, neighbors, classmates, and teachers. Freedman argues that when teachers abandon their right and responsibility to select literature, they sacrifice their students to protect themselves. Since this was the first search I was attempting with this particular database, I decided to do a standard keyword search to determine the scope of the materials covered as LISTA is known to have an abundance of articles. LISTA

7 Method of Searching: Keyword Searching (Censor* OR challenge*) AND ((child* OR youth* OR young*) AND (book* OR Literature)) Scholarly/Refereed Status: This journal is published by Wiley Online Library, a well-known company in scholastic research. Ulrich s Global Serials Directory lists the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy as peer-reviewed, and the editorial board listed on the journal s homepage consists of over 160 professors from academic research libraries. Entry 7: Hunt, L., & Wachsmann, M. (2012, Winter). Does labeling children's books constitute censorship? Reference & User Services Quarterly, 52(2), 90-. Retrieved from &sid=summon&v=2.1&u=drexel_main&it=r&p=aone&sw=w&asid=80350aedf fe17dfba30c Abstract: Method of Searching: Scholarly/Refereed Status: Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA) Controlled Vocabulary (DE "Children's literature" OR DE "Children's books" OR DE "Children -- Books & reading" OR DE "Collection development in children's libraries" OR DE "Children's libraries -- Book selection") AND (DE "Censorship" OR DE "Prohibited books" OR DE "Censorship in libraries")

8 Entry 8: Isajlovic-Terry, N., & McKechnie, L. (. (2012). An exploratory study of children's views of censorship. Children & Libraries: The Journal of the Association For Library Service To Children, 10(1), Abstract: Need to Write Copy Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA) Method of Searching: Controlled Vocabulary (DE "Children's literature" OR DE "Children's books" OR DE "Children -- Books & reading" OR DE "Collection development in children's libraries" OR DE "Children's libraries -- Book selection") AND (DE "Censorship" OR DE "Prohibited books" OR DE "Censorship in libraries") Scholarly/Refereed Status: Children and Libraries (CAL) is the official, refereed journal of the Association for Library Service to Children (CAL, 2016). The UlrichsWeb Global Serials Directory also lists this journal as refereed. Entry 9: Jalongo, M. R., & Creany, A. D. (1991). Censorship in children's literature. Childhood Education, 67(3), Retrieved from search.proquest.com/docview/ ?accountid=14698 Abstract: Efforts by both conservatives and liberals to censor children's books are recounted. The difference between censorship and book selection is discussed.

9 Before I conducted any sort of keyword or controlled vocabulary search, I first wanted to see what a natural language search could produce. In this case I used the OPAC of the University of Oregon, which is connected to all of the libraries databases and electronic article holdings. ProQuest Education Journals Method of Searching: Title Search Censorship in children's literature Scholarly/Refereed Status: I restricted the results generated from my search to scholarly journals and peer reviewed articles, and Ulrich s showed that this item was refereed. Entry 10: Jenkins, C. A. (2008). Book challenges, challenging books, and young readers: The research picture. Language Arts, 85(3), Retrieved from /login?url= Abstract: The Puritans enforced religious censorship in the 1600s; colonial rulers targeted publications expressing political views they considered seditious in the 1700s; and the first U.S. censorship prosecutions on the basis of sexual content occurred in the early 1800s against an unnamed painting-"a man in an obscene, impudent, and indecent posture with a woman "and a book-john Cleland's Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure. Among the factors at work in this trend were an increased public awareness of sex (ironically fueled in part by Comstock's campaign); the appearance of more novels of social realism that described, in addition to other realities, prostitution and out-of-wedlock childbirth; and the growing interest in sexual matters sparked by the beginnings of psychology and Freud's theories.

10 This paper was cited several times in other works as an excellent source of information regarding the early history of censorship. As a result, I thought this article would be helpful to establish introductory trends or themes within my own research. Retrieved through interlibrary loan. Method of Searching: Footnote Chasing After finding the author and title information in other articles, I completed an advanced search with Drexel s Hagerty Library and placed an interlibrary loan request. Scholarly/Refereed Status: This journal discusses both theory and classroom practice, highlight[s] current research, and review[s] children's and young adolescent literature (Language Arts, 2016). Ulrich s online directory shows that this journal is peer reviewed. Entry 11: Jenkinson, D. (2002). Selection and censorship: It's simple arithmetic. School Libraries in Canada, 21(4), Retrieved from /login?url= /search.proquest.com/docview/ ?accountid=10559 Abstract: Article included in a special issue devoted to the theme: Collection development. The uneasy line separating selection and censorship in libraries is discussed with particular reference to Canadian school libraries. It is noted that much of the censorship involves parents of the children at the school and takes place after the offending books have been selected and are in the library. The results of a studies conducted in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are mentioned in which it was found that parents were involved in 60 per cent and 70 per cent of challenges, respectively. Concludes that, if the selection process is not going to continue to be an opportunity for this type of censorship, then Canadian schools need to discuss and confront the issues involved.

