“Book banning has been around for years,” says Princeton Public Library’s Janie Hermann, the library’s adult program manager who scheduled the discussion and managed the banned book week exhibit, which was on display this past September. “But until recently, it hasn’t been a serious problem for us,” she says.
Hermann, the library’s adult program manager, has assembled a panel that will meet virtually to discuss book banning on Monday, November 14, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Register to attend at www.princetonlibrary.org.
Titled “Book Banning on the Rise,” the panel discussion will explore the topic in both historical and contemporary contexts. Bill Gleason, a professor of English and American studies at Princeton, will moderate the discussion. His hope is that the event “will spark some interesting cross dialog.”
Panelists include Marilisa Jimenez Garcia, associate professor of children’s literature at Simmons University; and Jonathan Zimmerman, professor of history of education at the University of Pennsylvania.
Jimenez Garcia researches the role of youth literature in education and racial justice struggles in the U.S., and was the founding director of the Institute on Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at Lehigh University. In the February issue of the Atlantic, she argues that children’s books that include violence should not be banned because children of color and from ethnic minorities were not sheltered or spared from these horrors when they happened.
Zimmerman is the author of nine books, including “Free Speech and Why You Should Give a Damn” and “Whose America? Culture Wars in the Public Schools.” He is a frequent op-ed contributor to the Washington Post and other media outlets and has appeared on the Joe Rogan Show and several other podcasts.
While Zimmerman is a self-described and known liberal, he challenges his cohorts. In a recent Philadelphia Inquirer opinion piece he writes, “There is one title that didn’t appear on any lists of commonly challenged books in 2022: ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’ by Mark Twain. That’s because many school districts dropped Huck Finn from their reading lists years ago. And the people demanding its removal were on the left, not the right … And liberals can’t rebut book bans if they are banning books themselves.”
Hermann confirms that no one has requested that “Huck Finn” be removed from the Princeton Public Library collection, but, she says, in 2019, a library patron did request the removal of one of its books: “Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness.” The patron felt the book made generalizing statements about racism and whiteness that would be confusing to children.
The library’s assistant director, Erica Bess, said the library considered the concerns of the patron, but ultimately decided to keep the book in its collection. An important factor for the decision was that the book was well-reviewed and recommended by trusted journals: The book received a star review from the School Library Journal, which listed it as the best book of 2018, and Kirkus Reviews called it, “A necessary children’s book about whiteness, white supremacy, and resistance.”
“I am an ardent proponent for the freedom to read and for having access to books,” says Hermann, expressing concern that Princeton is not the only town that has faced book challenges over the past few years. Lawrence, Hunterdon, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, are among them:
Parents from Lawrence Township spoke at a recent school board meeting, expressing concern that some books read to children at the first grade level could be a first step towards seeking gender-affirming care.
A librarian from North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School made news in late 2021 when she opposed parents’ efforts to ban LGBTQ+ books. This past June she received an award from the American Library Association for her work, but she said the school district continues to face challenges.
The Central Bucks School Board has instituted a policy in which a superintendent or designated person will review new books for inappropriate or sexualized content and determine whether they will be allowed on the library shelves.
Hermann’s position on library collections is that they should support the interests and needs of the people who use the library. “We go through our collection carefully. We want to serve the community,” she says. Overall, she says their books reflect the interests of the town residents.
Hermann credits librarian Dana Treichler for her work in planning a Banned Books Week exhibit that was displayed at the library in September, and humanities specialist Madeleine Rosenberg, who worked with Hermann in planning the November 14 panel discussion and the “Understanding Banned Books Resource Guide.”
The guide explains that the American Library Association and the Association of American publishers established Banned Books Week to combat censorship and highlight targeted books. The guide states that “in the last 40 years, much of the fight over book banning has centered on what is appropriate for children.”
A graphic shows that 81 percent of book challenges occur in school and public libraries, with targeted titles related to people of color or the LGBTQ+ community. The web page includes links to recent news articles and resources, including an action kit from the National Coalition Against Censorship.
The web page also includes a brief introduction to a film about novelist Kurt Vonnegut, a champion for civil liberties and freedom of speech. New York Times reviewer Glenn Kenny says, “The documentary, ‘Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time,’ takes the importance of the novelist as a given, although years after his death in 2007, his ostensible significance still sets off conflicts on social media.” The library will show the film on Friday, November 11. (Register: https://princetonlibrary.libnet.info/event/7154188 )
Hermann says her priority for library events is that they contribute to lifelong learning. She is especially interested in using technology to serve the public.
“The goal of the book banning discussion and the exhibit is to raise awareness — what’s happening and why it’s happening,” says Hermann.
To learn more, visit princetonlibrary.org/understanding-banned-books-week.
Book Banning on the Rise, Princeton Public Library. Monday, November 14, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Register for access to virtual event. www.princetonlibrary.org.
