Banned Books Week 2008

"Censorship in Schools and Libraries"

available for Banned Books Week

September 27 – October 4, 2008

In planning an exhibit for Banned Books Week in the fall or at another time in 2008-2009, you might wish to consider displaying the new edition of our exhibit, “Censorship in Schools and Libraries.”

The exhibit presents 32 illustrations of censorship, each one approximately 11" x 14" with accompanying text that is 11" x 14." The history of censorship in public schools and libraries highlights incidents of censorship that have occurred nationally during the last 150 years. Included are descriptions of the censorship of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, In the Night Kitchen, The Catcher in the Rye, and the novels of Judy Blume and Chris Crutcher. One of the recent additions to the exhibit is the censorship of the Susan Patron’s novel, The Higher Power of Lucky which received the Newberry award in 2007. U.S. Supreme Court decisions (including the landmark school case in the Island Trees School District) and lower court decisions are an integral part of the exhibit.

The 2008 edition includes efforts to censor the popular Harry Potter’s children's books (Harry Potter books were burned in Alamogordo, New Mexico). Besides new cases, there is an update of censorship incidents in libraries and classrooms that have occurred since 1990. Quality copies have been reproduced which may be readily presented on poster or bulletin boards in your library or classroom and then retained by you as a reference source. If your space is limited, we suggest that you rotate the incidents of censorship during the time the exhibit is on display. Click on exhibits; go to "Censorship in Schools and Libraries" (for a description of the exhibit) and then Selected Cases. You may order the exhibit by e-mail or sending a purchase order to the LI Coalition Against Censorship, PO Box 296, Port Washington, N.Y. 11050. The cost of the exhibit including mailing charges is $40.00 postpaid by check. For further information our e-mail address is coalcen1@verizon.net or call (516) 944-9799.

Donald Parker, Co-coordinator, LI Coalition Against Censorship