11 Since this was the first search I was attempting with this particular database, I decided to do a standard keyword search to determine the scope of the materials covered as LISTA is known to have an abundance of articles. LISTA Method of Searching: Keyword Searching (Censor* OR challenge*) AND ((child* OR youth* OR young*) AND (book* OR Literature)) Scholarly/Refereed Status: Published by the Canadian School Library Association, this journal is listed as refereed by Ulrich s, and was formerly under the auspice of the Canadian Library Association. Entry 12: Kidd, K. (2009). Not Censorship but Selection: Censorship and/as Prizing. Children's Literature In Education, 40(3), Abstract: This essay calls for a fresh critical approach to the topic of censorship, suggesting that anti-censorship efforts, while important and necessary, function much like literary prizing. The analysis draws especially on James English s recent study The Economy of Prestige. There are two central arguments: first, that the librarian ethic of selection introduced by Lester Asheim in 1953 as a counterpoint to censorship has contributed to the unfortunate construction of the censor as a moron ; and second, that anticensorship efforts more generally tend toward uncritical canon-making, attributing value to books simply because they ve been censored or (more typically) challenged. Method of Searching: Copy LISTA Controlled Vocabulary

12 (DE "Children's literature" OR DE "Children's books" OR DE "Children -- Books & reading" OR DE "Collection development in children's libraries" OR DE "Children's libraries -- Book selection") AND (DE "Censorship" OR DE "Prohibited books" OR DE "Censorship in libraries") Scholarly/Refereed Status: CLE is a peer-reviewed journal covering children's literature worldwide, suitable for professionals in the field (academics, librarians, teachers) and any other interested adults (Children s Literature in Education, 2016). Also listed as refereed unh Ulrich s directory. Entry 13: Knox, E. (2014). "The books will still be in the library": Narrow definitions of censorship in the discourse of challengers. Library Trends, 62(4), Retrieved from /cgi-bin/r.cgi/login?url= docview / ?accountid=10559 Abstract: One of the many areas of conflict between challengers and professional librarians centers on the definition of censorship. Challengers often employ a definition that maintains that banning materials is the only true form of censorship, while the codified definition of censorship within librarianship is concerned with impediments to access. Through analysis of arguments in the West Bend (WI) challenge case, this article explores three themes in challengers' narrow definitions of censorship found in their discourse. First, challengers argue that moving books within the library is not considered to be censorship. Second, they maintain that labeling books for content is also not a form of censorship. Finally, challengers focus on "common sense" actions and the power of the majority in their arguments to impede access to controversial materials. Since this was the first search I was attempting with this particular database, I decided to do a standard keyword search to determine

13 Method of Searching: Scholarly/Refereed Status: the scope of the materials covered as LISTA is known to have an abundance of articles. Library & Information Sciences Abstracts (ProQuest) Keyword search (Censor* OR challenge*) AND (child* OR youth* OR young*) AND (book* OR Literature) Entry 14: Knox, E.J. (2014). Society, institutions, and common sense: Themes in the discourse of book challengers in 21 st century United States. Library & Information Science Research, 36(3/4), Abstract: Understanding why people attempt to remove, relocate, or restrict books in an age of ubiquitous access is one of the more puzzling aspects of contemporary challenge cases. In order to better comprehend this largely symbolic phenomenon, this study focused on the arguments that book challengers employed to justify the removal, relocation, or restriction of books in 13 challenge cases in public libraries and schools across the United States between 2007 and Three sources of discourse, which were coded for common themes, were analyzed. The first consisted of a variety of documents, obtained via state open record requests to governing bodies, which were produced in the course of challenge cases. Recordings of book challenge public hearings constituted the second source of data. The third source of discourse consisted of interviews with challengers. The study found the following common themes in challengers' worldviews: First, they saw contemporary society as being in a state of decline and were concerned with preserving the innocence of children in the midst of this decay. Second, they constructed public institutions as symbols of the community that must represent their values and aid parents in their difficult role as boundary setters. Finally, challengers demonstrated a reverence for the books as a material object and employed common sense interpretive strategies. It is hoped that this analysis will offer a starting point for comparing the discourse of challengers

14 to the discourse of other social actors and aid librarians and other information professionals in providing effective responses to challengers to materials in their respective institutions. Web of Science Method of Searching: Citation Searching Scholarly/Refereed Status: Library & Information Science Research (LISR) describes itself as a cross-disciplinary and refereed journal, [that] focuses on the research process in library and information science as well as research findings and, where applicable, their practical applications and significance (LISR, 2016). Ulrich s supports that this journal is both scholarly and peer reviewed. Entry 15: Miller, A. (2014). UNSUITED TO AGE GROUP: THE SCANDALS OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE. College Literature, 41(2), Retrieved from /docview/ ?accountid=10559 Abstract: [...] it will critically explore the public debates surrounding the exposure of children to literature (from picture books to young adult novels) that contains reference to homosexuality or sexual behavior more generally. [...] as Michael Warner points out in Fear of a Queer Planet, for those who are queered or "othered" in this system, the agenda for change is much more heavily weighted: Because the logic of the sexual order is so deeply embedded... in an indescribably wide range of social institutions, and... in the most standard accounts of the world, queer struggles aim not just at toleration or equal status but at challenging those institutions and accounts.

