Censorship in

Schools and Libraries

 
When planning your exhibits for 2008-2009, you may wish to consider including the new edition of the exhibit, Censorship in Schools and Libraries published by the Long Island Coalition Against Censorship. The exhibit presents 32 illustrations, each one approximately 11” x 14” with accompanying text that is 11” x 14”.

The history of censorship in libraries and public schools highlights incidents of censorship that have occurred in the United States for more than one hundred years, dating back to the 19th century. Included are descriptions of the censorship of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, In the Night Kitchen, The Catcher in the Rye, the novels of Judy Blume and Chris Crutcher, most recently, the 1997 Newberry Prize winning novel, The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron.

U.S. Supreme Court and lower court decisions are an integral part of the exhibit. The new edition includes efforts to censor the popular Harry Potter children’s books (Harry Potter books were burned in Alamagordo, New Mexico), and the 2003 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the Children’s Internet Protection Act. In addition to new cases, there is an update of censorship incidents in libraries and schools that occurred from the 1990s to the present.

Since its original publication, over 1500 copies of the exhibit have been ordered. Quality copies have been reproduced and may be readily presented in the library or classroom on poster boards and retained as a reference source. If your space is limited, we suggest that you rotate the panels during the time the exhibit is on display. If you are interested in having a copy, the cost including mailing charges is $40.00 postpaid. An e-mail order to:

coalcen1@verizon.net is acceptable or send a purchase order or letter to:

LICAC,
PO Box 296,
Pt. Washington, N.Y. 11050.
Attn: Donald Parker, Co-coordinator Long Island Coalition Against Censorship