15 Since this was the first search I was attempting with this particular database, I decided to do a standard keyword search to determine the scope of the materials covered as LISA is known to have an abundance of articles. ProQuest Method of Searching: Keyword Search (Censor* OR challenge*) AND (child* OR youth* OR young*) AND (book* OR Literature) Scholarly/Refereed Status: This journal requires review by an editorial board for all paper submissions. The search was conducted with limits applied for scholarly articles and peer reviewed works. Ulrich s online serials directory also classifies the journal as refereed. Entry 16: Moellendick, C. M. (2009). Libraries, Censors, and Self-Censorship. PNLA Quarterly, 73(4), Abstract: The article focuses on the relationship between censorship and libraries in the U.S. It relates that censorship of books occur right from the start of public library system, and librarians and publishers were the leading people who promoted the censorship issue. It stresses the concept of censorship as the librarian's key responsibility. It says that librarians have moved from being head censors to key advocates of freedom to read, freedom of speech and the values of the Library Bill of Rights. Since this was the first search I was attempting with this particular database, I decided to do a standard keyword search to determine

16 the scope of the materials covered as LISA is known to have an abundance of articles. LISA Method of Searching: Keyword Search (Censor* OR challenge*) AND (child* OR youth* OR young*) AND (book* OR Literature) Scholarly/Refereed Status: While the PNLA Quarterly publishes both peer-reviewed and high-quality non-peer reviewed articles, Ulrich s does qualify this journal as refereed. More importantly, I chose to include this item because it provides a succinct summation of the different roles librarians have played throughout the history of censorship. Entry 17: Shields, G., & Robotham, J. (1979) At what age freedom?. Collection Building, 1(3), Abstract: At what age should children and teenagers have access to certain subject materials and/or the adult collection in libraries? Parents, school teachers and administrators, organized and unorganized religious, politicians, and the judiciary are among those willing to expound on their firm conviction that certain materials and subjects are harmful to the young. There are also those who, although uncertain about the effect of certain materials and subjects, are willing to opt for restricting access for the young and to demand that librarians be responsible for policing such action. Librarians generally share these ambivalent feelings about library materials and access for children and young adults. Aware of the possible adverse reaction of adults if alleged controversial materials are placed either in the children's or the young adult collection, librarians often choose not to select such materials. A recent letter to American Libraries suggested that librarians place controversial children's or young adult material into adult collections only, thus avoiding confrontations with those adults concerned about harmful matter reaching minors. The writer stated that everyone would win; the material would be available, but objections based on access to the material by the young would be thwarted. The writer did not seem to anticipate problems in determining at what age the young person would be allowed access to the adult

17 collection containing this material, nor was a method proposed for defining either controversial or noncontroversial material. However, the way out proposed is actually used by some public libraries in the U.S., although a cursory look at library problems over objections to library materials for the young reveals titles and subjects that would be classified as noncontroversial by many. Acquired through interlibrary loan Method of Searching: Footnote Chasing Scholarly/Refereed Status: Collection Building uses an online submission and peer review system. Ulrich s has also verified the Entry 18: West, M. I. (1985). Not to Be Circulated: The Response of Children's Librarians to Dime Novels and Series Books. Children's Literature Association Quarterly 10(3), The Johns Hopkins University Press. Retrieved August 4, 2016, from Project MUSE database Abstract: None written Method of Searching: Scholarly/Refereed Status: Footnote Chasing

18 Entry 19: White, M. (1974). Censorship-Threat over Children's Books. The Elementary School Journal, 75(1), Retrieved from Abstract: The article looks at research of children and their opinions and knowledge of censored books and other material. A focus group is discussed in which children between the ages of 9 and 12 shared thoughts on censorship, parent supervision of reading material, and inappropriate subject matter in mass media. According to the article, most children stated censorship was a negative, yet parents and teachers should limit exposure in extreme circumstances. Other topics discussed in the article include children accessing restricted material, library use, and intellectual freedom. Method of Searching: Scholarly/Refereed Status: Since this was the first search I was attempting with this particular database, I decided to do a standard keyword search to determine the scope of the materials covered as LISTA is known to have an abundance of articles. LISTA (ProQuest) Keyword Search (Censor* OR challenge*) AND (child* OR youth* OR young*) AND (book* OR Literature)